Early History of Liberty

Liberty, initially located on a bluff in Verdigris valley, played a significant role in the county’s early politics, competing with Independence for the county seat. Established after the 1869 proclamation by Gov. Harvey, Liberty briefly served as the seat of government before Independence won the election in 1870. Following the arrival of a colony of African American settlers, Liberty began cotton farming under founder Daniel McTaggart’s guidance. Eventually, the village moved to its current site, enjoying a prosperous trade and exploring oil prospects.

The village of Liberty was originally located on a high bluff overlooking a beautiful stretch of the Verdigris valley, two miles north and one mile west of the present site. In the early days it was a prominent factor in the politics of the county, being a formidable rival of Independence for county seat honors and, in fact, the actual seat of government for a short period in 1869-70.

When the county was organized by proclamation of Gov. James M. Harvey, on the third day of June 1869, Verdigris City, located about five miles north of the subsequent site of the town of Liberty, was designated as the temporary seat of government; the permanent location of which was to be submitted to a vote of the people at the following November election.

Independence, Verdigris City and Montgomery City were the rival aspirants but the few settlers in Verdigris and Montgomery cities, realizing that their respective sites were not favorably located for the purpose, pooled their issues, founded the town of Liberty and immediately entered that beautiful city as a contestant for the honor of being the capital city of the county.

This narrowed the contest down to a fight between Independence, located on the west, and Liberty on the east side of the Verdigris river. Morgan City was also a candidate but was not considered formidable, except in so far as she might divide the vote that would otherwise go to Independence.

In this contest Independence was under the disadvantage of having to cross the river to vote, being attached to the voting precinct at Verdigris City where the friends of her principal rival were in control of the election machinery. She, however, made a heroic but futile effort to capture the election board, sending two wagon loads of her citizens on an early morning drive for that purpose; but the plot being discovered, they arrived too late to obtain more than one place on the board, and that had been left open for them “by courtesy.”

Because of informality in certifying the returns from the Verdigris City precinct the vote of Drum Creek township, in which Independence was located, was thrown out and Liberty, with the whole east side ticket, declared elected.

This action of the canvassing board was contested by the friends of Independence before the Probate Court of Wilson county, as is clearly set forth in the article on the “Bench and Bar” in this volume. The action of the court in declaring the election invalid, left the County Commissioners first appointed in control of county affairs, and as they were in sympathy with east side sentiment, they soon met and ordered the log court house, with all the offices and records, removed from Verdigris City to Liberty. This, however, did not settle the matter, as the west side contingent claimed that the action of the board was illegal and that the county seat was still at Verdigris City.

In support of this contention they sent an agent to Topeka, who procured the appointment of a new Board of Commissioners. On the receipt of their commissions the members of the new board — W. W. Graham, Thomas Brock and S. B. Morehouse — repaired to Verdigris City where, sitting in their wagon, they organized, and appointed a new set of county officers, ordered that the next term of the District Court be held at Independence and that the various county offices be kept there temporarily.

The old board and their appointees, failing to get an order of court requiring the return of the records and offices to Liberty, soon surrendered and matters moved on quietly until the fall election in 1870, when the county seat question was again voted on by the people and Independence chosen by a vote of 839, to 560 for Liberty. This terminated the aspirations of the little city for civic and commercial greatness.

In 1871 the construction of the L. L. & G. Ry. across the east side of the county caused the removal of the village to its present site where, surrounded by a good agricultural region, its business men have continued to enjoy a prosperous country trade, although the place seems to have reached its maximum growth. However, the village is within the gas belt and is now prospecting for oil with a fair probability of finding enough of the black fluid to lubricate the wheels of progress without limit.

To one of the founders of this village — the late Daniel McTaggart — we are indebted for the demonstration of the fact that cotton can be successfully grown in Southern Kansas. Some years ago quite a colony of Blacks from Texas settled in the Verdigris valley between Coffeyville and Liberty. Soon after the arrival of these people Capt. McTaggart conceived the idea of inducing them to try cotton growing, and, as an inducement, he furnished the seed and installed a gin at his mill near the original townsite. Quite a considerable acreage was planted, and while the yield was not large the fiber was of good quality and the yield per acre large enough to justify the continued production of this important staple as a side crop.