Foreign Settlements in Kansas.
A CONTRIBUTION TO DIALECTSTUDY IN THE STATE.
Explanatory.—Some years ago when the subject of dialect study in Kansas, or rather of Kansas dialect, was mentioned, Mr. Noble Prentis, a gentleman who is warranted in speaking with authority on Kansas, was inclined to think that he settled the question in short order by declaring that there is no Kansas dialect. Probably the majority of intelligent citizens of the state would turn off the subject with the same reply. In the sense of a mode of speech common to the inhabitants of Kansas and peculiar to them, Mr. Prentis was indeed right. There is no vocabulary, at least no extensive vocabulary, by which the native of Kansas may be recognized in the American Babel. We have no distinctive pronunciation by which we may be known from the inhabitants of Nebraska or set apart from the citizens of Missouri. The verb fails to agree with its subject and the participle is deprived of its final ‘g’ with about equal frequency in Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado.
But in the same sense it is true that there is no Kansas flora, no Kansas fauna; that is, there is no plant and there is no animal found quite generally in Kansas and found nowhere outside of Kansas. The remark that there is no such thing as a Kansas dialect rests upon a misapprehension of what is meant by the term. In just the same way that we speak of the flora and the fauna of Kansas we may speak of the dialect of Kansas. Yet to avoid popular misapprehension it may be better to speak of dialect in Kansas, rather than of Kansas dialect.
Dialect study involves the observation and description of all facts concerning the natural living speech of men, and especially those points in which the speech of individuals or groups differs from that of the standard literary language as represented in classic writers and classic speakers. Standard literary English is always a little behind the times. It is the stuffed and mounted specimen in the museum. Dialect is the live animal on its native heath. Most people, indeed, will think that their speech does not differ materially from standard English. They say, “We speak near enough alike ‘for practical purposes’. But a thousand years hence the pronunciation of our countrymay have changed so much that it will seem like another language, and our descendants will write learned theses to prove that we pronounced ‘cough’ like cow or like cuff. A new language will have grown out of an old one, but no one know how it came about. Careful dialect study will help explain it.”
Kansas is a peculiarly favorable field for dialect study. We have here side by side representatives from nearly every state in the Union, and from a dozen foreign countries. The observer has here what elsewhere he must travel over half the world to find. In a district where the people are all natives, the speech is so nearly homogeneous that it is difficult to find any one who recognizes the peculiarities of his own language, but here the contrast of strange tongues strikes us immediately and we become conscious early of the fact that all men do not speak alike.
Study of dialect may be classified under the heads of pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. Of these the last two are the easiest, and may be carried on by almost any one with pleasure and valuable results. Pronunciation is the most difficult of these matters to study, as competent observation and reports can be made only by one who has made a thorough study of Phonetics. To those who might wish to take up the study of this branch of the subject, Sweet’s Primer of Phonetics, and Grandgent’s “Vowel Measurements” and “German and English Sounds” are recommended.
In the study of dialect vocabularies it may become of the greatest importance to establish the exact locality of a word and the origin of the persons by whom it is used. For instance, in a family of my acquaintance the word ‘slandering’ = sauntering was familiar. It was a great puzzle to me until I learned that some of the children had been in the care of a German maid. The German word ‘schlendern’ suggested the unquestionable source of the peculiar word. As a source of information regarding the origin of the foreign elements of our population when their native speech shall have been forgotten, but when the influence of it will be left in vocabulary and pronunciation I have thought that amap of the statewith the location of all the foreign settlements of even quite small size would be of interest and in time of great value. In the following pages I transmit the results of my inquiries so far as received. It is my intention to make the report complete and to publish the map, when as complete as it can be made, in colors. Unexpected difficulties have delayed the work and prevented its being complete. I depended for my information upon the County Superintendents of the State, a class of unusually intelligent and well-informed men and women. But in not a few cases there seems to havebeen a suspicion in the mind of my correspondent that I might be a special officer of the state trying to locate violations of the law requiring district schools to be conducted in English, and hence information regarding schools in foreign tongue was withheld or given but partially. And in some cases my informants were not well posted. A superintendent by the name of Schauermann in a county containing a town called Suabia, tells me that there are no foreigners in his county. In such cases time must be taken to secure a correct result.
The questions asked were: Locate, and give origin, date and approximate numbers of any settlements—six or more families—of foreigners in your county. Do they still use their language to any extent? Do they have church service and schools conducted in their native tongue? In many replies one or more of these points was neglected so that the information is not yet by any means what I desire to make it. However, for the purpose of dialect study approximate correctness in location is of chief importance, and accuracy as to numbers quite secondary.
Through the aid of ministers and others to whom I have been referred by the superintendents I hope to make this report complete in the following respects: The more exact limits of the settlement; the numbers of those foreign-born; the province as well as land from which they came; the number of churches; the number of schools and the length of time the same are conducted. I solicit the co-operation of everyone interested in this work, and also in the whole subject of dialect study. As intimated above, interested observers can without especial training do a service to science and at the same time find a fascinating pastime for themselves by making collections of words and constructions which they believe to be unusual or new. If any such are sent to the writer they will be duly acknowledged. They should in every case be accompanied by a statement of the age, condition and birth-place of the person using them.
I wish here to call attention to the work of the American Dialect Society which exists to promote this study. It desires as wide a membership as possible, and membership is open to all interested in the subject. The publication of the Society, Dialect Notes, contains reports of word-lists and other studies, and will be an aid to any who wish to undertake similar work. Subscriptions and membership fees should be sent to Mr. C. H. Grandgent, Treas., Cambridge, Mass.
