In the fall of 1854 the Kansas Territory came in for settlement. Overton’s father, Larkin Tuggle and two uncles, John and Peter Cummings, took claims on Deer Creek, four miles north of Atchison, Kansas. In the spring of 1855 they built their log cabins and moved their families there. They crossed the river at Doniphan on a towboat as a ferry. They drove the stock on the boat and as the twenty head of hogs went on, the first old sow was scared and jumped overboard and was followed by all the rest, which swam the Missouri river and climbed the bank on the Kansas Territory side, safe and sound. When they were nicely settled each and every member of the family took sick with the ague (an illness involving fever and shivering). When anyone passed going to town, it was, “Bring more quinine.” It continued for two years and becoming dissatisfied, they sold out going 7 miles southwest to what is know as Camp Creek, near what is now Parnell Junction.
(Estimated date)