Forty years after he emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kansas in 1872 Jacob Sackman wrote an historical and genealogical account of a later group of pioneers and their settlements, filled with several score names of settlers. Under the tide "The Third Pennsylvania Colony," it was printed in the Wilson World (Ellsworth County, Kansas) of September 24, 1914. With several editorial omissions and modern paragraphing, it is reprinted here from a copy provided by Clarke Garrett.{Editor's Note}.
THE THIRD PENNSYLVANIA COLONY BY JACOB SACKMAN OF WILSON, KANS.
The third Pennsylvania colony was organized in southern Pennsylvania in 1877, with Daniel Keller as president, Samuel Coover secretary and Daniel Keller jr. treasurer. In November 1877 Daniel Keller sr. as president came west to look over the land and locate the colony. After visiting among the Pennsylvanians of Wilson and in Russell county, he selected the western part of Ellsworth county and eastern part of Russell county, and returned and reported. Bur on account of some misunderstanding, the colony divided into two sections. The first was called the Keystone colony, with Samuel Killian as president, Samuel Coover secretary and Daniel Keller jr. treasurer. The second part was called the Pennsylvania and Dickinson colony. Dr. Wm. Shoemaker was the president. The colonies in spring 1878 sent out three men to select a site and build a large barracks in the city of Wilson for the families to move into until other arrangements could be made. Henry Keller, Samuel Ege and Wm. Coover came out and erected on the railroad right of way north of the track and west of the main street a large barracks for the Keystone colony. On April first 1878 this colony started westward from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. On April second the Pennsylvania and Dickinson colony started for the same location. The two colonies landed at Wilson eight hours apart. The first moved into the barracks and others were taken care of by citizens and friends. For some time all were busy building upon and fixing up their homesteads and farms, for government land was still to be found and to be taken up by settlers. On moving out, the barracks were torn down and the lumber used at the homes of settlers. Those who located in Plymouth township were John and Abe Newcomer, John Nickles, Daniel Hollinger, David Shenk, Daniel Keller jr., Jacob Keller, Cal Newcomer, Joseph Wengert, Jacob Zinn, John Weaver, George Neff, Emanuel Fisher, Theodore Hantshaw, David Miller, Samuel Killian, James Miller single, John F. Millker, Joseph Miller, J. W Ickes, Christ Saulsbury, Mr. Bretz, John Small came from Chambersburg, Pa., in 1878. In 1877 he had bought a half section two miles west of Wilson. In Wilson and Ellsworth county settled Henry Keller, E. Danner, Wm. Long, Jacob Lewis, Joseph Lewis, Harry Brubaker, Walter Furgeson, Samuel Shaffer, Rev. Bradley, N. Hood, Mr. Haffa, Dr. Whistler, Mr. Brown, Henry High, John Brenner, Samuel Ege, John Wireman, James Wireman, James Dixon, Jacob Lightner, Mr. Little, Jacob Hoover, Abe Hoover and son, Mr. Rexroth, A.H. McCoy, James McCoy, John Saunders, Andrew Diven, Wm. Stoner, Charles Kyner, Jacob Felix, George Beard, John Claudy, Samuel Coover, Frank Himes, Joseph Himes, and father, W. Watson, Harry Hance, Joseph Hoopes, George Agle, Wilson Agle, Michael Keyser. Keyser came from Chambersburg and opened up a store and hotel in Wilson. Later Willis S. Wolfe and borhter, sister and mother came.
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