EARLY OWNERS OF HERINGTON TOWNSITE

   On October 31, 1879 our locality was bought from the MK&T by George M. Noble.
The title reserved a "strip of land one hundred feet wide for railway purposes" 
through this area. Less than a year later on May 8, 1880 George M. Noble and his
wife Eva R. Noble sold the land for a profit to Charles E. Alioth.
   Alioth was said to be the son of a nobleman of Geneva, Switzerland. Hoping
his son would make his fortune on the western frontier Alioth's faather bought
the ranch, and provided him with a generous annual allowance. In 1880, or
shortly before, Alioth is believed to have built the dwelling that is still
standing at 215 West Main Street, now known as the Herington House.
   It appears Alioth was no businessman. Instead of overseeing his cattle ranch
he preferred to entertain friends royally while living the life of an idle
gentleman. Within a short time his father suggested he advertise to sell or
trade his ranch for land nearer Chicago. It was Alioth's advertisement in a
Bloomington, Illinois newspaper that brought M.D. Herington to Dickinson county.
  Charles E. Alioth and Anna (Annie) B. Alioth, his wife, took out a mortgage
with the Travelers Insurance Company for $7,000.00 on September 3, 1879. Before
Alioth paid off the mortgage on June 16, 1881 he had already given a warranty
deed dated August 2, 1880 to M.D. Herrington (two "r's") for the sum of
$21,000.00. The sale included "1440 acres, more or less." On May 24, 1881 Monroe
D. Herington (one"r") and Jane Herington, his wife, mortgaged the land for
$10,000 to Anna Battell. This mortgage was paid in full on June 19, 1885.

Source: Leona Lamb Nelson. The contribution of Mrs. Delbert Presslor, present
owner of Herington House is gragefully acknowledged for making available
original docuents for this research.

M.D. HERINGTON'S FAMILY

   Monroe Davis Herington's parents, David and Nancy Herrinton (two "r's"),
were born in New York of Scottish ancestry. Mrs Jane Waters Herington was born
in Devonshire, England. She married William Parkin, and they traveled to America
with their three year old daughter, Drusilla Parkin to make their home in
central Illinois. Jane Parkin met Monroe Herington after they were both widowed.
They were married June 17, 1880 in Bloomington, Illinois and less than a year
later, they came to the future site of Herinton to make their home. His children
by his first marriage were Monroe Davis, Jr.; Diana who also later used the name
Ena; and Alice, the youngest.
   Drucilla was the oldest of the children. Alice married John Ross, son of W.B.Ross 
of Hope on February 11, 1897. She died in 1901. The Herington's then raised her young 
son, Clifford, and he went by the name of Herington as did Drusillawho only used the 
name Parkin for legal purposes.

Source: Virginia Yates Brunner.

HERINGTON'S FOUNDER MOVES TO KANSAS

   M.D. Herington, a shrewd thinker, pictured in his mind the country filled
with prosperous families. He struck a deal with Charles E. Alioth and traded
his Bloomington business property for 1,400 acres of Kansas land and acquired
an additional 1,600 acres at an average price of $1.35 per acre.
   Filled with ambition, Herington returned to Bloomington and prepared to move
his family to their new home. On March 4, 1881, the day President Garfield was
inaugurated, Herington with his wife, Jane Waters Parkin Herinton, and three
children Diana, Alice, "M.D." Jr., and stepdaughter Drusilla Parkin, left
Illinois. A few days later they arrived in Chapman in a raging blizzard.
   When the weather permitted, the liveryman was engaged to make the trip to the
south part of Dickinson County. Over the hills, through almost impassable snow
drifts the party with their household effects plowed their way. On reaching their
destination they were housed in the, for those days, palatial Alioth residence.

Source: Arthur J. Farrel, 1932

M.D. HERINGTON - THE ENTREPRENEUR

   Herington arrived at his new home with $2,800.00. He used it to buy 165 cows
with their calves. They were the foundation of his herds which later grew
extremely large. The nearest railroad, the MK&T's market point was at White
City. There Herington met a real estate dealer T.C. Henry, and formed an alliaince
to sell land. Herinton secured the land, while Henry found buyers. Herington once
bought 30,000 acres from the MK&T in Morris County and quickly resold it. His ranch
prospered, as did his other enterprises. He became recognized as an outstanding
central Kansas businessman.
   Later, at the height of his ventures, Mr. Herington owned over 100,000 acres of
land, 60,000 of which were in and around Herington. Other real estate included coal
land in Missouri, mineral land in Colorado, farm land in Iowa, and gold mines in
Alaska and Old Mexico. He promoted and partially backed street car lines in Salina
and McPherson. He also owned a bank, opera house, hotel, lumber yard, a general 
merchandise business, and other stores in the town of Herington.

Source: Arthur J. Farrell, 1932

A SETTLEMENT BECOMES A TOWN - THE FIRST COUNCIL

   On April 11, 1887, the articles of incorporation were drawn up establishing
Herington as a third class city. The first election in Herington was ehld on April
26, 1887.
   Mr. Herington was elected as the town's first mayor. The city officers were sworn 
in and held their first meeting on April 30, 1887. Mr. C.N. Hull was elected president
of the Council and T.J. Nair treasurer. P.H. Halleck was chosen first city clerk, I.M.
Risley first police judge, W.H. Thomas first city marshall, and Sidney G. Cooke first
city attorney. Other members of the city council were: J.W. Money, W.A. Lower and
F. Hartman. Herington had a population of about 500 at the time.
   The days of the wide open frountier were ending. Law and order were needed to guide
the new town. The city council called a meeting and passed Ordinance No. 1, dated May
12, 1887. It provided for regular meetings of the city council to be held on the first
and third Monday nights of each month. The meetings to begin at 7:00. Ordinance No. 2
outlined the duties of the city marshall.

M.D. HERINGTON AT HOME

   "in 1895 at the age of 20, my mother Sophia Brockmeier Czarnowsky worked for M.D.
Herington as houskeeper. Mother said Mr. Herington was medium height, with broad
shoulders andhusky looking. He was rather homely with unruly hair. His hair sort of 
stood up and had a swirl in it which came across his forehead. He had club or round 
feet and in order to walk he had to swing his body a great deal. It isn't well known
but Mr. Herington had a good sense of humor. Mrs Herington was a pleasant person who
liked to entertain, and was quite small and petite.
   Mr. Herington liked to play cards. In bad weather he would try to get a pitch game
going. Mrs. Herington didn't believe in playing cards. So my mogher, Mr. Herington and 
the Herington children would play pitch while Mrs. Herington did the dishes. They didn't
treat Mother as "hired help" but as one of the family. After Mother's marriage the
Herington's often came to visit at her home.

Source: Laura Czarnowsky Schumacher