Charles W. Dow (died November 21, 1855)Some 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, and according to a letter by

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

dated December 16, 1855, the killing happened "about three or four weeks" ago. was an early settler of the

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

who became the first American settler killed in Kansas after being shot by Franklin Coleman in 1855, an event which historians often consider the beginning of the violence of Bleeding Kansas.

Settling in Kansas

Charles Dow along with his father Ladd, came to Kansas in 1855 from

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

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 killing. Dow was initially buried on his land but was later moved to

Baldwin City Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States, about south of Lawrence. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 4,826. The city is home to Baker University, the state's oldest four-year university. History ...

's Oakwood Cemetery along with his father who was originally buried in Stony Point Cemetery.

Aftermath

The shooting of Dow triggered a series of confrontations that later led to the Sacking of Lawrence, the Wakarusa War, the Pottawatomie massacre, and the

Battle of Black Jack The Battle of Black Jack took place on June 2, 1856, when antislavery 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 ...

. Coleman was one of the men taken captive during the Battle of Black Jack in 1856 and was linked to another killing 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. In one, Coleman was chased by other Free-Staters after the killing and holed himself up in a cave that collapsed due to his gunfire. The other involves Coleman returning from the gold fields of Pikes Peak, being attacked by robbers, and hiding in a cave which collapsed as he defended himself. The cave is located near Eisenhower Street in Baldwin.A Self-Guided Tour of Baldwin City's Historic Sites by Loren K. Litteer, 1997. Page 18.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dow, Charles Bleeding Kansas 1855 deaths People from Douglas County, Kansas People from Ohio Burials in Kansas Year of birth missing