First settlements: Bazaar township, by several families from Illinois in 1857, among whom were Dr. M. R. Leonard (now a resident of Arkansas City, Kansas), B. McCabe and J. Lane; Cottonwood township, by M. Coyne, in 1857, near the junction of Coyne branch; Diamond Creek township - several families settled on Diamond Spring Creek, Middle Creek and the Cottonwood, among whom were A. Howell, C. T. Hegwer, William Osmer, William Dixon and Walter Watson, in 1857. About the year 1854, Seth Hayes, then an Indian trader at Council Grove, located a stock ranch on the Cottonwood river, near the mouth of Diamond Spring Creek; Falls township, by A. P. Wentworth, Milton Ford, James Fisher and others, in 1857; Toledo township, by Nathan Cory, Daniel Holsinger and Gabriel Jacobs, in June, 1856. - First church buildings: Bazaar township, by the Methodists, about the year 1864; it has since been removed, and religious services held in the various school-houses in the township; Cottonwood township, by the Methodists, in 1876, at Cedar Point; Falls township, by the Methodists, in 1871, at Cottonwood Falls; Toledo township, by the Friends, in the year 1863, on S. W. cor. of S. E. 1/4 of Sec. 2, T. 19, R. 9. - First school-houses: Bazaar township, a log house in 1860, by District No. 7; Cottonwood township, by District No. 3, at Cedar Point, in 1863; Diamond Creek township, by District No. 1, in 1865; Falls township by District No. 6, at Cottonwood Falls, in 1862; Toledo township, by District No. 9, in 1864. Previous to the erection of school-houses, school was kept in many districts in private houses. - First marriages: Toledo township, - Pine and Jane Wentworth, in 1857. There are no records of the first marriages, as the county was not organized at the time. - First births: Cottonwood township, Lafayette Hawkins, December 25, 1857; Toledo township, George Holsinger, October, 1857. - First business established: Bazaar township, by Strekle & Co., general merchandise, at Bazaar, in 1870; Cottonwood township, by - Fratchet, grocery store, in 1859; Diamond Creek township, by Wm. Jeffrey & Son, general merchandise, at Elmdale, in 1872; Falls township, by L. D. Hinckley, grocery store, at Cottonwood Falls, in 1859; Toledo township, by O. Thompson, groceries, dry goods, etc., at Toledo, in 1859. - First post offices: Bazaar township, Bazaar, in 1860, George Leonard, postmaster; Cottonwood township, Cedar Point, in 1862, O. H. Drinkwater, postmaster; Diamond Creek township, Middle Creek (now Elmdale), in 1866, Samuel Beverlin, postmaster; Falls township, Cottonwood Falls, in 1858, C. S. Hills, postmaster; Toledo township, Toledo, in 1858. John Buchanan, postmaster. - The first death in Bazaar township occurred in 1859, Mrs. M. R. Leonard; John Sharp died in 1860; both were buried on the hill, now being a part of the farm owned by Samuel Earle. The county was organized in 1859. Population in 1860, 1,046; in 1870, 1,975; increase in ten years, 929; population in 1875, 3,116; increase, in five years, 1,141; population in 1878, 3,798; increase in eighteen years, 2,752; rural population, 2,869; city or town population, 929; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 75.80.
| TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. | TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. | TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES. | Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bazaar | 853 | Cottonwood | 692 | Cottonwood Falls | 404 Diamond |
| Creek | 674 | Falls | 501 | Toledo | 674 |
Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 12 per cent.; upland, 88 per cent.; forest (Goverment survey), 5 per cent; prairie, 95 per cent. The general surface of the county, except in the bottoms is undulating, with a considerable extent of bluffs adjoining the valleys of the streams.
Timber. - Average width of timber belts, three-eighths of a mile; varieties, walnut, burr oak, hackberry, hickory, sycamore and cottonwood.
Principal Streams. - Cottonwood river is the principal stream. It runs from the northwest corner of township 21, in range 6, on the west line of the county, in a northeasterly direction, to within two miles of the northwest corner of Town. 19, Range 8; thence continues an eastwardly course. Tributaries on the north, Buckeye, Peyton, Fox, Diamond, Middle, Silver and French Creeks; general course southeast. Tributaries on the south, Jacobs, Bloody, South Fork, Cedar and several smaller ones; general course north. The Verdigris river has its source in the southeast portion of this county. The county is tolerably well supplied with springs, and good well water may generally be reached at a depth of 25 feet.
