Volume 15 , Issue 11

Counties of Kansas (1886)

In the Western Kansas World, dated Saturday, 23 January 1886, page 7, was this "Counties of Kansas" origin of their names and the date of their organization, by Colonel H. Inman. Beginning with Allen county and continuing to Woodson. There were unorganized counties: Sherman, Cheyenne, St. John, Greeley, Scott, Wallace, Lane, Gove, and others mentioned in this article.

Just to name a few, let us begin with Chautauqua county, which was organized in 1875, created out of a portion of what was first Godfrey county, named after "Bill Godfrey," a noted trader among the Osage's, then Howard county, in honor of Major General O. O. Howard for his efforts in behalf of the colored race.

Elk county was organized in 1875, created out of the northern portion of what had been Howard county. Named for the Elk river which traverses its area from northwest to southeast.

Leavenworth county was organized in 1855, the most prominent military post in the west. It was established in 1827 and was named after General Leavenworth, of the United States army.

Pratt county was first organized in 1873, but not reorganized in consequence of the most outrageous frauds. Organized constitutionally in 1879. Named in memory of Caleb Pratt, second lieutenant of Co. "D." First Kansas infantry, killed in action 10 August 1861, at wilson's Creek, Missouri.

Atchison county was organized in 1855, and named for David R. Atchison, a senator from Missouri, and president of the United States senate at the date of the passage of the act for the organization of the Territory of Kansas. He was a zealous partisan leader in the discussions and movements affecting the interests of slavery and its attempted establishment in the new state to be created. He was conspicuous among the mob at the sacking of Lawrence on the 21st of May, 1856.

Barber county was organized in 1873, in honor of Thomas W. Barber, a free state settler of Douglas county, who was killed in consequence of the political troubles, near Lawrence, December 6, 1855.

Butler county was organized in 1855, for Andrew P. Butler, who was twelve years a United States senator from South carolina, from 1857 to 1869. He was a bitter partisan and a zealous advocate of the right of the south to introduce slavery into the Territory of Kansas.

We shall end with Douglass county, which was organized in 1855, in honor of Stephen A. Douglas, United States senator form Illinois, and a candidate for the presidency in 1860. It was in this county that the first legislature located the capital of the Territory. As a senator, Douglas, in 1854 took a leading part in securing the adoption of the "popular sovereignty" principle, in the act organizing Kansas territory, which gave the particular form to the issue involved in the Kansas struggle.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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