Nemaha River, Kansas
Most of Nemaha County, Kansas‘ early recorded history centers around Baker’s Ford. Later, it was the site of a town called Taylor’s Rapids.
Baker’s Ford was located on California Trail at the crossing of the Nemaha River.
The California Trail forked just west of Troy in Doniphan County. One fork went by Highland and the other across Wolf River through Hiawatha, Old Fairview, Spring Grove, in Brown County, and the Grand Island depot in Sabetha. From there, it continued to the Baker Crossing on the Nemaha River. It passed through Baileyville on the county’s west end and on to Marysville, Fairbury, Kansas, Fort Laramie, Wyoming, and California.
In January 1854, W.W. Moore of St. Joseph, Missouri, staked the first claim at the ford on the Nemaha River. In February of the same year, Walter D. Beeles settled north of Moore’s place, and in March, Greenberry Key; Thomas, John C., and Jacob B. Newton located upon the Nemaha River somewhat to the south, in April. John O’Laughlin, formerly of Iowa, accompanied this party from St. Joseph and took a valuable claim on Turkey Creek.
These early claims were taken without a warrant, as there were no facilities for entry and no place where payment could be made to the government.
That year, W.W. Moore and Walter D. Beeles built the first bridge on the Nemaha River, about half a mile below Baker’s Ford. The public was obliged to use the toll bridge because its owners felled a large elm tree in the ford, rendering it impassable. In the spring of 1855, during significant rain and flooding, owners watched as they saw an elm tree carried away by the rush of waters. The tree struck the bridge, loosened from its moorings, and swept towards the Missouri River, a fair example of poetic justice.
In the meantime, W.W. Moore started a store, laid out town lots, and called the place Urbana. However, many people referred to it as Moorestown.
On July 4, 1854, a meeting of the settlers was held at Urbana to arrange the protection of each other in their claims. At this meeting, John Castle was Chairman, and George T. Bobst, Secretary, both residents of Nebraska. Bobst had arrived on June 11, 1854, accompanied by Robert Turner, and settled north of Urbana just over the future Territorial line. At that time, no settlements except those near the Nemaha River had been established west of the Wolf River and Harding’s Station, an early settlement of Nemaha County, preceding the formal ceding of the Northern Kansas lands by the Indians.
The same year that Moore settled at Baker’s Ford, the Swiss began to locate on Four Mile Creek. They were farmers, built no towns, and took no part in politics. Since they could neither speak nor understand English, they lived pretty much to themselves. They lived, dressed, and worked following Swiss tradition. Even the children spoke nothing but Swiss until after a few years in school.
A cabin at Baker’s Ford, Kansas.
In the fall of 1855, and during the succeeding winter, the area settlers gathered from the signs and preparations of the Potawatomi Indians that as soon as the grass had grown sufficiently to support their ponies, the war paint would be put on, and the Indians would go on the warpath. The settlers naturally supposed they were the intended victims and gathered in force early in the spring at Baker’s Ford. After some days of anxiety, they learned that the Pottawatomi, so far from premeditating an attack upon them, had gone forth in search of their ancient enemies, the Pawnee, who they found and by whom they were disastrously defeated. Assured of their safety, the settlers dispersed to their farms.
As settlers took up land, more towns were laid out in the area, all within a few miles of Baker’s Ford. Richmond, a few miles south of Urbana, was made the county seat in 1855 when the county was organized. Other towns were Central City, Farmington, and Castle Rock, later named Seneca. In an election a few years later, Seneca won the county seat, and all the other towns folded up.
On February 28, 1865, Miles N. Carter, a notorious horse thief and murderer, shot and killed John H. Blevins. He was quickly imprisoned in the Seneca jail and awaited a hearing the next day. However, that night at 11 o’clock, he was taken by 20 men who overpowered the guard. The following day, his body was found hanging from a tree at Baker’s Ford.
By 1885, a village called Taylor’s Rapids had been established at the site. Taylor’s post office was established on October 6, 1885, and closed on February 2, 1890.
Baker’s Ford/Taylor was nine miles north of Seneca.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated November 2024.
Also See:
Sources:
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
The Bern Gazette, 1940
Cutler, William G; History of Kansas; A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL, 1883.
Tennal, Ralph; History of Nemaha County, Kansas, Standard Publishing Company, Lawrence, KS, 1916.