Tales and Trails of Wakarusa

the long version

Tales and Trails of Wakarusa was written by Alexander Miller Harvey, a lawyer, soldier, statesman and author. Harvey was born Nov 24 1867 in Madison County, Kentucky, and died March 9, 1928 in Topeka, Kansas. His grave marker in Ridgeway Cemetery, Osage County, Kansas, has the following inscription: "He loved his country and believed in the common man." This book is a collection of stories about the common men and women who lived in the Wakarusa River Valley of Kansas. These pioneers, who came from all parts of the world, made up a community of hardworking, decent and caring people. The stories include a tale of pioneers James and William Lynn; John MacDonald, the Scotish teacher at Berryton school; the untimely death of Jake Self on a cold winter night; Marcus Doyen from Maine, and his trouble with a pig; a boundary dispute between Irishman William Cartmill and Englishman George Franks; the exuberant Berry Creek Methodist church revivals; a memorable Fourth of July speech given by Joseph G. Waters; phantom fisherman ghosts and an Indian legend.