Clifton / Vining, Kansas

Taken from William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas 

First Published in 1883

In 1859 a town called Clifton was laid out in Clay County, just over the line. The company, composed of gentlemen from Manhattan and St. George passed the government of the "town" over to one James Fox, after they had built one log cabin. The next year Mr. Fox abandoned Clifton, Clay County, and started a new Clifton in Washington County, on the east side of Parson's Creek. He opened a store and blacksmith shop, and was appointed postmaster. In 1863 J. Haines, who had obtained possession of the site, moved the town back into Clay County. Clifton, Clay County, did not prosper this time either, and William Funnell bought out Mr. Haines and moved the town back into Washington County. A hotel was built by George Green, and there the growth of Old Clifton ceased forever. The present town was laid out by Rufus Berry in 1870. In 1871 Mr. Funnell moved his store and post-office to the new town. A. Green built a hotel and George Miller and Thomas Dolan started a general store. In December, 1877, came the railroad and the next year Hoenan & Barlow opened a hardware store, C. C. Funnell started a lumber-yard, the Pacific House was built, the school erected, and Clifton commenced to assume its present promising appearance. Clifton, as it stands to-day, is a pleasant little village of about 600 inhabitants, situated twelve miles southwest of Palmer. It contains a number of churches and societies, a good newspaper and school, one flour mill, six general stores, one bank, two hotels, one hardware establishment, two drug stores, one furniture store, one lumber-yard and grain elevator, two agricultural implement stores, two millinery stores, etc., etc. The professions are represented by one lawyer, three physicians and three clergymen.

The flour mills, operated by Messrs. C. F. Sheppele and George H. Stegman, were built by these gentlemen in 1880. Since then the mills have been twice overhauled and re-fitted with new machinery, and they are now in prime order having a capacity of eighty barrels of flour daily. They have four run of stone and two rollers. The building is 36x56 feet, three stories and basement in height, and the entire property is valued at $17,000. The best brand of flour manufactured by this firm is "The Belle of the West, I. X. L."

The bank of Clifton was organized September 1, 1881, it being the successor of the private bank established by Snider Brothers three years before. A substantial two-story brick building was erected in the fall of 1881. This is the only banking institution in Clifton. Its capital is $20,000 and average deposits $15,000. The bank does a general banking and exchange business, its officers being: M. F. Southwick, president; E. W. Snider, vice-president; C. W. Snider, cashier.

The Clifton Review was establishd sic February 27, 1879, by William & Blake. In may the paper passed into the possession of George Blake, and, in June, into the hands of C. H. Rice & Co. A. Dobbins & Co. purchased the establishment in October, and in April, 1880, N. S. Hewett, present editor and proprietor, assumed control. The Review is Republican in politics, printed at home, and a six-column folio in form. Mr. Hewett is a native of Ohio, residing in that state up to the breaking out of the war, when he came West and settled in Pawnee City, Neb. He served through the war, afterwards lived a number of years in Valley Falls, returned to his native State for a year, and in 1880 came to Clifton and purchased the Review.

The first hotel built in Clifton was the old "Parallel House" erected in 1871, by George W. Lang. The name was afterwards changed to "The Atlantic House," and in 1879 J. A. Kern took charge. This hotel contains fifteen rooms, is 35x50 feet, and is valued at $2,000.

The Pacific House is a neat, well kept hotel, opened in the summer of 1878 and built by J. L. Miller. P. S. Carpenter, its present proprietor, bought the hotel in October, 1878. The Pacific House will accommodate about thirty guests, and the entire property is valued at $5,000.

The strongest religious denomination in Clifton is the Methodist. A church was organized in 1878, by Rev. J. H. Colt, and a parsonage built in July. In the summer of 1879, chiefly through the well-directed efforts of its pastor, Rev. W. J. Mitchell (P. E.), George Funnell, H. Rundle, G. D. Seaburry and S. H. Hamilton, the society erected a house of worship at a cost of $3,000. In March, 1880, Rev. J. C. Dana was called to the pastorate. he served one year and was succeeded, in March, 1881, by the present incumbent, Rev. J. R. Schultz. The society has a membership of 150.

The oldest church in the county is that organized by the Catholics, in the spring of 1866. J. Bowmaker, T. Kingsley, N. Eslinger and P. Eslinger are among the first members. A log schoolhouse was built the same year, about three miles north of Clifton, and here services were held until 1872, when the society erected a church building. Rev. Father John Loevenich, who assumed charge in the fall of 1882, is making arrangements to remove the church to Clifton, and it is the intention to build a church in the village.

The Baptists organized a society ten years ago, removed to Clifton in 1879, and built a church. Rev. A. J. Essex, their present pastor, assumed charge in the summer of 1882. The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1877, and numbers about thirty members. Rev. N. Meerken, the present incumbent, came in 1882. The Christians have a small society. Rev. John Boggs, pastor.

The district schoolhouse, built for the accommodation of both Clifton and Vining, is a large two-story wooden structure, erected in 1878. Bonds to the amount of $4,000 were voted. The pupils, numbering over 200, are divided into three departments. C. H. Rice, the principal of the school, has had charge since its organization.

As to social privileges, there are a number of secret and benevolent organizations. The Masons, Clifton Lodge, No. 122, was chartered February 15, 1882, and has already (September) about thirty members. C. C. Funnell is W. M.; C. W. Snyder, S. W.; A. J. Banner, J. W.; C. A. Elson, Treas.; F. O. Andrews, Sec.; W. C. Robb, S. D.; S. Long, J. D.

Sedgewick Post, No. 24, G.A.R., was chartered November 30, 1880. Present number of members (September, 1882), fifty-seven. Its officers are as follows: Post commander, Joseph Pym; S. V., H. R. Sturdevant; J. V., Samuel Herley; Ajt., Calvin White; Surgeon, L. W. Lynde; Q. M., Ed Short; O. D., B. F. Scott; O. G., G. W. Mowry; Sergt. Major, C. M. Woody; Q. M. Sergt., W. S. Bunton; Chaplain, W. T. Harris.

The A. O. U. W. Lodge No. 40, was organized April 17, 1880; has now nearly sixty members, and is officered as follows: W. D. Harmon, P. M.; A. C. Potter, M. W.; John Shea, F.; Jos. Greenleaf, O.; Wm. P. Funnell, R.; J. W. Chadwick, F.; C. C. Funnell, Rec.; Charles Service, G.; John Ross, J. W.; N. B. Needham, O. W.

Lodge No. 181, I. O. O. F., was organized October 12, 1881, and has now twenty-five members. Present officers (September, 1882): Geo. A. Huston, N. B.; D. C. Fraser, V. G.; N. B. Needham, Sec.; A. Roeniegh, Treas.

Clifton Temple, No. 20, U. O. A. T., is organized with F. H. Bennett as Templar, and H. S. Haynes, Recorder.

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Vining, Kansas

This station situated on the line between Washington and Clay counties, was laid out in the fall of 1877, by W. Haynes and Oliver Cooper, acting for the Junction City & Fort Kearney Railroad, which located a depot here. It was then called West Clifton. In the spring of 1881 the old Riverdale post-office was moved to town, and its name changed to Vining, in honor of E. P. Vining, general freight agent of the Union Pacific road. Vining contains a general store, a hardware store, a drug store, a hotel, a grain elevator, a lumber-yard, and an agricultural depot. The population, numbering about 200, depend, at present, upon East Clifton, for educational and religious privileges.

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