The Valley Falls Rotary Club met March 21 at the Kendall State Bank meeting room with Betty Jane Wilson, president of the Valley Falls Historical Society, as guest speaker. Wilson spoke of the history of A. G. Patrick, an early citizen of Grasshopper Falls. His history encompassed the name change of the village to Sautrelle Falls, back to Grasshopper Falls, and finally Valley Falls.
Wilson said Patrick was an adventurer with a different background and interests than most people at that time. He became interested in typesetting at an early age and was in Bowling Green, Ky., and Greencastle, Ind., as a journeyman. He was persuaded to start a newspaper, but after five issues, it folded. He tried merchandising with his brother, but the gold strike in California caused him to go west. He joined a wagon train.
Wilson told Rotarians that Patrick joined a buffalo train to shoot buffalo and traveled west of St. Joseph. After traveling 700 to 800 miles, he at last came close to a buffalo. He said the buffalo had eyes like "balls of fire, stomped the ground, and was ready to charge." Seeing a great danger to himself, Patrick threw down his gun and dived into a nearby pool of water. He retrieved his gun from the pool and the first chance he had, he traded it for a pony from an Indian boy. He rode off to California. There is no record of his fortunate gold discovery.
In 1856, Patrick came to Grasshopper Falls. He became involved in civic events. He was an abolitionist and was involved in the free state movement. He was overcome by pro-slavery members near Leavenworth where he had procured a claim. He was sentenced to be court martialed and was to be shot as a spy, after first being sentenced to hang. As he was about to be executed, he gave the distress sign of a Free Mason and was delivered to Kansas Governor Woodson at Lecompton.
While imprisoned, he met Harry Hoover, who lived alone on the Delaware River between Grasshopper Falls and Ozawkie. Hoover was an uncouth man with straggly hair, was tall, a big, heavy person who wore a white fur cap low on his forehead, almost covering his eyes, and wore cowhaired moccasins. Later when he and Patrick were released from jail, they came to Grasshopper Falls and Hoover was the delight of young boys who were amazed at his dress. Hoover was a glutton for food, especially sweets. The boys brought him a five-pound bag of sugar, which he ate with glee. The boys, at one time, when bored, brought Hoover eggs. He ate five dozen, raw with shells, with no problem. The boys brought him more eggs and he ate six dozen or more, hard-boiled with shells, devouring them in little time. The boys remarked that, trying to fill Hoover with food was "like pouring water down a rat hole," Wilson reported.
Patrick "was a jack of all trades or perhaps he was just restless," Wilson said. While in town, he once served as postmaster, editor of the newspaper, and was city marshal and street commissioner at one time. His name was in the paper almost every week. At one time, the paper reported he bought a home, soon after he had a house for rent, not long after he was reported to have traded houses. It seemed he was always busy.
"It's hard to tell if he had chosen work he liked," Wilson stated.
Several years later, in 1874, the newspaper had a notice in it that he was a farmer and owned his property. Within a year, he offered to trade his farm of 640 acres six miles west of Valley Falls. It had a large orchard with several varieties of fruit trees, plus cottonwood and elm trees; stables; three good wells; a cellar; and a two-story house with basement. Patrick offered to sell all for $3,000 or trade for young cattle, stock of dry goods, boots and saddles, groceries, or other houses. He offered to sell for down payment and 16 percent interest, etc. Soon after he was said to have been starting a land agency business.
Suddenly in 1887, he and another man were making plans to go to California again. It was reported about this time that he and Mr. Kemper had plans to go to Colorado and Montana. Soon after, he was back in Valley Falls and involved in politics.
Wilson spoke of Patrick's association with Rufus Crosby and his "out of character" role. After losing an election, Patrick spoke to an assembled crowd at the Hillyer Hotel, which had the Cadet Band playing. It was a happy occasion and Patrick spoke of their valiant effort as losers. He stated he had resigned as city marshal and street commissioner and was going to Oskaloosa where he hoped the "ladies of the city council (the first all-woman city council in the state) would extend their open arms." He took his dog, Rover, with him.
Patrick came back to Valley Falls for a visit after a few years and it was reported by the newspaper he had been in California and ran a fruit farm. Patrick died at his home in Oskaloosa.
He lived through "many stirring adventures and made valuable contributions to the community, in mostly gloomy times," Wilson concluded.
President June Huston presided at the meeting. She read a thank-you card from Eric Reichart for his award as Student of the Month.
Members discussed funds to be allocated for the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, senior scholarships, and other youth activities.
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