Aubry-Stilwell
Aubry-Stilwell was, for the most part, built on the site formerly occupied by Spring Hill’s Old Town. The site was first settled in 1858 with the post office established on June 21, 1860. The post office would remain open until it was permanently abandoned on August 20, 1888.
Aubry-Stilwell’s brief history was eventful and violent. The town became an important crossing point for raids into Kansas during the Civil War. Quantril passed through the town either in route to raiding Kansas or on returning from a raid. His second incursion through the town was after raiding Olathe. This incursion eventually led to the Company D, 11th Regiment of the Kansas Infantry to be stationed at Aubry.
Aubry-Stilwell’s history is also tied to the raid on Lawrence, Kansas. Aubry resident Mr. Treble warned of an impending raid by Quantril into Kansas, nevertheless, the warning went unheeded and Quantril entered into Kansas conducting his bloodiest raid in Lawrence. Despite the fact that Mr. Treble’s warning went unheeded, Mr. Treble was murdered briefly following the event.
In 1888 the Missouri Pacific Railroad laid tracks one-half mile east of Aubry. The plan had been to run the tracks through Aubry, but the plan changed on account of the “hilly terrain” which surrounded the town. As a consequence of the tracks being runned one-half mile east, the town relocated near the tracks and became known as Stilwell.
Stilwell’s post office was established on June 22, 1888. The town’s relocation was on the settlement first known as Mt. Auburn. The town’s name was adopted in honor of Arthur E. Stilwell.
Sources:
Andreas, A. T. History of the State of Kansas. Chicago: A. T. Andreas, 1883. p. 645.
Barnes, Elizabeth. Historic Johnson County: A Bird's Eye View of the Development of the Area. Shawnee Mission, KS: Neff Printing, 1969. p. 41-42.
Blair, Ed. History of Johnson County, Kansas. Lawrence, KS: Standard Publishing Co., 1915. p. 168-169.
Tebbe, Anita M. The Community of Aubry-Stilwell. Stilwell, KS: Anita M. Tebbe, 1980. p. 94.
