Harvey County, Kansas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

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Harvey County was created on March 07, 1872 from McPherson and Sedgwick Counties. The County Seat is Newton. The County was named for James M. Harvey (1833-1894), governor of Kansas and U.S. senator.

Counties adjacent to Harvey County are Marion County (northeast), Butler County (east), Sedgwick County (south), Reno County (west), McPherson County (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Halstead, Hesston, Newton, New Newton. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

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Records at the Harvey County Courthouse

See Also Kansas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link, by contacting the Phone number below for each department or contacting the County Courthouse at 8th & Main, P.O. Box 687, Newton, KS 67114-0000; Phone: (316) 284-6950. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Harvey County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 1886-1911, Marriage Records from 1872 and Death Records from 1886-1911.

The Register of Deeds shall have custody of and safely keep and preserve all the books, records, deeds, maps, papers and microphotographs deposited or kept in the office of the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds shall also record or cause to be recorded all deeds, mortgages, maps, instruments and writings authorized by law to be recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds and shall perform all other duties as are required by law.

Harvey County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1872. Phone 316-284-6950

The Register of Deeds shall have custody of and safely keep and preserve all the books, records, deeds, maps, papers and microphotographs deposited or kept in the office of the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds shall also record or cause to be recorded all deeds, mortgages, maps, instruments and writings authorized by law to be recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds and shall perform all other duties as are required by law.

Harvey County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1872 and Court Records from 1872.

The Clerk of Court is part of the Judicial Branch of local government and as such is required to maintain a record of all documents filed with the courts, keep a record of all court proceedings, and collect various fines and forfeitures ordered by the court and specified by statute.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Kansas Election List, 1854: Listing of voters from Kansas in 1854 taken from Congressional report in 1856
  • Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856: Voter registration lists from the territory of Kansas between 1854 and 1856
  • Kansas Settlers, 1854-1879: Listing of over 3200 early settlers of Kansas
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Harvey County, Kansas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Harvey County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

For the most part, tax records remain at the local level. Assessment and tax rolls are kept, permanently, by the County Treasurer's office.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Harvey County Treasurers Office
    The County Treasurer's Office by Kansas State law is responsible for the tax billing, collection and distribution of tax money for the State, County, Cities and all other taxing entities that levy Ad Valorem and/or special assessment taxes.
  • Harvey County, Kansas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Harvey County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Kansas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! All Fees below cover a five-year record search – one certified copy is issued if the record is found and if not found, the fee is retained. You will receive either the certified copy or a letter explaining the search conducted and that no record was located. All Request Filled requests take 2-4 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death) or 2-5 Days when you order ONLINE.

Office of Vital Statistics, 1000 S W Jackson, Suite 110, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-1400 Info; (785) 296-3253. They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: In Kansas, Birth certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds birth records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
    • Delayed Certificates of Birth: are on file with dates of birth dating back to the 1860's. In 1940, statutory authority was received by the Office which allowed individuals still alive in 1940 and later with no prior birth record filed to submit certain documentation to file a Delayed Certificate of Birth. A request for a Delayed Certificate of Birth is made in the same manner as one for a regular birth certificate – just specify the date of birth. If the date specified is between the late 1860's and July 1, 1911, a Delayed Certificate of Birth search will be conducted.
  • Death Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds death records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $13.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $8 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Marriage Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office May 1, 1913. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds marriage records before May 1, 1913.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Divorces: Divorce Certificates began being filed with this office July 1, 1951. The divorce decree is not filed with this office. The decree is the court document detailing the settlement of the divorce. The divorce certificate is completed by the plaintiff's attorney and contains only basic information – names of husband and wife, date of marriage, date of divorce, etc. Certified copies of divorce decrees are obtained from the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
    • Cost: $12.00 is the cost for the search, which includes one copy of the divorce certificate, if found. Additional copies of the same record, requested at the same time as the first, are $7.00 each.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service
  • Order In Person: Go to Curtis State Office Bldg., 1000 SW Jackson, Ste. 120, Topeka, KS 66612. Open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays.Payment made by cash, check, money order, or credit card.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Kansas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-73: 22,000 records of Kansas marriages extracted from LDS records and newspapers
  • Harvey County, Kansas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Harvey County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Kansas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Harvey County, Kansas are 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Harvey County, Kansas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Kansas Census, 1850-90: This database contains indexes to the Kansas (U.S.A.) portions of the 1850-18700 U.S. Federal Censuses as well as to the 1855-1859 state and territorial census, and the 1890 Veterans Schedules. Information contained in these indexes can include name, state, county, township, year of record, and name of record set.
  • Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1915: This database contains state censuses for Kansas from 1855-1915. Information available in this database includes: name, age, gender, race, relationship to head of household, birthplace, marital status, and place of enumeration. Additional information about an individual may be listed on the original record.
  • Kansas Territorial Census, 1855: Index to persons whose names appear in the Kansas Territorial Census of 1855
  • Census Online - Kansas Census Records
  • The USGenWeb Archives Kansas CENSUS IMAGES PROJECT
  • Harvey County, Kansas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Harvey County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Kansas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Kansas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Kansas Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Maps. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Harvey County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Kansas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Harvey County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Kansas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Harvey County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 75, Newton, Kansas 67114-0075
  • Harvey County Historical Society, P.O. Box 4, Newton 67114
  • Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka KS 66615-1099
  • Kansas State Genealogical Society, 2109 Twentieth Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566
  • Kansas Genealogical Society, PO Box 103, 700 Avenue G and Vine Street, Dodge City, KS 67801; (620) 225-1951
  • National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kansas.)
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Kansas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Harvey County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Kansas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Harvey County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Harvey County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The earliest churches were established among the native tribes settled in Kansas long before it was organized as a territory. The Methodist, Baptist, Society of Friends, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches all had early missions which grew as the white settlers immigrated.

