First settlements: Center township, by W. L. Teeter, and Fred. Bollin, in December 1872; Clay township, by L. Dodge, in the fore part of 1871; Grant township, by George H. Watson, March 14, 1871; Grove township, by Jacob Armstrong, in February, 1874; Haven township, by J. B. Kising and J. M. Gray, on June 12, 1871; Langdon township, by Jesse Sinclair, on May 20, 1874; Lincoln township, by N. B. Cory, in the spring of 1872; Little River township, by Louis M. Thomas, in November, 1870; Loda township, by M. A. Long, J. T. Stevens and J. F. Stevens, in August, 1873; Medford township, by R. D. Kelsey, in the fall of 1873; Salt Creek township, by T. B. Hand, about October 25, 1872; Sumner township, by John L. Gill, on March 7, 1872; Troy township, by Samuel Slack, on April 3, 1873; Valley township, by James Deer, in August, 1871; Westminster township, by John Martin, in the spring of 1873. - First school houses: Centre township, district No. 42, at Reno Centre; Clay township, by district No. 26; Grant township, by district No. 2, on southeast 1/4 Section 22, Town. 22, Range 6, in spring of 1873; Grove township, by District No. 83; Haven township, by district No. 4, on southwest 1/4 of southwest 1/4 Section 4, Town. 25, Range 4, in April, 1873; Langdon township, by district No. 7; Lincoln township, by district No. 17; Little River township, by district No. 9, in February, 1873; Loda township, by district No. 59, on southwest 1/4 of Section 11, Town. 26, Range 8, in 1875; Medford township, by district No. 60, on southwest 1/4 of southeast 1/4 of Section 20, Town. 22, Range 8, in November, 1874; Salt Creek township, by district No. 33; Sumner township, by district No. 37; Troy township, the first school house was built on Section 26, Town. 25, Range 7, in 1874; Valley township, by district No. 6, in 1872. - First church building: Valley township, by the Missionary Baptist Association, in 1876. - First marriages: Centre township, H. H. Crampton and Almira Brock, May 4, 1874; Grant township, James Carrington and Emma Coombs, about January, 1872; Grove township, Stephen Tunnell and Mary -, no date date given; Haven township, Thomas Johnson and Sarah S. D. Wilson, August 27th, 1872; Little River township, Nathan A. Riggs, and Mary Dingman, in October, 1872; Medford township, Albert Dean and Emma Wheeler, in June, 1875; Sumner township, F. M. Nichols and Alice Ransom; Valley township, J. L. Ballinger and Susan Vose, in October, 1873; Westminster township, John Martin and Kittie Hawkins, on December 1st, 1873. - First births; Centre township, Cora Fletcher, June 20th, 1873; Grant township, James H. Watson, May 20th, 1871; Grove township, Albert L. Troutt, November 26th, 1874; Haven township, George McCulla, December 4th, 1871; Little River township, George Williams, in November, 1872; Medford township, Ettie May Bouser, July 21st, 1874; Sumner township, Grant Kirkpatrick, no date given; Troy township, twins, James and Mary Bay, in May, 1873; Valley township, Herbert Noble Lawson, in February, 1872; Westminster township, a son to William and Ella Richardson, July 17th, 1873. - First business established: Grant township, by - Johnson, grocery store, at Nickerson, in the fall of 1875; Grove township, the County Star, by Wiley Brown; Langdon township, grocery store, by George W. Brown; Little River township, blacksmith shop, by C. W. Cooter, in April, 1874; Valley township, by J. J. Hunt and J. H. Gresham, business not stated. - First post offices: Centre township, Reno Centre, in January, 1874, Thomas Harris, postmaster; Grant township, Nickerson, Mrs. Amanda J. Sears, postmistress; Grove township, Netherland, J. F. Martin, postmaster; Haven township, at Mt. Liberty, about March 1st, 1873, S. J. Wilson, postmaster; Langdon township, at Langdon, in the fall of 1874, J. C. Ulmer, postmaster; Little River township, at Leslie, in October, 1874, G. W. Cooter, postmaster; Loda township, at Sego, in 1875, J. F. Stevens, postmaster; Medford Township, at New London, in September, 1875, W. L. Hoffman, postmaster; Summer township, at Newhaven, in 1877, - Hopkins, postmaster; Troy township, at Riverton, in December, 1873, John Rickett, postmaster; Westminster township, at Westminster, in December, 1873, Jacob Neill, postmaster.
The county was organized in 1872.
