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A. C. Cronk & C. G. Constant

                                                    [A. C. Cronk Had Hogs.]
                                       Pleasant Valley Township and Winfield.
Cronk.
Pleasant Valley Township 1879: A. C. Cronk, 41; spouse, Mary, 39.
Pleasant Valley Township 1881: A. C. Cronk, 43; spouse, Mary, 42.
Pleasant Valley Township 1881: M. Cronk, 21.
Pleasant Valley Township 1882: Augustus Cronk, 44; spouse, Mary, 43.
Pleasant Valley Township 1882: Myron Cronk, 22.
Arkansas City Directory 1893:
Mrs. M. Cronk, r 710 s B st.; Miss Mabel Cronk, r 710 s B St.
Constant.
Pleasant Valley Township 1874: Constant, H. H., 33; spouse, Laura J., 23.
Pleasant Valley Township 1874: Constant, Thomas, 70; spouse, Nancy, 50.
Pleasant Valley Township 1879: Constant, W. R., 45; spouse, Malissa, 37.
Pleasant Valley Township 1881: Constant, M. J., 43 [female].
Arkansas City 1893: H. H. Constant, 52. Also: I. Constant, 35 [female].
Arkansas City 1893: H. H. Constant, Confectionery, n. Summit st.
                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
Estella M. Cronk attended Normal in 1879 and 1880...
[THE NORMAL.]
Winfield Courier, August 14, 1879.
The Normal is now in fair running order, and the teachers are getting down to hard, solid work. Profs. Wheeler, Story, and Trimble, with their corps of assistants, are working like bea­vers, and there is a united feeling among teachers and pupils to make the time count. The teachers in attendance number 117, and seem as intelligent and as capable of training the young ideas as can be found anywhere. Attending: Estella Cronk.
Winfield Courier, July 15, 1880.
The Normal Institute for 1880 has opened with a large attendance of teachers. Four instructors have charge of the divisions, and the aim of all is to make this summer’s work especially practical. The morning exercises begin at 7:30, in the courtroom, and the recitations end at 1 p.m. There are at present enrolled 79 teachers as follows.
Attending: Estella M. Cronk.
[Note: At first I thought “Fogg” might be “Willie Fogg,” constantly in trouble with the law for horse-stealing. However, Willie was in the county jail at the time of the Cronk-Constant difficulty. The first name of young Fogg mentioned in the articles about the feud with Cronk and Constant was never given by the newspaper. MAW]
Cronk-Constant Difficulty.
Winfield Courier, September 22, 1881.

At last the Cronk-Constant difficulty, which has so long disturbed the peace and quiet of the Posey Creek neighborhood, has been brought to a quietus by the conviction of Fogg and Cronk for assault and battery on the Constant boys; and Messrs. Fogg and young Cronk now languish in the County jail. This has been a most distressing affair from the beginning—a regular neighbor­hood row—and a neighborhood row is the worst row in the world. This is the third or fourth time the matter has been dragged into the courts, and we sincerely hope that it will be the last. If the thing goes on, someone will pass the remainder of their days in the penitentiary. Fogg and Cronk were fined $25 each and the costs, amounting in all to nearly $150. County Attorney Jennings did all he could to allay the feelings he foresaw would grow out of these bickerings; but finding it of no use, he determined to prosecute vigorously and to the fullest extent of the law every disturbance of the peace: and when our County Attorney clears the decks for action, someone is bound to get hurt.
Miss Carry or Carrie Cronk...
[PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “HANK.”]
Winfield Courier, November 10, 1881.
Carry Cronk, who is attending school in Winfield, was home on a visit last Sunday.
Winfield Courier, March 2, 1882.
Longfellow’s Birthday. The pupils of the high school have for a long time been preparing an exhibition to celebrate the anniversary of the birthday of the renowned poet, Henry W. Longfellow, and on Monday evening the 27th a large audience assembled at the Opera House to witness the result of their efforts. A fine entertainment was afforded. Those who were in attendance heard songs and recitations composed by Longfellow and several essays upon his life. The recitation of “Hiawatha’s wooings,” was given by Carrie Cronk and was well rendered.
Myron Cronk...
[PLEASANT VALLEY CORRESPONDENT: “SCHUYLERIUS.”]
Winfield Courier, April 6, 1882.
Myron Cronk has leased his place to Messrs. Pickett and Waltz, and intends to work at the carpenter trade at Winfield.
Cowley County Courant, April 27, 1882.
C. G. Constant and his son were arrested yesterday on complaint of Mr. Cronk, charged with taking, stealing, etc., of a certain fence, etc. This seems to be a neighborhood quarrel that has raged more or less for some time.
Winfield Courier, April 27, 1882.
Stop the Row! The old Cronk-Constant feud in Pleasant Valley Township has broken out again. This has been altogether a most disgraceful neighborhood row, and it is about time for the State to step in and demand that her peace and dignity be respected. The affair began by one of Cronk’s hogs getting on Constant’s land. Constant shot the hog and was arrested by Cronk. Then Mrs. Constant slapped Cronk’s boy and there was another arrest and lawsuit. Then Fogg and Cronk’s boy, to use a vulgar term, “laid for” Constant’s boys and fought a fight with them, which was the cause of another arrest and lawsuit, and resulted in placing young Cronk and Fogg in the County jail, from whence they secured release at a heavy expense to Cronk. Then Fogg left, and it was hoped a permanent truce had been declared. But on Tuesday Cronk files complaint against Constant for breaking fence, or something of that sort, and the war will range once more as fierce as ever. We would advise these people not only for their own good, but for the welfare and good name of the community to let up on this business. It will ruin them all in the end and benefit no one but the devil. A man had better keep seven dogs than have a row with a neighbor.
Winfield Courier, May 18, 1882.

