Data Concerning Cowley County
[COWLEY COUNTY.]
TRAVELER, MARCH 15, 1876.
From the Kansas State Agricultural Report of 1875.
Organized in 1870. Named in honor of Mathew Cowley, First Lieut. of Co. I, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, who died in the service, August, 1864, at Little Rock, Arkansas. Square miles, 1,112. Population to square mile, 8.06. Population in 1860, 158; in 1870, 1,170; increase in ten years, 1,017; population in 1875, 8,963: increase in five years, 7,788. Increase in fifteen years, 8,805.
POPULATION: TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES - 1875.
BEAVER 376
CRESWELL 727
LIBERTY 293
OMNIA 188 [?]
RICHLAND 545
SILVER CREEK 242
TISDALE 387
WINFIELD 1,201
BOLTON 537
DEXTER 410
MAPLE 257
OTTER 427
ROCK CREEK 659
SILVER DALE 301
VERNON 512
CEDAR 200
HARVEY 281
NINNESCAH 266
PLEASANT VALLEY 291
SHERIDAN 284
SPRING CREEK 218
WINDSOR 216
NATIVITY: Born in the United States, 8,550; in Germany, 91; in Ireland, 59; in England and Wales, 75; in Scotland, 29; in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, 22; in France, 8; in North of Europe, 2; in Italy, 4; in South of Europe, 8; in British America, 119; in countries not specified, 5.
SEX: Males, 4,839; females, 4, 124.
WHERE FROM TO KANSAS.
ALABAMA 9
ARKANSAS 57
CALIFORNIA 18
COLORADO 7
CONNECTICUT 14
GEORGIA 5
ILLINOIS 1,891
INDIANA 911
IOWA 1,150
KENTUCKY 353
LOUISIANA 4
MAINE 38
MARYLAND 8
MASSACHUSETTS 18
MICHIGAN 142
MINNESOTA 89
MISSISSIPPI 11
MISSOURI 1,309
NEBRASKA 52
NEVADA 10
NEW HAMPSHIRE 3
NEW JERSEY 13
NEW YORK 83
NORTH CAROLINA 25
OHIO 492
OREGON 8
PENNSYLVANIA 123
RHODE ISLAND 2
TENNESSEE 69
TEXAS 50
VERMONT 2
VIRGINIA 38
WEST VIRGINIA 17
WISCONSIN 101
DIST. OF COLUMBIA AND THE
TERRITORIES 25
GERMANY 10
IRELAND 3
ENGLAND AND WALES 8
SWEDEN, NORWAY, DENMARK 2
OTHER SOUTH OF EUROPE 2
BRITISH AMERICA 11
BORN IN KANSAS, 1,607; NOT OTHERWISE STATED, 23.
OCCUPATION. There are 1,969, or 82.1 percent, engaged in agricultuure; 176, or 7.3 percent, in professional and personal service; 84, or 8.5 percent in trade and transportation; 169, or 7 percent, in manufactures and mining.
COUNTY SEAT. Winfield, the county seat is 144 miles in an air line from Topeka, in a southwesterly direction.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY. Bottom lands, 33 percent; upland, 6 percent; forest 6 percent; prairie, 54 percent. [? THIS MAKES ONLY 99 PERCENT...NOT 100%. ?]
Average width of bottoms:
Arkansas river, five miles.
Walnut river, two miles.
Grouse, Dutch, and Rock creeks, one mile ech.
General surface of the country west of the Walnut, smooth and level, with very slight undulations; the eastern part of the county is undulating, and along the streams bluffy.
TIMBER. Width of timber belt of the Arkansas, one-eighth of a mile. Varieties: cottonwood and sycamore. On the Walnut, one quarter mile. Varieties: walnut, oak, and hackberry. On Grouse creek, one quarter-mile. On Timber and Rock creeks, one-eighth of a mile. Varieties: walnut, oak, and hackberry.
PRINCIPAL STREAMS.
Arkansas river, running southeast; principal tributaries, Walnut and Grouse, running south.
Tributaries of the Walnut are Rock, Dutch, and Timber creeks; direction, southwest.
Tributary to Grouse, Silver creek; direction, southeast.
