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L. B. Bullington
Dexter, Kansas.
[Served as County Commissioner.]
The February 10, 1870 special census of Cowley County lists Luis Bullington.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 17, 1873.
Minutes of the Board of County Commissioners
of the county of Cowley, state of Kansas,
Held at Winfield, April 7th, 1873.
On canvassing the votes, the following township officers were declared elected.
DEXTER: Trustee, J. A. Asbury; Treasurer, O. P. Darst; Justices of the Peace, T. R. Bryan and L. Lippmann; Clerk, D. H. Merydith; Constables, W. E. Rice and R. Gates; Road overseer Dist. No. 1, L. Bullington; No. 2, N. P. Rider, No. 3, J. D. Rice.
[REPORT FROM "JO KERR" - DEXTER.]
Winfield Courier, June 5, 1873.
The blackbirds are taking up corn in this vicinity quite rapidly. Mr. L. B. Bullington living north of this place had thirty acres unearthed in a very short time by the merry warblers. He had to plant the whole field over again.
L. B. Bullington was 27, and unmarried, when census was taken in Dexter township in 1874.
Levi B. Bullington was 27 when he married Lizzie J. Smith, age 17, on October 17, 1874. (Marriage book A, page 150.)
Levi B. Bullington was 35, and his wife Libbie was 25, when census was taken in Dexter township in 1882.
Tyre Bullington was 27, and his wife Mary E. was 23, when census was taken in Dexter township in 1882.
Gravestones in Dexter cemetery list Levi B. Bullington, born July 6, 1845, and died June 4, 1923. Lizzie J. (Wife of L. B.) born April 25, 1857 and died Sept 11, 1912.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 18, 1877.
“Mr. Bullington, of Dexter, is going to Kentucky soon after some fine cattle. He will keep them on his place near Dexter.”
Arkansas City Traveler, March 6, 1878.
“Dexter Item. Several fine stone barns are being built by some of our energetic farmers on the creek. We especially noticed one in course of erection by Mr. Bullington, and also one by Mr. Furman. The latter is 34 x 44 feet, stone, and finished with pine shingles and lumber. Its cost when completed will be over $1,000.”
[STATE/LOCAL NEWS.]
Winfield Courier, November 11, 1880.
From the official returns as given in the corrected table in this paper, it will be seen that in this county Garfield's plurality is 1,073; St. John's 1,080; Ryan's 1,058; Torrance's, 4,000. In the county Hackney's majority is 774; Jennings, 919; Gans, 912; Bedillion's, 1,121; Story's 484. Lemmon's majority in the 88th representative district is 631; Mitchell's in the 89th is 329. Bullington's majority in the 3rd commissioner district is 164.
[MR. L. B. BULLINGTON BECOMES COUNTY COMMISSIONER.]
Winfield Courier, December 9, 1880.
On the second Tuesday in January Mr. Burden leaves the board of county commissioners and is succeeded by Mr. L. B. Bullington. For six years, Mr. Burden has been a member of the board and to his energy, tact, and splendid business qualifications, assisted by the counsel and advice of Mr. Gale, now the senior member more recently by Mr. Harbaugh, the people of Cowley County are largely indebted for the successful manner in which their business has been transacted.
Mr. Bullington, the incoming member, will prove a worthy successor to Mr. Burden. From an intimate association with him during the last campaign, we found him to be a first class businessman, a close observer, an open, outspoken gentleman, and one in whom the people may safely confide their interests. With Messrs. Gale, Harbaugh, and Bullington at the helm, the affairs of Cowley County will be in safe hands.
Winfield Courier, January 13, 1881.
The new Board met on Monday, Messrs. Gale and Bullington present, and organized by electing G. L. Gale chairman for the coming year. The proprietors of the Telegram, Monitor, and COURIER, then presented propositions for the county printing. After some discussion the matter was laid over till the next morning, when, the commissioners failing to agree, action was postponed until the first Tuesday in February, when Commissioner Harbaugh will be present.
[COMMISSIONERS' PROCEEDINGS.]
Winfield Courier, February 10, 1881.
(OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, Winfield, Kans., Feb. 4, 1881.)
Board of Commissioners met in special session as a board of commissioners.
