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Mason-Cowland-Ravanna
C. L. Brown was one of the first to file on land in old Buffalo
county, coming there in May, 1878. He says the settlers worked fast
in those days. Two men, Mason and Coulson, who had also come there
in the spring of `78, and himself, were driving to Larned that fall
after supplies, when they met some men with wagons. After a brief
conversation they found the men were headed toward Buffalo county.
When the Brown party returned home after a few days, they discovered
that the men they had met on the road, under the leadership of John
Bull, had settled in their neighborhood. They had already located
claims, and more than that, they had staked out a townsite, and
intended to make it a county seat. They were also out circulating
a petition to get a post office, although it was hard to find any
bona fide inhabitants.
John Bull was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1847. He came to Buffalo
county, Kansas, November 16, 1878, and filed on the northwest quarter
of Sec. 3, T. 22, R. 28. His first shelter was a half dugout of
one room built of rock which he quarried from the Pawnee creek,
and in this he put a stock of merchandise. The place was first called
Mason in honor of Seamon Mason, and was the second attempt to locate
a county seat in Buffalo county. A post office was established January
9, 1879, and Samuel Wood was appointed postmaster. Mr. Bull's efforts
to get a water supply at this point proved unavailing, and he took
another claim near a spring three miles west. This he also released
a little later. In 1880 he pre-empted the southwest quarter of the
same section which was the scene of his activities for several years.
At this time, February 15, 1880, the name of the post office was
changed to Cowland, to moderate the term "Bull town".
Cowland was advertised as a beautiful village on the Pawnee, and
the Hotel Golding sheltered many weary travellers, early speculators
and cattle men. That region was divided up into cattle ranges, and
the name "Cowland" seemed a very appropriate one and corresponded
with the character of the country and its industry. It was the address
given by a number of noted cattlemen.
As the seasons became more favorable, the county began to be settled
up numerously by men who wanted to farm and objections were made
to the name Cowland. A town meeting was called with the idea of
changing the name. James Cross suggested the name of his native
town in Ohio, Ravenna, and by vote, it was selected, but in making
out the official papers, the government spelled it Ravanna. This
occurred September 25, 1885.
Mr. Bull became the "Merchant Prince" of Garfield county, and continued
to sell goods at Ravanna for eleven years under the name of John
Bull and Co. His wife was the "Company". At one time Mr. Bull was
the proprietor of the leading store, the blacksmith shop, the harness
shop and the butcher shop. Later other stores were added to the
town. A building for church purposes was erected, the first preacher
being Elder Booth of the M.E. denomination. Mr. Bull was the first
pastor of the Christian church, while the first school-teacher in
the town was Miss Agnes Sinclair, whom Mr. Bull hired to teach the
neighborhood private school.
During the time that Ravanna was the county seat the town soon reached
a population of 700. The Ravanna Chieftain was established April
22, 1896, with M. L. Hart editor. He was a town booster and extolled
its beauty. He talked railroads, advocated a Hook and Ladder Fire
Company and a telephone line to Cimarron. Alexander and Rody became
editors of the Chieftain in the fall of `87, and were active in
the county seat fight. They devoted considerable space to berating
the poor Eminence fools who seemed to think there were some slight
irregularities in the election recently held.
Ferris and Enos were editors and publishers of the "Kansas Sod House",
which was published in Ravanna in 1887; it was later edited by Thomas
& Co. The Essex Sunbeam was moved to Ravanna and was called
"The Enquirer" and was published there for a year. The Ravanna Record
appeared July 15, 1887, with Enos and Davis editors. They at once
proceeded to show the futility of trying to disorganize the county
on such a small technicality as being a few acres short of requirement.
They printed some pictures showing Friedman and McCoy, Eminence
butcher and hotel men, grinding cats and dogs to make hash.
In 1886 the advertisers were as follows: Bennett & Weaver, contractors;
Gorden, blacksmith; Chalfont, undertaker; Murphy, physician and
druggist; O.W. Crow, dentist; W.B. Jones, dentist; Johnson &
Alleman, contractors; John Maehl, carpenter; John Bull, merchandise
and windmills; G.L. Ensign, merchandise; W.D. Herman, real estate
and law; Harper's Livery Barn; G.W. Parker, auctioneer; Golden,
groceries; Goldford & Swartzman, merchandise; W.E. Collins,
stage driver to Garden City; A.R. Wise, pianos and organs; Bank
of Ravanna, J.F. Crocker, cashier; and Wm. Speck's Hotel was completed
the summer of `86.
July the Fourth of 1886 was a big day. People came in on horseback
and in farm wagons for miles to celebrate. The biggest attraction
was Lee Price who did some fancy tight-rope walking. The rope was
stretched from the tops of two story buildings, across Main Street.
A $I0,000 court house was built at Ravanna in 1889 after bonds had
been voted by the county. It was built of rock from the Pawnee quarries,
two stories high and a large basement. Bonds were also voted to
build a two story school building of native white rock.
In a few years it became evident that the region was, after all,
better adapted for raising cattle than grain. In order to build
up the industry Mr. Bull conceived the idea of establishing a cheese
factory. This inspired the settlers to engage in the dairy business.
His cheese products won prizes at state fairs and were shipped to
many cities. This industry was a big thing for the early settlers
of Garfield county. Mr. Bull left Ravanna about 1890 and became
widely known as a minister of the gospel. He died at his home in
Cimarron, Kansas, in 1930.
Ravanna lost the county seat in 1889. Following that was a series
of bad seasons, and most of the settlers left the county which was
disorganized in 1893, and the town was abandoned. All that remains
of Ravanna is the school house, some farm buildings, and the crumbling
ruins of the court house. There is not even a post office to make
it an official point on the map.
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