Historical Directory of Kansas Towns [M]

Macksville--Stafford; George Mack, pioneer; 
Macyville--Cloud; George W. Macy, postmaster
Madison--Howard Branch of Santa Fe R.R.;
Madison Junction--Howard and Benedict Branches of Santa Fe R.R.;

Magna City--Butler; a boom oil town east of Douglas. 

Mahon--Leavenworth; 
I ran across some old info about a 
   town in Kansas named Mahon. Is it possible that it is still around 
and if so where can I get additional information on it. Thanks, Becky.
[Becky Mahon (bmahonmaui@aol.com) contributed this information.]

Maize--Segwick County;
Mandovi--Anderson; 

Manhattan--Riley; K.P. R.R. 1865/1866; Two settlements were
established, Canton and Poleska 1854; consolidated and renamed
Boston; large colony of new settlers arrived and name was changed
to Manhattan.

Mankato--Jewell; originally called Jewell Center.
Mantanzas--Chautauqua; 
Mantey--Linn; named after Pioneer
Maple Hill--Wabaunsee; 1882; founded by George Fowler; C.R.I.P.
R.R. 1887; located in Maplehill township 17 m. n.e. of Alma.
Mapleton--Bourbon;
Marienthal--Wichita; German name; 

Marion--Marion; settled in 1860 on the north bank of the
Cottonwood River; Santa Fe Trail;
Marion--Morris; trading post and P.O. in 1863; Junction City - Marion 
stage stop; located on a farm near White City;

Marmaton--Bourbon; 
   Asa Asher lived in Fort Scott and 
   Marmaton Kansas. He served as a private in Company A, Fourth Missouri
   Calvary during the Civil War. He is buried in the National Cemetery.
   Census records show he married Luisa Kee, (second marriage) on October
   21, 1869 in Dallas County Missouri.

Marmaton Station--Bourbon; M.K.T. R.R.
Marquette--McPherson;

Marshall--Sedgwick; 
The town of Marshall, Sedgwick County, Kansas died
   when the AT&SF Railroad bypassed it to the South. From Garden Plain
   the railroad when to the area now known as Cheney, Kansas. My
   great-grandfather Anton Hamersk(i)y Sr. sold the land that the Old
   Cannonball Stagecoach line went through, but when the railroad
   bypassed Marshall, most of the merchants left for Cheney. An
   interesting fact is that there is a street named 'Marshall' in Cheney
   remembering the old town. 
[Michael Hamersky (hamersky@hotmail.com) contributed this information.]

Marysville--Marshall; Oregon Trail; Alcove Springs and grave of
Sarah Keyes about 5 m. south of Marysville; Independence/Big Blue
River Crossing; Pony Express Station.

Matfield Green--Chase; 
Mayview--Jewell; 
Maywood--Wyandotte; Pioneer storekeeper
McAllister--Logan; Smoky Hill Trail; on the north fork of the
Smoky Hill River; 

McCracken--Rush;
   McCracken was founded as an old railroad town; 
   NAMES from long ago were Higgins, Plottner, Ryan, Davenport, Darkas.
   Western Kansas, Rush County. 
[Zeller (mhiggins@johnco.cc.ks.us) contributed this information.]

McCue--Finney; named after Basil M. McCue from Hastings, NE who was the
organizer of the Garden City Western road; S.F. R.R.; town name
changed to Friend. 

McCune--Crawford; named for Isaac McCune, a pioneer;
   Town was layed out in May of 1879 by Isaac McCune. I have many
   relatives in the area, Houseworths, Huffs, Teflingers, Swearingens,
   Edgecombs, Overleys; many of these were members of a Church of the
   Brethren in Ill, came to Ks in 1870s and found the Osage Church of the
   Brethren in Crawford Co. [Information contributed by William Burris 
willburr@idir.net]

McDonald--Rawlins; R. L. McDonald, pioneer rancher;