Atchison.—Reports no foreigners, by John Klopfenstein, Supt.Allen.—Swedes and Danes, from 600 to 700, settledfrom 1873 to 1880. Have church service, and four to five months school in Swedish. Grove and Elsmore townships. Germans in and around Humboldt.Anderson.—Irish in Reeder township, 1860 and 1874. Germans, 1860 in Putman township, 1880 in Westphalia township. Have both church and schools in German.Barber.—Reports “no foreigners worth making account of”, by J. O. Hahn, Sup’t.Barton.—No report.Bourbon.—Reports no foreigners.Brown.—No report.Butler.—Germans (Prussians), speaking Low German, in Fairmount and Milton townships. Hold church services but no schools in German.Chase.—Russian Mennonites, speaking both Russian and German, in Diamond Creek township, no church, but a portion of schooling in German. Germans at Strong City, with both church and schools in their native tongue.Chatauqua.—Some Norwegians and Swedes, 1870, no location given. Neither schools nor churches in native tongue. One colony of ‘Russians’ (Mennonites?), who have also given up their language.Cherokee.—Weir City, French and Italians, number considerable. Scammon, Scotch, also in large numbers. The French and Italians have neither schools nor church in the native tongue. Germans in Ross, twenty families; with church originally Lutheran, now Mennonite; school irregularly during past ten years. Swedes, a few families in Cherokee township, have entirely given up Swedish language. The Scotch, French and Italians in mines or mining industries.Cheyenne.—Germans settled in 1885-86 on Hackberry Creek, 160 persons; in the northeast corner of the county, 100; on west border of county, north of Republican river, 120; all with churches and the last two with occasional schools. Swedes are across the Republican adjoining last named German settlement, 120, entered 1886, having neither church nor school in Swedish.Clarke.—Reports no foreigners.Clay.—No report.Cloud.—Canadian French are scattered over much of the county, with considerable settlements in and around the towns of Concordia, Clyde, St. Joseph and Aurora. Inall there are churches, in the first three schools also conducted in French. Norwegians occupy portions of Sibley and Lincoln townships with two churches in their own tongue. They number about three hundred. Irish occupy portions of Solomon and Lyon, the south part of Meredith and the southeast corner of Grant townships.Coffey.—Germans in Liberty and on border of Leroy and Avon township. Have church service in German.Comanche.—Germans. A few scattered families.Cowley.—A few Swedes and Germans, widely scattered.Crawford.—Irish and French in Grant township; Swedes in west part of Sherman township, have all given up their language. Italians, Austrians and other nationalities in south part of Washington, southeast part of Sheridan and all over Baker township, especially in Pittsburg, employed in mining and smelting.Decatur.—Swedes in Oberlin township; Mennonites in Prairie Dog township; Germans in and around Dresden, with Catholic church; Bohemians in Jennings and Garfield townships.Dickinson.—Germans, 500 in number settled in 1860 in Liberty, Union and Lyon townships. Have three churches and two schools in German. Also in Wheatland, Jefferson, Bonner and Ridge townships, one church and a school. Swedes, 100 settled in 1860 in Center and Hayes township, with two churches and one school in Swedish. Irish, several hundred in south part of Banner township.Doniphan.—Germans in Wayne, Marion and southern part of Center, Burr Oak and Washington townships, with church service in native tongue. Norwegians in eastern part of Wolf River township.Douglas.—There are German settlements in Eudora township (300), Marion township (600), and Big Springs township (100), with churches in all and school in the first. There are about five hundred Germans in Lawrence, with three German churches. There are smaller settlements of Germans and Scandinavians at several points in the county.Edwards.—Germans and Swedes in Kinsley, Jackson and Trenton townships, have church service in their mother tongue.Elk.—Swedes in Painter and Hood townships; Irish in Falls township; Germans on the border of Elk and Wild Cat townships. None of these have church or school in the native tongue, but all use it at home.Ellis.—Germans from Russia, settled about 1876 in Catherine, Hartsook, Lookout, Wheatland and Freedom townships, about 3000 in number—one third of the population of the county in 1891. They are Catholics, and have both churches and parochial schools conducted in German. They are large wheat-growers.Ellsworth.—Germans, (Methodists) in south part of Valley township; Germans (Lutherans) in north part of Columbia and Ellsworth townships; Germans (Baptists) from Prussia, in Green Garden and south west corner of Empire townships. These all have church service, and the Lutherans schools in their own tongue. Bohemians in Valley and Noble townships.Finney.—Reports no foreigners.Ford.—Germans in Wheatland and Speareville townships. Have church, and one school conducted in German.Franklin.—No report.Garfield.—A few scattered families of Germans.Geary.—Irish (Connaught) came into Jackson, Jefferson and Liberty townships 1855, about 1500 in number. Germans (Anhalt) about 1500 came into Jefferson, Milford and Lyon townships in 1862. About 300 English from Sussex settled in Lyon township in 1870. The Germans maintain both churches and schools in German.Gove.—Swedes in Lewis and south part of Grinnell and south west corner of Gove townships.Graham.—A settlement of Canadian French (600) was made in adjacent parts of Wild Horse and Morelan townships about 1880. They conduct church service but no schools in French.Grant.—Reports no foreigners.Gray.—Reports no foreigners.Greeley.—Swedes in the north west part of the county, have church service and summer school in Swedish.Greenwood.—Norwegians, about 200, in south part of Salem township, have church in their own tongue. Germans in Shell Rock township, about 300, also have church in their own language.Hamilton.—Reports no foreigners.Harper.—Germans about the town of Harper. Hungarians south of Bluff City. Both have church service in German. About 100 French in Odell and Stohrville townships.Harvey.—Germans (Russian Mennonites) from Odessa, a few from Prussia, the latterspeaking Low German. They settled from 1874 to 1876 in Alta and Garden townships, in Pleasant and the eastern part of Newton townships, and about Halstead. They have church and school in German, but speak Russian also. French in north part of Emma township, engaged in raising silk worms.Haskell.—Reports no foreigners.Hodgman.—Germans, about 30 families, settled about 1884 in south east corner of Sterling township; have preaching in German. Swedes in north west corner of Marena township.Jackson.