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Terryton
Terryton the town and Terry the township were named for a real estate
speculator from New York, Porter D. Terry. He had some money and
great visions for the future of his town, which he founded during
the boom of 1885-86. It was half-way station on the stage line between
Garden City and Scott City . There was a stage barn where they kept
eight horses for change on the route. Four stages came in every
day. The Cannonball, with Hank and Bronks as drivers, put them through
from Scott to Garden in five hours.
The town was located in the southeast corner of section 25-21-23.
Young and Jeffrys were in the grocery business; George W. Morse
advertised provisions, glassware, and flour; Mr. Terry operated
a real estate and livestock exchange; J.M. Dunn had a general store.
There was a comfortable hotel, drug store, livery stable and bus
station. A newspaper was published by W.C. Coutant called "The Enterprise"
during 1886-87. During 1888-89 it was called "The Eye", with B.L.
Stephenson editor. The townsite was on the line of several projected
railroads and had great expectations on that score. There was also
a good lumber yard.
The "Old Kentucky Home" where they all went to Sunday School and
where church services were held, was a half-mile north of Terryton.
The Old Kentucky Home was named by its first owner, a son of George
Wilson, who came there from Kentucky. Mr. Terry bought the Wilsons
out and then sold the place to Dr. L.H. Johnson, an eastern speculator.
He and his wife bought several sections in that neighborhood about
1895, but Dr. Johnson was blind and they did nothing to develop
the land.
J.J. Glascock and family located one mile west of Terryton in 1886.
Mrs Glascock tells an incident of pioneer life which caused her
great agony: "Terryton had one of the best ball teams in the country,
and every Saturday afternoon there would be a big ball game, and
nearly everybody in that trade territory made it a point to be there.
One Saturday afternoon in August the men went to the ball game.
I took the baby, Clarence, 22 months old, and went to spend the
afternoon with Miss Rosa Wilson. A little later he ran out of the
house and fell into the well, which was 44 feet deep. I ran all
the way to town, waving my white apron, while Rosa stayed by the
well and talked to the baby, telling him they were coming to get
him out. He was standing in one corner holding to the two-foot curbing.
His leg was broken and he was keeping his chin up to keep the water
out of his mouth. I had always thought it a miracle that he did
not give up and drown. They got him out just in time, and it is
lucky that we had a doctor in the neighborhood. Dr. Miller, his
wife and four daughters lived west of us on section 26."
For three or four years Terryton flourished, but the drouth which
drove the homesteaders from the country also blighted the hopes
of Mr. Terry and the town has long passed into oblivion. The following
was copied from the Hatfield News, which was published in a rival
town:
"For Sale. A one-horse railroad boom, broken in the middle and without
head or tail. It might be repaired to suit emergencies, as its constitution
and plan were constructed with that end in view. A quit-claim deed
will be given. Will be sold very low, as I wish to (or rather the
people wish me to) give place to a more able man, and hie myself
back to Yankee-dom where my real estate interests are. Porter D.
Terry."
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