Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Rising Against All Odds

The William Matthews Project

Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026

1. Rising Against All Odds Marker

Inscription.
Born free in Maryland in 1827, William Matthews faced discrimination and limited access to education. In 1856, he relocated to Leavenworth, Kansas, and established the Waverly House, a hotel that became a vital stop on the Underground Railroad. Matthews served white guests in front and helped African Americans escape slavery through the back. He worked with fellow abolitionists like Daniel R. Anthony and Charles Langston, aiding many freedom seekers.

During the Civil War, Matthews recruited 81 African American men from Kansas for the Union Army, before black soldiers were officially recognized. In October 1862, Captain Matthews and his men won the Battle of Island Mound. They would become the first black regiment of the Civil War - the First Kansas - to fight for the Union before the Emancipation Proclamation. After its rules were established, Matthews could no longer serve as an officer. He was eventually commissioned as a First Lieutenant in 1864, one of the first black officers in the Civil War.

After the war, Matthews was elected to public office and continued fighting for African American rights until his death

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in 1906. His legacy as a freedom fighter and trailblazer lives on.

Erected by Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1862.

Location. 37° 50.482′ N, 94° 42.356′ W. Marker is in Fort Scott, Kansas, in Bourbon County. It can be reached from South Main Street south of East Wall Street. Marker is located in the courtyard behind the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 S Main St, Fort Scott KS 66701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas and specifically in Bleeding Kansas Border War Country.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

and on the Southern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026

2. Rising Against All Odds Marker

are within walking distance of this marker: The Unbreakable Code (here, next to this marker); "She Outranks Me" (here, next to this marker); WWII Navajo Code Talker (here, next to this marker); For All the Children/Para Todos Los Ninos (a few steps from this marker); Jurassic Mary (a few steps from this marker); The Man Who Saved a Billion Lives (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named "She Outranks Me" (a few steps from this marker); "I'm not leaving" (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Scott.

Also see . . .
1. Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (official website). (Submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
2. William D. Matthews on Wikipedia. (Submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026

3. Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

William D. Matthews image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Unknown

4. William D. Matthews

from Kansas State Historical Society

Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.