Bourbon County, Kansas Extinct Towns

Paint Creek Stock Farm in Hiattville, Kansas by L.H. Everts & Co, 1887.

Paint Creek Stock Farm in Hiattville, Kansas by L.H. Everts & Co, 1887.

Bourbon County, Kansas, by L.H. Everts & Co., 1887.

Bourbon County, Kansas, by L.H. Everts & Co., 1887.

Fort Lincoln

Fulton/Osaga

Garland/Memphis

Hammond

Hiattville/Pawnee

Rockford

Marmaton

Pawnee Station

Town Post Office
Dates
Additional Information
Appleton 1867-1875 Appleton was established in 1866 by Captain Stevens. It was just near the state line between Kansas and Missouri. It was called Wheeling on the Missouri side. At one point, it had a post office, three stores, and a blacksmith shop. After Memphis (later Garland) was established, it absorbed Appleton.
Barnesville 1856-1906 The town was laid out in 1858 by J. and F. Barnes, who also built a hotel the same year. A post office was established in 1869 with Dr. Neal as postmaster. Neal also started a general store in 1860. The first school was taught in 1864 by D. B. Jackman. The United Brethren in Christ also held services in the schoolhouse. The village did well initially and soon had 15 houses and three stores. In the early 1880s, it had one large business establishment, operated by Messinger & Son, that carried a large stock of goods and did a flourishing business. It also had five or six dwellings and a blacksmith shop. In 1910, the town had a population of 52. It was located on the Little Osage River, about 13 miles north of Fort Scott.
Berlin 1879-1903 In 1910, it had a population of 15. It was located about 15 miles northwest of Fort Scott.
Bland 1894 A country post office near Garland was in the home of J.S. Walker. The post office was only open for four months.
Carbondale 1856-1858 The post office moved to Osage.
Clarksburg 1880-1900 A coal mining company established a station switch here in 1871. The village of Clarksburg grew up around it. The postmaster was N. Southard. Most of the residents worked in the strip mines. At one time, the population was 800. A townsite was never platted.
Dayton 1858-1887 It was located in the southern part of Timber Hill Township and named for Dayton, Ohio. It was incorporated in February 1860.
Devon/Mill Creek 1860-1989 Mill Creek was founded in 1860 and named for a nearby creek. Wiley Bolinger was the postmaster. In 1889, the town moved closer to the railroad and was renamed Devon for Devon, England.
Dry Ridge 1880-1881 Located northeast of Bronson, the first postmaster was Henry Miller. The post office was located in his home.
Eve 1894-1901 A hamlet in the extreme northwestern part of the county, it was located on a tributary of the Little Osage River. It was named for Eve Davis, the first postmaster. The post office was located in her home.
Fort Lincoln 1861-1879 Located just a few miles west of the present-day semi-ghost town of FultonKansas, Fort Lincoln was established by Union General James H. Lane in  August 1861.
Fulton/Osaga 1869-2005 Fulton, Kansas, a tiny town in northeast Bourbon County, was established in 1869. Initially, it was called Osaga, but it was changed to Fulton in April 1876. It is a semi-ghost town today.
Garland/Memphis 1875-1997 The name changed from Memphis to Garland on March 18, 1886. Today, Garland is a ghost town.
Gilfillan 1882-1902 Located south of Devon, the first post office was in a general store with W. Barnett as the postmaster. The village was named after the Gillifillan Stone Quarry, which had a spur from the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
Glendale 1864-1886
1889-1902
Located nine miles northwest of Fort Scott. The first postmaster was R.A. Williams.
Godfrey 1870-1901 In 1870, a coal baron did a large business in stripping and shipping coal. The village was platted in 1871. The first postmaster was W.J. Rean. It grew to a population of 1,200, with freight shipments of 50 coal cars daily, equal to those of Fort Scott. When the coal dwindled, so did the village. It was located at the junction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, seven miles south of Fort Scott.
Hammond 1877-1968 An extinct town in Osage Township of Bourbon County was named for William Hammond, the townsite owner.