The county is well supplied with springs. Good well water, east of Walnut, 15 to 25 feet; west of Walnut, 15 to 40 feet.
COAL. Coal is stated to have been found in the southeastern part of the county, but none has been developed.
BUILDING STONE, ETC. East of the Arkansas, inexhaustible quantities of best quality magnesia limestone are found.
RAILROAD CONNECTIONS. No railroad yet constructed.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Acres in the county, 718,080.
Taxable acres, 338,923 [? could be 358,923 ?].
Under cultivation, 101,308.33.
Cultivated to taxable acres, 28.22 percent.
Increase of cultivated acres during the year, 32,180.33.
DAIRY PRODUCTS. Cheese manufactured in 1875, 300 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1870, 4,412 lbs.; in 1875, 161,082 lbs. Increase, 156,670 lbs.
FARM ANIMALS.
Number of horses, in 1870, 791; in 1875, 3,786. Increase, 2,945.
Number of mules and asses in 1870, 60; in 1875, 569. Increase, 509.
Number of cattle in 1870, 1,918; in 1875, 11,876. Increase, 9,959.
Number of sheep in 1870, 1,130; in 1875, 1,726. Increase, 596.
Number of swine in 1870, 234; in 1875, 8,092. Increase, 7,858.
DOGS.
Number of dogs in the county, 1,477.
Number of sheep killed by dogs, 13.
Value of sheep killed by dogs, $30.29.
Number of sheep killed by wolves, 12.
Value of sheep killed by wolves, $27.96.
HORTICULTURE. Acres of nurseries, 255.18; orchards 1,795.12; vineyards, 21.68.
APIACULTURE. Number of stands of bees, 14; pounds of honey, 130; wax, 10.
FENCES.
Stone, 13,909 rods; cost, $31,295.25.
Rail, 124,189 rods; cost, $176,969.32.
Board, 32,136 rods; cost, $53,924.40.
Wire, 17,000 rods; cost $12,750.00.
Hedge, 135,986 rods; cost $67,993.60
Total rods of fence, 323,220; total cost $342,031.97.
WATER POWERS. The Walnut furnishes good and reliable water power, except for a short period during the dryest part of the season. Three mills are now supplied.
MANUFACTURES.
CRESWELL TOWNSHIP. Steam saw mill and two water power grist mills; capital not given.
SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP. Steam lumber and grist mill; capital, $1,700.
WINFIELD TOWNSHIP. Steam saw mill; three water-power grist mills; capital, $14,500. One brewery.
LAZETTE TOWNSHIP. One grist and one saw mill; capital not given.
SILVERDALE TOWNSHIP. One saw and grist mill; capital not stated.
BANKS.
Arkansas City Bank, Arkansas City.
Cowley County Bank, Arkansas City.
Banking house of M. L. Reed, Winfield.
Winfield Bank of J. C. Fuller, Winfield.
The total amount of capital of these banks is $51,300.
BUSINESS HOUSES OF PRINCIPAL TOWN.
WINFIELD.
Agricultural implements and wagons: 4.
Books, periodicals, and stationery: 1.
Boots and shoes: 1.
Clothing and tailoring: 1.
Dry goods: 1.
Drugs, oils, and paints: 9.
Furniture and upholstery: 3.
Groceries: 7.
Gunsmiths: 1.
Jewelry, clocks, watches, etc.: 3.
Lumber: 4.
Millinery: 5.
Merchandise, general country store: 13.
Saddles and harness: 4.
Sewing machines: 1.
NEWSPAPERS.
There are four weekly papers.
1. Winfield Courier.
2. Winfield Plow and Anvil.
3. Cowley County Telegram, Winfield.
4. Arkansas City Traveler, Arkansas City.
SCHOOLS, ETC.
Organized school districts: 108.
School houses: 58.
Value of school buildings and grounds, furniture and
apparatus: $63,476.
CHURCHES.
Presbyterian: Organizations--3. Membership 116, church edifice, 2. Valuation: $7,000.
Congregational: Organizations--1. Membership 31, edifices 1, valuation $2,000.
Methodist: Organizations--6. Membership 218, church edifices $2,500.
Catholic: Organizations--2. Membership 200.
LIBRARIES. One public and 10 [? could read 30 ?] private libraries, aggregating 4,631 volumes, are reported in six townships of the 22 in the county.