Present: G. L. Gale, chairman; L. B. Bullington, commissioner; Frank S. Jennings, county attorney; J. S. Hunt, county clerk.
The following fees for judges and clerks of the election held February 1, 1881, were presented and allowed.
RECAP ONLY: DEPENDING ON TOWNSHIP, JUDGES WERE PAID FROM $3.90 TO 6.50. CLERKS WERE PAID FROM $2.00 TO $5.50. TOWNSHIPS/NAMES OF JUDGES AND CLERKS WERE GIVEN + FEES.
I SKIPPED ALL OF THIS.
[COUNTY BOARD.]
Winfield Courier, February 10, 1881.
The Board of Commissioners met in called session last Friday, Messrs. G. L. Gale, chairman, and L. B. Bullington, commissioner, present. The canvass of the proposition to sell railroad stock gave for 2,132; against 724.
The valuation on lot 17, block 94, Winfield, reduced frm $2500 to $25 and a corresponding amount of tax remitted.
The road tax of Tisdale township was remitted.
County Clerk was ordered to purchase an index to the commissioners' journal and have the same written up.
The valuation of lots 5, 6, 7, and 8, section 3, township 35, range 6, reduced from $278 to $174.
Valuation on southeast 1/4, section 3, township 35, range 6, reduced from $320 to $200.
Valuation on northeast quarter of southwest 1/4 and lot 3, section 15, township 35, range 6, reduced from $128 to $80.
[STOCK AND BONDS.]
Winfield Courier, February 24, 1881.
In making out the papers for the sale and transfer of the stock in the S. K. & W. railroad from the county to the purchaser, there were some errors which made the transfer defective and the papers were sent back for correction.
Commissioners Gale and Bullington met at the county clerk's office on Monday of this week and made the proper correction. It is said that they also sent Messrs. James Harden, treasurer, and M. L. Robinson to New York and Boston to buy bonds.
These two gentlemen started east on Monday eve, but we suppose on their own expense and for their own purposes for the Commissioners have no power or authority to put the county to any expense for such a mission. They probably have gone to see the inauguration of the president and other sights and can well afford to do so, but the idea that they expect the county to pay their expenses is preposterous. The idea that they would be of any particular use to the county in finding and buying bonds at a low rate is equally absurd. The state has a financial agency in New York and the bankers of that institution live in the midst of bonds and stocks and know now more about our bonds, where to get them and what they are worth, than two new men could learn in six months. All our Commissioners need to do is to send the funds to the financial agency and instruct them to buy our bonds to the best advantage for the interests of the county. The idea of sending men from here to do the business is absurd and ridiculous.
We suppose that the howl raised in some quarters because the bonds were not bought in when the stock was sold, might have worried the commissioners some and made them feel that they ought to hurry up the matter of buying in the bonds in some way, so that when asked to send these experienced intelligent men east to hurry up the matter, without looking up the law or considering the use of sending them, they in their individual capacity and not as commissioners told them to go. But the story soon got out that the commissioners had sent them on this wild goose errand at the expense of the county and then commenced a howl indeed. Almost every man we met made either an angry comment in condemnation or a ridiculous comment in disapproval.
We would ask the people interested to keep cool and not to get excited. The commissioners are trying to do the best thing for the interests of the county and will not pay out the people’s money for any expenses not warranted by law.
The gentlemen named have a right to go east and buy bonds for that matter just as we fellows who stay at home have the same right.
[STATE NEWS.]
Winfield Courier, March 3, 1881.
Treasurer Harden telegraphs Capt. Hunt that he and Robinson have bought $35,000 of Cowley 7 percents on good terms.
Fred Hunt telegraphs that the House committee of the whole has recommended for passage the Senate legislative apportionment bill. This insures its passage, and it will become a law. It gives Cowley one Senator and three representatives.
Senator Hackney presented a joint resolution in the Senate last Saturday instructing Senators Plumb and Ingalls to use all honorable means to pass the Cherokee and Arkansas River Railroad bill through the U. S. Senate which lately passed the House. The Senate tabled the resolution then, but on Monday evening Hackney got the resolution lifted from the table and passed it through the Senate. So says his dispatch received Tuesday morning.
-0-
[ITEM TAKEN FROM COWLEY COUNTY MONITOR.]
