The Allen County Courant
Iola, Kansas. May 23, 1868
Vol. 2, No. 19, Page 1, Columns B through E
Origin of the Word Jayhawking
In Application to the People of Kansas. Incidents in the early History of the Territory.
By J. McReynolds, Esq.
As I have been frequently requested to write out the authentic account of the origin of this popular word, and the cause of the application to Kansas, I have consented to do so from the fact that attempts are being made to substitute some other name to designate Kansas and her people by. The origin of the word, it is true, has a particular significance, and its derivation from that which could imply nothing less than theft, yet as Kansas had to rely solely on themselves for protection in the first settlement of the territory, and being harassed and overran by marauding bands from Missouri and the South in the interest of slavery, their only hope of compensation for property stolen from them was the capture of that belonging to their enemies. While Missourians were almost incessantly engaged in depredations in Kansas, the press of that State, and the Democratic party throughout the land, were lustily howling about “Kansas Abolition Thieves.” But so completely have the people of Kansas been vindicated in their acts during the terror of Missouri ruffianism that the word “Jayhawk,” which was applied to designate them as thieves has become one which is an honor to boast of, and no man who was true to freedom in Kansas, no matter how sensitive his feeling of morality, will make the lest objection to being called a Kansas Jayhawker.
I have seen different versions of the origin of the word which, of course, were incorrect, and if my readers can find the file of newspapers I allude to, they will discover that I have given the true origin of the peculiar and cabalistic word.
During the fall and winter of ’57 ruffians from Cass, Bates and Vernon counties, Missouri, were making constant raids into Linn and Bourbon counties Kansas, spreading terror among the Free State settlers, who were then few in number and mostly settled on the borders of streams. Frequently they not only warned Fee State men to leave, but actually murdered them, and drove away their stock and farming effects. It being evident the government would afford no protection against these lawless bands, from the fact the authorities either being pro-slavery or pandering to the blighting influence, the Free State men found it necessary to band together for their own protection, or leave the county. The facts and influences which caused the Federal Government to withhold the protection of its power from those who loved freedom instead of slavery, has already been told by abler pens that I can wield. Retribution may well be said to have been administered ten-fold upon those who were the leading spirits of the damming acts of injustice toward Kansas, and the proud position of her people now; her strides in wealth, education, and refinement, proclaim the truthfulness to the page in history upon which is written “weakness, imbecility, and tyranny of the Federal Government.” I only allude to the fact of the organization of these men as necessary, while the most unjust anathema and slanders were told the Federal authorities in order to have them crushed, that slavery might revel in the State, and blight the last ray of freedom in the territories.
The origin of the word jayhawk is generally supped to have originated with Col. Jennison, in search for some peculiar term to apply to the men he commanded in the memorable Fort Scott troubles, which was one of the bands of Free State men mentioned above. Such, however, is not the case. It was known and thoroughly applied to all Fee State men of Kansas some time before Col. Jennison was known outside of the little community he may have been residing in. Col. Jennison came to Osawatomie in July or August, 1858, and commenced the practice of medicine in connection with Dr. Knapp. He did not leave there until some time in the latter part of the year 1859, when he removed to Mound City. It was after this removal to the latter place that he became connected with, and the leader of what was known as “Montgomery’s Free State Guard.” Although always an active Free State man, he had taken no part up to that time of his removal to Mound City other than assert his opinion of the tyranny of the Government toward freedom in Kansas. He was not the rollicking, bon-bastus Colonel of to-day, but a quiet, orderly, moral man, who was seemingly struggling to gain a little reputation as a country physician. I became well acquainted with him then, and have always admired him since. I am willing to cover up all his faults, and look upon him only as a valued, bold, brave and determined hater of slavery, whose notoriety, terror and services accomplished much for freedom in the great struggle not only in Kansas, but during the rebellion.
