Due Bills

We've all likely heard the term, 'bills due' but have you heard of 'due bills'. As we were going thru boxes to verify what items were in storage in the basement of the military museum, we came across some due bills.

These look like coins, but not the coins we are use today.

A search of the Seneca newspapers for "due bills" turned up the article "Helping the Town" in the 29 August 1907 issue of the Corning Gazette that helps explain the use of these 'coins'.

"Each town that has any considerable patronage from the farming community surrounding it, should have a small cold storage plant. one plan that has been found practicable in many towns is the organization of a produce company in which merchants of the town as well as the farmers are stockholders. These concerns provide every facility for the proper packing and storage of eggs and butter and other perishable produce, and sometimes include a butter renovating plant. Where such companies are operated the merchants refuse to handle produce, referring all who have such to sell to the produce company. The company pays the highest market price for what it buys. Instead of paying cash, due bills are issued which are accepted the same as cash at all the stores in town. Each week the merchants who receive these due bills in exchange for goods have them cashed at the office of the produce company.

The following ad for the sale of hats by Hattie Wright indicates that she was willing to accept due bills in trade for her merchandise.

A short article in the "Nemaha County News" section of the 20 Dec 1917 issue of the Courier Democrat explains why these 'due bills' disappeared from use.

"Another very bad feature about the system merchants use is the "tin money" due bills they use. This is a form of money similar to the old wildcat money. You take produce to the merchant and he pays this script. If he goes broke, you lose that much as it is not even any account. It would be hard to get into bankruptcy court with it. A farmer showed me $25 worth of this "tin money" on a local merchant who busted."

Come help the  Nemaha County Historical Society's carry out its mission to collect, preserve and share the history of Nemaha county, Kansas by participating in our events, visiting the museums, donating items of historical interest or providing financial support.

Found in Archives

Photograph of

The Commercial Club
Sabetha, Kansas
1912

Schools

Thanks to local patrons, the Nemaha County Historical Society received the sign from Armstrong School recently.

Armstrong school was located in Home Township.

Also located in the archives was a list of school teachers from 1930-1931.

Early Highway 36

The Nemaha County Historical Society recently received a photo that is believed to be a view of Seneca, Kansas along Highway 36.

Can you place any of these buildings along the highway in Seneca?

Found in the Archives

This week's random search of the archives was for the keyword, Washington, in honor of Washington's birthday. As expected this search turned up several items related to George Washington.

However, it also turned up an interesting tidbit about a Nemaha Countian:

Wm. Butler Slosson and Achsah Louise Lilly Slosson Pioneers from New York State to Albany and Sabetha. Their son, Dr. Edwin Emery Slosson, scientist, author, editor, lecturer, 1st Director of Science Service at Washington D.C. was born at Albany, Kansas, June 7, 1865 and died October 15, 1929. 

A search of Tennal's History of Nemaha County for 'Slosson' turned up quite a few entries. The first entry states that the Slosson family were among the early settlers of Rock Creek Township.

To learn more about Dr. Edwin Slosson, the first Director of Science Service, the online version of the Sabetha Herald was searched. Since his death date was found in the archives, the search was limited to 1929. One of the articles found was a biography of Dr. Edwin Slosson.

Come check out the Nemaha Historical Society Archives and see what tidbit of information you find.

Valentines

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Lincoln Visit to Kansas

Today is Lincoln's birthday. In honor of our past president, I searched the archives to see what could be found. One item found is an article from the Kansas City Star.

Lincoln Visited Kansas On Tour 100 Years Ago

Published in Kansas City Star, February 8, 1959

One hundred years ago Abraham Lincoln came to Kansas at the invitation of Mark W. Delahay. Delahay was the founder of the Territorial Register at Leavenworth, and the Wyandotte Register of present-day Kansas City, Kansas. He had worked as a traveling newspaperman and had met and married Miss Louisiana Hanks, a cousin of some degree to Abraham Lincoln, who bore him some family resemblance, and of whom Lincoln was very fond.

It was December 18, 1859, when Lincoln arrived in St. Joseph, after a trip across Missouri on the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad, which had just been completed.

The station was in the south part of town and Lincoln was met by Delahay and D. W. Wilder and taken uptown in a hack. Lincoln wished to be shaved, so they took him to a barber shop near the Planters House and wilder went to the news-stand and bought the New York and Chicago papers for him. Later in the day they went to the ferry landing and crossed to Elwood, Kas., and registered at the Great Western hotel, a large, rambling frame building.

That night Lincoln spoke in the hotel dining room.  …

The Kansas State Historical Society article, "The Centennial of Lincoln's Visit to Kansas," provides additional information about his visit.

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Nemaha County Historical Society Archive