Harvey County

First settlements: Alta township, by a French colony of ten persons, settling on Turkey creek in 1870; Burrton township, in April, 1871 by John W. Blades; Emma township, in 1871, by G. Webster, E. C. Munger, H. L. Hart, C. and W. Bean and O. P. Mannon; Garden township, on the 12th day of September, 1870, by F. P. Munch, A. E. Munch, P. J. Heath, and D. W. Heath; Highland township, on the 20th day of April, 1871, by J. S. and W. H. Hackney; Lake township, in spring of 1871, by James McMurray; Lakin township, March, 1871, by C. A. Tracy, C. H. Leomans, L. R. Wright and T. M. Magan; Macon township, March 8, on section No. 20, by Scott and Foy; Newton township, March, 1871, by - Baker; Richland township, in 1869, by George and Howard Neiman; Sedgwick township, by Jacob Head, T. S. Floyd, Chas. Moses, Chas. Shaffer, S. Decker and W. H. Hurd; Walton township, about March 27, 1871, by Theodore Kline and family. - First church buildings: Halstead township, in November, 1877, by the German Mennonites; Lake township, on the 17th of February, 1878, by the United Missionary Baptists; Sedgwick township, first church erected by the Congregational denomination, no date given; Walton township, in 1877, at Waltonstation, by the United Presbyterians; cost of building $1,300. In the townships not mentioned, religious services are held in school houses. - First school houses: Alta township, by district 44; Burrton township, in summer of 1873, by district No. 8, on N. E. qr. of Section 26; Emma township, by district No. 12, on N. W. 1/4 of S. W. 1/4 of Section 18; Garden township, in 1873, by district No. 51; Halstead township, in 1873, by district No. 52; Lakin township, in August, 1872, by district No, 2; Macon township, in September, 1872, on S. W. corner of S. W. qr. of Section 20, by district No. 15; Newton township, in the fall of 1873; Richland township, in November, 1872, by district No. 28; Walton township, in 1872, at Walton Station, by a stock company composed of residents of the district - First marriages: Alta township, A. J. Jones and Gormelia Fairchild March, 1874; Darlington township, Samuel Lynn and Nellie E. Gardinier, November 21, 1872; Emma township, Erastus L. Crandall and Ellen Dawson, March 6, 1874; Garden township, William Crouch and Elizabeth Pride, May, 1873; Highland township, William McKean and Levina McMellan; Lake township, H. Baumann and Miss Wheeler, in 1871; Lakin township, in 1872, the gentleman's name was Wiley, other name not given; Newton township, W. A. Sharp and Martha Dean, July 31, 1872; Richland township, Horace Gardinier and Hettie Thero, in 1871; Walton township, J. W. Lemon and Jennie Jett, March, 1872. - First births: Alta township, the first birth occurred among the French colony on Turkey creek, in the summer of 1870; Burrton township, a child of James Burnham, in the spring of 1877; Emma township, Earl Commons, October 5, 1871; Garden township, Verne Munch, January, 1872; Highland township, George Pentz, December 20, 1871; Lake township, a child of H. Baumann, in 1871; Lakin township, - Cooper, April, 1871; Macon township, Alice AEtna Prouty, daughter of W. H. Prouty, January 12, 1872; Newton township, son of Henry and Mary U. Bruner; Richland township, Estelle Wilber, daughter of J. Wilber and Ann Wilber, in 1871; Sedgwick township, - Shaffor, no date given; Walton township, John S. Kline, October 17, 1871. - First business established: Burrton township, general store, by Gresham & Hunt; Emma township, horse power corn grinder, by E. V. Benedict, in the winter of 1872; Lake township, family grocery, by James McMurray, in 1871; Newton township, general grocery, by Lun & Markwort, in March, 1872; Richland township, blacksmithing, by Fryar Augood, in December, 1873, on N. E. 1/4 section 11; Walton township, grocery store at Walton Station, by Baldwin & Glitton. - First post offices: Alta township, Alta, in 1877, A. P. Green, postmaster; Burrton township, Burrton, July 1, 1873, John Hunt, postmaster; Garden township, Garden City, in 1871, J. H. Nickell, postmaster; Halstead township, Halstead, George W. Sweesy postmaster; Lakin township, Lakin, in 1873, by B. Thompson, postmaster; Newton township, Newton, April 22, 1872, Warren Russell, postmaster; Walton township, Walton, in 1871, Mrs. Alice Peck, postmistress. - Historical incidents: Emma township - the great prairie fire of the night of November 17, 1873, swept through the western portion of the township, doing a great deal of damage. The first day school in the township was located in a tenement house on S. W. 1/4 Sec. 28, and taught by Miss Mary E. Hudson, in the summer of 1872. The first national celebration was held at the residence of Enos Commons, on July 4, 1872. Macon township - on August 29, 1871, colony from Mercer county, Illinois, headed by Amos Prouty, settled on Emmet creek. There were eight heads of families, and they secured under the Homestead Act sixteen hundred acres of 1and. Richland township - the great prairie fire of November, 1871, did a great deal of damage. The first celebration of our national independence was observed in 1872, at Richardson's woods.

The county was organized in 1872.

Population in 1875, 5,046; population in 1878, 8,107; increase in three years, 3,061, Rural population, 6,486; city or town population, 1,621; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 80.

POPULATION of 1878, by Townships and Cities.

Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 40 per cent.; upland, 60 per cent.; forest (Government survey) 6 per cent.; prairie, 94 per cent. The bottoms are generally narrow, and the surface of the country is level. There is very little timber; confined to the streams. Varieties: walnut, hackberry and cottonwood.

Principal Streams. - Little Arkansas river, and White water. Turkey, Black Kettle, Emmet, Sand and Jester creeks, are tributaries of the former. There are a few fine springs in the county, and good well water is obtained at a depth of twenty-five feet.

Coal. - None has been developed in the county.

Building Stone, etc. - There is some, but not a very abundant quantity, of good building stone; the strata are thin. There is plenty of gypsum.

Railroad Connections. - The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad enters the county near its northeastern corner, and runs through its entire extent in a general southwestern direction. Stations: Walton, Newton, Halstead and Burrton. A branch of the same road runs from Newton, in a southerly course to Wichita, in Sedgwick county. Station in Harvey county, Sedgwick.

Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 345,600; taxable acres, 286,586; under cultivation, 122,022.35; cultivated to taxable acres, 42.58 per cent.; increase of cultivated acres during the year, 37,034.73.

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

Increase in four years, 446 + per cent.
Average increase per annum, 111.50 + per cent.

RANK of Harvey County in the Crops named below, as to Acreage, and in Cultivated Acreage for the years mentioned in the foregoing table.

STATEMENT showing the Acres, Product and Value of Principal Crops for 1878, together with the Increase and Decrease as compared with 1877.

Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs Sold during the Year. - Garden produce, $2,748; poultry and eggs, $3,832.

Old Corn on Hand. - Old corn on hand March 1st, 1878, 147,279 bushels, or an average of 91 bushels to each family.

Dairy Products. - Cheese manufactured in 1875, 41 lbs.; in 1878, 90 lbs.; increase, 49 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1875, 68,490 lbs.; in 1878, 135,401 lbs.; increase, 66,911 lbs.

Farm Animals. - Number of horses, in 1877, 2,426; in 1878, 2,754; increase, 328. Mules and asses, in 1877, 508; in 1878, 571; increase, 63. Milch cows, in 1877, 1,789; in 1878, 2,071; increase, 282. Other cattle, in 1877, 3,221; in 1878, 3,419; increase, 198. Sheep, in 1877, 1,578; in 1878, 2,012; increase, 434. Swine, in 1877, 5,325; in 1878, 10,264; increase, 4,939.

Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 3; value of sheep killed by dogs, $9.

Wool. - Clip of 1877, 4,275 lbs.

Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $33,443.20.

Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 36.75. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 1,839; pear, 65; peach, 74,792; plum, 1,575; cherry, 1,481. Number of trees, not in bearing: apple, 45,958; pear, 1,931; peach, 101,634; plum, 4,970; cherry, 9,143.

Herd Law. - The herd law has been in force since March, 1873. The effect has been very beneficial, and the people could not well do without it.

Fences. - Stone, no report. Rail, no report. Board, 4,134 rods; cost, $5,994.30. Wire, 4,197 rods; cost, $3,105.78. Hedge, 278,679 rods; cost, $181,141.30. Total rods of fence, 287,010; total cost, $190,241.38.

Apiaculture. - Number of stands of bees, 7. Pounds of honey, 100.

Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $51,748.

Manufactures. - Halstead township: steam flouring mill, capital, $8,000. Highland township: sorghum mill, capital, $300. Newton township: steam flouring mill. Sedgwick township: steam flouring mill, capital, $9,000. Valley township: steam flouring mill, capital, $8,000.

Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $218,770; railroad property, $353,120.40; total assessed valuation of all property, $1,716,924.66; true valuation of all property, $2,861,541.10. Total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $72,059.95: per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, .04+.

Newspaper History. - The Newton Kansan was the first newspaper published in Harvey county. Its publication was commenced at Newton, August 22, 1872, by H. C. Ashbaugh, who still continues to be the editor and publisher. It has always been strongly Republican.

The Harvey County News was established at Newton, August 11, 1875, by A. W. Moore, with J. E. Duncan as editor. Duncan retired on the 29th of December, 1875. On the 25th of April, 1876, J. S. Collister bought a half interest of Moore, and Moore and Collister continued its publication till December 6, 1876, when Collister bought out Moore, and the paper is still published by him. It is Republican in politics.

A paper published in the interests of the Mennonites was started at Halstead, January 6, 1876. It was edited by David Goerz. It is still in existence.

The Burrton Telephone was started at Burrton, November 2, 1878, by A. C. Bowman.

Schools. - Number of organized districts, 67; school population, 3,028; average salary of teachers, per month, males, $33.60; females, $27.00. School houses built during 1878, frame, 1. Total number of school houses, 58; frame, 56; brick, 1; stone, 1. Value of all school property, $54,236. A few districts in Darlington township have ornamented their grounds with shade trees.

Churches. - Baptist: organizations, 3; membership, 210; church edifices, 2; value of church property, $3,000. Congregational: organizations, 2; membership, 71; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $3,000. Episcopal: organizations, 1; membership, 14. ** Methodist Episcopal: organizations, 8; membership, 420; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $3,000. Presbyterian: organizations, 3; membership, 100; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $3,600. Roman Catholic: organizations, 3; membership, 700; church edifices, 2; value of church property, $1,200.

*  The county was organized in 1872. No report for 1872 and 1873.

** Returns for 1876. No returns for 1878.