Description
"Atchison's Neighbors On The South" - - (excerpted from longer article) Several families of ex-slaves, without money, settled in Walnut Township during the war, and, at the time of what is known as the “exodus.” These colored pioneers and their progeny, with the few that have settled among them since, form what is known as the Port William Settlement, one of the most progressives and enlightened negro communities in Kansas. Nearly all of those who were industrious have prospered. Three colored families here own over 800 acres of good farm land. Nearly every family owns and cultivates a farm of from 40 to 200 acres, raises good crops, and is well up the scale in husbandry. They control a school district, that of No. 20, have colored members of the school board, and employ a colored teacher. They have a church, Sunday school, and the only cemetery used exclusively by colored people in Kansas. They also have rural free mail delivery, and a rural telephone line. Among the deserving colored residents of Walnut township may be mentioned H. C. Buchanan, Charles Ingram, Eugene L. Bell, G. W. H. Ross. J. D. Richardson and mother, Charles Ferguson, R. B. Lyles, Mrs. Mary Potter, J. Corporal, Charles Carr, Mrs. Frank Williams, Dave and Charles Wallingford, Matt. Robinson, J. Crocket, Henry and Pryor Dickey, Wm. Jett, Henry Potter, Will Ingram, and others.Date(s) of Creation
2/18/1909