—Danes in Netawaca and Whiting townships; Irish in Washington township; neither continue to use their native tongue.Jefferson.—Germans (Swiss) in Delaware, Jefferson and Kentucky townships, maintaining church but no schools in German.Jewell.—Swedes, widely scattered in Sinclair, Allen, Ewing and Ezbon townships.Johnson.—No report.Kearney.—No report.Kingman.—A small settlement of Germans in Peters township, not using German to any extent. A few Irish in Union township.Kiowa.—No report.Labette.—Swedes and Norwegians settled in Valley and Canada townships about 1869. Still speak their language, but have neither church nor school in it.Lane.—Reports no foreigners.Leavenworth.—German, in 1873 in Easton township; in Fair township in 1876; about 600 in each place. They have church service and schools in German.Lincoln.—Danes settled in Grant township in 1869 and since, 400 in number. Germans settled in Pleasant township in 1872, with 300, and in Indiana township in 1869 and later with about 375. Danes and Germans have good schools and churches in native tongue. Bohemians in Highland township in 1878 with thirty families. They speak their native tongue, but have no schools or churches.Linn.—Reports no foreigners.Logan.—Swedes, about 200, about Page City, in north part of county. Have church and school both in Swedish.Lyon.—Welsh, between 1000 and 1500 are located in and about Emporia, with three churches conducted in Welsh. There is a settlement of Scandinavians near Olpe in Centre township.Marion.—Germans(Russian Mennonites), settled in Logan, Durham, Lehigh, Risley, Menno, West Branch and Liberty townships, from 1870 to 1875, some 5000 in number. They speak both Russian and German, and have church service and schools in the latter tongue. Bohemians, about 500 in number are settled in Clark township. They speak Czech and have church service in that language. French to the number of 200 settled soon after 1870 on the border of Grant and Doyle townships. They speak French still, but have no schools or church service in the language.Marshall.—Germans (Pommeranians, Hanoverians, Frisians) to the number of 2000, settled in the west part of Marysville township from before 1860 to 1870. They have both church and school in their own tongue. In the north part of Murray and the south half of Vermillion townships are 1200 Irish, who use only English in church and school. They came before 1870. Bohemians in small numbers occupy the north part of Guittard,the north west corner of Waterville and the south part of Blue Rapids townships; Swedes a portion of the south part of Waterville township. No report as to their language.Meade.—No report.Miami.—Germans occupy the north part of Wea and the west part of Valley townships, about 200 in each settlement; the first has a Catholic, the second a Lutheran church. Irish occupy the north part of Osage township, also about 200 in number.Mitchell.—Germans to the number of 1200 occupy Pittsburg, Blue Hill, and Carr Creek townships. In the first there is a church, and a well-attended school (Catholic) at Tipton.Montgomery.—Germans to the number of 100 are settled in and about Independence. They have church service in German (Lutheran).Morris.—Swedes occupy Diamond Valley, the west part of Creek, and the north part of Parker townships. They have several churches and occasionally a school conducted in Swedish.Morton.—Reports no foreigners.McPherson.—Swedes settled, about 1870, in Union, Smoky Hill, Harper, New Gottland, Delmore, and portions of other townships, in large numbers, several thousand. They have several churches and excellent schools conducted in Swedish. Germans (Russian Mennonites) occupy Superior, Turkey Creek,Mound, Lone Tree, King City, and portions of McPherson and other southern townships, with several churches and schools. The Mennonites number about 5000 and settled after 1876.Nemaha.—Germans (Swiss) occupy Nemaha and Washington, and a portion of Richmond townships, with German churches and schools. Irish are in Clear Creek and north east corner of Neuchatel townships. Most of Neuchatel township is occupied by French (Swiss).Neosho.—Germans have a considerable settlement in the south east corner of Tioga township, with church service (Lutheran) in German; another in the east part of Lincoln township, where the language is spoken, but without church or school. Swedes have settlements in the north west part of Tioga and the east part of Big Creek townships; church in the first only, though in both Swedish is spoken almost exclusively.Ness.—No report.Norton.—Germans to the number of 100 settled about 1880 in Grant township. They have church service in German.Osage.—Swedes, (700 in number,) settled in Grant township in 1871, where they have four churches conducted in Swedish. Welsh settled in 1869 in Arvonia township, and others in the north part of Superior township, 700 in number. They have six churches with services in Welsh. Germans are in the north part of Scranton and Ridgway townships, 200 in number; French in the central part of Superior township, 200 strong; Danes, 200, in north part of Melvern and Olivet townships; a considerable number of Scotch and Irish in and near Scranton. Most of these latter are engaged in coal mining. None of the foreigners have schools—except Sunday schools—in their native tongue.Osborne.—Germans settled in Bloom township, where they have both church and school in their mother tongue.Ottawa.—Bohemians are located about the border of Sheridan and Fountain townships; Danes in the south part of Buckeye township; Irish, arrived about 1885, in the south part of Chapman township. None of these have church or school in a foreign tongue.Pawnee.—Swedes settled about 1877 in the west part of Garfield and the north part of Walnut townships, about 500 in all. They speak their native language at home almost exclusively, and have preaching in it.Phillips.—Germans occupy Mound and south part of Dayton townships, with preaching and parochial school in German. Dutch occupy east part of Prairie View withadjacent portions of Long Island, Dayton, and Beaver townships, with preaching in Dutch. Some Danes and Swedes in Crystal township, and some scattered Poles.Pottawatomie.—Germans, about 2500, in west half of Mill Creek and adjacent portions of Sherman and Vienna townships, also in Pottawatomie and adjacent portions of Union, Louisville, and St. George townships. There are a few families in Wamego and St. Mary’s Mission. They have several schools and churches conducted in German. Swedes occupy the whole of Blue Valley and the west border of Greene townships, and have a small settlement in St. Mary township, numbering in all 1200. They have church service and a parochial school conducted in Swedish. Irish, to the number of 2000 occupy Clear Creek, Emmet, St. Mary and the border of St. Clere townships. French (Canadian), numbering 200, are found in the north part of Mill Creek and in Union townships, also a few about St. Mary’s Mission.Pratt.