Note: The Peabody Gazette gives us some real insight into life in Plum Grove in the late 1870s and early 1880s. In this weekly newspaper, we find columns entitled “Plum Grove Items.” These columns were mostly submitted by two authors. The first contributor signs his name “A Star Cus,” It is easy to deduce from the style the columns are written and the similarity of the name that this is Starchus M. Spencer. The other contributor signs his name “Num Skull.” We are never given a clue as to the identity of Num Skull. In these bi-monthly columns, both of these authors garner a lot of information about the people, the area, and the climate of Plum Grove and vicinity.
PEABODY GAZETTE
December 12th 1879
PLUM GROVE, BUTLER CO., KANSAS, December 12 th 1879
EDITOR: Gazette
Mr. Jacob Bricker and Mr. Hanson each had a horse burned to death caused by the stable taking fire from sparks from the house’s stove-pipe.
☞The hay press is now running day and night at S. M. Spencer’s haystacks.
☞Corn has gone down to 18 Cts. Per bushel in this market.
☞Dr. Claypool’s house was destroyed by fire about ten days ago.
☞Mrs. Barbara Ropp, daughter of Joseph Farnie and wife of Joseph Copp, died on the 9th inst.; the funeral services were conducted by Rev. Suderman, Bishop of the Mennonite church.
“Num Skull” has been sick for the past three weeks, which accounts for the nonappearance of items from his pen.
☞Wilder & Morgan are prospecting for coal on Mr. Ed. Morgan’s farm one mile west and one mile south of the Grove, they are now down about forty feet; the intention is to go down four hundred feet unless they strike coal before they reach that depth; there is a two-inch vein at a depth of 60 feet on the farm adjourning. Mr. Morgan’s gentlemen are running the drill and thnk that they will strike a thicker vein in less than two hundred feet; we hope they may.
A St✶r Cus.
𝚨nything for A Quiet LifeΩ 