There is no central registry of cemetery locations in Kansas. The Woman's Kansas Day Club has identified and located many Kansas cemeteries. The project's results are at the Kansas State Historical Society which has additional collections of published cemetery inscriptions, though not comprehensive, listed in their card catalog.

The Register of Deeds in each county is often able to assist in locating cemeteries. Certain maps distributed by the Kansas Department of Transportation show the location of known cemeteries in relation to county roads.

Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Harvey County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Harvey County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

  • Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
  • Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
  • Sites on USGenweb: [ Harvey County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
  • Harvey County USGenweb Archives
  • [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
  • Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
  • Kansas Family Group Sheets
  • Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
  • Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
  • Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
  • Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
  • Harvey County, Kansas Family Books at Amazon.com
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Extended History

 

Transcribed from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912.

Harvey County, named for James M. Harvey, who was governor of Kansas at the time it was organized, is located in the western part of the eastern half of the state, the third county from the Oklahoma line and the sixth from the State of Missouri. It is bounded on the north by McPherson and Marion counties; on the east by Marion and Butler; on the south by Sedgwick, and on the west by Reno, and is crossed a little east of the center by the 6th principal meridian.

The first bona fide settler in the county was H. Nieman, who came in 1869. He was followed in the same year by Walter M. Munch, William Lawrence, Hubbard Wilcox, William McOwen, Charles Schaefer, John N. Corgan, W. T. Wetherel, John Wright and S. Decker. About 60 new settlers came the next year, and the list of members of the Old Settler's association gives the names of 51 persons who located within the bounds of the county in 1871. In the fall of that year agitation for organization of a new county brought about a division in the Republican party in Sedgwick county. The delegates from Newton, which was at that time in Sedgwick county, were cut down in the convention from 7 to 3. This caused the whole delegation, together with those from Black Kettle and Grant townships, to withdraw. They nominated a separate ticket, which was partially elected.

In December of that year a convention was held at Newton to arrange plans for a separate organization. The plan of taking three townships from McPherson, three from Marion and ten from Sedgwick county, with Newton as the county seat, was adopted by those present and was carried into effect by act of the legislature a few weeks later. Gov. Harvey appointed the following officers to serve temporarily: Clerk, W. H. Daily; treasurer, C. D. Munger; probate judge, A. Markwell; register of deeds, R. H. Brown; sheriff, W. B. Chamberlain; coroner, C. C. Furley; county attorney, C. S. Bowman; clerk of the district court, J. B. Cunningham; county surveyor, W. Brown; superintendent of public instruction, Ellen Webster; county commissioners, A. G. Richardson, Amos Prouty and J. R. Skinner.

The first election was held in May, 1872. Newton was made the county seat and all the officers appointed by the governor were elected with the exception of J. R. Skinner, county commissioner, whose place was filled by B. Thompson. The first act of the commissioners was to divide the county into civil townships and give them names. Each one was made the size of a Congressional township, and they were named as follows: Alta, Burrington, Darlington, Emma, Garden, Halstead, Lake, Lakin, Macon, Newton, Pleasant, Richlaud and Sedgwick. On a petition, signed by three-fourths of the citizens in the townships of Highland and Walton, they were added to Harvey county by act of the legislature in March, 1873.