—Reports no foreigners.Rawlins.—Germans in north east part of county with church and school in German. Swedes in east part of county, Bohemians and Hungarians in north and north east portion.Reno.—Germans, about 300, came in 1880 to north east corner of Little River township, and about 200 to south east corner of Sumner township; also a settlement in the west part of Hayes township; Dutch, about 350, came 1878 into Haven township; Russians are settled in Salt Creek and Medford townships. All have church service and schools in their native tongue. There are also a few French and Danes in the county.Republic.—No report.Rice.—There is a considerable settlement of Germans in Valley township, also Pennsylvania Germans in the west part of Sterling township, with German churches in both. There are also some Germans in the town of Lyons, with a German church.Riley.—Swedes, about 2500, occupy Jackson, Swede Creek and adjacent portions of Mayday, Center, Fancy Creek and Sherman townships. They have church services and summer schools in their own tongue. Bohemians and Germans, about 500 together, occupy the north east part of Swede Creek township.Rooks.—Germans, 10 families, settled 1880 in north part of Northhampton township. Bohemians, 10 families, located in north part of Logan township in1879. French, about 30 families, south west corner of Logan, and same number in Twin Mound township, settled in 1878, speak French and have preaching in that tongue. The Germans have church service in German.Rush.—Germans (Russian Mennonites) are located as follows: in Big Timber township 75 families, in Illinois township 25 families, in Pioneer township 50 families, in Lone Star township 50 families, in Banner township 25 families, in Garfield township 25 families, in Belle Prairie township 30 families. In each township there is one church or more, but no German schools (?). Bohemians are found in Banner and Garfield townships, about 25 families in each.Russell.—No report.Saline.—Germans, (Bavarians and Swabians) about 200, in Gypsum and south part of Ohio townships; Swedes, 3000 to 4000, in Washington, Smolan, Falun, Liberty and Smoky View, and adjacent parts of Spring Creek, Summit and Walnut townships, also in Salina. The Swedes came in 1868. Both Germans and Swedes have preaching and the latter have schools in their tongue.Scott.—No report.Sedgwick.—Germans, 3000 to 4000, settled from 1874-82 in Sherman, Grand River, Garden Plain, Attica and Union townships. Also about 2000 Germans in the city of Wichita. In both places schools and churches in German. Russians, Italians, French and Scandinavians are represented, a few hundred each, in Wichita. In the country townships a few Dutch and Swedes.Seward.—Reports no foreigners.Shawnee.—Germans (Moravians) in Rossville township, speak their native tongue almost exclusively, but have neither school nor preaching in German.Sheridan.—No reports.Sherman.—Germans, 20 families about the center of the county. Swedes, 10 families in north east corner and 25 families in south west corner. Both Germans and Swedes have schools and preaching in their native tongue.Smith.—Germans in west part of Swan and Cedar townships, and on border of Harvey and Banner townships, in both churches, and in the first schools, in German. Dutch, in the south half of Lincoln township, have church but no schools.Stafford.—Germans in Hayes and Cooper townships, three hundred in number, with two churches having service in German.Stanton.—A few scattered Germans.Stevens.—No report.Sumner.—No report.Thomas.—A few foreigners scattered about the country; all anglicised.Trego.—No report.Wabaunsee.—Germans and some Swedes in Kaw, Newbury, Mill, Farmer, Alma and Washington townships, with both preaching and schools in the mother tongue.Wallace.—Swedes, to the number of 300, have settled since 1888 in the south west corner of the county. They have church and schools in Swedish.Washington.—Germans in Franklin, Charleston, Hanover and north part of Sherman townships, have both church and schools (6) conducted in German. Bohemians are numerous in Little Blue township; French about midway in Sherman township; Irish in Barnes, south part of Sherman and Koloko townships.Wichita.—No report.Wilson.—Swedes have settled since 1870 in Colfax township. They have preaching but no schools in Swedish.Woodson.—No report.Wyandotte.—Germans, 150, in north west corner of Prairie township; Swedes, 350, in Kansas City, Kas.; both have church service in the native language. Welsh, 200, in Rosedale, and Irish about midway in Wyandotte township.
Atchison.—Reports no foreigners, by John Klopfenstein, Supt.
Allen.—Swedes and Danes, from 600 to 700, settledfrom 1873 to 1880. Have church service, and four to five months school in Swedish. Grove and Elsmore townships. Germans in and around Humboldt.
Anderson.—Irish in Reeder township, 1860 and 1874. Germans, 1860 in Putman township, 1880 in Westphalia township. Have both church and schools in German.
Barber.—Reports “no foreigners worth making account of”, by J. O. Hahn, Sup’t.
Barton.—No report.
Bourbon.—Reports no foreigners.
Brown.—No report.
Butler.—Germans (Prussians), speaking Low German, in Fairmount and Milton townships. Hold church services but no schools in German.
Chase.—Russian Mennonites, speaking both Russian and German, in Diamond Creek township, no church, but a portion of schooling in German. Germans at Strong City, with both church and schools in their native tongue.
Chatauqua.—Some Norwegians and Swedes, 1870, no location given. Neither schools nor churches in native tongue. One colony of ‘Russians’ (Mennonites?), who have also given up their language.
Cherokee.—Weir City, French and Italians, number considerable. Scammon, Scotch, also in large numbers. The French and Italians have neither schools nor church in the native tongue. Germans in Ross, twenty families; with church originally Lutheran, now Mennonite; school irregularly during past ten years. Swedes, a few families in Cherokee township, have entirely given up Swedish language. The Scotch, French and Italians in mines or mining industries.
Cheyenne.—Germans settled in 1885-86 on Hackberry Creek, 160 persons; in the northeast corner of the county, 100; on west border of county, north of Republican river, 120; all with churches and the last two with occasional schools. Swedes are across the Republican adjoining last named German settlement, 120, entered 1886, having neither church nor school in Swedish.
Clarke.—Reports no foreigners.
Clay.—No report.
