Neosho County Community College, 900 E Logan, Ottawa, KS
Sunday, October 21, 2018, 2 p.m.
In 1854, after recently arriving from England, twenty-two-year-old Reuben Smith traveled west, eventually making his way to Kansas Territory. There he found himself in the midst of a bloody prelude to the Civil War, as Free Staters and defenders of slavery battled to stake their claim. For fifty years, Smith wrote fascinating narratives about all he observed and experienced during territorial days, the border war, civil war, and early Kansas politics (he served three terms as state representative and fifteen years as steward of the Kansas State Insane Asylum).
Author Lana Wirt Myers will present Smith’s amazing story and highlight his regional connections. Admission is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase.
