History of Humboldt, Kansas

1857 - 1998

How Humboldt was founded.

Humboldt was founded in 1857. It was named after Baron Von Humboldt. The first people to organize the colony were Germans from Hartford, Connecticut. They began organizing during the winter of 1856-57. The German colony consisted of F.M. Serebentz, Jacob Schleicher, William Lassman, John Frixel, Franz Trantz, Landwasser, S. Senner, H. Zwanziger, and N. Kemmerer.

The colony arrived in Lawrence in March of 1857. The Humboldt Town Company was organized, and it's members were J. A. Coffey, N. B. Blanton, J. H. and H. W. Signor, Dr. Hartman, and A. D. Searles. The German colony arrived May 10, 1857 soon to be followed by Coffey, Blanton and others. The first house was built for J. A. Coffey by L. M. Stewart, uncle of Watson Stewart.

Expansion and Organization.

The county seat was moved to Humboldt in late 1857. During the summer of 1857, Orlin Thurston, a young attorney, moved into Humboldt and put up a steam sawmill. He began sawing wood and building houses on the prairie side of town. In the spring of 1858 Charles Fussman opened a tin shop. The first frame building was erected by J. A. Coffey.

In may of 1858 W. C. O'Brien opened a sawmill and a gristmill. It was the first gristmill in the county. Dr. George A. Miller opened practice in a tent in 1857. A school was organized in 1858 and taught by S. W. Clark. A church was erected by the United Brethren Denomination in 1859.