This stone was saved when the old house was torn down and installed in a rock wall of the new house.?ÿ The current owner bought the farm in the 1960's from a seller who died a few years later.?ÿ They do not know the story that goes with this message.?ÿ All guesses so far make no sense.?ÿ It seems to indicate the old house was built in 1870, which makes sense for the area.?ÿ The letters, initials, names, etc. must mean something, perhaps the builder's name.?ÿ The list of the property owners is fairly short and none seem at all similar to what is shown on the stone.
A named creek is within a few hundred feet of the old house site.?ÿ It was named for a fellow who owned the land where this stone is located.?ÿ He was half French and half Osage.?ÿ His name was Augustus Captaine. The creek is named Ogeese as that was how the locals heard his named pronounced.?ÿ He and quite a number of Osages from the area joined with the Cherokees to fight on behalf of the Confederacy, serving as a scout for General Stand Watie, a Cherokee.?ÿ He had been educated at the Osage Mission school a few miles distant from this place, so spoke both English and Osage quite well.?ÿ He is mentioned twice in the following news item.?ÿ He was said to be about six feet six inches in height, of sturdy build and weighing over 250 pounds.?ÿ A rather imposing figure, I am sure.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27197405/the-daily-kansas-tribune-augustus/
Outside of Virginia City, Monranavwas a stone presumed to be the headstone for two outlaws. The stone was marked 2 HES.
I read BY WB FOR T R 1870
which could be initials of the builder and of the first owner of the house.
I didn't notice any connection in the newspaper article.