Mr. D. Eastman and Robt. White were in town Wednesday as witnesses in the Cronk-Constant difficulty, which was up before ’Squire Soward.
Winfield Courier, May 25, 1882.
In the suit between Cronk and Constant, of Pleasant Valley Township, before ’Squire Soward last week, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty against Constant for tearing down a fence built by Cronk on a disputed strip of land between their farms. Mr. Constant was fined ten dollars, but appealed the case to the district court.
Winfield Courier, June 1, 1882.
Messrs. Cronk and Constant had another suit last Thursday. Constant had taken up some of Cronk’s hogs which he found running on his land, and advertised them as strays. Cronk reprieved them, and hence the suit. Under the instructions of the court, the jury brought in a verdict for Cronk, and Constant pays the costs.
Stella Constant, Carrie Cronk...
[CONSTANT, PLEASANT VALLEY, CORRESPONDENT: “CAESAR.”]
Winfield Courier, October 26, 1882.
Miss Stella Cronk has gone to Rice County.
Miss Carrie Cronk is again with us, this time to stay.
Riley Constant...
[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]
Winfield Courier, November 9, 1882.
CRIMINAL DOCKET—FIRST DAY.
No. 320. STATE VS. RILEY CONSTANT, ET AL.
Mr. (?) Cronk...
[CONSTANT, PLEASANT VALLEY, CORRESPONDENT: “CAESAR.”]
Winfield Courier, December 14, 1882.
As pleasant a company of young people as one would care to see, assembled at the residence of Mr. Cronk on last Friday evening and tripped the light fantastic toe, till the “wee sma” hours. It was one of those pleasant, good natured parties which one remembers with pleasure.
Winfield Courier, April 5, 1883.
Mr. C. G. Constant and Mrs. Dr. Cooper left for Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday’s train over the K. C. L. & S. Mrs. Cooper will join her husband there and Mr. Constant will test curative properties of Florida climate.
[CONSTANT, PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “QUIT.”]
Winfield Courier, April 19, 1883.
Mr. Cronk is putting up a wire pasture.
The carpenter work has been commenced on the Granger’s Store. The letting of the contract to Mr. Cronk insures a neat, quick, and durable job being done, as Mr. Cronk is one of the best carpenters in the county.
[DISTRICT COURT.]
Winfield Courier, May 17, 1883.
State vs. Constant, Cronk prosecuting witness, verdict was rendered against defendant.
[DISTRICT COURT.]
Winfield Courier, May 24, 1883.