Coal. - None of any consequence has been developed.
Building Stone, etc. - An excellent quality abounds. Samples of the magnesian limestone may be seen in the bases of the columns which support the portico of the Capitol building; also in the court-house at Leavenworth; the piers of the Atchison bridge, and in a bank building at Kansas City. There is a considerable demand for this stone in the prominent towns of the State. Ochre has been discovered, but no use made of it as yet.
Railroad Connections. - The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad enters the county on the northeast, and runs through the county in a southwesterly direction, via Cottonwood Falls.
Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 491,520; taxable acres, 421,517; under cultivation, 48,665.78; cultivated to taxable acres, 11.55 per cent.; increase of cultivated acres during the year, 4,567.78.
| CROPS. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | 1875. | 1876. | 1877. | 1878. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wheat | 803.00 | 806.00 | 3,189.00 | 5,994.00 | 6,622.00 | 5,208.00 | 7,769.00 |
| Rye | 63.00 | 62.00 | 139.00 | 408.50 | 557.00 | 631.00 | 815.00 |
| Spring Wheat | 2,732.00 | 3,378.00 | 3,720.00 | 2,116.00 | 2,329.00 | 3,363.00 | 3,383.00 |
| Corn | 3,274.00 | 3,440.00 | 5,755.00 | 6,904.00 | 5,870.00 | 11,910.00 | 11,120.00 |
| Barley | 135.00 | 95.00 | 74.00 | 165.00 | 227.00 | 538.00 | 113.00 |
| Oats | 2,383.00 | 1,601.00 | 1,379.00 | 2,078.25 | 2,207.00 | 2,499.00 | 2,767.00 |
| Buckwheat | 2.00 | 8.00 | 1.36 | 6.00 | 4.00 | 9.75 | |
| Irish Potatoes | 146.00 | 169.00 | 263.00 | 290.84 | 191.00 | 201.00 | 220.00 |
| Sweet Potatoes | 2.00 | 4.00 | 29.00 | 20.50 | 2.75 | 5.25 | 7.91 |
| Sorghum | 21.00 | 41.00 | 87.00 | 78.00 | 41.25 | 138.00 | 116.00 |
| Castor Beans | 44.00 | 10.00 | |||||
| Cotton | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.50 | ||||
| Flax | 1.25 | 7.00 | |||||
| Hemp | 1.00 | 1.00 | |||||
| Tobacco | 0.40 | 1.00 | 2.87 | 1.87 | 6.00 | 2.25 | |
| Broom Corn | 10.00 | 1.50 | 8.00 | 23.00 | |||
| Millet and Hungarian | 201.00 | 754.00 | 463.00 | 523.75 | 1,060.00 | 1,981.00 | 1,282.00 |
| Timothy Meadow | 21.00 | 22.00 | 36.00 | 18.50 | 16.50 | 25.00 | 236.87 |
| Clover Meadow | 1.00 | 4.00 | 10.00 | 11.50 | 10.00 | 81.00 | |
| Prairie Meadow | 7,683.00 | 4,869.00 | 7,256.00 | 8,101.00 | 5,015.00 | 6,442.00 | 8,799.00 |
| Timothy Pasture | 0.50 | 4.00 | 16.00 | 35.00 | 53.75 | ||
| Clover Pasture | 1.50 | 2.00 | 1.00 | ||||
| Blue-Grass Pasture | 0.25 | 4.00 | 48.00 | 18.00 | 35.25 | 49.25 | |
| Prairie Pasture | 1,609.00 | 2,975.00 | 1,703.00 | 4,438.00 | 4,427.00 | 11,032.00 | 11,841.00 |
| Total | 19,082.65 | 18,227.00 | 24,123.25 | 31,311.82 | 28,617.87 | 44,098.00 | 48,665.78 |
Increase in six years, 155+ per cent.
Average increase per annum, 25.83+ per cent.