Winfield Courier, March 3, 1881.
We are very much surprised at an editorial in this week's COURIER in relation to the subject, "Our Stock and Bonds."
The following is the official action of the commissioners, and we want to say for Messrs. Gale and Bullington that neither of them were to blame for the necessity that caused the board to take the action detailed below.
On Feb. 21, 1881, the Board of county commissioners met in official session. Present: G. L. Gale, chairman, L. B. Bullington, member, and J. S. Hunt, county clerk.
The board directed the county clerk to correct the journal entry of February 4th and February 7th, 1881. Said entries were accordingly corrected. These errors were informalities in regard to the transfer of the stock of the Southern, Kansas and Western railroad.
On motion of the chairman it was resolved that James Harden, county treasurer of Cowley county, and M. L. Robinson be appointed and empowered as a special committee to take the corrected papers relating to the special election, held February 1st, 1881, and AT THE EXPENSE OF COWLEY COUNTY, proceed to Kansas City, Missouri, and have the same approved by Wallace Pratt, attorney, to whom the original papers had been referred by Charles Merriam, trustee; then proceed to New York and Boston and purchase for and in behalf of Cowley County, Kansas, forty-six thousand two hundred and forty dollars worth of the outstanding bonds of the said Cowley County, Kansas, provided the seven percent bonds of the said Cowley County can be purchased at a commission or premium of not more than two and one-half percent; the six percent bonds of said Cowley County at not more than par and accrued interest, and the ten percent bonds of the said Cowley County at a rate correspondingly beneficial to the interests of said county, or any of said specified bonds to the amount of forty-six thousand two hundred and forty dollars worth at as much better rates for the interest of said county as possible. And if the present purchase can be made at such rates or at most one percent of such rates, this committee shall ascertain as much as possible in relation to whom the holders are of such bonds at what rate and the lowest rate any of said bonds can be purchased, etc., and make a full report of all of said items on their return.
Board adjourned.
J. S. HUNT, County Clerk.
We clip the above from the last Monitor and will remark that when we wrote the editorial in the COURIER alluded to and when we went to press we had not been furnished a copy of the commissioners' proceedings, and as they are usually furnished the county paper by the clerk, we had not been to the records to examine them. We had heard rumors on the street concerning the proceedings, which struck us as improbable for the reasons then given. Now that we have a copy of the official proceedings, we make the correction by publishing them as above.
We do not wish to do injustice to any parties connected with this matter and are disposed to give to all the credit of desiring in their action to accomplish the best interests of the county. We know that the commissioners would act in no other way but for the interests of the county according to their best judgment; but we must be permitted to dissent from the course taken and to hold that there was no use in sending delegates east to buy bonds, and that there is no law to authorize the payment of the expenses of such delegates out of the county treasury. We think a mistake has been made in trying to rush this matter and still believe that a considerable sum of money might be saved for the county by waiting awhile for the holders of our bonds to discover that we are not going to take the first offers at any price, and that they must come down in their prices to value or they cannot sell to us. We believe that we can do better than to pay par and expenses for our 7 percent bonds.
[MAY BE IN LUCK.]
Winfield Courier, March 3, 1881.
On last Tuesday, Feb. 25, there was a panic in Wall street, resulting from the opposition of the national banks to the funding bill and their attempts to coerce the government, and stocks declined largely, ranging from two to seventeen percent decline. Messrs. Robinson and Harden must have arrived in New York at a good time, for we suppose there must have been a pressure to sell our Cowley 7 percent bonds as well as other bonds. If they have chanced upon a time when they could buy at 95, it may not be so bad a scheme after all.
[CAMBRIDGE COMMERCIAL ITEMS.]
Winfield Courier, March 24, 1881.
Mr. Bullington is preparing to build a new residence on his farm.
Joseph Furman is just finishing one of the finest residences in the country; it is a stone two stories high.
Mr. John Smith, of Silver creek, has rented L. B. Bullington's farm, and will engage in the cattle business.
Bullington & Elliott's new mill will be running in a few days as there is water enough to grind now, for the first since the mill has been built.
Winfield Courier, June 9, 1881.
Mr. Robert C. Bullington, of Kentucky, is visiting his son, L. B. Bullington, county commissioner, for a few weeks.
