Thanks Jim. I recently took over the Seward County, KSGenWeb site at http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/seward/index.html Be sure to visit the resources page. I'm working with Laura Ball to get the cemeteries all online. Liberal is mostly up in text files and we are working on the photos. Restlawn I'm in the hs or so getting them online. I've been helping the Kansas USGenWeb Archives for a long time. The page for Seward County is at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ks/seward/seward.htm A Note: I was born in Liberal and found many of my relatives as well. I really appreciate that Jim is doing this for all of us Seward County Researchers. I have acquired a 1946 Book of the History and Genealogy of Seward County. I'm still trying to figure if is or ever was copyrighted. Once I have an all clear I can post from that. Maggie http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maggieoh/bio/bio.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Laird To: ksseward@rootsweb.com Cc: lknw@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 4:59 PM Subject: Re: [KSSEWARD] Arkalon & Liberal Ancestors First off LKNW, you are welcome. You really should thank Maggie Stewart, as it was she who asked me to look at some microfilmed newspapers for Seward County. Maggie does a lot of good work. Second, have added those surnames you've mentioned to this list I carry around for Seward county. Third, the newspaper, The Liberal Leader, I am posting from only goes to January 7, 1890. In looking at newspapers on microfilm by the Kansas State Historical Society, as you probably already know, Arkalon did have a newsapaper, apparently from April 1888 to December 1892. KSHS holds two rolls of film for this one. This means your obituary for Mr. T. G. Laird will appear in another newspaper. It also means though, that there could be a lot of Laird material in those Arkalon newspapers. Lastly, I am wondering about your Laird's and where they came from and who they are in relation to my Lairds. I thought at first, and it still may be the case, that they are some of those Laird's from Tabor, Ia., who ended up in Edwards County, Kansas, speaking here of Henry Laird who has the local library in Belpre named after him just off Laird street. Some of those Lairds also ended up in Nebraska. We could be distant cousins. Most of my Lairds came from Erie, Pa., to Ill., to Ia., to Mo., to Ks.(Jefferson County for one). Curious to be sure about the connection. Hope any and all of the material helps. Have a good one!! Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: <lknw@aol.com> To: <KSSEWARD@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 1:24 AM Subject: [KSSEWARD] Arkalon & Liberal Ancestors > My thanks go out to Jim Laird for transcribing so many articles from > "The Liberal Lyre" for us. Many members of my ancestral family have > already been mentioned - grandfather Will F. LAIRD; great-grandmother > E.F. BROWN; great-aunt Minnie BROWN TINSLEY; and distant cousins Loles > BRACKETT and Jennie VANNESS. > > I am curious to know if there was an obituary published in the > newspaper for Will LAIRD's father - Thomas G. LAIRD. He died on > February 21, 1893 in Arkalon and was buried in Liberal. Also, perhaps > there was mention of the marriage of my great-aunt Edith Pearl BROWN to > William Henry FEATHER on July 2, 1893 in Liberal. Other family names of > interest in Seward County are WILLIAMS, SPENCER and HOLLINGSWORTH. > > Jim, your recent posting of the article "Girls and The Newspapers" was > very entertaining. I look forward to reading your future postings. LKNW > ________________________________________________________________________ > Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - > http://mail.aol.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSSEWARD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KSSEWARD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Tried to avoid it but can't. Have to be out of out for the next 6 days. Will post more when I get back. Sorry about that. Have a good one!! Jim

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday October 17, 1888 E.J. FREEMAN is now the proud father of bouncing big boy, who made his appearance in the household last Thursday evening. Mother and child are doing well and the father is happy.

The Liberal Leader Thursday October 1, 1888 Mrs. E.E. BROWN, county superintendent of public instruction, was in this city last Tuesday and favored the Leader with a call.

