Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History/Alabama Colony
Alabama Colony.—In 1856, in several Southern states, movements were made to encourage and promote emigration to Kansas, hoping thereby to advance the cause of slavery in Kansas. A Kansas executive committee was formed in Alabama, and considerable money raised for the purpose of giving free transportation to all southerners who would go for the purpose of settling. In Aug., 1856, Capt. Henry D. Clayton left Eufaula, Ala., with 29 emigrants for Kansas, being joined by others at different places along the route, until 90 persons were added by the time the colony reached Atlanta, Ga. The colonists were taken to Nashville by rail, and from there by steamboat down the Cumberland river, up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, reaching Kansas City on Sept. 2. Among the colonists were four families who came with the view of joining the “Georgia Colony” which had recently been driven out of Kansas into Missouri. On account of the disturbed conditions in the territory the emigrants, soon after landing, organized a military company, with Mr. Clayton as captain; J. H. Danforth, first lieutenant; W. W. Mosely, second lieutenant; J. C. Gorman, C. W. Snow, S. G. Reid and B. B. Simons, as first to fourth sergeants respectively; W. H. Baldwin, W. S. Reynolds, W. L. Stewart and W. R. Kaen, as first to fourth corporals; and P. M. Blue, W. T. G. Cobb, James Coxwell, A. Haygood, J. L. Hailey, R. P. Hamilton, J. J. Kitchen, A. P. McLeod, J. W. Guinn, Charles O'Hara, W. A. Pinkston, T. H. Rich, T. F. Rogers, T. Semple, D. R. Thomas and M. Westmoreland, as privates.
This company was in active service in the territory for a short time, but at the solicitation of Gov. Geary disbanded. Peace being established in the territory the next step was to locate the settlers, which was done in Shawnee county, about 4 miles south of Tecumseh, upon the California road from Westport, and about 14 miles from Lecompton, then the capital of the territory.
The executive committee which raised the money to send the settlers to the territory estimated the cost to be about $50 a head, but by taking deck passage on the steamboats it was found that the cost per capita did not exceed $30. The money saved on this item was distributed to the colonists most in need of help, while $500 was paid over to the Missouri executive committee, A. G. Boone, secretary, to be used “not only in purchasing munitions of war” to advance slavery in Kansas, but also in furnishing provisions to the distressed (southern) settlers, many of whom were recently driven from their homes along the border. Several of the colonists returned to the South without setting foot on Kansas soil.
After seeing the colony settled, Mr. Clayton returned to Alabama, and issued a report of sixteen pages in which he gave detailed statements of the doings and expenses incident to the settlement. According to the report something over $7,000 was raised for the purpose, of which $3,739.83 was expended.