McDowell Creek--Riley; 
   My grandparents Frank and Dehlia Bostick
   farmed in the McDowell area. Dehlia was the daughter of John and Mary
   (O'Neill) Standage also of the same area. The Bostick homestead is now
   part of the Ft. Riley Gunnery Range. Relatives include the O'Neill
   family that came to America in hogheads on board a ship from Ireland.
   Frank Bostick's younger sister was Dora Hannigan who farmed in Ogden.
   Sons of Frank and Dehlia were Charlie, Raymond, John, Francis and
   Paul, most of them finally settled in the Manhattan area. My mother
   was Katherine Bostick. Frank Bostick came to Kansas with his parents
   in a covered wagon from Germantown, Pennsylvania. Dehlia Standage
   family were already farmers in that area for some time. 
[Rose Thiel (gekade@juno.com) contributed this information.]

McFarland--Wabaunsee; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887 
McLains--Harvey; Earnest McLains, banker
McLouth--Jefferson; Amos McLouth, townsite owner; 

McPherson--McPherson; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887; named in honor of Gen. 
James B. McPherson.

McWhinneyville--Morris; South of White City.  
Meade (aka--Meade Center)--Meade; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887

Medicine Lodge--Barber; Medicine Lodge Peace Treaties: Oct. 1867
15,000 Indians representing the Kiowa, Comanche, Arapaho, Apache
and Cheyenne tribes met here with 600 representatives of the
Federal Government.

Medina--Jefferson; K.P. R.R.;
Medora--Reno; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887
Meeker--Neosho; 
Melrose--Cherokee;
Melvern--
Memphis--Bourbon;
Menno--Hamilton; German name; 
Menoken--Shawnee; K.P. R.R.;

Mentor--Saline; a station south of Salina on the Smoky Hill
River; It is believed to be named for Mentor, Ohio, the home of
President Garfield.

Meriden--Jefferson; When Newell Colby came to Kansas from
Meriden, New Hampshire, he named the town of Meriden in Kaw
Township, Jefferson County; A.T.S.F. R.R.

Merna--

My name is Kenny Tuttle and I am doing some personal 
research on the town of Merna, Kansas.  I went through your 
web site and did not find anything on this town.  I am 
particularly interested in Merna circa 1880-1890.  I saw an 
old photograph of the townspeople circa 1886, and some of 
my family tree may be in that photo.  

I was wondering if you had any additional information on 
the town.  I have done some research already and 
corresponded with some of the residents currently living 
there and not much information was useful.

The photo I have shows the town people standing in front of 
the Merna Post Office and store in 1886 before the town was 
moved two miles closer to the railroad.

Any additional information you can provide will be greately 
appreciated, or if you can al least point me in a different 
direction for me to look.
The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Kenny Tuttle 
(BTKTUTTLE@aol.com) for contributing this information. 

Merriam--
Messer--Cherokee; S.L.S.F. R.R.
Midian--Butler 
Midland--Douglas; C.R.I.P. R.R.; K.P. R.R.;
Midland/Midland Park--Sedgwick 
Midway--Crawford; railroad station on the Kansas City Southern R.R.; 
Milberger--Russell; Charles Milberger, postmaster; German name;
Mildred--Allen County 
Milford--
Millard--Barton; Francis Millard, postmaster
Millbrook--
Miller--Lyon; Miller brothers, ranchers
Millersburg--Cherokee; 

Millwood--Leavenworth; 
Recently moved a couple miles from the
   site of the old town of Millwood. Also close to Evergreen Cemetary.
   Interested in history of this army. Many years back our property was
   owned by Gwartney. [Information contributed by Donna Pfitzner 
pfitzned@leav-emh1.army.mil]

Milton--Sumner; J. Milton Broomfield, merchant
Miltonvale--
Milwaukee--

Minden Mines--
An old mining town from the 1930s do not know what
   county for birth record search. Thank You. 
[Robert Taylor (Bobalink4@aol.com) contributed this information.]
   
