Bourbon County Biographies
"The Why of Fort Scott"
A. R. ALLISON.
A. R. Allison arrived in Fort Scott in 1857, and
soon after entered into partnership in the carpentry
trade with C. W. Goodlander, and "had a finger"
in most of the buildings erected outside of the
Plaza in the early days. Later he entered the drug
business with Dr. J. S. Redfield. He left a widow,
now in Beloit, Kansas, and one son, Ernest, of Barnard, Kansas.
HENRY BASEMAN.
Mr. Baseman came in 1863 with the 12th Kansas
Infantry and was here most of that year. It was
two years later that he came here to live. Through
him the compiler was able to give the exact location
of the camps of the different troops stationed here
in 1863. He gives an amusing account of a dinner
served to him and others of his comrades as they
stopped at Moneka, on a furlough to Leavenworth.
Moneka was a settlement of vegetarians so they got
no meat, something of a disappointment to a lot
of hungry, young foot-weary soldiers. But they
were willing to shorten their stop in the town, for
they were horrified and much abashed to see the
women in bloomers and were glad to hurry away.
Mr. Baseman has a wife and two daughters living.
Mrs. Gene Othick of this city and Mrs. L. Schuley,
of Kansas City, Kansas.
JACOB BAMBERGER.
Lieutenant Jacob Bamberger, wounded in the
Confederate army, arrived in Fort Scott in the
spring of 1864 from Charlotte, N. C. He purchased
the frame business building located on the corner of
Wall and Market streets, (the Calkins building) on
the present site of the Bamberger Clothing store and
opened a clothing store in November 1864. When
first coming to Fort Scott he boarded with Mrs.
Henry Ernich on Scott Avenue and later with Mrs.
A. Graff on the Plaza.
WILLIAM BETH.
As Mr. Beth came to Fort Scott in the latter part
of 1842, at the age of one year, he holds the palm
as being the oldest living inhabitant of the Plaza.
His father, R. Beth, belonged to the 2nd Dragoons,
then stationed at Fort Leavenworth. They were
ordered to Fort Scott, in 1842. Capt. Nathaniel
Boone commanded the company and they were
quartered in the barracks on the northwest side of
the Plaza. After twenty-five years of service in the
regular army he was discharged and at once pre-empted 320 acres of land,
three miles east of Stotesbury, but at the opening of the Civil War, they
moved back to Fort Scott, and Mr. Beth and a son
joined the 6th Kansas, in which they served for four
years. Mr. R. Beth and a son were buried in the old
burial ground.
William Beth was sixteen at the time of the Montgomery raid, to release Ben Rice, and stood behind
the man who shot Mr. John Little. Mr. Beth is living in Fort Scott, hale and hearty, at eight-one years
of age. He has the dates of the principal happenings in the old town, at his tongue's end. He has,
at this time, nine living children.
GEN. C. W. BLAIR.
G. W. Blair came to Fort Scott in 1859, and formed a law partnership with A. Ellison. He was a man
of great energy and made his presence felt at once,
and during the time he lived here. Politically, he
was a Free State Democrat, and, after the war
broke out. a war Democrat. He was one of the
first to answer the call for troops, by raising the
first company in Fort Scott. He was Major, and
was promoted to Lieut.-Colonel in the 2nd Kansas
Cavalry. He later raised a company which was
named "Blair's Battery" (2nd Kansas Battery.) He
was also breveted Brigadier General. He followed
L. Jewell as Post Commander of Fort Scott, which
position he held until the close of the war.
One of the officers' quarters on the Plaza, was
bought by him and was occupied as his residence
during his stay here. Blair Avenue was named for
him.
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This website created August 22, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
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