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Subject: [GM-L] George Chase b. Charlestown, MA & Enoch Chase, MA: both to Kansas
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 23:21:44 EST

GEORGE S. CHASE was born in Charlestown, Mass., in October, 1850; came to
Topeka in 1855; his father, Enoch Chase, now a resident of this city, having
located here in December, 1854. George attended the public schools in Topeka
until 1867, he then entered Washburn College, remaining there until 1870,
when he went to Harvard College Law School, from which he graduated in 1873
and immediately returned to Topeka, being admitted to the bar the same year
and engaged in practice, which he has since continued, from 1875 until
November, 1882, having charge of the law business of the Land Department of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. Co. He is a member of the Topeka Board
of Education, having been elected in 1882. He is Secretary of the Topeka
Scientific Club, member of the Kansas Academy of Science, and Treasurer of
the Santa Fe Mining Co.

ENOCH CHASE, son of Nathaniel and Harriet Ann (Doyle) Chase, was born in
Newburyport, Mass., August 29, 1824. He was educated at the common schools of
his native town, and was employed in the shipyard with his father until the
age of seventeen. In the spring of 1841, he went to Boston and learned the
trade of upholsterer, in which he became expert, and followed as his
business. He was married, while a resident of Boston, to Miss Mary Jane
Dunlap, a daughter of Martin and Mary F. (Freddick) Dunlap of Brunswick,
Maine, and it was while living in that city that their two children were
born--Isabelle M., born February 9, 1858, now the wife of ex-Governor S. J.
Crawford of Kansas, and George Sidney born October 27, 1850, now a resident
attorney of Topeka. In November, 1854, Mr. Chase determined to learn for
himself the truth of the current reports in regard to Kansas, and came to the
Territory with one of the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid companies, arriving
November 20, 1854; with eight companions, and a wagon load of provisions, he
started for Lawrence, and arrived in that city of "great expectations" after
four days travel. Finding the accommodations of the Lawrence "Hotels" not in
consonance with their Yankee ideals of cleanliness and comfort, the party
built a sod house of their own, which they occupied a week, at the end of
which time, four of the company decided to try their fortune further west,
"up the Kaw." Accordingly, Enoch Chase, M. C. Dickey, George Davis and Jacob
Chase bought the whole stock of provisions belonging to the party, and
started in the proposed direction to locate a town for themselves. On
arriving at the present site of Topeka, they selected Section 31, on which
that city is now located, and each selecting a quarter section, they drove
their stakes and built a log house where now is the northwest corner of
Kansas avenue and First street. While the house was being built, Mr. Dickey
went back to Lawrence, and on his return a day or two later, there came with
him a larger party, also desiring to locate a town, among whom were D. H.
Horne, Col. C. K. Holliday, F. W. Giles and others. Mr. Chase and his
companions surrendered Section 31, for a town site, and took claims
adjoining, and on December 5, 1854, the Topeka Town Company was organized, of
which Col. Holliday was President and the united party members. The claim
which Mr. Chase took was near the present site of Washburn College, and there
he built a house which boasted the first wooden floor in Topeka, and to which
he took his wife and children, when they arrived, in March, 1855. The
following October he moved into town and remained during the convention of
October 28, 1855, bringing provisions from Lawrence to supply the wants of
the hungry delegates. After returning to his claim and remaining a short
time, Mr. Chase and wife located permanently in the city, and opened a
boarding house, which soon became famous as the favorite resort of the most
noted Kansas celebrities. Mr. Chase built a large frame house on Sixth
street, near Kansas avenue, which was used as a hotel, and in 1857 he opened
the Chase House, now remodeled into the Capitol House. He also built and
resided for years in the stone house on the corner of Sixth and Jackson, now
used as offices by the A., T. & S. F. R.R. Co. Mr. and Mrs. Chase still
reside in Topeka, and are among the most honored and respected citizens of
that city, to the improvement of which they have contributed so largely.

http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/books/cutler/shawnee/shawnee-co-p19.html

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