in the preparation and compilation of this history, no effort has been made to interpret the logic or spirit of events that surrounded the birth and progress of atchison county. the work was undertaken with the idea of compiling a narrative plainly told, of the people and the institutions here. i was interested in putting in permanent form chronologically the events that have transpired in the past sixty years, that have made for the political, social, moral and commercial development of the county, but, had i realized in advance the many hours of labor and patient study it required, the work of completing the task in six months would not have been attempted. i am very deeply conscious of the imperfections of the completed work, but had there been more time for research and study, much might have been included that does not appear.
it would be ingratitude if no acknowledgment were made at the outset, of the obligation i am under to george j. remsburg for the assistance he has rendered me. without his unfailing courtesy, kindness and help i should never have been able to do the work at all. his ability as a local historian is truly marvelous. he wrote two chapters of the history and contributed most of the matter touching upon the founding of cities and towns. it is to be regretted that the condition of his health prevented him from undertaking the work which i have so imperfectly done.
acknowledgment is also due george a. root of the state historical society, who has rendered me invaluable assistance, and to the atchison daily globe, from whose files i gathered much important data. nor can i fail to give proper credit to andreas’ history of kansas, from which a wealth of information has been secured. d. anna speer, county superintendent, collected for me most of the historical matter relative to the schools of the county and professor nathan t. veatch was more than kind in preparing for me a sketch of the atchison city schools.
and my dear mother, a loyal resident of atchison since july, 1859, intimately identified with its history and growth for fifty-seven years, has visualized to me as no other could, the story of the early days. remarkable as a mother, loved and adored by all her children, she is no less remarkable
as a woman, stalwart, rugged and buoyant. she lived her young life with the pioneers of atchison, and now in the fullness of her years she looks over the past, so full of pleasures, tribulations and sorrows, with gladness and resignation, and faces the future with a determined spirit and a brave heart.
to the ministers of the various churches of atchison and to professor erasmus haworth and charles h. taylor, the county farm agent, and to many other good people of atchison, i entertain sentiments of the deepest appreciation, and if any of them ever undertakes the work of writing a history, i shall gladly render them any service in my power.
sheffield ingalls.
atchison, kan., march 6, 1916.