Cloud.—Canadian French are scattered over much of the county, with considerable settlements in and around the towns of Concordia, Clyde, St. Joseph and Aurora. Inall there are churches, in the first three schools also conducted in French. Norwegians occupy portions of Sibley and Lincoln townships with two churches in their own tongue. They number about three hundred. Irish occupy portions of Solomon and Lyon, the south part of Meredith and the southeast corner of Grant townships.
Coffey.—Germans in Liberty and on border of Leroy and Avon township. Have church service in German.
Comanche.—Germans. A few scattered families.
Cowley.—A few Swedes and Germans, widely scattered.
Crawford.—Irish and French in Grant township; Swedes in west part of Sherman township, have all given up their language. Italians, Austrians and other nationalities in south part of Washington, southeast part of Sheridan and all over Baker township, especially in Pittsburg, employed in mining and smelting.
Decatur.—Swedes in Oberlin township; Mennonites in Prairie Dog township; Germans in and around Dresden, with Catholic church; Bohemians in Jennings and Garfield townships.
Dickinson.—Germans, 500 in number settled in 1860 in Liberty, Union and Lyon townships. Have three churches and two schools in German. Also in Wheatland, Jefferson, Bonner and Ridge townships, one church and a school. Swedes, 100 settled in 1860 in Center and Hayes township, with two churches and one school in Swedish. Irish, several hundred in south part of Banner township.
Doniphan.—Germans in Wayne, Marion and southern part of Center, Burr Oak and Washington townships, with church service in native tongue. Norwegians in eastern part of Wolf River township.
Douglas.—There are German settlements in Eudora township (300), Marion township (600), and Big Springs township (100), with churches in all and school in the first. There are about five hundred Germans in Lawrence, with three German churches. There are smaller settlements of Germans and Scandinavians at several points in the county.
Edwards.—Germans and Swedes in Kinsley, Jackson and Trenton townships, have church service in their mother tongue.
Elk.—Swedes in Painter and Hood townships; Irish in Falls township; Germans on the border of Elk and Wild Cat townships. None of these have church or school in the native tongue, but all use it at home.
Ellis.—Germans from Russia, settled about 1876 in Catherine, Hartsook, Lookout, Wheatland and Freedom townships, about 3000 in number—one third of the population of the county in 1891. They are Catholics, and have both churches and parochial schools conducted in German. They are large wheat-growers.
Ellsworth.—Germans, (Methodists) in south part of Valley township; Germans (Lutherans) in north part of Columbia and Ellsworth townships; Germans (Baptists) from Prussia, in Green Garden and south west corner of Empire townships. These all have church service, and the Lutherans schools in their own tongue. Bohemians in Valley and Noble townships.
Finney.—Reports no foreigners.
Ford.—Germans in Wheatland and Speareville townships. Have church, and one school conducted in German.
Franklin.—No report.
Garfield.—A few scattered families of Germans.
Geary.—Irish (Connaught) came into Jackson, Jefferson and Liberty townships 1855, about 1500 in number. Germans (Anhalt) about 1500 came into Jefferson, Milford and Lyon townships in 1862. About 300 English from Sussex settled in Lyon township in 1870. The Germans maintain both churches and schools in German.
Gove.—Swedes in Lewis and south part of Grinnell and south west corner of Gove townships.
Graham.—A settlement of Canadian French (600) was made in adjacent parts of Wild Horse and Morelan townships about 1880. They conduct church service but no schools in French.
Grant.—Reports no foreigners.
Gray.—Reports no foreigners.
Greeley.—Swedes in the north west part of the county, have church service and summer school in Swedish.
Greenwood.—Norwegians, about 200, in south part of Salem township, have church in their own tongue. Germans in Shell Rock township, about 300, also have church in their own language.
Hamilton.—Reports no foreigners.
Harper.—Germans about the town of Harper. Hungarians south of Bluff City. Both have church service in German. About 100 French in Odell and Stohrville townships.
Harvey.—Germans (Russian Mennonites) from Odessa, a few from Prussia, the latterspeaking Low German. They settled from 1874 to 1876 in Alta and Garden townships, in Pleasant and the eastern part of Newton townships, and about Halstead. They have church and school in German, but speak Russian also. French in north part of Emma township, engaged in raising silk worms.
Haskell.—Reports no foreigners.
Hodgman.—Germans, about 30 families, settled about 1884 in south east corner of Sterling township; have preaching in German. Swedes in north west corner of Marena township.
Jackson.—Danes in Netawaca and Whiting townships; Irish in Washington township; neither continue to use their native tongue.
Jefferson.—Germans (Swiss) in Delaware, Jefferson and Kentucky townships, maintaining church but no schools in German.
Jewell.—Swedes, widely scattered in Sinclair, Allen, Ewing and Ezbon townships.
Johnson.—No report.
Kearney.—No report.
Kingman.—A small settlement of Germans in Peters township, not using German to any extent. A few Irish in Union township.
Kiowa.—No report.
Labette.—Swedes and Norwegians settled in Valley and Canada townships about 1869. Still speak their language, but have neither church nor school in it.
Lane.—Reports no foreigners.
Leavenworth.—German, in 1873 in Easton township; in Fair township in 1876; about 600 in each place. They have church service and schools in German.
Lincoln.—Danes settled in Grant township in 1869 and since, 400 in number. Germans settled in Pleasant township in 1872, with 300, and in Indiana township in 1869 and later with about 375. Danes and Germans have good schools and churches in native tongue. Bohemians in Highland township in 1878 with thirty families. They speak their native tongue, but have no schools or churches.
Linn.—Reports no foreigners.
Logan.—Swedes, about 200, about Page City, in north part of county. Have church and school both in Swedish.
Lyon.—Welsh, between 1000 and 1500 are located in and about Emporia, with three churches conducted in Welsh. There is a settlement of Scandinavians near Olpe in Centre township.