Winfield Courier, June 9, 1881.
We wish to call attention to the new "ad" in this issue of the Dexter Flouring Mills of Bullington & Elliott, and assure our friends that this institution is strictly reliable and worthy of a generous patronage.
AD: GROUSE CREEK WATER MILLS, BULLINGTON & ELLIOTT, PROP'RS., DEXTER, KANSAS. This mill makes custom work a specialty and is prepared to attend to customers from a distance on call. It grinds for toll or exchanges—flour for wheat to suit the
customer. Retail rates for flour and mill products as low or lower than can be had elsewhere in the county. Liberal discount on job lots. Highest market price paid for wheat.
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Winfield Courier, June 9, 1881.
We wish to call attention to the new "ad" in this issue of the Dexter Flouring Mills of Bullington & Elliott, and assure our friends that this institution is strictly reliable and worthy of a generous patronage.
AD: GROUSE CREEK WATER MILLS, BULLINGTON & ELLIOTT, PROP'RS., DEXTER, KANSAS. This mill makes custom work a specialty and is prepared to attend to customers from a distance on call. It grinds for toll or exchanges—flour for wheat to suit the
customer. Retail rates for flour and mill products as low or lower than can be had elsewhere in the county. Liberal discount on job lots. Highest market price paid for wheat.
---
Messrs. Bullington & Elliott have their mill in operation on Grouse Creek and the people are loud in their praises of the flour manufactured by them. The mill is an excellent one and the proprietors have spared no pains or money in putting in first-class machinery. They find it impossible to get wheat enough to keep the mill running both day and night.
[COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]
Arkansas City Traveler, June 15, 1881.
“Messrs. Bullington & Elliott have their mill in operation on Grouse Creek, and the people are loud in their praises of the flour manufactured by them. The mill is an excellent one, and the proprietors have spared no pains or money in putting in first-class machinery. They find it impossible to get wheat enough to keep the mill running both day and night.”
Courier.
Winfield Courier, July 14, 1881.
Commissioner Bullington left for a visit to Edmonton, Kentucky, Monday morning. He will be absent about eight weeks.
[L. B. BULLINGTON.]
Winfield Courier, July 28, 1881.
Bullington communicated about July 20th while on a visit to his old home at Edmonton, Kentucky, with his family.
Winfield Courier, September 1, 1881.
Commissioner Bullington enjoyed his trip to the old home immensely. He was in his old seat at the Commissioner's table Tuesday, helping to levy the taxes.
Winfield Courier, September 8, 1881.
Bullington & Elliott, on Grouse creek, are putting an engine in their mill and will soon be ready to do all the custom work that they can get.
[REPORT FROM "TOD" - DEXTER ITEMS.]
Winfield Courier, October 13, 1881.
Dexter now has five grocery stores, two dry goods and clothing stores, one drug store, one hotel, two doctors' offices, and one blacksmith shop.
The flouring mill of Elliott & Bullington was running by steam, but it can run by water now.
Winfield Courier, October 13, 1881.
Commissioner Bullington suffered with a felon on one of his fingers during the meeting of the board. For two nights and two days he suffered excessively, but kept his seat on the board and transacted business as if nothing was the matter.
Winfield Courier, November 3, 1881.
Commissioner Bullington and lady were in the city Tuesday. Mr. Bullington is still suffering from the felon which tortured him during the last meeting of the board. For twelve days and nights after he returned home, he could hardly sleep, eat, or remain still a moment. These felons are bad fellows to have about the house.
Winfield Courier, November 3, 1881.
Commissioner Bullington and lady were in the city Tuesday. Mr. Bullington is still suffering from the felon which tortured him during the last meeting of the board. For twelve days and nights after he returned home, he could hardly sleep, eat, or remain still a moment. These felons are bad fellows to have about the house.
The Winfield Courier, January 5, 1882.
AD. GROUSE CREEK WATER MILLS, DEXTER, KANSAS.
BULLINGTON & ELLIOTT, Proprietors.
This mill makes custom work a specialty and is prepared to attend to customers from a distance on call.
It grinds for toll or exchanges flour for wheat to suit the customer.
Retail rates for four and mill products as low or lower than can be had elsewhere in the county. Liberal discount on job lots.
