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Johnston Lykins | |
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2nd Mayor of Kansas City | |
In office February 1854 – April 1855[1] | |
Preceded by | William S. Gregory |
Succeeded by | John Johnson |
Personal details | |
Born | Franklin County, Virginia, U.S. | April 15, 1800
Died | August 15, 1876 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | (aged 76)
Resting place | Union Cemetery Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic until Civil War |
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Johnston Lykins (April 15, 1800 – August 15, 1876) was a pioneering Baptist missionary to Native American tribes, and a founding civic booster in the frontier boomtowns of West Port and Kansas, Missouri, which combined and became Kansas City, Missouri.
He was editor of the first printing press in the Indian Territory (which became the state of Kansas), issuing the Shawnee Sun as the first tribal language publication. He founded the area's first bank, newspaper, and Baptist church. He was the first president of town council in the town of Kansas, and the first duly elected mayor when it was reincorporated as the City of Kansas. He is reportedly "possibly associated with more Kansas City 'firsts' than any other early settler".