Russell County

The first school established in Russell County, was a private school in the town of Russell, in July 1871. It was supported by the colonists who located at Russell in April of that year. This school was kept in a small frame building, erected by the colonists for school purposes. It was large enough to accommodate all the pupils there were to attend, because, while the colony numbered about seventy souls, only five families came with it, and only two of these had children of school age. Of this little school Mrs. Annas, wife of Rev. A. H. Annas, was […]

In population, the county has advanced rather slowly, some years being quite progressive and others retrogressive. In 1870, the population of the county was 156, and this was confined entirely to a small locality in the neighborhood of the coal banks on the Smoky at the eastern line of the county. The population at that time was composed of men who were brought to the county for the purpose of opening up coal mines, and outside of these there was not a settler in the county at the time the census was taken in 1870. By 1875, the population had

The first newspaper in the county was established in April 1872, but ante-dating its appearance, a small monthly journal was published and issued by Harbough & Corbett, which was devoted entirely to land business, and was named the Pioneer. That publication, however, is not entitled to any place in the history of the press of the county, as it was an advertising sheet exclusively. The Western Kansas Plainsman was the first newspaper established in the county, having been started by A. B. Cornell, in April 1872, at Russell, the first issue of the paper appearing on the twenty-fifth of that

County Officers, 1883 Commissioners; Charles Shaffer, J. B. Vanscoyc, Charles Wolcott, County Clerk; C. M. Harshberger (sic) District Clerk; J. S. Chadbourne Treasurer; C. P. Copeland Probate Judge; O. L. Atherton Register of Deeds; G. H. Johnson County Attorney; W. G. Eastland Superintendent of Public Instruction; J. B. Corbett Sheriff; W. H. Dewey Surveyor; S. L. Austin Coroner; N. I. Sturdevant Post Offices in County1883 Office Township Postmaster Bunker Hill Center W. H. Biays Blue Stem Fairview Mr. Townsend Dorrance Plymouth E. W. Davis East Wolf Fairview L. D. Hibbard Fairport Paradise D. V. Caldwell Forest Hill Center Jehiel Forrest

Prior to 1869, Russell County was without a settler. In July of that year, one A. E. Mathews settled on a claim at the eastern edge of the county about three miles southwest of Wilson. About that time coal had been discovered in that locality, and the object of Mathews settling there was more to engage in coal mining than farming. Be that as it may, he was the first white person to take up a residence within the borders of Russell County. In November 1870, C. M. Harshburger (sic), James Dorman, James Haight and Samuel Janes, took claims on

Russell is the seat of justice of the county, and has been since 1874. The town is located on the east half of Section 27, Township 13, south of Range 14, west of the Sixth Principal Meridian. The town was founded by the Northwestern Colony Association, whose headquarters were, formerly, at Ripon, Wis. The Association consisted chiefly, if not entirely, of Wisconsin people, and hence, it has been frequently designated the Wisconsin Colony. This colony arrived at what is now Russell, but what at that time was known as Fossil Station, on the 19th day of April 1871. The business

To all intents and purposes, Russell is a prairie county, and for miles and miles, not a sign of a tree or bush can be seen., Standing upon the highest point in the vicinity of the county seat, which is located very near the geographical center of the county, one sees nothing but a wide extent of prairie to the north, south, east and west, with nothing to break the monotony of the view, but a house here and there at long intervals. Stretch the vision to the farthest extent, and one will look in vain to catch a glimpse

The following 31 biographies were extracted from the History of the State of Kansas, 1883 and pertain specifically to Russell County. Ackerman, Theodore Banker, Louis Banks, W. E. Beemer, D. S. Bradbury, J. M. Bradshaw, George T. Chadbourne, J. S. Copeland, Charles P. Dixon, James J. A. T. Eastland, W. G. Fleck, Ira S. Giddings, R. S. Gross, Daniel Harshbarger, C. M. Hart, Q. A. Hibbard, H. C. Kinney, Asa Hon. Mann, Stillman McKeen, D. W. Moore, O. S. Moses, W. H. Oliver, J. W. Parker, F. L. Perce, William Robb, J. W. Smyser, George W. Sutter, Edward Sutter, Emile

Fires. In 1874, Russell was visited by its first fire, but the only damage done was the destruction of the depot. In 1880, a fire originated in Mr. Tustin’s store, being the one formerly occupied by Ackerman & Copeland, on the southwest corner of Main and Eighth streets, and before it could be extinguished, that, with the adjoining building, owned and occupied by H. Wentworth as a hardware store, were completely destroyed, with nearly all their contents. That fire occurred on March 210, 1890, and by the fall of that year, the buildings were re-placed by others, larger in size

The above caption is the name of a small town on the Kansas Pacific Railway, twelve miles west of the east line of the county. The town was first started in the early part of the summer of 1871, by J. B. Corbett and V. Harbaugh, who, at the head of a colony from Ohio, located there and laid out the town. The first house built on the town site was put up by J. C. Warner, which served him for the double purpose of a store and dwelling. he having commenced business with a general stock of goods as