the free-staters shortly tried to move the territorial capital to minneola, franklin county, kansas through a vote, but the resulting bill was later rejected by kansas territorial governor james w. denver, and was made void by jeremiah s. black, attorney general of the united states. as such, lecompton remained the "de jure" territorial capital. this was until topeka became the capital when kansas became a state on january 29, 1861. the american civil war began on april 12, 1861.