Our History

The Monticello Chapter was formed in 2006. While one would think it is named after the home of Thomas Jefferson, The founding fathers really named it after a road in Monticello Township. (Monticello meaning small hill.). The town of Monticello was founded on 160 acres on June 19, 1857. In 1858 Monticello elected 18-year-old James Butler Hickok (better known as Wild Bill Hickok) as town constable.

At one time Monticello had a stage stop, stores, saloons, blacksmith, doctor, hotel, general store, schoolhouse, churches, and about 15 dwellings. The 1910 population was about 63. The town was bypassed by the Kansas Midland Railroad (Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe), which instead passed Olathe which caused the town to lose its county seat status. In 1987, Shawnee annexed land south of 55th to 83rd/79th west to the Kansas River, increasing the city size to 42 square miles.

The efforts to establish the Monticello Chapter began during a discussion at the Shawnee Branch of the Johnson County Library in 2006. On September 20, 2006, the founding chapter officers applied for a charter from the Kansas State Society. The chapter was established by the following members:

• Peter Grassl – President
• Barney Ellis – Vice President
• Paul Ray Whatley – Secretary
• David Comer – Treasurer

On December 21, 2006, State President Robert Haneke granted the charter and installed the newly elected chapter officers including:

• Paul Ray Whatley – President
• Jeff Walsh – Vice President
• Lee Crutchfield – Secretary
• David Comer – Treasurer

The charter members of the chapter in the order of signing included: Craig Denny, James Speicher, John Kohl, Lyman Miller, Paul Whatley, Jeff Walsh, Wibert Miller, Allen Broome, Shawn Kilburn, John Leftwich, Mark Warnick, Peter Grassl, Barnett Ellis, Robert McFarlin, Sylvan Lowenbrau, Eugene Amos, James Roberts, Jackson Hedrick, John Bolton, Lee Crutchfield, Heath Roland and Kenton McCord.