Garfield County, created by the act of March 5, 1887, and named in honor of James A. Garfield, was hounded as follows: "Commencing where the north line of township 21 south, intersects the east line of range 27 west; thence south along the range line to its intersection with the north line of township 24 south; thence west along township line to where it intersects the east line of range 31 west; thence north along range line to where it intersects the north line of township 21 south; thence east to the place of beginning."

In 1889 a decision of the supreme court transferred the county seat from Ravanna to Eminence, and the people of the latter place demanded the immediate removal of the county offices. One attempt to remove the treasurer's office was defeated by the citizens of Ravanna, the safe being badly damaged in the fracas. Gov. Humphrey was temporarily absent from the state at the time, and on Aug. 3 the attorney-general notified Adj.-Gen. Roberts, who visited Eminence and persuaded the citizens there to do nothing further until the court met in September, when the matter was peacefully adjusted. The boundaries as defined by the creative act included only 12 Congressional townships, 6 of which were taken from Finney county and 6 from Hodgeman, and in 1892 proceedings were instituted against the county to test the validity of its organization, as it embraced only 432 square miles. It was accordingly declared illegally organized and was attached to Finney county in 1893.