MISCELLANEOUS. Produce of gardens marketed, $435.10; poultry and eggs sold, $2,613. Number of pounds of wool produced, 4,337.
Vacant lands are worth from $1.50 to $6.00 per acre.
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[PERSONALS.]
TRAVELER, MAY 10, 1876.
STATISTICS OF CRESWELL TOWNSHIP, COWLEY COUNTY, FOR THE YEAR 1875.
NUMBER OF INHABITANTS: 740.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN CULTIVATION: 7,553.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN WHEAT: 2,760.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN CORN: 1,760.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN MILLET: 167.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN SORGHUM: 10.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN IRISH POTATOES: 54.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN OATS: 424.
NUMBER OF ACRES IN RYE: 90.
NUMBER OF FRUIT TREES SET OUT IN ALL: 29,000.
NO. POUNDS OF BUTTER MADE IN FAMILY: 13,550.
VALUE OF ANIMALS SLAUGHTERED: $3,089.00.
NUMBER OF HORSES ON MARCH 1, 1876: 397.
NUMBER OF MULES ON MARCH 1, 1876: 57.
NUMBER OF HOGS ON MARCH 1, 1876: 496.
NUMBER OF SHEEP ON MARCH 1, 1876: 13.
NUMBER OF COWS ON MARCH 1, 1876: 311.
NUMBER OF CATTLE OF OTHER KINDS IN 1876: 386.
[PUZZLING! START OUT WITH 1875...ENDS UP WITH NUMBERS IN 1876?]
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[COURIER ITEMS.]
TRAVELER, MAY 24, 1876.
The newspapers are making war on railroad fares to the centennial. Let the war grow hotter till reason prevails, and half fare is reached.
The Republicans of Silver Dale township selected for central committee the following gentlemen: L. Lippman, chairman; John Tipton, secretary, and William Herber, treasurer--all good, active men.
An incident of the high water in the Grouse valley, near Dexter, was the refuge taken by fifteen persons, two mules, and three horses upon a straw stack, to which they were driven, the water rising four feet 'round the base.
Sheridan township comes to the front with 2,500 acres of wheat, 2,575 acres of corn. These "figures won't lie," as they were taken from the returns of Hank Clay, the "worthy and well qualified" township assessor. This is pretty good for Sheridan, considering the fact that it is one of the smallest townships in the county.
The farmers of Grouse valley suffered a great deal of damage by the flood two weeks ago. The principal harm arises from the loss of plowed soil and planted corn. In many cases the current of high water swept across farms and carried away whole fields of soil down to unplowed soil.
BIG GAINS. The assessment rolls are not all in, but we have seen a few of them. A very marked increase in the development of the county is shown over last year, however. In the matter of winter wheat breadth the largest gain is shown.
In Rock, 4,435 against 2,051 in 1875.
In Richland, 1,728 against 764 in 1875.
In Otter, 1,519 against 904 in 1875.
In Beaver, 2,333 against 1,434 in 1875.
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[FROM THE COURIER.]
TRAVELER, JUNE 7, 1876.
Cowley county has 60,864 bearing peach trees.
The returns show 362 acres of flax growing in Cowley county.
It is time something was being done about replcing the bridges across the Walnut river and Timber creek.
Cowley county has over 400,000 fruit trees set out into orchards. Somebody has been busy during the past five years.
S. M. Fall and P. M. Pickering walked into the Courier ranche to chat over what "might have been" on railroads, and to say that Windsor was red hot for anything to break the present
unpleasantness.
GONE TO P. Quite a delegation from Winfield this week for the Centennial. On Wednesday M. L. Read and wife, M. L. Robinson and wife, Frank Williams, Mrs. Maris and granddaughter, Mrs. Powers, Mrs. Boyer, Mrs. Mullin, and J. C. Franklin lit out.
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[PERSONALS.]
TRAVELER, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1876.
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The following agricultural implements have been sold at this place during the year 1876.
30 Harvesters.
24 Headers.
4 Threshing Machines.
1 Steam Thresher.
9 Combined Reapers and Mowers.
1 Self-Binder.
87 Breakers.
52 Cultivators.
16 Gang and Sulky Plows.
53 Stirring Plows.
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AUGUST 26, 1880.