From the time of organization until the fall of 1875. the county affairs are said to have been very badly, if not criminally, managed. No records were kept of the transactions of the officers, even the minutes of the meetings of the commissioners being omitted, and most of the important papers which should have been on file were missing. It was charged that large amounts of money had been wrongly used, and warrants paid without the sanction of law. Indignation meetings were held all over the county and attempts were made to investigate the matter, but it was found impossible to do so on account of the way the books had been kept.

In 1872 the immigration of the Mennonites began. The large influx of these people followed an investigation on the part of advance committees, which determined upon Harvey county as a suitable locality in which to settle. This was a very important circumstance in the growth of the county, as they are a thrifty and industrious class of citizens, and they have contributed toward the general prosperity of all lines of business.

The first church building was erected in Halstead township in 1877 by the Mennonites. The first school house was built in Sedgwick in 1870, the first flour mill erected by the Sedgwick Steam Power company in 1871, and the first death was that of of an unknown man who was shot in 1870. The first births occurred in the summer of 1870, one being in the French colony on Turkey creek, and the other being Rosa A., daughter of Charles Schaefer. The first marriages were in 1871, one in Lake township between H. Baumann and a Miss Wheeler, and the other in Richland township between Horace Gardner and Hettie Thero. Among the first business concerns was the grocery store of James McMnrray, established in 1871, in Lake township. The first postoffice was established in 1870 in Sedgwick with T. S. Floyd as postmaster.

There were numerous destructive prairie fires in the early '70s. One in Richland township in 1871 did a great deal of damage, and another in Emma township two years later destroyed considerable property. A terrific storm visited the whole county in June, 1871, destroying the growing crops, and another on Oct. 30 of the same year killed hundreds of cattle which were grazing in the open. In common with other parts of the state the settlers were made practically destitute by the grasshoppers in 1874.

As early as 1872 the Harvey County Agricultural and Mechanical society was organized. Its first fair was held at Newton in 1873. The Old Settler's association was organized in 1888, with Walter M. Munch, who came in 1869, as its first president. Lodges, fraternal organizations and churches were formed early throughout the county. School buildings were erected so rapidly that in 1877, seven years from the time the first one was built, there were 66 school houses.

The first railroad built through the county was the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, completed in 1871. This road enters in the northeast from Marion county, runs in a southwesterly direction to Newton, and thence west into Reno county. At Newton a branch diverges southward into Sedgwick county. Bonds to the amount of $200,000 were issued by the county for the building of the branch to Wichita, which was constructed in 1871, by the Wichita & Southwestern Railroad company, made up of local capitalists. A branch of the Missouri Pacific R. R. from Eldorado enters in the southeast, crosses due northwest through Newton and into McPherson county. A line of the St. Louis & San Francisco system crosses the southwest corner, passing through Burrton and Patterson, and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific crosses the extreme southeast corner.

The postoffices in Harvey county are as follows: Newton, the county seat, where there is a fine government building, Annelly, Burrton, Halstead, Hesston, Patterson, Sedgwick and Walton.

The general surface of the county is prairie, with sand hills in the extreme northwest, and somewhat rolling in the southeast. It has an unusual abundance of streams, its water system consisting of the Little Arkansas river and its numerous branches. The Little Arkansas enters in the northwest corner and flows east a few miles where it is joined by Crooked creek and other streams. From this point it flows southeast, being joined at different points by Black Kettle, Emma and Sand creeks. In the eastern part of the county are Jester and West creeks. The bottom lands along the streams average from one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile in width and comprise 30 per cent. of the area, which is above the average in Kansas and makes this a fine farming district. The timber belts are from a few rods to one-fourth of a mile in width and contain a number of varieties of wood—walnut, cottonwood, elm, hackberry, ash, elm, box-elder, mulberry and sycamore.

Magnesian limestone is found in limited quantities in the northeast and clay of a good quality for brick near Newton. Gypsum abounds in the eastern portion, and salt in large quantities underlies the southeastern section.

As an agricultural county Harvey ranks high, although its area is much less than those surrounding it. It covers but 540 miles or 345,000 acres, three-fourths of which have been brought under cultivation. The annual output from the farms averages above $3,000,000, which would do credit to a much larger county. The oats crop in 1910 was worth $500,000; wheat, $200,000; corn, $500,000; tame grass, $200,000; wild grass, $150,000; animals sold for slaughter, $800,000. Other important agricultural items are poultry and eggs, dairy produce and potatoes. The assessed valuation of property in 1910 was $34,248,225, and the population was 19,200.

The financial matters of the county government are in a remarkably fine condition, it being one of the few counties in this or any other state to have absolutely no indebtedness. This condition of affairs has not been brought about by failure to make public improvements, as a new $60,000 court-house was built a short time ago without bonding the county.

County Courthouse

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