Harding 1888-1933 Named for Russell Harding, the general superintendent of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Joseph M. Snyder was the first postmaster. At one point, the village had a store, a blacksmith shop, and a flour mill. In 1910, it had a money order post office, telegraph and express facilities, and a population of 25. It was about 15 miles northwest of Fort Scott.
Hathaway 1858-1860 The first postmaster was J. Phillips
Henning 1871 The post office was open for less than three months. The postmaster was A.V. Wolf.
Hiattville/Pawnee 1870-1986 Located in Pawnee Township, it was first called Pawnee. It still has a few area homes, an active church, and an old school.
Holman 1894-1901 A.H. Holeman was the first postmaster, and the post office was in his home. It was six miles north of Bronson.
Lakeside 1885-1900 Lakeside was located five miles southeast of Uniontown. W.C. Rose was the first postmaster; the post office was in his home. He had a large lake on one side of his house and an apple orchard on the other.
Majella 1892-1902 The post office was in the home of M.E. Remnsider, the first postmaster. He added a room to add a store. Later, there were a few homes and a blacksmith shop. It was nine miles northeast of Bronson.
Marmaton/Marmiton 1857-1918 The name changed from Marmiton to Marmaton on March 20, 1882.
Mohon 1878-1883 Located in the county’s southeast corner, it was 12 miles southeast of Fort Scott. The first settlement was made by Wesley Calkins in 1878. John McDonald was the only postmaster and also opened a store.
Mount Sterling 1862-1871 The first postmaster was T.S. Brockman.
Paint Creek 1874-1884 It was seven miles south of Uniontown in Marion Township. The first postmaster was Alfred Monsur.
Pawnee Station 1871-1945 Pawnee Station was established by the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad in 1871.
Porterville 1882-1905 It was located in the southwest corner of the county. Levi G. Porter was the first postmaster, and the post office was in his home, along with a general store. In 1910, the population was 20.
Rayville/Osage 1858-1861 The post office moved from Carbondale. The name changed from Osage to Rayville on March 29, 1860. It was located on the Osage River, about halfway between Fort Lincoln and Mapleton. The village was established by the two Ray brothers in 1855. The first postmaster was J.W. McGhee. It was a well-known rendezvous for Jayhawkers and a stage station on the state line from Westport, Missouri, to the south. Because it was too near Mapleton, it soon died.
Rockford 1860-1902 Rockford, Kansas, was first settled in 1858 by Guy Hinton.
Sharlow 1868-1872 It was ten miles northeast of Forst Scott. The first postmaster was T.L. Wilson.
Walkerton 1883-1910 Walkerton was named for John S. Walker, a merchant and postmaster. The village was on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway about seven miles southwest of Fort Scott. The first post office was in the depot. In 1910, it reported a population of 40.
Walnut Hill 1863-1875 It was six miles northeast of Uniontown. N.A. Riber was the first postmaster.
Washburn 1883-1885 It was five miles northeast of Fulton. The first postmaster was L.B. Washburn; the post office was in his home.
Wilsonville 1875-1881 The post office moved to Bronson.
Woodland 1887-1901 Woodland was four miles southwest of Fort Scott. The first postmaster was E. Parsons.
Xenia 1858-1926 The post office moved from Peru. Xenia was named for Xenia, Ohio, and was located in the county’s northwest corner. J..S. Stevenson and John Van Sickle laid out the town, and Van Sickle was the first postmaster. At one time, the town had a furniture factory, a sawmill, a flour mill, four stores, and two hotels. In 1910, it had a money-order post office and a population of 115. There are still neighborhood homes and an active church.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, October 2023.

Also See:

Bourbon County, Kansas

Bourbon County Photo Gallery

Kansas Destinations

Kansas Ghost Towns

Sources:

Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Cutler, William G; History of Kansas; A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL, 1883.
The Fort Scott Tribune – July 16, 1976
Kansas Post Office History