Population in 1875, 5,112; in 1878, 11,528; increase in three years, 6,416. Rural population, 9,222; city or town population, 2,306; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 80.
| TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. | TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. | TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castleton | 565 | Centre | 301 | Clay | 390 |
| Grant | 465 | Grove | 441 | Haven | 579 |
| Hayes | 350 | Hutchinson City | 1,413 | Langdon | 333 |
| Lincoln | 617 | Little River | 702 | Loda | 281 |
| Medford | 624 | Pratt | 2,180 | Reno | 358 |
| Salt Creek | 360 | Sumner | 399 | Troy | 336 |
| Valley | 521 | Westminster | 322 | ----- | ----- |
Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 15 per cent.; upland, 85 per cent.; forest (Government survey), 1 per cent.; prairie, 99 per cent. The width of bottoms varies from one to ten miles. General surface of the country, gently undulating.
Timber. - An inconsiderable amount on the streams.
Principal Streams. - Great and Little Arkansas, Cow creek, Ninnescah, Salt creek; general course of all, southeast. The county is well supplied with springs; well water obtained at a depth of from 10 to 50 feet.
Coal. - None discovered.
Building Stone, etc. - Good limestone in the central and northern parts of the county; also an abundance through the centre of the county from east to west. Salt springs and marshes have been discovered in the western part of the county, said to produce salt of good quality. An excellent quality of cement is reported ten miles south of Hutchinson.
Railroad Connections. - The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad runs through the county from southeast to northwest, following the valley of the Arkansas. Principal station, Hutchinson.
Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 806,400; taxable acres, 396,196; under cultivation, 136,570.63; cultivated to taxable acres, 34.47 per cent.; increase of cultivated acres during the year, 53,561.63.
BIG YIELD. - Statement by E. M. Yoder, Hutchinson:
Winter Wheat. - I planted on upland, Section 28, Township 24. Range 5 west, forty acres of wheat, of the Fultz variety, sowing from September 1 to 4, and harvesting June 7 to 10, the yield being 35 bushels to the acre. The ground was thoroughly ploughed, and the seed drilled in. The cost of production was about $6 per acre. This same forty has been sown to wheat for the last six years.
GOOD YIELD. - Statement by Minor Crippen, Hutchinson:
Winter Wheat. - On the 20th of September, I planted 50 acres of Red May wheat on Section 24, Township 24, Range 6, all upland, a black sandy loam, from which I harvested, June 8, 35 bushels to the acre. The ground was ploughed early, well harrowed, and the seed drilled in; the cost of production was $6 per acre.
STATEMENT showing the Acreage of Field Crops named from 1872 to 1878, inclusive.
| CROPS. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | 1875. | 1876. | 1877. | 1878. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wheat | 81.00 | 81.00 | 1,013.00 | 8,190.16 | 19,799.00 | 26,486.00 | 48,501.00 |
| Rye | 82.00 | 82.00 | 112.00 | 1,088.25 | 3,899.00 | 2,684.00 | 3,296.00 |
| Spring Wheat | ----- | 210.00 | 3,653.00 | 1,201.50 | 1,149.00 | 2,299.00 | 16,609.00 |
| Corn | 3,094.00 | 12,071.00 | 29,706.00 | 21,958.50 | 23,552.00 | 33,830.00 | 36,798.00 |
| Barley | ----- | 4.00 | 85.00 | 473.75 | 1,066.00 | 1,061.00 | 974.00 |
| Oats | 42.00 | 388.00 | 2,375.00 | 4,975.25 | 10,213.00 | 9,092.00 | 12,693.00 |
| Buckwheat | ----- | 8.00 | 11.00 | 17.50 | 7.00 | 4.00 | 18.00 |
| Irish Potatoes | 18.00 | 229.00 | 441.00 | 230.42 | 545.32 | 590.00 | 778.00 |
| Sweet Potatoes | 1.00 | 11.00 | 31.00 | 29.41 | 77.15 | 42.00 | 76.25 |
| Sorghum | 0.51 | 73.00 | 99.00 | 203.12 | 479.75 | 699.00 | 488.75 |
| Castor Beans | ----- | 5.00 | 38.00 | 78.50 | 46.50 | 57.00 | 3.50 |
| Cotton | ----- | 1.00 | 1.00 | 2.50 | 1.75 | 2.00 | ----- |
| Flax | ----- | 1.00 | 236.00 | 265.50 | 52.68 | 1.00 | 5.50 |
| Hemp | ----- | ----- | ----- | 1.00 | 5.00 | ----- | 0.25 |
| Tobacco | ----- | 0.50 | 5.00 | 8.00 | 0.78 | 2.00 | 0.63 |
| Broom Corn | ----- | ----- | 10.00 | 144.89 | 164.74 | 120.00 | 164.00 |
| Millet and Hungarian | ----- | ----- | 23.00 | 413.25 | 749.00 | 2,282.00 | 2,539.00 |
| Timothy Meadow | ----- | ----- | 25.00 | 8.00 | 29.50 | 47.00 | 63.00 |
| Clover Meadow | ----- | ----- | 13.00 | 3.12 | 5.62 | 1.00 | 10.50 |
| Prairie Meadow | 776.00 | ----- | ----- | 320.00 | ----- | 1,386.00 | 12,620.00 |
| Timothy Pasture | ----- | ----- | 14.00 | ----- | ----- | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Clover Pasture | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | 1.00 | 4.00 | ----- |
| Blue-Grass Pasture | ----- | ----- | 4.00 | ----- | ----- | 3.00 | 3.25 |
| Prairie Pasture | 320.00 | 320.00 | ----- | 16,179.50 | ----- | 2,314.00 | 926.00 |
| Total | 4,414.51 | 13,484.50 | 37,895.00 | 55,792.12 | 61,843.79 | 83,009.00 | 136,570.63 |
Increase in six years, 2994- per cent.