The term “Little Jayhawker” was applied to Jennison sometime after he became Colonel, of what was then called the “First Kansas Cavalry,” being organized in the fall of 1861, and afterward denominated the “Seventh Kansas Cavalry”, and commanded by Gen. A. L. Lee. The organization which Jennison commanded during the Forts Scott troubles, were generally demoninated as thieves and murderers as they had been when Montgomery commanded them. Fort Scott was at that time mostly inhabited by pro-slavery men, and the home of the infamous Marshall Little, who was killed there during a melee which occurred between the Free State men of Lynn county and the pro-slavery horde of Fort Scott, who had a Free State man in custody, and whom the Free State men released. That these Free State bands did some things which was not altogether right is no doubt a fact, but if they committed excess it was provoked by the bitter, relentless, inhuman, and murderous persecution of the pro-slavery men of Kansas and Missouri, hood-winked at by the Government.
The men who made up the organization, came to Kansas for the purpose of making homes for themselves and families, and asked only to e let alone in peace and quietude. If the pro-slavery hordes of Missouri, who did not pretend to have any residence in Kansas, had remained within the orders of their own State, there would have been violence or turbulence in Kansas. It was the direst necessity that called them to arms – the protection of life, liberty and property. The raids of Missourians were well calculated to bitter the most intense hatred against men who would apologize for those lawless acts, and it was with difficulty that a man who had made himself the least offensive could remain unmolested. As a general rule those who apologized for the Border Ruffianism were too cowardly to meet the Free State men as enemies and their bravest acts were to point out which men were to be killed, which was frequently done. The term “Jayhawker” was applied to the pro-slavery men to mean “thief”, and after it became of general use, they ceased using any other term than “Jayhawkers” to all the Free State men of the territory.
The word “Jayhawker” originated with a young Irishman, well known in this county by the name of Pat Devlin, who lived at Osawatomie, and was afterwards killed by a man named McLaughlin, in Colorado. Pat was a smart, intelligent man, but of wild, desperate character, although he possessed a warm and generous heart. Pat was an honest and earnest supporter of free Kansas. He thoroughly and utterly despised slavery, and more heartily despised the attempt to fasten slavery upon Kansas against the wishes of a large majority of her people. Pat was always ready to battle for free Kansas, and never was found to be wanting in any emergency in this respect. Pat was a member of “Montgomery’s Guard,”, and usually followed them wherever or whenever called. Sometime early in May, 1858, Pat arrived at Osawatomie, from an absence of several days, bringing with him two very fine mares. I was at that time working as a “jour printer” in the office of the Southern Kansas Herald, published as Osawatomie by C.E. Griffith. The stable in which Pat kept his mares was in the rear of this office. One day Pat called me in to see his stock. After observing them for some time, I naturally inquired where he had got them. Pat replied with rather an evasive answer by stating that he “got them as the Jayhawk gets its birds in Ireland.” This was explained by Pat, as follows: “In Ireland a bird, which is called the Jayhawk, flies about after dark, seeking the roosts and nests of smaller birds, and not only robs nests of eggs, but frequently kills the birds.” I readily understood the significance of the word “Jayhawk,” and easily concluded that Pat meant he had got the mares in much the same manner that the Jayhawk got its supply of eggs. There was a very plain resemblance between the way Pat got his mares and the Jayhawk got its prey. I made up my mind to employ it to designate the promiscuous stealing which was then extensively carried on by raiding bands from Missouri, but an opportunity happening sooner than I anticipated, I applied it to some men who claimed to be under Montgomery, and who robbed L.D. Williams of Osawatomie.
