Jefferson County

Jefferson county was organized in 1855.

Originally the land was the home of the Kanza Indian tribe where buffalo roamed. In 1827 Major Daniel M. Boone, son of famous Kentucky pioneer Daniel Boone, established Kansas' first settlement in Jefferson County. The United States Government established a reservation there for the Delaware Indians who were relocated from Indiana and Ohio. The "Old Military Trail" route through the county was used by the cavalry between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley.

Jefferson County is named in honor of former President Thomas Jefferson. It was Jefferson who acquired this parcel of land as a part of his famous Louisiana Purchase.

First settlements: Rock Creek township, 1854, by William B. Wade, Aaron Cook and Sidney Stewart; Kaw township, in the spring of 1854, R. P. Beeler, Jeff. Riddle, John Kuykendall and J. T. Wilson; Kentucky township, 1854, John Scaggs; Union township, March, 1855, Andrew Rice and family; Osawkie township, 1854, G. F. and Wm. Dyer; Jefferson township, 1854, T. Lamar and - Crobarger; Delaware township, December 25, 1854, Robert Riddle, James Frazer, A. L. Whitney and H. B. Jolly. - First church buildings erected: Rock Creek township, Meriden, 1877, Methodist; Kaw township, Grantville, 1868, Christian; Kentucky township, Rising Sun, 1858, Methodist; Osawkie township, German Baptist, date not given; Jefferson township, Winchester, 1866, Methodist; Delaware township, Valley Falls, formerly Grasshopper Falls, 1857, Lutheran - Rev. J. B. McAfee was the first pastor; in the townships where there are no church buildings the public school houses are used for religious worship. - First school houses: Rock Creek township, 1859, by district No. 19; Kaw township, 1863, district No. 37; Kentucky township, 1868, district No. 35; Union township, in the fall of 1856, built of logs, the citizens generally contributing in labor and material - it was located in what is now district No. 31; Osawkie township, 1865, districts Nos. 12 and 32; Jefferson township, by public subscription, near the site of the school house in the present district No. 20 - J. Hull taught the first school; Delaware township, 1857, Dr. L. Northrup - old claim house moved upon the town site of Grasshopper Falls, now Valley Falls; Sarcoxie township, 1869, districts Nos. 50, 51 and 70; Fairview township, 1869. - First marriages: Rock Creek township, Peter Stuart and Miss Dunn, 1856; Kaw township, James H. Jones and Martha H. Wilson, January 17, 1856; Kentucky township, J. Little, lady's name unknown, 1857; Union township, Austin Harvey and Miss Marshall, fall of 1856; Osawkie township, John Buzbee and Miss White, 1856; Delaware township, Alfred Corey and Martha Harvey, 1855. - First births: Kaw township, Ellen Morgan, December, 1855; Union township, Nancy E. Rice, December 4, 1855; Jefferson township, Ella Simmons, June 19, 1854; Delaware township, John Considine, Valley Falls, April, 1857. - First business established: Shields & Chubb, groceries, etc., Mt. Florence; Kaw township, general merchandise, J. S. Townsend; Kentucky township, Lutt & Shoner, grocery store, Rising Sun, 1858; Union township, Hugh Cameron, grocery store, 1856; Osawkie township, W. M. & G. Dyer, dry goods and groceries; Jefferson township, W. Reeboe, dry goods, Winchester; Delaware township, Wm. & R. H. Crosby. - First post offices: Mt. Florence, 1857, C. D. Shields, postmaster; Kaw township, Kaw City, James H. Jones, postmaster; Rural township, Williamstown, name since changed to Rural; Kentucky township, Rising Sun, L. Lutt, postmaster; Union township, Middletown, 1855, William Butler, postmaster; Osawkie township, Osawkie, 1854, G. Dyer, postmaster; Jefferson township, Scotland, 1854, - Butts, postmaster. - The first Territorial Legislature divided the Territory into counties, and appointed full sets of county officers. The officers for Jefferson county were O. B. Tebbs and N. B. Hopewell, County Commissioners; Franklin Finch, Probate Judge; W. F. Dyer, Treasurer; G. M. Dyer, Sheriff, and Marion Christison, Register. January 21, 1856, the County Board divided the county into townships. At the March meeting, same year, the first license was granted, that to Jefferson Riddle to maintain a ferry at Osawkie, paying for the privilege ten dollars a year. The first law suit in the county was in March, 1856, at Osawkie, before David R. Sprague, a justice of the peace. The following is an exact copy of the justice's docket entry.

Today, the spirit of the pioneer continues in one of the most beautiful parts of Kansas. Come visit Jefferson County..for the fun of it.