Lebo's past is colorful and worth considering for all citizens. Harry Truman once said, "The only thing new
in the world is the history you don't know".
Nothing stands out quite as much in Kansas history as the small town newspaper. Although colorful characters and
historic events dot the Kansas past, the hardy newspaper editors left a colorful and mostly accurate record that is available to all. All the issues of the "Lebo Light" and the "Lebo Enterprise" are on microfilm at the Lebo
Library in the Genealogy room. There are also bound volumes of the Lebo Enterprise from recent years. The Lebo Light was the first paper in Lebo. The masthead above from October
23, 1885 featured front page stories about the grain harvest and the Minnie Walkup murder trial in Emporia. It
seems she was accused of poisoning her husband. The story reports that when she appeared in court, "She appeared
as composed as if she had no connection with the case whatever....."
The "Light" also had news of the war in Turkey and other parts of the world including Montreal, Bombay,
Minnesota and Iowa.
The "Enterprise" was in business until it closed in the 1970's.
This masthead from June 19, 1891 featured a story of "A MONSTER SNAKE". The snake was spotted after a
heavy rain 3 miles north of town in the wheat field of Mr. J. W. Howell. The snake reared its head two feet above
the wheat which was four feet high. The story goes on to report, "They estimated that its head was fully eight
inches wide, its body the size of a man's, and its length fully 25 feet..."
The "Enterprise" also printed that Dr. G. W. Wright (Dentist) will be in town for one day only at the
Gold Leaf Hotel. "Teeth extraction without pain a specialty". In other news it was reported that, "Mrs.
Ewbanks is making a rag carpet,"
The map shown is a section of an 1895 map of Kansas. Note that the familiar highways are not illustrated.
The towns are connected
by railroad lines. Also note the towns that no longer exist such as Crotty, Kyle and Bristo in southern Coffey
County. "Portawatumie" in the northern Part of the county no longer exists and Halls Summit and Agricola
are a shadow of their former selves with only a few houses left. The original Strawn and Ottumwa are now in the
John Redmond flood plain. Strawn was rebuilt on U.S. 75 north of Burlington but Ottumwa's residents did not re-locate
the town. Note that Old Strawn is called out as "Rockeby Station or Strawn P.O.".
Click on the map above for another old map of Coffey County.
If you are interested in Lebo or Coffey County history visit the Lebo Library or the Coffey County Historical Museum
in Burlington.
connected
by railroad lines. Also note the towns that no longer exist such as Crotty, Kyle and Bristo in southern Coffey
County. "Portawatumie" in the northern Part of the county no longer exists and Halls Summit and Agricola
are a shadow of their former selves with only a few houses left. The original Strawn and Ottumwa are now in the
John Redmond flood plain. Strawn was rebuilt on U.S. 75 north of Burlington but Ottumwa's residents did not re-locate
the town. Note that Old Strawn is called out as "Rockeby Station or Strawn P.O.".