Story about John and Elizabeth Toyne
Written by Elsie Toyne
Granddaughter of John and Elizabeth Toyne
Recompiled for duplication by:
Deborah G. Huckaby
221 E. Bradbury
Rose Hill, KS 67133
(316) 776-0034
Great, Great Granddaughter of John and Elizabeth Toyne
by Elsie Toyne
The eastern part of Kansas during the Civil War was subjected to many raids by the "bushwhackers", as they were called, of Missouri. Quantrill, an outlaw, with fifty followers was the one most feared by the inhabitants of this free state. My grandparents lived in Lawrence, Kansas, during this siege of border warfare.
Rumors had been circulated that Quantrill intended to raid Lawrence soon. The villagers lived in constant fear. Union troops were sent to protect them but were withdrawn after two weeks. Several times false alarms were given, especially at night, and the families with their valuables scurried into the brush which covered the banks of the Kaw River.
The motive of the raiders was to secure money, food, and horses for their band. They seldom mistreated women or children but were very surly with the men. Abolitionists, who had been active in the cause, were shot without mercy. They immediately killed every male Negro they saw.
Suddenly one morning at five o'clock, just as my grandfather had finished milking, he heard a shot. He rushed to the door and glanced down the street to see Quantrill's band galloping into town. The butcher, a strong abolitionist, who was driving past immediately unhitched his horse and turned it loose. He then jumped a picket fence and hid beneath some tomato vines where he remained in safety until the raiders had gone.
Two men entered my grandfather's house, one asking my grandmother for money. She promptly informed them they were poor and had no money, although at the time she had two hundred dollars concealed in the upper part of her shoe. No one placed their money in banks which offered so little resistance to these robbers. A merchant had concealed eight hundred dollars in a tomato can and buried it in the basement of this house also. The other marauder with his revolver forced my grandfather to pile their personal belongings in the middle of the room and set fire to them. My grandmother had to stand and watch her letters form England, her wedding dress, and her Bible curl into smoke.
They left the house proceeding with their awful journey. They had sent my grandfather into the house across the street to carry out the same actions he had finished in his own home. They entered the next house repeating similar actions. As soon as they were out of sight, my grandmother tossed the new milk upon the fire, not daring to go to the well for water. The house which was of brick was not greatly damaged but otherwise they were destitute.
Every store and home was entered, if no loot was secured the place was soon in flames. My grandmother declares she saw one of the fellows wearing eight felt hats, stacked one upon the other.
In a few hours they had killed almost fifty men and secured all the wanted. Not one of their members had been injured, they left in a hurry. One greedy member remained to satisfy his desires and was killed by a boy. His clothing was searched and a sum of eight hundred dollars was found in his boot. Many peaceful inhabitants of eastern Kansas suffered like circumstances when the United Stated fought for the freedom of the slave.