Marion.—Germans(Russian Mennonites), settled in Logan, Durham, Lehigh, Risley, Menno, West Branch and Liberty townships, from 1870 to 1875, some 5000 in number. They speak both Russian and German, and have church service and schools in the latter tongue. Bohemians, about 500 in number are settled in Clark township. They speak Czech and have church service in that language. French to the number of 200 settled soon after 1870 on the border of Grant and Doyle townships. They speak French still, but have no schools or church service in the language.
Marshall.—Germans (Pommeranians, Hanoverians, Frisians) to the number of 2000, settled in the west part of Marysville township from before 1860 to 1870. They have both church and school in their own tongue. In the north part of Murray and the south half of Vermillion townships are 1200 Irish, who use only English in church and school. They came before 1870. Bohemians in small numbers occupy the north part of Guittard,the north west corner of Waterville and the south part of Blue Rapids townships; Swedes a portion of the south part of Waterville township. No report as to their language.
Meade.—No report.
Miami.—Germans occupy the north part of Wea and the west part of Valley townships, about 200 in each settlement; the first has a Catholic, the second a Lutheran church. Irish occupy the north part of Osage township, also about 200 in number.
Mitchell.—Germans to the number of 1200 occupy Pittsburg, Blue Hill, and Carr Creek townships. In the first there is a church, and a well-attended school (Catholic) at Tipton.
Montgomery.—Germans to the number of 100 are settled in and about Independence. They have church service in German (Lutheran).
Morris.—Swedes occupy Diamond Valley, the west part of Creek, and the north part of Parker townships. They have several churches and occasionally a school conducted in Swedish.
Morton.—Reports no foreigners.
McPherson.—Swedes settled, about 1870, in Union, Smoky Hill, Harper, New Gottland, Delmore, and portions of other townships, in large numbers, several thousand. They have several churches and excellent schools conducted in Swedish. Germans (Russian Mennonites) occupy Superior, Turkey Creek,Mound, Lone Tree, King City, and portions of McPherson and other southern townships, with several churches and schools. The Mennonites number about 5000 and settled after 1876.
Nemaha.—Germans (Swiss) occupy Nemaha and Washington, and a portion of Richmond townships, with German churches and schools. Irish are in Clear Creek and north east corner of Neuchatel townships. Most of Neuchatel township is occupied by French (Swiss).
Neosho.—Germans have a considerable settlement in the south east corner of Tioga township, with church service (Lutheran) in German; another in the east part of Lincoln township, where the language is spoken, but without church or school. Swedes have settlements in the north west part of Tioga and the east part of Big Creek townships; church in the first only, though in both Swedish is spoken almost exclusively.
Ness.—No report.
Norton.—Germans to the number of 100 settled about 1880 in Grant township. They have church service in German.
Osage.—Swedes, (700 in number,) settled in Grant township in 1871, where they have four churches conducted in Swedish. Welsh settled in 1869 in Arvonia township, and others in the north part of Superior township, 700 in number. They have six churches with services in Welsh. Germans are in the north part of Scranton and Ridgway townships, 200 in number; French in the central part of Superior township, 200 strong; Danes, 200, in north part of Melvern and Olivet townships; a considerable number of Scotch and Irish in and near Scranton. Most of these latter are engaged in coal mining. None of the foreigners have schools—except Sunday schools—in their native tongue.
Osborne.—Germans settled in Bloom township, where they have both church and school in their mother tongue.
Ottawa.—Bohemians are located about the border of Sheridan and Fountain townships; Danes in the south part of Buckeye township; Irish, arrived about 1885, in the south part of Chapman township. None of these have church or school in a foreign tongue.
Pawnee.—Swedes settled about 1877 in the west part of Garfield and the north part of Walnut townships, about 500 in all. They speak their native language at home almost exclusively, and have preaching in it.
Phillips.—Germans occupy Mound and south part of Dayton townships, with preaching and parochial school in German. Dutch occupy east part of Prairie View withadjacent portions of Long Island, Dayton, and Beaver townships, with preaching in Dutch. Some Danes and Swedes in Crystal township, and some scattered Poles.
Pottawatomie.—Germans, about 2500, in west half of Mill Creek and adjacent portions of Sherman and Vienna townships, also in Pottawatomie and adjacent portions of Union, Louisville, and St. George townships. There are a few families in Wamego and St. Mary’s Mission. They have several schools and churches conducted in German. Swedes occupy the whole of Blue Valley and the west border of Greene townships, and have a small settlement in St. Mary township, numbering in all 1200. They have church service and a parochial school conducted in Swedish. Irish, to the number of 2000 occupy Clear Creek, Emmet, St. Mary and the border of St. Clere townships. French (Canadian), numbering 200, are found in the north part of Mill Creek and in Union townships, also a few about St. Mary’s Mission.
Pratt.—Reports no foreigners.
Rawlins.—Germans in north east part of county with church and school in German. Swedes in east part of county, Bohemians and Hungarians in north and north east portion.
Reno.—Germans, about 300, came in 1880 to north east corner of Little River township, and about 200 to south east corner of Sumner township; also a settlement in the west part of Hayes township; Dutch, about 350, came 1878 into Haven township; Russians are settled in Salt Creek and Medford townships. All have church service and schools in their native tongue. There are also a few French and Danes in the county.
Republic.—No report.
Rice.—There is a considerable settlement of Germans in Valley township, also Pennsylvania Germans in the west part of Sterling township, with German churches in both. There are also some Germans in the town of Lyons, with a German church.
Riley.—Swedes, about 2500, occupy Jackson, Swede Creek and adjacent portions of Mayday, Center, Fancy Creek and Sherman townships. They have church services and summer schools in their own tongue. Bohemians and Germans, about 500 together, occupy the north east part of Swede Creek township.
Rooks.—Germans, 10 families, settled 1880 in north part of Northhampton township. Bohemians, 10 families, located in north part of Logan township in1879. French, about 30 families, south west corner of Logan, and same number in Twin Mound township, settled in 1878, speak French and have preaching in that tongue. The Germans have church service in German.