In the late distribution of the State school fund, Cowley is the seventh county in order of those receiving the greatest sums. It gives forty-seven cents for each person of school age. The following are the leading counties in the order of amount
received.
Leavenworth ..... $5,300.
Shawnee ......... 3,736.
Doniphan ........ 3,665.
Atchison ........ 3,545.
Labette ......... 3,418.
Bourbon ......... 3,294.
Cowley .......... 3,184.
Montgomery ...... 3,117.
Johnson ......... 3,090.
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[COWLEY COUNTY MAP AND STATISTICS FOR 1880.]
TRAVELER, AUGUST 24, 1881 - SAME PAGE AS PERSONALS.
NOTE: A MAP IS DEPICTED OF COWLEY COUNTY, SHOWING INDIAN TERRITORY TO THE SOUTH.
COWLEY COUNTY STATISTICS FOR 1880.
Population: 21,539
Acreage: 718,000 [? 718,080 ?]
Acres in cultivation: 179,691
Value of crops: $1,145,915.14
Assessed value of all property: $2,945,381.36
Real value of same: $4,908,968.90
Total indebtedness: $297,182
No. of school districts: 126
No. of school houses: 105
No. of church edifices: 11
Cowley county has six newspapers, of which the TRAVELER is the oldest, and in other aspects fully equal to any in the county.
Taxable acres: 442,090
Farm Animals--Horses, 7,479; mules and asses, 1,619; sheep 21,769; swine, 39,622 [? 89,622 ?].
Wool clip: 30,658 pounds.
Dairy Products: Cheese, 4,425 lbs.; butter, 319,973 lbs.
Garden Products: $12,489.
Poultry and Eggs: $10,032.
Bees: 118 stands; honey, 1,155 lbs.
Acres in nurseries: 71
Artificial Timber. Several townships report six to twelve large groves of cottonwood, mainly; a few of maple, box elder, walnut, willow, and catalpa; the groves ranging from two to five acres each, average not over three acres. One township reports 63 acres; another 50, and others a little less; besides, farmers are planting a great many trees for shade and windbreaks, as well as for ornamental purposes.
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[APPORTIONMENT OF STATE SCHOOL FUND.]
MARCH 3, 1881.
Leavenworth Times: The apportionment of the state school fund to the various counties of the state has just been made, the amount paid out being 35 cents per capita; i.e., 35 cents per child. Cowley county, with 7,454 children, receives $2,608.
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THE WINFIELD COURIER MARCH 24, 1881.
WINFIELD MARKETS. This past week has shown more activity in trade. Merchants are opening up new and desirable spring goods, and are jubilant over the prospects of an early and prosperous trade. We quote wheat today at 75 cents for No. 2; 72 cents for No. 3; rejected 6 cents; corn 33 to 35 cents; oats 33 to 35 cents. The produce market is active: butter in demand at 15 cents; eggs at 10 cents; potatoes 75 cents and $1.00 for table use. Live chickens in demand at $1.50 to $2.00 per dozen; dressed chickens more active and higher prices. We quote dressed chickens at 7 cents; turkeys 8 cents. Sheep pelts, 25 cents to $1.00 each. Wood, dry, $4.50 to $5.50; green $4.00; very little on the market. Coal, soft, $6.50 to $7.00; hard, $16.00. Hay, very scarce, owing to the bad condition of the roads; prices advanced to $6.00 and $7.00 per ton.
The stock market remains unchanged. Butchers have no trouble to supply their markets with good stock, at prices from 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cents per pound for cows; 3 to 3-1/2 cents for steers. Hogs $4.00 to $4.50, shippers' prices. Spring seeds, retail prices: seed oats, 45 to 50 cents; corn, white and yellow, 75 cents to $1.00; grass seeds, clover, $7.50; timothy, $3.50; blue grass, $2.00; flax, $1.50 to $1.80; millet, $1.20 to $1.50; Osage hedge, 30 cents per lb.; onion sets, 40 cents per qt. Early northern seed potatoes, all varieties, $2.00 per bushel; home stock, $1.50. Sweet potatoes for seed $2,00. Market well supplied with garden seeds of all kinds. Telegram.
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