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McPherson County, Kansas

McPherson County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

In honor of Major-General James B. McPherson, United States Volunteers, who was killed in battle at Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

McPherson County, one of the best wheat producing counties of the state, is located a little to the south of the center of the state, and in the first tier of counties west of the 6th principal meridian. It is bounded on the north by Saline county; on the east by Marion; on the south by Harvey and Reno, and on the west by Rice and Ellsworth. The Santa Fe trail ran through McPherson county and the first ranch for the accommodation of travelers was established on the east branch of Turkey creek, about 7 miles east of the present city of McPherson, in 1855. It was kept by Charles Fuller. The first settler was Isaac Sharp, who took a claim in the winter of 1860 on the creek which bears his name. He brought with him his father and mother from Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sharp died and was buried on the creek. Sharp trapped, hunted and traded with the Indians. When the war broke out and the Indians became troublesome he moved to Council Grove. It is interesting to note that when Sharp became a candidate for governor ten years later that out of 198 votes cast in McPherson county he received but one or two. From the time of Sharp there were no settlements of any consequence for several years, although the county was visited by trappers and traders. One of these, Lewis by name, located a claim on the Smoky Hill river, which he improved to some extent. A man by the name of Peters located on Sharp's creek, but died shortly afterward. A man by the name of Wheeler built a stone corral at the crossing of the Santa Fe trail over the Little Arkansas river in 1865. The next year Col. Grierson with the Seventh Kansas cavalry encamped with his troops at this place. They built a stockade of cottonwood logs for a headquarters, and put up huts to live in.

McPherson county was originally a part of Peketon county, which was established in 1860 and contained all the territory in Kansas west of the 6th principal meridian and south of township 16. This county was abolished in 1865 and McPherson was made a township of Marion county, which covered a territory similar to Peketon, except that its eastern boundary extended to the west line of Chase county.

The city and county of McPherson were named for General James Birdseye McPherson, the highest ranking Union officer to die on the battlefield during the Civil War.

Geography

The general surface of the county is rolling prairie, somewhat broken in the north and level in the central part. Bottom lands, which comprise 7 per cent. of the total area, average from one-half to one mile in width. The timber belts along the streams are a few rods in width and contain cottonwood, box-elder, ash, oak, mulberry, hackberry, coffee-bean and willow. The Little Arkansas crosses the southwestern corner, and the Smoky Hill river flows through the northwestern section. There are a number of fair sized creeks, among which are Sharp's, Gypsum, Blaze, Turkey, Black Kettle, Emma and Crooked. Limestone, sandstone and gypsum are abundant.
 

Neighboring Counties:

• Saline County (north)
• Dickinson County (northeast)
• Marion County (east)
• Harvey County (southeast)
• Reno County (southwest)
• Rice County (west)
• Ellsworth County (northwest)

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

McPherson County - KS-Cyclopedia - 1912
 

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