The Liberal Leader Thursday October 1, 1888 Our old friend G.C. BROWN has been nominated by the Demcracy of Seward county for representative. Mr. Brown is a young man of first class business qualifications, is honest and upright. He has always been a consistent hardworking Democrat and if elected, the interest of Seward county will be in safe hands.--Pratt Register.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday September 20, 1888 George H. MASSONI, who was well known to the people of Liberal, having clerked here for several months for Herzer & Kingkade, was met with a tragic death only two days before the time set for his marriage. He was on his way to his affianced bride, Miss Annie ELLIS, who lives near Langdon in Reno county, and was within one miles of her house when the team ran away and threw him and the driver out. Severely injured the was taken to her house where he died the same evening. His funeral took place in Greensbury ( his old home) on the same day that had been set for his wedding. George Massoni was only 25 year old and was well liked by all who knew him.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday September 20, 1888 W.D. DENSON, about 33 years old and a widower, was shot and killed by M. S. PARSONS at Springfield last Saturday evening. The parties had a quarrel in the morning about a board bill, which Parson owed, and whey they met in front of the Clarrendon Hotel in the evening they again had few words. After a few remarks Parsons stepped into the doorway of the hotel, pulled a revolver and fired. The ball struck Denson in the right breast and caused almost instant death. parson was arrested and will have his preliminary hearing today. Dr. G.W. Harris, the coroner, held an inquest on Monday and from the evidence it would seem that there was no justifications for the deed. Parsons is about 25 years old and unmarried, and was for a time employed on the Transcript in that place. It is claimed that Denson had frequentlyu threatened to do him harm, and it must be stated that Parsons was always considered a very peaceable young man. Even when assaulted he would never allow himself to be drawn into a fight, as he had but one eye and said he did not wish to be made blind. It is a very sad affair.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday August 23, 1888 Jacob FRANTZ, who owned a claim 1 1/2 miles west of this city, died last week at Mrs. Hollingsworth's borading house of mountain fever. He had been sick for some time, but was well taken care by the above names lady. At one time he seemed to be in a fair way of recovery, but he suffered a relapse, which brought about his death. The body was shipped to relatives in Illinois. Quite a number of our people escorted tghe hearse to the train and six young men of this city acted as pall bearers. Frantz was 23 years of age and unmarried.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday August 9, 1888 W.H. BLOOD and Miss Mary SMITH were married last Sunday afternoon, August 5th, 1888, at the residence of the bride's parents, two miles south of Liberal. Rev. J.B. Bradley performed the ceremony, which was witnessed by a number of relatives and near friends of the contracting parties. Miss Smith now Mrs. Blood is a very pleasant young lady who enjoys the esteem of a large circle of friends. Mr. Blood who lives 2 1/2 miles south of Liberal, is one of our most prominent farmers, and a progressive citizen who takes great interest in everything that concerns our county and our city. We wish the young couple a long life of usefulness, prosperity and happiness.

The Liberal Leader Thursday August 9, 1888 E.R. BROWN, of Westola, Morton, Co., was in town this week buying goods of our merchants.

The Liberal Leader Thursday August 9, 1888 The Citizens Ticket. For Mayor, J.A. STINE. For Councilmen: W.A. RHOADES, L.E. CAIN, C.H. DODD, F.A. HOLMES, T.A. VAUGHN. For Police Judge, Lambert WILLSTAEDT. Nearly all of these men have been here ever since the town was started. They are well known to our people and need no further recommendation.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday July 26, 1888 Mr. W. J. ROGERS, manager of the Kimball Lumber Company's yard at Liberal, and Mrs. Luella J. ROW, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. CHILDERS, were married at the residence of the bride's parents, corner of Lincoln and first street, last Sunday afternoon at 1 o'clock. the ceremony was performed by Rev. J. B. Bradley, and the wedding was strictly private, being attended only by a few near friends of the contracting parties. Mr. John B. Ross acted as best man, and Miss Olive McDermott was brides-maid. The newly wedded pair were the recipients of a large number of valuable and appropriate presents. After the ceremony the happy young couple took the train, to spend the honey moon at Denver and other points in the west. They intend to return about the first of September. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are well known in our community and enjoy a large circle of friends, who all wish them a long life of prosperity and happiness.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday July 19, 1888 A wedding took place this morning, July 19, 1888, at the Washington street Hotel in this city; the contracting parties being Elmer M. BUMPS and Mary J. CORSON, both of Boyd City in the Neutral Strip. The ceremony was performed in his usual pleasant manner by J.C. Powell, our popular Justice of the Peace. After the ceremony was over and friends had extended their congratulations, the happy couple returned to their home in Boyd City.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday July 19, 1888 Mr. Hy. ALPHIN, of Leoti, arrived here last Friday to visit a few days with his son, Mr. W.O. Alphin, one of the first settlers in this part of the county and original owner of part of the present town site. The old gentleman was much surprised at what he saw here and told our reporter that but a few years ago he hunted antelope on the very ground where now most of our business houses stand.