Average increase per annum, 499 - per cent.
RANK of Reno County in the Crops named below, as to Acreage, and in Cultivated Acreage for the years mentioned in the foregoing table.
| CROPS. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | 1875. | 1876. | 1877. | 1878. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat | 56 | 54 | 54 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 6 |
| Corn | 53 | 39 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 36 | 33 |
| Total Acreage in all Crops | 35 | 53 | 42 | 42 | 38 | 35 | 18 |
| CROPS. | ACRES IN 1878. |
INCREASE OR DECREASE FROM 1877. |
PRODUCT IN 1878. |
INCREASE OR DECREASE FROM 1877. |
VALUE OF PRODUCT IN 1878. |
INCREASE OR DECREASE FROM 1877. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wheat - bu. | 48,501.00 | 22,015.00 in. | 873,018.00 | 475,728.00 in. | $453,969.36 | $136,137.36 in. |
| Rye - bu. | 3,296.00 | 612.00 in. | 52,736.00 | 7,108.00 in. | 15,820.80 | 2,132.40 in. |
| Spring Wheat - bu. | 16,609.00 | 14,310.00 in. | 99,654.00 | 65,169.00 in. | 41,854.68 | 15,990.93 in. |
| Corn - bu. | 36,798.00 | 2,968.00 in. | 1,103,940.00 | 12,450.00 de. | 220,788.00 | 2,490.00 de. |
| Barley - bu. | 974.00 | 87.00 de. | 29,220.00 | 6,939.00 in. | 8,766.00 | 2,527.32 in. |
| Oats - bu. | 12,693.00 | 3,601.00 in. | 507,720.00 | 162,224.00 in. | 76,158.00 | 27,788.56 in. |
| Buckwheat - bu. | 18.00 | 14.00 in. | 288.00 | 252.00 in. | 230.40 | 201.60 in. |
| Irish Potatoes - bu. | 778.00 | 188.00 in. | 77,800.00 | 33,550.00 in. | 27,230.00 | 8,170.00 de. |
| Sweet Potatoes - bu. | 76.25 | 34.25 in. | 9,150.00 | 3,900.00 in. | 5,947.50 | 697.50 in. |
| Sorghum - gall. | 488.75 | 210.25 de. | 56,206.25 | 24,178.75 de. | 28,103.13 | 12,089.37 de. |
| Castor Beans - bu. | 3.50 | 53.50 de. | 31.50 | 538.50 de. | 39.38 | 530.62 de. |
| Cotton - lbs. | ----- | 2.00 de. | ----- | 340.00 de. | ----- | 34.00 de. |
| Flax - bu. | 5.50 | 4.50 in. | 16.50 | 52.50 in. | 60.50 | 52.10 in. |
| Hemp - lbs. | 0.25 | 0.25 in. | 230.00 | 230.00 in. | 13.80 | 13.80 in. |
| Tobacco - lbs. | 0.63 | 1.37 de. | 466.20 | 1,013.80 de. | 46.62 | 101.38 de. |
| Broom Corn - lbs. | 164.00 | 44.00 in. | 131,200.00 | 35,200.00 in. | 4,920.00 | 1,320.00 in. |
| Millet and Hungarian - tons | 2,539.00 | 257.00 in. | 7,617.00 | 1,341.50 in. | 30,468.00 | 5,366.00 in. |
| Timothy Meadow - tons | 63.00 | 16.00 in. | 75.60 | 19.20 in. | 359.10 | 91.20 in. |
| Clover Meadow - tons | 10.50 | 9.50 in. | 15.75 | 14.25 in. | 74.81 | 67.68 in. |
| Prairie Meadow - tons | 12,620.00 | 11,234.00 in. | 16,406.00 | 14,604.20 in. | 45,116.50 | 40,161.55 in. |
| Timothy Pasture acres | 3.00 | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- |
| Clover Pasture - acres | ----- | 4.00 de. | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- |
| Blue-Grass Pasture - acres | 3.25 | 0.25 in. | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- |
| Prairie Pasture - acres | 926.00 | 1,388.00 de. | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- |
| Total | 136,570.63 | 53.561.63 in. | ----- | ----- | $959,966.58 | 209,132.63 in. |
A HANDSOME YIELD. - Statement of Zeno Tharp, Hutchinson:
Winter Wheat. - I planted 60 acres of Early May wheat, on Section 10, Township 25, Range 7 west, from August 20 to September 1, and harvested it from May 30 to June 17, getting 35 bushels to the acre. The ground was upland, and was well ploughed, the seed being drilled in. The cost was S6 per acre.
