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Minutes for HB2070 - Committee on Transportation
Short Title
Designating a portion of United States highway 75 as the John Armstrong memorial highway.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 6, 2019
The Chairman recognized Representative Patton who gave a brief background and introduction to the conferees from Seaman High School. Nathan McAlister, Seaman High School teacher, also spoke briefly on how this bill request came about.
The first proponent was Cade Rothenberger. (Attachment 1) According to Mr. Rothenberger, he discovered John Armstrong while working on a project in Civil War class. Through his research he found that John Armstrong was an abolitionist and had a very important part in the Underground Railroad in Kansas. He said Armstrong was credited with getting General James Lane to come to Kansas.
The next proponent was Conner Bryant. (Attachment 2) Mr. Bryant said he believed this bill should be passed because John Armstrong's patriotism and loyalty to the Union in the Civil War was a defining moment in Kansas history.
Mason Clark was the next proponent. (Attachment 3) According to Mr. Clark, John Armstrong's establishment of the Underground Railroad in the state of Kansas impacted and assisted the State in being admitted to the Union as a free state.
Next to speak was Mary Morrison. (Attachment 4) She told a story about a woman, Ann Clarke, who was rescued by John Armstrong and through the Underground Railroad was delivered to Civil Bend, Iowa and freedom.
The last proponent on HB2070 was Cole King.(Attachment 5) He said Armstrong recounted several times the story of how he influenced Union General James Lane, (who would eventually become one of the first senators from Kansas) to come to Kansas to aid in making it a free state in 1855.
The Chairman asked if there were any other proponents, opponents or neutrals, there were none. After all questions were answered the Chairman closed the hearing on HB2070 and opened the hearing on HB2088.
