John Hutchins Scribner

  General Notes:

[Courtesy of R E Scribner on www.rootsweb.com]
An article about John and his family, written by his son, Nat B., in 1938, appears in CHASE COUNTY HISTORICAL SKETCHES [op. cit.], pages 373-376. From this article, we learn that John grew up in Ashtabula County, where he was engaged in farming and logging operations. He moved his family and his business to St. Louis in 1855, where they stayed until 1860, then it was on to Chase County, Kansas. They homesteaded land on a Fox Creek farm for six years. John held a commission as Quartermaster in the Eighth Regiment of Kansas Militia during the Civil War. As such, he made several trips to western Kansas to hunt buffalo.
While he was away, his wife, Bettie, learned to be resourceful and brave ("or at least to keep up the appearance of bravery"). Nat tells about the time a band of Quantrill's Raiders rode up, asking for a meal. She fixed them a meal, not realizing who they were at first. One of the men asked her if she were afraid of Quantrill's men; then she knew who they were. She replied, "Oh no, I do not think they would bother me." The men paid for their meal, then rode away. Later, it was learned that they were on their way to Dickinson County, where they killed a certain Captain Powell. On another occasion, a band of Indians came to the house for a meal, after which they became "rather impudent." They began to search through the house for what they might find. Bettie reached under her apron, drew out a .45 pistol, and told the Indians to leave. One said, "Little gun heap shoot." Then, they left in a hurry.
Another incident involving Indians occurred at the Scribner home in Cottonwood Falls. It seems some Indians passing by the home saw baby Ula Lama and wanted to buy her, offering Bettie sixteen ponies and one hundred buffalo robes in exchange for that beautiful baby with long black hair. Bettie "made them understand the baby could not be bought at any price" (KANSAS PIONEERS [op. cit.], 299).
In 1866, John bought a farm at Cottonwood Falls, built there a large two-story stone house, and moved the family there. Along with his farming operations (which included a large orchard) he served one term as sheriff of Chase County. Bettie was called upon several times by the local doctor to assist him and serve as a nurse. John was one of the first persons in Chase County to own an automobile, a Maxwell which he purchased in 1907.
The Scribner home was widely-known for its hospitality. Several children of other pioneer families came to live with John and Bettie when they came to Cottonwood Falls to attend school.


1880 Falls, Chase County, Kansas
J. H. SCRIBNER Self M Male W 52 OH Farmer VT VT
B. E. SCRIBNER Wife M Female W 45 PA Keeps House NY NY
N. H. SCRIBNER Son S Male W 15 KS OH NY
V. L. SCRIBNER Dau S Female W 9 KS OH NY
Ralph SCRIBNER Son S Male W 6 KS OH NY

John married Elizabeth Betty Hogle. (Elizabeth Betty Hogle was born on 3 May 1833 in Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio, died on 11 Jul 1904 in Cottonwood Falls, Chase, KS and was buried in Prairie Grove Cemetery, Cottonwood Falls, Chase, KS.)