In the case of State vs. Constant, the motion for new trial was argued and denied.
Winfield Courier, May 31, 1883.
Mr. C. G. Constant returned from Florida last week. His report presents a less roseate hue of the beauties of that country than any we have yet had. He says Dr. and Mrs. Cooper have been sick ever since they moved there, that Fred Hunt is tiring of the country, and inclined to believe that raising oranges has its drawbacks as well as raising hogs, and expresses the belief that many of them will return to the fair fields of Cowley before many months.
Miss C. L. Cronk...
[NORTHWESTERN TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.]
Winfield Courier, November 8, 1883.
UDALL, November 3rd, 1883. There being a political meeting in the schoolhouse Friday evening, no meeting was held by the teachers, but they met according to appointment on Saturday morning. Those present were Misses Lida Strong, C. L. Cronk, Jennie Knickerbocker, Kate Martin, Hattie Andrews, and Fannie McKinley; Messrs. R. B. Corson, S. L. Herriott, J. W. Campf, J. W. Warren, C. A. Lewis, Chas. Daugherty, and L. McKinley.
The topics for Saturday’s session were assigned as follows: “Methods of Teaching Primary Reading,” Misses Jennie Knickerbocker, Leota Gary, and Lou Strong; “Causes of the Revolution,” Mrs. Gammon, Miss Fannie McKinley, and Mr. J. W. Warren; “Franklin and Hamilton,” Miss C. A. Cronk and Messrs. C. A. Lewis, C. Bradshaw, and J. W. Campf; “To What Extent Shall Teachers Share in Amusements?” Misses Lida Strong and Annie Barnes and Mr. L. McKinley.
Estelle M. Cronk marries Leander C. Brown...
Winfield Courier, December 20, 1883.
MARRIED. Married at the residence of the bride’s father, Mr. Cronk, in Pleasant Valley Township, December 14th, 1883, by Rev. J. Cairns, Mr. Leander C. Brown and Miss Estelle M. Cronk, both teachers in the county.
Myron Cronk...
Winfield Courier, August 21, 1884.
The following is a list of teachers granted certificates at the late examination.
Myron Cronk was included on this list.
A. C. Cronk, doing the carpenter work...
[PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “COUNTRY JAKE.”]
Winfield Courier, November 6, 1884.
Mr. Eastman is building on his farm that he purchased of Edward Campbell. A. C. Cronk is doing the carpenter work.
Myron Cronk marries Myrtle Page...
Winfield Courier, December 25, 1884.
MARRIAGE LICENSES. The following parties have secured passes for the matrimonial boat from Judge Gans since our last. Myron Cronk and Myrtle Page.
Winfield Courier, December 25, 1884.

MARRIED. Mr. Myron Cronk, of Pleasant Valley, and Miss Myrtle Page, of this city, were married at the home of the bride’s parents on Saturday evening last. Mr. Cronk is one of the sturdy teachers and farmers of the county and Miss Page is a very intelligent, independent young lady, well known to many in Winfield. May their boat ever steer clear of crags.
C. G. Cronk...
[HACKNEY, PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “MARK.”]
Winfield Courier, December 25, 1884.
The railroad company expect to construct our stockyards this week for the especial purpose of enabling Mr. C. A. Croak to ship his old blind sow.
Mr. Cronk has commenced the construction of a grist mill—in his mind. As soon as the town lot boom subsides, he will do the mill up in good shape. Something must move when Gus gets up steam; if it’s only his own avoirdupois.
[HACKNEY, PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “MARK.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 8, 1885.
Gus Cronk’s grist mill is materializing.
Riley Constant...
[PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “COUNTRY FARE.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 15, 1885.
Mr. Riley Constant threshed last week. There was considerable of his wheat damaged. If he had waited a little longer, he could have threshed with the rest of his neighbors.
A. C. Cronk and Myron Cronk...
[HACKNEY, PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “MARK.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 9, 1885.
A. C. Cronk made several satisfactory horse trades this spring and naturally concluded that he was no slouch of a judge of horse flesh; but the past week, however, an oily-tongued sharper induced him to swap a good horse and $27 of hard cash for one that proves to have a strong constitutional dislike to wearing harness. A. C. anticipates lots of fun keeping the flies off of this fine (?) animal this season. Be calm, “G. V.,” I will try to telephone you when the storm-cloud lowers and threatens your serenity of mind.
Ex-pedagogue Myron Cronk, having accumulated some capital the past winter from shooting ideas, is now investing the same in young cattle. He will soon be a bloated and polluted stockman.
Riley Constant...
[PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “COUNTRY JAKE.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 16, 1885.
Riley Constant planted corn all fools day.
A. C. Cronk...
[PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “COUNTRY JAKE.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 30, 1885.
A. C. Cronk raises the little (yaller) corn so he doesn’t have to break the ground before he lists his corn.
Myron Cronk...
HACKNEY, PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “MARK.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 16, 1885.

This locality is well represented at the Normal—so far as attendance is concerned—in the persons of Myron Cronk, Mrs. Amy Chapin, Mr. E. M. and Miss Nettie Anderson, Miss Edith and Bob Holland, and Miss Carrie Roseberry.

 

Cowley County Historical Society Museum