Allen County

The first settlements in the county were made in the spring and summer of 1855. Early in that year H. D. Parsons and B. W. Cowden settled in what is now Iola township. James Parsons, Jesse Parsons and James Parsons, Jr., settled in Deer Creek township about the same time. During the same summer, H. H. Hayward and others settled in what is now Humboldt township, and Thomas Day, Giles Sater and others, within the present limits of Osage township. The Fuquas, A. C. Smith, Martin, and others, in what is now Geneva township, about the same date. The town of Cofachique was started in the summer of 1855, by Daniel Woodson, Charles Passmore, J. S. Barbee, and others. Geneva was started in 1857, by Merrit Moore, B. S. G. Stone, G. Northrup, and others. The town of Humboldt was organized in the same year by Hartman, Searle, Signor, Coffey, and others; and the town of Iola, January 1, 1859, by J. C. Clark, H. D. Parsons, J. W. Scott, and others.

The first school house was built at Cofachique, and the first business house, a small store, at the same place. The parties to the first marriage were James Johnston and Marinda. Barber, August 14, 1856. First post office established at Cofachique in the spring of 1857, Aaron Case, postmaster.

The county was organized in 1855.

Population in 1860, 3,082; in 1870, 7,022; increase in ten years, 3,940; population in 1875, 6,638; decrease in five years, 384; population in 1878, 8,964; increase in eighteen years, 5,882. Rural population, 6,024; city or town population, 2,940; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 67.20.

Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 10 per cent.; upland, 90; forest, (Government survey), 6; prairie, 94. - General surface of the country, level; average width of bottoms, one and a half miles.

Timber. - Average width of timber belts, one mile; principal varieties, black walnut, hickory, cottonwood, oak, sycamore, hackberry, elm, etc. Cultivated timber reported, 315 acres; varieties not stated. There is a heavy belt of timber along the Neosho river, which runs through the entire county. There is also good timber along Deer, Rock, Elm, Coal, Owl, Big and Scatter creeks, and, the Marmaton and Osage rivers.

Principal Streams. - Neosho river, fed by Indian, Martin's, Deer, Elm and other creeks; Little Osage and Marmaton rivers. General course of the Neosho and Marmaton, from northwest to southeast; of the Osage, from southwest to northeast. The county is also tolerably well supplied with springs, and good well-water from 20 to 80 feet.

Coal. - Charles P. Ives, of Humboldt, reports that only surface coal has been found in their county in paying quantities, and that only enough of this has been found for immediate home use. On Little Osage river, and in townships 25 and 26, of ranges 18 and 19, and township 24, range 20, this is found; has not been sufficiently investigated to determine whether coal exists in paying quantities.

Building Stone, etc. - Blue and red limestone and red sandstone, of good quality, abound throughout the county. Every township in the county is well supplied mostly limestone.

A mineral well has been opened at Iola, which is claimed to possess remarkably curative properties. The following is an analysis of the water, by Prof. W. K. Kedzie, late of the Kansas Agricultural College:

Total mineral matter to the gallon as follows:

Railroad Connections. — The Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad runs through the western portion of the county, from north to south, passing through Iola and Humboldt. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad enters the county on the west, running through Humboldt, and thence south, parallel with the Leavenworth Lawrence & Galveston.

Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 322,360; taxable acres, 291,932; under cultivation, 91,829.73; cultivated to taxable acres, 31.46+ per cent.; increase of cultivated acres during the year, 16,204.98.

Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs sold during the year. - Garden produce, $2,010.70; poultry and eggs, $2,628,55.

Old Corn on hand. - Old corn on hand, March lst, 1878, 215,338 bushels, or an average of 120 bushels to each family.

Dairy Products. - Number of cheese factories, 1; capital invested, $500. Manufactured in 1875, 7,174 lbs. in 1878, 16,454 lbs. ; increase, 9,280 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1875, 140,269 lbs. in 1878, 156,982 1 bs.; increase, 16,713 lbs.

Farm Animals. - Number of horses, in 1877, 3,127; in 1878, 4,122; increase, 995. Mules and asses, in 1877, 430; in 1878, 546; increase, 116. Hilch cows, in 1877, 4,433; in 1878, 4,964; increase, 531. Other cattle, in 1877, 9,895; in 1878, 10,685; increase, 790, Sheep, in 1877, 3,013; in 1878, 3,506; increase, 493. Swine, in 1877, 9,800; in 1878, 19,084; increase, 9,284.

Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 35; value of sheep killed by dogs, $105.

Wool. - Clip of 1877, 9,045 lbs.

Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $114,688.

STATEMENT showing the Acreage of Field Crops named from 1872 to 1878, inclusive.

Increase in six years, 55- per cent.
Average increase per annum, 9.16- per cent.

Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 68.25. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 21,592; pear, 736; peach, 100,817; plum, 841; cherry, 10,610. Number of trees not in bearing; apple, 64,357; pear, 2,455; peach, 43,487; plum, 1,494; cherry, 15,147.

Herd Law. - The herd law is not in force in the county. Our reporter states:

Such a law discourages stock raising, which has been proved by actual experience to be the most profitable business for the farmer."

Fences. - Stone, 20,578 rods; cost, $38,069.80. Rail, 220,153 rods; cost, $308,214.20. Board, 47,240 rods; cost, $66,136. Wire, 24,978 rods; cost, $17,734.38. Hedge, 234,895 rods; cost, $129,192.25. Total rods of fence, 547,844; total cost, $559,346.13.

Apiaculture. - Number of stands of bees, 248; pounds of honey, 2,097; wax, 37.

Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $39,780.

Manufactures. - Geneva township: steam saw mill, capital, $500. Humboldt township: saw mill, capital, $1,200; mill and elevator, capital, $4,500; steam flouring mill, capital, $6,000; water flouring mill, capital, $20,000; furniture manufactories, 2, zapital invested, $2,400; harness and saddlery manufactories, 2, capital invested, $2,250; paper mill, capital, $4,000; carriage manufactory, capital, $1,000; wagon and plow manufactory, capital, $2,000; cheese factory, capital, $500; brewery, capital, $2,000; cigar manufactory, capital, $2,500. Iola township: saw mill, capital, $1,500; saw and grist mill, capital, $4,000; mill and elevator, capital, $600; brewery, capital, $2,000. Osage township: saw and grist mill, capital, $350.

Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $335,549; railroad property, $189,239.82; total assessed valuation of all property, $1,916,445.82; true valuation of all property, $3,194,076.37; total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $204,886.35; per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, 11-.

Newspaper History. - The first paper printed in Allen county was called the Humboldt Herald, and was published at Humboldt, the first number being issued about November 16, 1864. Major Joseph Bond was the original proprietor, but soon after the establishment of the paper, J. H. Young, a printer from Lawrence, became a partner in the enterprise. John R. Goodin, afterwards District Judge and Representative in Congress, was local editor. The Herald did not survive a year.

The Humboldt Union was established April 18, 1866. Colonel Orlin Thurston was the editor, and W. T. McElroy, publisher. It represented the National Union party, and defended the political course of President Johnson. On the first of January, 1867, Colonel Thurston retired, and the material of the office was purchased by Needham & McElroy, the paper thereafter advocating the principles of the Republican party. Mr. McElroy purchased his partner's interest August 1st, 1868, and on April 1st, 1870, T. C. Sherman became a partner in the establishment. W. R. Spooner parchased a third interest on October 1st, of the same year, and transferred the same to D. B. Emmert, April 1st, 1872. Mr. Emmert continued in the paper one year, and on June 1st, 1874, Mr. Sherman retired, and Mr. McElroy has since remained the sole proprietor and editor.

The Allen County Courant was the first paper published at Iola, and was established January 5, 1867, by W. H. Johnson. July 27, 1868, Messrs. Talcott & Acers purchased the concern, and the name of the paper was changed to the Neosho Valley Register. On August 6, of the following year, Mr. Acers sold out to his partner. Mr. Talcott continued the paper until August 24, 1870, when he sold the same to M. M. Lewis. Lewis changed the name to Kansas State Register, and continued until December 10, following, when he retired. Talcott again assumed entire charge of the paper, and changed the name back to Neosho Valley Register. in March, 1871, he sold the concern to G. M. Overstreet, W. G. Allison and H. W. Perkins, under the firm name of Overstreet & Co. They continued the paper until January 1, 1812, when Overstreet and Perkins sold out to Messrs. Allison and Walker. Louis Walker & Co. conducted the paper for three years, and on January 1, 1875, Messrs. Allison & Perkins took charge. They changed the name to the Iola Register, and continued its publication for two years. January 1, 1877, G. D. Ingersoll purchased Allison's interest, and September 16, 1878, H. A. Perkins bought Ingersoll's interest and became sole proprietor. The paper has been Republican under all its different names and proprietorships.

The Southern Kansas Statesman was established at Humboldt, October 27,1870, by Berry & Campbell. It was a Democratic paper, and ceased to exist some time in May, 1872.

The Real Estate Reporter was started at Humboldt in 1870, by Emmert & McCulloch. It was published for one year.

The Southwest, published at Humboldt, made its first appearance June 13, 1872. Col. G. P. Smith, and his son, Byron C. Smith, were the editors and proprietors. It was conducted in opposition to the Republican party. The Southwest survived only until the close of the Presidential canvass of 1872.

The Rural Kansan was a monthly publication, devoted to the agricultural and industrial interests of the State. It was established by D. B. Emmert, in November, 1873, and at the expiration of eleven months was sold to his brother, J. S. Emmert, of Fort Scott, who completed the volume, after which it ceased to exist.

During the campaign of 1874, Mr. Berry started the Statesman, a Democratic paper, at Iola, which was continued until after the election, when it was removed to Humboldt, where it lasted a short time and died.

The Inter-State, a Democratic paper published at Humboldt, made its appearance October 11, 1877; A. D. Dunn, and E. W. Baker, publishers and proprietors; John R. Goodin, editor. Mr. Baker retired at the expiration of one month. B. F. Smythe became one of the proprietors, June 20, 1878, and continued as such to September 14, of the same year.

Schools. - Number of districts organized, 57; school population, 8,230; average salary of teachers, per month: males, $34.73; females, $27.55. School houses built during 1878, frame, 2. Total number of school houses, 55; frame, 49; brick, 1; stone, 5. Value of all school property, $43,247. Some districts now have artificial groves about the school houses, and others have them started.

Churches. - Baptist: Organizations, 3; membership, 207; church edifices, 3; value of church property, $12,000. Congregational: Organizations, 1; Membership, 40; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $3,000. Episcopal: Organizations, 1; membership, 15; value of church property, $500. Methodist Episcopal: Organizations, 19; membership, 650; church edifices, 3; value of church property, $13,000. Presbyterian: Organizations, 7; membership, 400; church edifices, 4; value of church property, $20,950. Roman Catholic: Organizations, 4; membership, 400; church edifices, 2; value of church property, $2,000. Universalist: Organizations, 1.