HEAVY YIELD. - Statement of J. A. Fontron, Hutchinson:
Oats. - I planted on bottom land, in Section 8, Township 22, Range 6, 1 1/2 acres of oats, drilling in the seed, the last of March. I harvested the crop in July, and got 88 bushels to the acre; it cost 46 per acre.
Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs Sold during the Year. - Garden produce, $3,084; poultry and eggs, $4,096.
Old Corn on Hand. - Old corn on hand March 1, 1878, 157,890 bushels, or an average of 68 bushels to each family.
Dairy Products. - Cheese manufactured in 1875, 100 lbs.; in 1878, 41 lbs.; decrease, 59 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1875, 40,405 lbs.; in 1878, 146,636 lbs.; increase, 106,231 lbs.
Farm Animals.- Number of horses, in 1877, 2,235; in 1878, 3,241; increase, 1,006. Mules and asses, in 1877, 515; in 1878, 904; increase, 389. Milch cows, in 1877, 1,926; in 1878, 2,534; increase, 608. Other cattle, in 1877, 4,351; in 1878, 4,377; increase, 26. Sheep, in 1877, 1,083; in 1878, 5,811; increase, 4,728. Swine, in 1877, 6,505; in 1878, 12,147; increase, 5,642.
Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 5; value of sheep killed by dogs, $15.
Wool. - Clip of 1877, 5,388 pounds.
Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $33,318.81.
Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 61.88. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 305; pear, 18; peach, 15,076; plum, 356; cherry, 670. Number of trees not in bearing: apple, 25,463; pear, 1,728; peach, 130,246; plum, 8,345; cherry, 5,637.
Herd Law. - The herd law has been in force ever since the organization of the county. A correspondent says: "The effect has been most salutary; we could not settle up this country without the herd law, or its equivalent."
Fences. - Stone, no report. Rail, no report. Board, 742 rods; cost, $1,068.68. Wire, 676 rods; cost, $500.24. Hedge, 74,030 rods; cost, $48,119.50. Total rods of fence, 75,448; total cost, $49,688.42.
Apiaculture. - Bees, none reported.
Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $69,184.
Manufactures. - Castleton township: steam grist mill, capital, $500. City of Hutchinson: water-power flouring mill; steam flouring mill. Langdon township: water-power flouring mill.
Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $279,976; railroad property, $208,745; total assessed valuation of all property, $1,522,413; true valuation of all property, $2,537,355. Total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $246,772.83; per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, 16+.
Newspaper History. - The first newspaper established in Reno county was the Hutchinson News, the first number of which was issued at Hutchinson on the 4th of July, 1872. It was started under the management of Perry Bros. & Co., but soon passed into the hands of H. Whiteside, who continued its publication till January, 1875, when he sold it to Fletcher Meredith, the present owner and publisher. The News is now, and always has been, Republican.
The Reno Independent, without any political bias, was established in October, 1875, W. F. Wallace being editor and proprietor. In the spring of 1876, it was transferred to E. C. Bruffy & Co., and published as a straight Democratic paper, the name being changed to the Examiner. In the latter part of 1876, the office passed into the hands of J. W. Turpen, who still continues to publish it, under the name of the Hutchinson Herald, as a Democratic organ.
The Hutchinson Interior was started in January, 1877, with Henry Inman as editor. In the spring following, Major Inman retired, and was succeeded by Mr. M. M. Lewis, who had charge of the paper for a few months, when he gave way to J. W. Kanaga, who published the paper till September, 1878, when Ralph M. Easley assumed control. The Interior has remained Republican through all these changes.
Schools. - Number of organized districts, 93; school population, 3,685; average salary of teachers, per month, males, $30.23; females, $24.74. School houses built during 1878, 13; sod, 1; frame, 12. Total number of school houses, 82; sod, 1; frame, 76; brick, 4; stone, 1. Value of all school property $77,695. But one district reported as having ornamented the school grounds with shade trees. Others are making preparations to do so.
Churches. - Baptist: organizations, 6; membership, 325. Congregational: organizations, 2; membership, 88. Episcopal: membership, 8. Methodist Episcopal: organizations, 24; membership, 610; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $5,000. Presbyterian: organizations, 4; membership, 150; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $4,000. Roman Catholic: organizations, 3; membership, 500; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $800. United Presbyterians: organizations, 2; membership, 60; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $400.
* Albion and Bell townships have been organized since census was taken.