Mineola (aka Minneola)--Clark; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887
Mineral--
Mineral Point--Anderson
Minersville--Cloud 
Mingo--Thomas; 

Minneapolis--Ottawa; S.F. R.R.;

   BORN DURING THE DUST STORMS
   IN THE DEPRESSION IN MINNEAPOLIS DOCTOR WHO DELIVERED WAS DR.
   FOUTZ/FAUTZ/FAUTS?....MY GRANDMOTHER ETHEL ANDREWS WAS SURGICAL
   NURSE....MY FATHERS PARENTS..JOHN AND HARRIET CLINE LIVED I THINK ON
   8TH OR 6TH ST. NOT SURE OF THAT...ALL STREETS WERE BRICK....MY
   GRANDMOTHER KEPT MY SISTER AND MYSELF DURING THE SUMMERS DURING WW11 I
   REMEMBER THE SODA FOUNTAIN MORE THAN ANYTHING....IT WAS A WONDERFUL
   TIME ONE THAT I REMEMBER WELL...USED TO PLAY IN THE JAILHOUSE...MY
   UNCLE..WAYNE CLINE MARRIED A FEDDERS..NOT SURE ABOUT SPELLING...WE
   USED TO SING SONGS FOR THE PRISONERS....WE WERE 4UPTO 10 YRS
   OLD...REMEMBER AN OLD LADY WHO LIVED BY JOHN CLINE WHO HAD HAIR 12 FT
   LONG...MY SISTER AND I USED TO COMB HER HAIR THAT SHE HUNG OVER THE
   PORCH RAILING......THAT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 1942-3.....MY GRANDFATHER
   CLINE MADE A GOLDFISH POND IN HIS YARD......MAY STILL BE THERE?....MY
   GRANDMOTHER ADREWS WAS ETHEL POTTS/DIVORICE NAME AKRED/LAST MARRIED
   NAME ANDREWS...HAD FIVE CHILDREN...MARY.RUTH.ELLA MARJORIE.JOHN AND
   TED..ALL DECEASED NOW...MARY DIED THREE MONTHS OR SO AGO...THE GIRLS
   ABOVE WERE SOUGHT AFTER FROM MILES AROUND BECAUSE ALL WERE NATURAL
   BEAUTIES...BOY WOULD START CONGREGATING AT ABOUT 5 ON SAT NIGHTS AND
   THERE WOULD SOMETIMES BE 25-30 WAITING FOR A DATE....MY FATHER BUILT
   HIS OWN MOTORCYCLE AND HAD IT RUNNING AT 40MILES PR HOUR..UNHEARD OF
   AT THAT TIME...HE (ELVANE CLINE) AND HIS BROTHER (WAYNE CLINE) BUILT
   THE FIRST JET ENGINE THERE IN THAT AREA..INCLUDING JET
   FUEL....33-38?...GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CAME AND CONFISCATED THE ENGINE
   AND THE FUEL AND THE PAPERWORK...ELVANE CLINE WORKED WITH THE
   SCIENTIST IN LOS ALOMOS DURING WW11 WAS VERY SMART..WHEN HE WAS 72 HE
   OWNED A PONTIAC THAT HE REBUILD AND CRUISED AT 189...GOT STOPPED ON A
   MAJOR HIGHWAY BY ROAD BLOCK....HIGHWAY PATROL WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE
   WAS DRIVING....HE WAS BORN BEFORE HIS TIME..HA...WAS VERY
   INVENTIVE...INVENTED ALL KIND OF TOOLS FOR BENDIX AVIATION.....I DO
   NOT KNOW WHERE THE CLINES CAME FROM WHEN THEY SETTLED IN
   MINNEAPOLIS...MY GRANDMOTHER ANDREWS PARENT CAME FROM WALES...MY
   SISTER AND I WENT BACK TO MINNEAPOLIS IN 1992 AND WERE SHOCKED HOW
   MUCH EVERYTHING WAS MUCH THE SAME....OUR GRANDPARENTS HOUSES ARE STILL
   STANDING AND BEING LIVED IN....ONE OF THE PEOPLE LET US GO THROUGH OUR
   GRANDMOTHERS HOME AND WE WERE SURPRISEDTHAT IT SMELLED THE
   SAME....NEVER FORGOT THE SMELL OF THE HOUSE...IT WAS VERY GRACIOUS OF
   THAT OWNER.....THE GARAGE AND LARGE BUSH NEXT TO IT ARE STILL
   THERE....BUSH WAS THERE IN 1938...WE WERE YOUNG AND DID NOT PAY
   ATTENTION TO ANYTHING BUT OUR OWN WANTS AND DESIRES..HOWEVER,
   MINNEAPOLIS WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS AS THE MAGICAL TOWN OF
   GRANDPARENTS..IT LEFT US A WONDERFUL HISTORY.