The Liberal Leader Thursday May 24, 1888 Thos. WILSON, of Pratt, arrived here a week ago and concluded to go into business here. He has erected a fair sized building on Second St., put in several car loads of flour, feed and provisions within the last few days and is now ready for business. Nothing like push. E.P. STEPHENSON, the owner of the steam peanut roaster on the corner of Second and Kansas avenue, was welcome caller at our sanctum last Monday. Mr. Stephenson is one of the oldest printers in the United States, having followed the business in various capacities for about forty years, but thinks he is entitled now to a life of quiet and rest. We believe he has earned it. Mrs. Chapman, wife of Frank Chapman, the popular proprietor of the Long Branch restaurant, leaves here this week with her five daughters to spend a short time visiting relatives in St. Charles county, Mo. During her absence Mr. Chapman will erect a dwelling house here so his family may have comfortable quarters when they return.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday May 24, 1888, and June 1, 1888 W.G. RIGG, one of the proprietors of the harness store on Kansas avenue, enjoys the honor of being the father of the first child born here. It is a daughter and made its appearance on May 13th, but the father was so overjoyed that he forgot to mention the event in time for last week's paper. June 7, 1888, Liberal Leader. Mr. RIGG's little baby died last Tuesday and was buried yestersday afternoon. Rev. Coats conducted the services.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday May 24, 1888 Sad Death. On lat Saturday evening Frank N. BROWN, a young man twenty-two years of age, was brought into Liberal a corpse. He had left Hansford county, Texas, a day or two previous accompanied by his father on their return home to Lockport, New York. But the young man was not destined to reach his old home alive. He took suddenly worse and died near Oak City, at 1 o'clock p.m., last Saturday. The deceased was a consumptive, and had found a climate here that made him an apparently sound man. But over a year ago he returned to N.Y. and remained for about nine months when his health again failed him and he returned to this country in October last. His father expressed to this writer his opinion that his son's last stay in New York had led to the fatal consequences. The father also requested that a public acknowledgement of his thanks be made to many kind friends whom he had found in the west; and who had given him aid and sympathy. The remains were embalmed here and placed in a metallic casket, and were shipped to New York.

The Liberal Leader Thursday May 17, 1888 A.B. TALLMAN, of Bollaire, Ohio, cashier of the First National Bank, and with interests in the iron and steel works of that place; along with his brother, W.H. TALLMAN, of Bridgeport, Ohio, president of the steel works there, are in town today for the purpose of investing. W.E. CARR, of Great Bend, was a visitor at our sanctum yesterday. Mr. Carr was formerly in the newspaper business and published the first paper in Garden City. He is now connected with the Santa Fe R.R. T. WILSON is putting up a building for a wholesale flour establishment on Second street. The building is 20x30 with an addition.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday May 17, 1888 Mrs. E. CARTMEL has opened a hotel on the corner of Lincoln ave. and Fifth which she calls the "Fifth Avenue Hotel." Although the establishment has only been in existence for one week, it is so well patronized that it will have to be enlargd, to accomodate the many guests. Mrs. Cartmel sets a very good table and she knows how to make her guests comfortable. When the addition, now comtemplated, is built, Mrs. C. will have one of the largest hotels in town, as well as one of the most popular.

The Liberal Leader Seward County Thursday May 17, 1888 A Probable Suicide. On last Monday morning a man named Samuel T. ESSLER who had slept in the billard hall on Washington avenue the night previous was found in an unconscious condition. Efforts made to arouse him failed and about ten o'clock he died. A bottle that had contained morphine was found in his pocket, and his death is supposed to have resulted from an overdose of the drug. The deceased was a single man about thirty-five years of age, and has people living in Michigan. He has a sister living in Mulvane, Kas., who was telegraphed concerning her brother's death and the body was forwarded to her.