Rush.—Germans (Russian Mennonites) are located as follows: in Big Timber township 75 families, in Illinois township 25 families, in Pioneer township 50 families, in Lone Star township 50 families, in Banner township 25 families, in Garfield township 25 families, in Belle Prairie township 30 families. In each township there is one church or more, but no German schools (?). Bohemians are found in Banner and Garfield townships, about 25 families in each.
Russell.—No report.
Saline.—Germans, (Bavarians and Swabians) about 200, in Gypsum and south part of Ohio townships; Swedes, 3000 to 4000, in Washington, Smolan, Falun, Liberty and Smoky View, and adjacent parts of Spring Creek, Summit and Walnut townships, also in Salina. The Swedes came in 1868. Both Germans and Swedes have preaching and the latter have schools in their tongue.
Scott.—No report.
Sedgwick.—Germans, 3000 to 4000, settled from 1874-82 in Sherman, Grand River, Garden Plain, Attica and Union townships. Also about 2000 Germans in the city of Wichita. In both places schools and churches in German. Russians, Italians, French and Scandinavians are represented, a few hundred each, in Wichita. In the country townships a few Dutch and Swedes.
Seward.—Reports no foreigners.
Shawnee.—Germans (Moravians) in Rossville township, speak their native tongue almost exclusively, but have neither school nor preaching in German.
Sheridan.—No reports.
Sherman.—Germans, 20 families about the center of the county. Swedes, 10 families in north east corner and 25 families in south west corner. Both Germans and Swedes have schools and preaching in their native tongue.
Smith.—Germans in west part of Swan and Cedar townships, and on border of Harvey and Banner townships, in both churches, and in the first schools, in German. Dutch, in the south half of Lincoln township, have church but no schools.
Stafford.—Germans in Hayes and Cooper townships, three hundred in number, with two churches having service in German.
Stanton.—A few scattered Germans.
Stevens.—No report.
Sumner.—No report.
Thomas.—A few foreigners scattered about the country; all anglicised.
Trego.—No report.
Wabaunsee.—Germans and some Swedes in Kaw, Newbury, Mill, Farmer, Alma and Washington townships, with both preaching and schools in the mother tongue.
Wallace.—Swedes, to the number of 300, have settled since 1888 in the south west corner of the county. They have church and schools in Swedish.
Washington.—Germans in Franklin, Charleston, Hanover and north part of Sherman townships, have both church and schools (6) conducted in German. Bohemians are numerous in Little Blue township; French about midway in Sherman township; Irish in Barnes, south part of Sherman and Koloko townships.
Wichita.—No report.
Wilson.—Swedes have settled since 1870 in Colfax township. They have preaching but no schools in Swedish.
Woodson.—No report.
Wyandotte.—Germans, 150, in north west corner of Prairie township; Swedes, 350, in Kansas City, Kas.; both have church service in the native language. Welsh, 200, in Rosedale, and Irish about midway in Wyandotte township.
There are German settlements of thirty or more persons in the following counties: Allen, Anderson, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Garfield, Geary, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, McPherson, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Thomas, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte.Total, 60.Scandinavians in settlements of thirty or over are found in: Allen, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Cloud, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Edwards, Elk, Gove, Greeley, Greenwood, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jewell, Labette, Lincoln, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Morris,McPherson, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Sherman, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Wilson, Wyandotte.Total, 40.Settlements of Slavonic peoples, Bohemians, Poles, Russians, or Hungarians, in: Decatur, Ellsworth, Harper, Lincoln, Marshall, Ottawa, Phillips, Rawlins, Reno, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Sedgwick, Washington.Total, 14.Settlements of Irish have been made in: Anderson, Cloud, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Elk, Geary, Jackson, Kingman, Marshall, Miami, Nemaha, Osage, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Washington, Wyandotte.Total, 17.French are found in settlements of thirty or more in: Cherokee, Cloud, Crawford, Doniphan, Graham, Harper, Harvey, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Rooks, Sedgwick, Washington.Total, 13.Italians are in Cherokee, Crawford, Sedgwick.Total, 3.Welsh in Lyon, Osage and Wyandotte.Total, 3.Dutch in Phillips, Reno, Sedgwick.Total, 3.Scotch are reported from Cherokee and Osage.Total, 2.English in Geary and Doniphan.Total, 2.The following counties report that there are no settlements of people of foreign birth within their borders: Atchison, Barber, Bourbon, Clarke, Finney, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Lane, Linn, Morton, Pratt, Seward.Total, 14.No reports have been secured from the following counties: Barton, Brown, Clay, Franklin, Johnson, Kearney, Kiowa, Meade, Ness, Republic, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Stevens, Sumner, Trego, Wichita, Woodson.Total, 18.Seventy-four of our Kansas counties report settlements of citizens of foreign birth in numbers above 30. In so many cases there is no report or estimate of numbers that it is not worth while to give summaries. Probably there are not actually ten counties that have not such settlements.Church services in a foreign tongue are held as follows: Allen S.,[4]Anderson G., Butler G., Chase G., Cheyenne G., Cherokee G., Cloud F. S., Coffey G., Decatur G., Dickinson G. S., Doniphan G., Douglas G., Edwards G. S., Ellis G., Ellsworth G., Ford G., Geary G., Graham F., Greeley S., Greenwood G. S., Harper G. Hung., Harvey G., Hodgeman G., Jefferson G., Leavenworth G., Lincoln G. Du., Logan S., Lyon W. G., Marion G. Boh., Marshall G., Miami G., Mitchell G., Montgomery G., Morris S., McPherson S. G., Nemaha G., Neosho G. S., Norton G., Osage S. Welsh, Osborne G., Pawnee S., Phillips G. Du., Pottawatomie G. S., Rawlins G., Reno G. Du. Rus., Rice G., Riley S., Rooks F. G., Rush G., Saline G. S., Sedgwick G., Sherman G. S., Smith G. Du., Stafford G., Wabaunsee G., Wallace S., Washington G. Wilson S., Wyandotte G. S.Total, 58.This total of fifty-eight counties in which church service is held in a foreign tongue does not at all indicate the number of such churches. In many of the reports received the number is not given, or merely in the plural. These very incomplete reports indicate one hundred thirty-eight such churches; it is safe to say that the number is nearly double this.More interesting is the number of schools conducted in a foreign tongue. The counties having them are: Allen S., Anderson G., Chase G., Cheyenne G., Cherokee, G., Cloud F., Dickinson G. S., Douglas G., Ellis G., Ellsworth G., Ford G., Geary G., Greeley S., Harvey G., Leavenworth G., Lincoln G. S., Logan S., Marion G., Marshall G., Mitchell G., Morris S., McPherson S. G., Nemaha G., Osborne G., Phillips G., Pottawatomie G. S., Rawlins G., Reno G. Du. Rus., Riley S., Rush G., Saline S., Sedgwick G., Sherman G. S., Smith G. Du., Wabaunsee G., Wallace S., Washington G.Total, 37.The number of separate schools in a foreign language so far as reported is seventy-four, and here, too, it is safe to say that the actual number is much larger.
