Republic County History
"A New Centennial History of Kansas"
Charles Tuttle, 1876
Republic County was organized in 1868, taking the name of
the river, and it would be difficult to find a purer source on earth.
The Pawnee Indians had a republican form of government, and
the river was named from their institutions. The area of the
county is 720 square miles, and the population in 1875 was
8,048, of which number, 4,290 were males. Farming employs 84
per cent, of the settlers, mines and manufactures about 11 per
cent. Belleville, the county seat, is 117 miles northwest from
Topeka, in a rich mining district, and has two weekly newspapers.
Bottom lands make up one-tenth of the area, and forests cover
3 per cent The principal streams are, the Republican river,
Mill, Rose, White Rock, Beaver, West and Elk creeks, besides
nameless streams in abundance. There are many springs, and
wells average about 30 feet in depth. The southern third of the
area is underlaid with coal in veins of from 15 to 30 inches thick.
It is mined extensively for local use, and is a superior lignite,
worth $3 per ton at the mines. Limestone, various in quality, is
very plentiful. Several salt springs, and a salt marsh of several
thousand acres have been found in Grant township, and other
discoveries of the same kind have been made in Beaver township. There are no railroads yet. Water powers are not very
numerous, but with outlay some could be made available. The
manufactures of the county include a steam flouring mill at
Scandia township, a steam grist mill and a steam grist and saw
mill in Grant township, besides the salt works at the marsh and
springs, which turn out good salt in great quantity. There are
no banks. There are 79 school houses, valued at $39,497, and
101 districts. There are six church buildings, valued at $9,500.
The libraries in three townships amount to 1,092 volumes. The
locust plague struck Republic county very heavily, as there were
1,000 persons reported destitute of food, and 2,200 in want of
winter clothing in 1874-5.
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This website created June 1, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2015 Kansas History and Heritage Project
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