Minneola--Clark; 
Mirriam--S.F. R.R.
Mission--
Mission Creek--Wabaunsee; 
Mission Hills
Missler (aka Jasper)--Meade; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887
Mitchellville--
Mobile--Elk; 
Modoc--Wichita;  
Mohon--Bourbon; 
Moline-- Howard Branch of Santa Fe R.R.;
Monmouth--Crawford; S7T31R23; 4 miles E, of McCune; 
Monotony (Weskan)--Wallace; K.P. R.R.;
Monrovia--Atchison; M.P. R.R. Central Branch; located west of
Atchison and east of Effingham; named by S. J. H. Snyder, townsite
owner;
Mont Ida--Anderson; 
 
Montana City--Labette Co;
   Liberty Twp.; Apr 1866 BF Simons built
   log store house. Mar 1867 Anderson brothers set up Saw Mill. 28 May
   1868 incorporated on S8T32R21. 1869 Col. J.J.Woods, a West point '47
   grad, vet of Mex. War of 1848, bought 760 a. of S8T32R21. 1868 Stage
   line from Ft Scott to Chetopa met with one from Osage Mission. 1870
   MKT RR layed track a few miles away, Labette City sprang up on S26,
   most businesses moved there. 28 Feb 1895 fire destroyed most remaining
   businesses. ref - "History of Labette County, Kansas and
   Representative Citizens", by Hon. Nelson Case, 1901 (Parsons Library) 
[Information contributed by William Burris willburr@idir.net]

Montaque--
Montezuma--Finney; Santa Fe Trail Jornada Route
Montrose--Jewell 

Monument Rocks--Gove;

Monument Station (Fort Monument)--Gove; 
1860/1861 Smoky Hill Trail;
originally a station on the stage and mail route;
Fort Monument established Nov. 1865;
located in Gove County between Fort Hays and Fort Wallace,
near some monument-shaped rocks that gave the post its name; 
The post was also referred to as Fort Pyramid, but in official
documents it is designated Monument Station;
a detachment of troops were sent there by order of Major General 
Grenville M. Dodge to protect the station from Indian depredations;
1867/1870 K.P. R.R.; 
June 1868 garrison was withdrawn;

Monument--Logan; K.P. R.R.

Moore's Summit--Leavenworth; Stranger Township; U.P. R.R.; named
for Captain Crawford Moore, a local landowner; name changed to
Summit.

Moorestown/Urbana--Nemaha; 1854; at Baker's Ford, S. Fork Nemaha
River; Urbana P.O. 1855 John Jett, postmaster.

Moran--Allen; M.P. R.R.; M.K.T. R.R.; first called Morantown;

Morehead--Neosho; S.F. R.R.; named after Morehead, a conductor
on the Santa Fe;

Morganville--Clay; Ebenzer Morgan, town promoter; 

Morland--Graham;
   Hi-I am ashleigh and im 12 years old and I live in Morland
   Kansas and I love it here and I just moved here a year ago and my
   gradparents have lived here along time and so has my whole family but
   i dont know that much info and from the sites ive seen i have been to
   all the places and i was wondering if someone could e-mail me and
   tell me some addresses to find more pictures of my town.
[Ashleigh (owengirl_@hotmail.com) contributed this information.]