There are German settlements of thirty or more persons in the following counties: Allen, Anderson, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Garfield, Geary, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, McPherson, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Thomas, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte.
Total, 60.
Scandinavians in settlements of thirty or over are found in: Allen, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Cloud, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Edwards, Elk, Gove, Greeley, Greenwood, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jewell, Labette, Lincoln, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Morris,McPherson, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Sherman, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Wilson, Wyandotte.
Total, 40.
Settlements of Slavonic peoples, Bohemians, Poles, Russians, or Hungarians, in: Decatur, Ellsworth, Harper, Lincoln, Marshall, Ottawa, Phillips, Rawlins, Reno, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Sedgwick, Washington.
Total, 14.
Settlements of Irish have been made in: Anderson, Cloud, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Elk, Geary, Jackson, Kingman, Marshall, Miami, Nemaha, Osage, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Washington, Wyandotte.
Total, 17.
French are found in settlements of thirty or more in: Cherokee, Cloud, Crawford, Doniphan, Graham, Harper, Harvey, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Rooks, Sedgwick, Washington.
Total, 13.
Italians are in Cherokee, Crawford, Sedgwick.
Total, 3.
Welsh in Lyon, Osage and Wyandotte.
Total, 3.
Dutch in Phillips, Reno, Sedgwick.
Total, 3.
Scotch are reported from Cherokee and Osage.
Total, 2.
English in Geary and Doniphan.
Total, 2.
The following counties report that there are no settlements of people of foreign birth within their borders: Atchison, Barber, Bourbon, Clarke, Finney, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Lane, Linn, Morton, Pratt, Seward.
Total, 14.
No reports have been secured from the following counties: Barton, Brown, Clay, Franklin, Johnson, Kearney, Kiowa, Meade, Ness, Republic, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Stevens, Sumner, Trego, Wichita, Woodson.
Total, 18.
Seventy-four of our Kansas counties report settlements of citizens of foreign birth in numbers above 30. In so many cases there is no report or estimate of numbers that it is not worth while to give summaries. Probably there are not actually ten counties that have not such settlements.
Church services in a foreign tongue are held as follows: Allen S.,[4]Anderson G., Butler G., Chase G., Cheyenne G., Cherokee G., Cloud F. S., Coffey G., Decatur G., Dickinson G. S., Doniphan G., Douglas G., Edwards G. S., Ellis G., Ellsworth G., Ford G., Geary G., Graham F., Greeley S., Greenwood G. S., Harper G. Hung., Harvey G., Hodgeman G., Jefferson G., Leavenworth G., Lincoln G. Du., Logan S., Lyon W. G., Marion G. Boh., Marshall G., Miami G., Mitchell G., Montgomery G., Morris S., McPherson S. G., Nemaha G., Neosho G. S., Norton G., Osage S. Welsh, Osborne G., Pawnee S., Phillips G. Du., Pottawatomie G. S., Rawlins G., Reno G. Du. Rus., Rice G., Riley S., Rooks F. G., Rush G., Saline G. S., Sedgwick G., Sherman G. S., Smith G. Du., Stafford G., Wabaunsee G., Wallace S., Washington G. Wilson S., Wyandotte G. S.
Total, 58.
This total of fifty-eight counties in which church service is held in a foreign tongue does not at all indicate the number of such churches. In many of the reports received the number is not given, or merely in the plural. These very incomplete reports indicate one hundred thirty-eight such churches; it is safe to say that the number is nearly double this.
More interesting is the number of schools conducted in a foreign tongue. The counties having them are: Allen S., Anderson G., Chase G., Cheyenne G., Cherokee, G., Cloud F., Dickinson G. S., Douglas G., Ellis G., Ellsworth G., Ford G., Geary G., Greeley S., Harvey G., Leavenworth G., Lincoln G. S., Logan S., Marion G., Marshall G., Mitchell G., Morris S., McPherson S. G., Nemaha G., Osborne G., Phillips G., Pottawatomie G. S., Rawlins G., Reno G. Du. Rus., Riley S., Rush G., Saline S., Sedgwick G., Sherman G. S., Smith G. Du., Wabaunsee G., Wallace S., Washington G.
Total, 37.
The number of separate schools in a foreign language so far as reported is seventy-four, and here, too, it is safe to say that the actual number is much larger.
The spaces indicating settlements are in many cases too small to admit a complete description of the inhabitants, and accordingly they have been marked by races rather than by nationalities and tribes. “German” is made to do duty for all inhabitants of Germany whether Low or High, as well as for Austrians, German Swiss, and Russo-German Mennonites. The last are reported simply as Mennonites, but are, I believe, in all cases of German origin. “Scandinavian” is used instead of Swede, Norwegian and Dane, because in some cases the distinction was not made in the reports, and in order to limit the number of colors on the map which is to come. In the case of Scotch I have been unable to secure information whether they are Highlanders or Lowlanders, and in case of Irish, to what extent, if at all, they speak the old Irish language.
W. H. Carruth.