Highest market price paid for wheat.
Winfield Courier, February 9, 1882.
GROUSE CREEK ITEMS.
Bullington & Elliott have just completed an addition to their mill, which greatly improves the looks of it and gives them much more room. They are having a lively trade, and it keeps them busy supplying their customers.
I will close by saying that Mrs. Bullington is doing a lively business in the new grocery store at the mill.
Winfield Courier, February 23, 1882.
Dexter.
Mr. R. M. Bullington and wife have been visiting the family of L. Bullington, but have returned to their home in Lawrence, Kansas. They, like all others, were favorably impressed with Cowley County.
Winfield Courier, March 23, 1882.
AD. NOTICE. After February 1st, 1882, Bullington & Elliott will close out their stock of FLOUR AND OTHER MILL STUFF AT WHOLESALE PRICES in the mill. Good Flour $3.45 per hundred and other Flour as low as $2.00 per hundred. Where customers will furnish their sacks, we will sell meal at $1.45 per hundred, or ready sacked for $1.50 per hundred. We will continue to sell at these figures until the stock on hand is closed out.
BULLINGTON & ELLIOTT, Proprietors, DEXTER, KANSAS.
Winfield Courier, March 30, 1882.
PERSONALS.
Capt. Siverd and Frank Finch will be elected constables by common consent.
The young men of Arkansas City have organized a hook and ladder company.
Commissioner L. B. Bullington lost a mule last week; the thief was insane of course.
Winfield Courier, May 18, 1882.
Grouse Valley Items.
Mr. L. B. Bullington has just completed an addition to his residence.
Winfield Courier, July 20, 1882.
A Sad Affair.
Grouse Creek valley is all worked up over a woman-beating scrape, which occurred Sunday evening. Terry Bullington was the attacking party and Mrs. Jeff Reynolds the victim. The two families live neighbors and for some time have had a misunderstanding between them engendering bitter feeling. Sunday evening Mrs. Reynolds took one of Bullington’s cats, which was in her yard, and threw it over into the owners. This seemed to enrage Bullington, who picked up a stick and attacked Mrs. Reynolds, hitting her on the head and knocking her down twice, and afterward breaking the stick over her body. Mrs. Reynolds’ husband is absent in Missouri, and the lady is badly injured. We cannot imagine what manner of man this can be who would attack and beat a woman with a club, no matter what the provocation. He should hide his head in shame for evermore.
[Note: It is unknown whether Terry Bullington was related to L. B. Bullington. MAW]
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1883.
Last week L. B. Bullington resigned his office of County Commissioner from the third district and Mr. E. I. Johnson was appointed in his place. Mr. Bullington is in ill health and thinks it necessary to travel and get a change of climate for a time, which will prevent him from attending the meetings of the board, and therefore he thinks it proper to resign. He is a clear-headed businessman, and has been one of the best County Commissioners we ever had. He has carefully watched the business and expenses of the county and has been so valuable yet pleasant a gentleman to do business with that his associate members award him the highest praise and part with him with regret.
Winfield Courier, April 12, 1883.
Ex-Commissioner Bullington was before the Commissioners Monday, on business. He is not improved in health and will try overland travel and “camping out” this summer.
Winfield Courier, April 26, 1883.
L. B. Bullington started for Colorado last Monday, where he will probably spend the summer on account of his health.
Winfield Courier, September 20, 1883.
L. B. Bullington is back from Colorado after a summer’s sojourn, looking much improved in health.
Winfield Courier, November 15, 1883.
FROM DEXTER.
Real estate is enjoying a boom such as was never known here before. New houses and other substantial improvements to be seen everywhere.
Miss Shermia Salmon of Kentucky, niece of L. B. Bullington, is visiting friends and relatives in Dexter Township. Dame Rumor has it that the parents of Miss Salmon have disposed of their farm in Kentucky and will soon be en route for Cowley. Let them come. We have room and to spare.
Winfield Courier, January 17, 1884.
FROM DEXTER.
The Narrow Gauge is coming—maybe.
J. D. Maurer, L. B. Bullington, and others are going to fence large pastures soon.
Winfield Courier, September 11, 1884.
Died.
September 4th, at her home near Dexter, Mrs. Bullington, aged 76 years.