Morphina--

Morrill--Brown; 
Morris--Wyandotte; Morris Packing Company
Morrowville--Washington; located between Haddam and Washington;
seemingly named for James Calvin Morrow of Haddam, a legistalor
and active citizen; as a station, the place had first been named
Morrow.
Morse--Johnson; Owner of townsite
Mortimer--Labette; Emanuel Mortimer, pioneer
Morton--Reno; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887;

Moscow--Stevens; Santa Fe Trail Jornada Route;
   I taught there from 78-82 and was told that the town was
   named for a Lt. in Coronado's forces, that it was originally spelled
   Mosco (based upon the Lt.'s name) and had sseveral run-ins with the US
   Postal service before it capitulated and kept the extra "w" it did not
   want, and that Moscow was originally 4miles from its present site, but
   had been moved corporately to take advantage of and get closer to the
   new rail service laid in the 1800's. If he is still alive, Wayne
   Comer, the retired superintendent of schools (my boss when I was
   there) knew a great deal of his beloved town's history, and would love
   to share it. Tell him Vanessa Clawson, the disorganized 5th grade
   teacher, says "Hi!' Thanks! 
   [Information contributed by Vanessa C. Justice (milkandhoney@firstsaga.com)]

Mosquito Creek--Doniphan; community was settled in 1854-55 by
related families from DeKalb, Buchannan Co., MO, including
Graves, Mosers, Kecks & Schaufflers. 
Moss Springs--Geary (Davis); Liberty Township; 

Motor--Rooks;
Mound City--Linn; founded 1857 and named for Sugar Mound, an
early landmark east of the city.
Mound Valley--Labette; S.L.S.F. R.R.
Moundridge--McPherson; 
Mount Hope--Sedgwick; 
Mount Liberty--Reno; postoffice was open from 1873 to 1886; 
located in Section 27, Township 24, Range 4W;
Mount Pleasant--Atchison; Mount Pleasant Twp.; 

Mount Vernon (Landondale)--Doniphan; platted 1857-58 on land
purchased from Sampson, Isaac & Daniel Graves; NE 1/4 S30 &
fract/ S19 & 20, T2S R22E; 

Mulberry--Crawford; When the Military Road was
   built between Fort Scott,Kansas and Fort Gibson,Oklahoma,it passed
   only a short distance from a grove of Mulberry trees, this place
   became a campground for frontiersmen. In 1866 a stage line was
   established on the Military Road; and a post office was granted the
   people,which was called Mulberry Grove. John Myers was the first
   Postmaster. When the Cherryvale division of the Missouri River,Ft.
   Scott and Gulf Railroad, was built in 1869, a town was laid out and
   named Mulberry Grove. About 1871 coal mines were opened near the town.
   This was also about the date of transition from the name Mulberry
   Grove to Mulberry. Early settlers to the town were the W. L. Millers,
   A.M. Browns, Smilies, Smokewoods (Rochloz), Mccormacks, Yoos,
   Clarksons, Chambers, Maxwells, Craftons. [Ref. A Twentieth Century History
   and Biographical Record of Crawford County published in Chicago in
   1905; Our Yesterdays - A story of Mulbery, Kansas by C. Irvin McCullough]

Mullinville--Kiowa; named after Alfred A. Mullin, town promoter; 
Wichita and Western Railway; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887; 
Mulvane--Sumner; S.F. R.R.;
Muncie--Wyandotte; C.R.I.P. R.R.; K.P. R.R.
Munden--Republic; John Munden, townsite owner; German name; 
Munjor--Ellis; 
Murdock--Kingman;

Muscotah--Atchison; M.P. R.R. Central Branch;

My grandparents reportedly ran at hotel there. Their name was 
Robinson (Robert maybe).
[Sandee Brauner (momsan4@ckt.net) contributed this information.]

Mussell Slough--
Not sure if this is in kansas; am
   looking for info on the battle of mussel slough (not sure how mussel is
   spelled). A HENDERSON was involved in it and my great gramma was born
   in Sedan, Kansas(county of Chautauqua) her name was Birdy Irene
   Henderson. her brother was Castle Deek Henderson. Her parents were
   Willis Greene Henderson and Jessie Agusta soule. She later lived in
   colorado, so mussell slough may have been there. Any info would be
   greatly appreciated. 
[Shelly Lewis (maitai1313@aol.com) contributed this material]