Charles W. Dow
Encyclopedia
Charles W. DowSome sources say November 21, 1855 while others say December 20, 1855. Dow's tombstone in Oakwood Cemetery reads December 20, 1855. According to the Lawrence Herald of Freedom newspaper, Dow's obituary says November 21st. was an early Kansas
settler who became the first person murdered in Kansas after being shot by Franklin Coleman.
and settled in the Hickory Point (now Stony Point) area of Douglas County
. Dow, a free stater, was shot by Franklin Coleman over a land dispute and was killed immediately. Coleman initially blamed Jacob Branson, a friend of Dow's, for the murder. Dow was initially buried on his land but was later moved to Baldwin City
's Oakwood Cemetery along with his father who was originally buried in Stony Point Cemetery.
, the Wakarusa War
, the Pottawatomie Massacre
and the Battle of Black Jack
. Coleman was one of the men taken captive during the Battle of Black Jack in 1856 and was linked to another murder of a free stater that year. The Dow Cemetery was used until 1873 when Stony Point Cemetery was founded and is estimated to contain 75 burials. The cemetery is nearly lost now but a sign erected by the local Santa Fe Trail Historical Society marks the location.
and was attacked by robbers, hid in the cave which collapsed as he defended himself. The cave is located near Eisenhower Street in Baldwin.
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
settler who became the first person murdered in Kansas after being shot by Franklin Coleman.
Settling In Kansas
Charles Dow, along with his father Ladd, came to Kansas in 1855 from OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and settled in the Hickory Point (now Stony Point) area of Douglas County
Douglas County, Kansas
Douglas County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 110,826...
. Dow, a free stater, was shot by Franklin Coleman over a land dispute and was killed immediately. Coleman initially blamed Jacob Branson, a friend of Dow's, for the murder. Dow was initially buried on his land but was later moved to Baldwin City
Baldwin City, Kansas
Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
's Oakwood Cemetery along with his father who was originally buried in Stony Point Cemetery.
Aftermath
The murder of Dow triggered a series of confrontations that later led to the Sacking of LawrenceSacking of Lawrence
In the northern spring of 1856, the Sacking of Lawrence helped ratchet up the guerrilla war in Kansas Territory that became known as Bleeding Kansas.-Background:...
, the Wakarusa War
Wakarusa War
The Wakarusa War was a skirmish that took place in Kansas Territory during November and December 1855 as part of the Bleeding Kansas violence. It centered around Lawrence, Kansas, and the Wakarusa River Valley.- Background :...
, the Pottawatomie Massacre
Pottawatomie Massacre
The Pottawatomie Massacre occurred during the night of May 24 and the morning of May 25, 1856. In reaction to the sacking of Lawrence by pro-slavery forces, John Brown and a band of abolitionist settlers killed five settlers north of Pottawatomie Creek in Franklin County, Kansas...
and the Battle of Black Jack
Battle of Black Jack
The Battle of Black Jack took place on June 2, 1856, when anti-slavery forces, led by the noted abolitionist John Brown, attacked the encampment of Henry C. Pate near Baldwin City, Kansas. The battle is cited as one incident of “Bleeding Kansas” and a contributing factor leading up to the American...
. Coleman was one of the men taken captive during the Battle of Black Jack in 1856 and was linked to another murder of a free stater that year. The Dow Cemetery was used until 1873 when Stony Point Cemetery was founded and is estimated to contain 75 burials. The cemetery is nearly lost now but a sign erected by the local Santa Fe Trail Historical Society marks the location.
Local Legends
There are two local legends about Franklin Coleman, one where Coleman was chased by other free staters after the murder and holed himself up in a cave that collapsed due to his firing gun. Another legend is that Coleman was returning from the gold fields of Pikes PeakPikes Peak
Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County in the United States of America....
and was attacked by robbers, hid in the cave which collapsed as he defended himself. The cave is located near Eisenhower Street in Baldwin.