RANK of Chase 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 | 34 | 40 | 40 | 33 | 45 | 40 | 45 |
| Corn | 52 | 56 | 58 | 58 | 60 | 57 | 59 |
| Total Acreage in all Crops | 44 | 49 | 49 | 54 | 58 | 53 | 55 |
| 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. | 7,769.00 | 2,561.00 in. | 132,073.00 | 100,825.00 in. | $71,319.42 | $46,321.02 in. |
| Rye - bu. | 815.00 | 184.00 in. | 13,040.00 | 2,944.00 in. | 3,912.00 | 580.32 in. |
| Spring Wheat - bu. | 3,383.00 | 20.00 in. | 23,681.00 | 26,764.00 de. | 11,840.50 | 28,505.50 de. |
| Corn - bu. | 11,120.00 | 790.00 de. | 444,800.00 | 91,150.00 de. | 84,512.00 | 11,959.00 de. |
| Corn - bu. | 113.00 | 425.00 de. | 2,260.00 | 8,500.00 de. | 791.00 | 2,437.00 de. |
| Barley - bu. | 2,767.00 | 268.00 in. | 118,981.00 | 6,526.00 in. | 17,847.15 | 145.65 de. |
| Oats - bu. | 9.75 | 5.75 in. | 195.00 | 123.00 in. | 156.00 | 98.40 in. |
| Buckwheat - bu. | 220.00 | 19.00 in. | 17,600.00 | 9,560.00 in. | 7,040.00 | 2,216.00 in. |
| Irish Potatoes - bu. | 7.91 | 2.66 in. | 1,186.50 | 661.50 in. | 889.88 | 364.88 in. |
| Sweet Potatoes - bu. | 116.00 | 22.00 de. | 13,340.00 | 2,530.00 de. | 6,670.00 | 1,265.00 de. |
| Sorghum - gall. | 10.00 de. | 80.00 de. | 80.00 de. | |||
| Castor Beans - bu. | .50 de. | 85.00 de. | 8.50 de. | |||
| Cotton - lbs. | ||||||
| Flax - bu. | 1.00 de. | 920.00 de. | 55.20 de. | |||
| Tobacco - lbs. | 2.25 | 3.75 de. | 1,665.00 | 2,775.00 de. | 166.50 | 277.50 de. |
| Broom Corn - lbs. | 23.00 de. | 18,400.00 de. | 690.00 de. | |||
| Millet and Hungarian - tons | 1,282.00 | 699.00 de. | 3,846.00 | 116.00 de. | 15,384.00 | 464.00 de. |
| Timothy Meadow - tons | 236.87 | 211.87 in. | 355.30 | 317.80 in. | 1,776.50 | 1,589.00 in. |
| Clover Meadow - tons | 81.00 | 71.00 in. | 162.00 | 142.00 in. | 810.00 | 710.00 in. |
| Prairie Meadow - tons | 8,799.00 | 2,357.00 in. | 10,559.00 | 2,828.60 in. | 31,677.00 | 8,485.80 in. |
| Timothy Pasture acres | 53.75 | 18.75 in. | ||||
| Clover Pasture - acres | ||||||
| Blue-Grass Pasture - acres | 49.25 | 14.00 in. | ||||
| Prairie Pasture - acres | 11,841.00 | 809.00 in. | ||||
| Total | 48,665.75 | 4,567.78 in. | $254,791.95 | $14,468.07 in. |
FINE YIELD. - Statement by S. N. Wood, Cottonwood Falls:
Winter Wheat. - Early May variety. J. S. Shipman, living near Elmdale, on Section 27, Township 19, Range 17, had 17 acres of wheat planted on land in the Cottonwood River bottom, black loam soil, which produced 38 1/2 bushels, machine measure, to the acre. It was drilled in September 12, fifty calves being pastured on it all winter, and harvested in June. The cost was $5 per acre.
Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs Sold during the Year. - Garden produce, $1,159.50; poultry and eggs, $1,164.
Old Corn on Hand. - Old corn on hand March 1, 1878, 116,604 bushels, or an average of 153 bushels to each family.
Dairy Products. - Number of cheese factories, 1; capital invested, $1,000. Manufactured in 1875, - lbs.; in 1878, 385 lbs., increase, 385 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1875, 93,112 lbs.; in 1878, 91,648 lbs., decrease, 1,464 lbs.