The night following the memorable slaughter of Free State men, at the Trading Post, by the infamous Dr. Hamilton, (the home of) L.D. Williams, better known as “Bogus Williams” (from his well known pro-slavery sentiments and acceptance of a commission as justice of the peace under the bogus laws of the territory, was the especial object of hatred of those who opposed slavery and its influence in the State, though none of the respectable citizens of Osawatomie ever thought, or would have knowingly permitted molesting him), was entered by some of the more reckless of Montgomery’s men, the family disturbed, and horses and other property carried away. Major H.H. Williams and other citizens followed them and recovered the property. Montgomery was not aware that any one over whom he had any control had been engaged in anything of the kind. He gave the act no countenance, and plainly stated that nothing of the kind should occur again. In giving an account of the affair in the Southern Kansas Herald, I wrote in substance, as follows:
“Jayhawked - On last night some dozen of men, said to belong to Montgomery’s band, entered the home of L.D. Williams, better known as “Bogus Williams,” and took therefrom some sixty dollars in money. They then went to the stable and took two horses. If this was done by Montgomery’s order, we do not approve of it, as we think the community is fully able to take care of all that may render themselves offensive or objectionable. We do not approve anything of the kind, although Mr. Williams could have expected expected much less. “
The item was copied into the Lawrence Herald of Freedom, edited by Geo. W. Brown, and commented on severely, as the Herald was under the Walker or Democratic influence, which effected to believe that Montgomery, and all his adherents were horse thieves and villains, and in those comments are found the second signification of the word as the “Propensity of Montgomery’s Jay-Hawking Band.” In the summer of ’61, Mr. Brown and I searched the files of the Herald of Freedom, and found the item, with the original side explanation caption in it, duly credited to the Southern Kansas Herald, and in no former issue of the paper could the word be found, although previous to this he had been of the opinion that he had seen it before. The original items and the comments of the Herald of Freedom were copied in the Fort Scott Democrat, published, I think, by one Jones, and makes a third application of the word, as “Montgomery and his Thieving Jayhawkers.” I had for a long time all three of the papers, with the three significations of the word, but have lost them. Thus the word originated with Pat Devlin, and its application “Jayhawked” made by me, in the Southern Kansas Herald; secondly, “Jayhawk-ing” in the Herald of Freedom, and thirdly, “JayHawk-ers” in the Fort Scott Democrat. A very short time elapsed before it became as potent in the mouth of all editors and letter writers as “Squatter Sovereignty.”
The war breaking out so soon on the heels of the Fort Scott troubles, Jennison for a time protected the border counties by his unauthorized band, but he finally received authority from Fremont to raise a regiment, which he did of brave and gallant men as ever drew a revolver. They became widely known as “Jennison’s Jayhawkers,” and himself as the “Little Jayhawker,” a patronymic which he still glories of, and I am not aware that the Union men of Kansas have ever found fault with jayhawking Missouri bushwhackers by Jennison or his regiment. I have noticed some of the more sensitive, and I may add, those who can easily forget the patriotism, toil and hardships of those who came in early times, and spent years in fighting the pro-slavery horde of the South, would now seek to obliterate the word that has been made honorable in the name of liberty, because, forsooth, its signification originally was an epithet which the enemies to Freedom, God and Humanity applied to those who for the protection of their own lives and property, despoiled an enemy’s property. Those who bared their arms, and listened to the clanking of pro-slavery armor, and saw gleaming the pro-slavery revolver, and accompanied with the most blasphemous threats of violence, will never consent to substitute for the word under which they not only rallied in the territorial conflict, but rode bravely to victory and to death in the rebellion. The desperate and heroic stand made by the handful of Free State men in Kansas against the combined influence of Missouri and the treachery of Federal officers, has made their deeds more illustrious, and blackened the infamous acts of slavery, by the application of the singularly sounding word “Jayhawk.”
There were no braver soldiers ever marched to deadly conflict than those whom Kansas sent, and their proudest boast was that they belonged to “Kansas Jayhawkers.” It bore no reproach for them, but was a grand rallying cry that ensured victory. In cannot be effaced as long as the heroic struggle of Kansas is preserved in history. It is indelibly written and woven among the traditions that Kansas will preserve untarnished. The character of her people-their love of liberty-their acts toward suffering humanity-their patriotism in enlarging the liberty of God’s beings-the lifting up the scales civilization all who love freedom and hate slavery-proclaim the rallying cry of her dead heroes, and whose bones bleach not only the prairie soil of our own state, but are scattered over almost every battlefield of the South, to be the fairest and proudest emblem Kansas can inscribe upon her banners, those who cherish the memory of those grand contests will look with contempt upon any and all attempts to efface it from the esentcheon of the State. If our enemies applied it as an epithet, the God of Right, Justice and Honor gave victory to those who adopted it as a symbol of hatred to slavery, and it is only now recognized as a term that signifies the most heroic and enduring people that ever struggled for freedom.