FARMERS OF THE 1800'S - FROM WHENCE THEY CAME

Extracted by Robert A. Hodge

Charles V. Eskridge, as editor and proprietor, established the EMPORIA WEEKLY REPUBLICAN newspaper in 1882, the first issue appearing on January 26^th.

Arrangements were made with J.D. King to visit and write up descriptions of the farms and farmers of Lyon County, Kansas. The results appeared in the issues of November 9, 16, 23, 30, December 7, 21, 28, 1882 and January 4, 1883, and included 153 farms, 155 farmers (two farms were operated by brothers). The information included a general location and size of each farm, quantitative data on the crops and livestock, and generally, the answer to the question, "How long have you lived in Kansas and from where did you come?"

The following is a compilation from the identified issues of the EMPORIA WEEKLY REPUBLICAN with the names of the farmers arranged alphabetically by surname, the length of time reported living in Kansas (this was not necessarily in Lyon County), the computed year of entry, the state or country left to come to Kansas, and the issue date of the newspaper. Blanks indicate "no response available" and question marks indicate "interpreted from information provided."

A study of the data shows the following:

36 came from Indiana

25 came from Illinois

19 came from Ohio

14 came from Pennsylvania

13 came from Iowa

6 came from Michigan

6 came from Wales

5 came from Missouri

4 came from New York

2 came from South Carolina

2 came from Wisconsin

2 were natives of Kansas

1 came from each of Arkansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Virginia, Canada, Germany and New Brunswick

They came as follows: 2 in 1854; 6 in 1855; 8 in 1856; 8 in 1857; 8 in 1858; 3 in 1859; 2 in 1860; 4 in 1861; 4 in 1862; 3 in 1863; 2 in 1864; 0 in 1865; 7 in 1867; 2 in 1867; 4 in 1868; 9 in 1869; 6 in 1870; 8 in 1871; 3 in 1873; 1 in 1874; 2 in 1875; 5 in 1876; 7 in 1877; 11 in 1878; 7 in 1879; 6 in 1880; 6 in 1881; 5 in 1882.