Farm Animals. - Number of horses, in 1877, 2,511; in 1878, 2,385; decrease, 126. Mules and asses, in 1877, 149; in 1878, 168; increase, 19. Milch cows, in 1877, 2,468; in 1878, 2,180; decrease, 288. Other cattle, in 1877, 7,520; in 1878, 9,880; increase, 2,360. Sheep, in 1877, 1,187; in 1878, 2,111; increase, 924. Swine, in 1877, 3,682; in 1878, 6,624; increase, 2,942.
Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 9; value of sheep killed by dogs, $27.
Wool. - Clip of 1877, 5,409 lbs.
Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of Animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $118,408.80.
Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 21.25. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 3,994; pear, 119; peach, 34,780; plum, 1,343, cherry, 1,874. Number of trees not in bearing: apple, 18,079; pear, 1,070; peach, 17,129; plum, 759; cherry, 2,460.
Herd Law. - The herd law is not in force in this county.
Fences. - Stone, 15,799 rods; cost, $31,598. Rail, 74,304 rods; cost, $107,740.80. Board, 29,975 rods; cost, $42,864.25. Wire, 14,533 rods; cost, $10,609.09. Hedge, 31,179 rods; cost, $15,589.50. Total rods of fence, 165,790; total cost, $208,401.64.
Apiaculture. - Number of stands of bees, 104; pounds of honey, 436.
Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $16,374
Manufactures. - Cottonwood township: steam saw mill, capital, $600; waterpower grist mill, capital, $10,000. Bazaar township: cheese factory, capital, $1,000. Diamond Creek township: steam saw mill, capital, $1,000; water power grist mill, capital $3,000. Cottonwood Falls: water grist mill, capital $10,000; stone dressing works, capital, $3,000.
Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $230,326.96; railroad property, $247,201.10; total assessed valuation of all property, $1,615,682.56; true valuation of all property, $2,692,804.27. Total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $69,550.60, per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, .04+.
Newspaper History. - May 30, 1859, S. N. Wood commenced the publication, at Cottonwood Falls, of the Kansas Press, and continued it till October of that year, when he removed the establishment to Council Grove, Morris county. The material afterwards went to Salina, and is still in use at some point in the state. No other paper was published in the county for about seven years.
In the summer of 1866, the Chase County Banner was started S. N. Wood, in the interest of woman suffrage, and was published by him until August, 1867, when the management devolved upon Theodore Alvord for about one year. Late in the fall of 1868 he retired, and the paper was continued by Wood until the spring of 1869, when several business men of Cottonwood Falls purchased it, and its publication was continued, with W. R. Brown and H. L. Hunt editors, until April, 1870, when it was finally discontinued, and the material was finally removed to Winfield, Cowley county. Republican in politics.
The Kansas Central Index was the next venture, but the date is not given. Frank J. Beck. Albert Follett and R. J. McClure were the proprietors. Subsequently it fell into the hands of Albert Yale and John Gifford, who removed it to Wichita in January, 1871. Republican in politics.
The Chase County Leader was established at Cottonwood Falls, February 6th, 1871, by W. A. Morgan, by whom it has since been continued. It is Republican in politics.
The Chase County Courant was established October 26, 1874, by J. C. Martin and W. E. Timmons September 1, 1876. W. E. Timmons assumed editorial control, and J. C. Martin became local editor. April 13, 1877, Martin again became associate editor with Timmons. May 15, 1878, Martin sold his interest to A. J. Crutchfield, and Timmons again became sole editor. July 13, 1878, Crutchfield retired, leaving Timmons as editor and propreitor. The Courant is Democratic in politics, having been originally Independent.
A couple of real estate papers have been published temporarily at Cottonwood Falls, but are now extinct.
Schools. - Number of organized districts, 37; school population, 1,647; average salary of teachers, per month, males, $35.33; females, $31.12. School houses built during 1878, none. Total number of school houses, 35; frame, 23; stone, 12. Value of all school property, $31,611. No shade trees reported.
Churches. - Baptist: organizations, 2; membership, 87. Congregational: organizations, 1; membership, 39; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $2,500. Episcopal: membership, 10. Methodist Episcopal: organizations, 16; membership, 415; church edifices, 2; value of church property, $6,800. Roman Catholic: organizations, 2; membership, 700; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $500. United Presbyterian: organizations, 1; membership, 22.
