Atchison county was making forward strides at a rapid pace and the future held out every promise of prosperity, but in 1859 “a great famine fell upon the land.” It did more to depopulate Kansas than all the troubles of preceding years. The settlers in the Territory were able to fight border ruffians with more courage than they could endure starvation, and during all of their earlier troubles they confidently looked forward to the time when all of their political difficulties would be settled and prosperity, peace and contentment would be their share in life. During the years of 1855, 1856 and 1857 the citizens of the Territory were unable to take advantage of the then favorable seasons to do more than raise just sufficient for their immediate needs. During the next year immigration to Kansas was large and the new settlers had but little time, in addition to building their homes, to raise barely enough for home consumption, so in 1859 Kansas had only enough grain on hand to last until the following harvest. The drought commenced in June, and from the nineteenth of that month until November, 1860, not a shower of rain fell of any consequence. By fall the ground was parched and the hot winds that blew from the south destroyed vegetation and the wells and springs went dry. There were a few localities on bottom lands along the Missouri river where sufficient crops were raised to supply the immediate population, but over 60,000 people in Kansas faced starvation in the fall of 1860. Thirty thousand settlers left the Territory for their old homes, from which they came, abandoning their claims and all hope of success in Kansas. An endless procession crossed the border from day to day. About 70,000 inhabitants remained, of whom it was estimated 40,000 were able to go through the winter. As soon as the news of this situation reached the East, movements were inaugurated for the relief of the sufferers in Kansas. S. C. Pomeroy was appointed general agent of northern Kansas. He did much to raise liberal contributions in New York, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, and the contributions were all sent to Atchison, from which place they were distributed to the different counties of the State. The total receipts of provisions for distribution up to March 15, 1861, were 8,090,951 pounds, and the total distribution at Atchison, exclusive of branch depots, was 6,736,424 pounds. In spite of all of this assistance over 30,000 settlers in Kansas that year suffered privation and almost starvation.