Kansas History and Heritage Project-Stafford County

Stafford County Directories
1884 Gazetteer and Business Directory, R. L. Polk & Sons

STAFFORD COUNTY.

Situated in the south central part of the State, is bounded on the north by Barton county, on the east by Rice and Reno counties, on the south by Pratt, and on the west by Pawnee and Edwards counties. Organized in 1879, it contains 792 square miles, or 506,880 acres, of of which 61,000 are under cultivation. County seat, St. John, population, 150. Coal is not found, nor is there any limestone or sandstone fit for building purposes. Gypsum is very abundant,and good brick clay is found, There are no railways. The surface is a gently rolling prairie and timber is very scarce. The county is not well supplied with water courses. Rattlesnake creek rises in the southwest corner and flows northeast, leaving the county on the northeast corner, and the north fork of the Ninnescah rises in Minnow Lake, in the southeast corner. Population, June, 1883, 3,500.

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ANTRIM.A hamlet in Stafford county, 11 miles south of St. John, the county seat, and 45 southeast of Larned, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., its nearest shipping point, whence it receives a tri-weekly mail by stage.

LEESBURGH. Small place in Stafford county, 11 miles southeast of St. John, the county seat, and 35 south of Great Bend, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., its nearest railroad point. Nearest bank is Stafford. Ships grain, live stock and produce. Has Presbyterian, Baptist and Campbellite churches and district school. Population, 35. It is on the daily mail state route from Great Bend to Iuka. Joel Reece, postmaster.

Allen M H, sorghum factory.
Clark Samuel, horsepower threshing machine.
Cline C B, sorghum factory.
Coe J W & Co, sorghum factory.
Goin F M, carpenter.
Reece Joel, general store.
Ross & Casselman, feed mill.
Tomlinson J L, carpenter.

MACKSVILLE. A country postoffice in the southwestern part of Stafford county, 11 miles southwest of St. John, the county seat, and 20 southeast of Larned, its nearest shipping point, for grain and broom corn. Religious meeting are held in the school house. It is on the tri-weekly mail route between St. John and Prattburg. O. C. Grimes, postmaster.

Becktell M R, justice of peace.
Budd E H, town trustee.
Bullard Hiram, constable.
Coil Rev Andrew (Christian).
Colyer J L, justice of peace.
Grimes O C, grocer and medicines.
Holt Frank, stock breeder.
Mack George, treasurer.

NEOLA. Country postoffice in the southeastern corner of Stafford county, 25 miles southeast of St. John, the county seat, and 40 southwest of Hutchinson, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., the nearest banking and shipping point. Grain is shipped. It is on the tri-weekly mail stage route from Hutchinson to Iuka. David Ely, postmaster.

PRATTBURGH. Country postoffice in the southwest corner of Stafford county, 20 miles southwest of St. John, the county seat, and 30 south of Larned, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., the nearest banking and shipping point. Grain, wool and broom corn are shipped. Mail stage to Larned and Iuka twice a week, to St. John thrice a week; fare, $1` to each place. W. R. Mills, postmaster and farmer.

SANDAGO. A country postoffice in Stafford county, 18 miles northeast of St. John, the county seat, and 12 south of Ellinwood, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., its shipping point. Ships grain and produce. Mail stage to Ellinwood semi-weekly; fare, 75 cents. F. Maxon, postmaster.

Harrison James A, justice of peace.
Layton David, carpenter
Maxon F, live stock.
Porter, O G, meat market.
Putnam B F & Wm, live stock.
Wood C E, constable.

ST. JOHN. Formerly known as Zion Valley, is the county seat of Stafford county, and is located in St. John township, on Rattlesnake creek, 25 miles south of Great Bend, on the A., T. & S. F. R. R., the nearest railroad point. It has Methodist church, a public school, a bank, 2 weekly newspapers the Advance and the Republican. Grain, broom corn and cattle are shipped. Population, 250. Stage to Great Bend and Iuka daily ; fare, $1.25. Mail, daily. W. R. Hoole, postmaster.

Baxter G N, wagonmaker.
Bosman Rev George W (Latter Day Saints).
Breckenridge George, meat market.
Campbell ros, blacksmiths.
City Hotel, Dr A Sparks propr.
Dixon Mary, milliner.
Dixon Wm, lawyer.
Dow W K P, publr St John Advance.
Estle D L, constable.
Estle Lemuel, blacksmith.
Hoole W R, Cashier St John Savings Bank.
Lovejoy & Glasscock, general store.
Merchant E B, lawyer.
Rixon Robert, grocer.
Rohr Henr , general store.
St John Advance, W K P Dow publr.
St John Savings Bank, W R Hoole cash.
Smith Charles, furniture.
Smith Philip, shoemaker.
Snyder John, livery.
Sparks Dr A, propr City hotel.
Sparks A & Son, groceries and drugs.
Stafford County Republican, W O Mills editor.
Swartz Bros, hardware.
Swartz F C, justice of peace.
Taylor Rev A J (Methodist Episcopal).
Thomas John, barber.
Thomas & Perry, brickmaker.
Weeks C B, lawyer.

SEWARD. A country postoffice in the north of Stafford county, 13 miles north of St. John, and 14 south of Great Bend, its nearest shipping point. Mail, by stage from Great Bend, daily. Rosella L. Gates, postmaster.

Bennett Rev J G (Baptist).
Brooks N, justice of peace.
Felke August, constable.
Prescott A S, carpenter
Walters S, justice of peace.
Winner J, physician.

STAFFORD. Located in the eastern part of Stafford county, 12 miles from St. John, the county seat, 25 from Ellinwood, and 35 from Sterling, the usual shipping point. It has Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren, Congregational and Baptist societies, a public school, and a newspaper, the Herald. Live stock and produce are shipped. Population, 400. Tri-weekly mail stages to Hutchinson, Sterling, St. John and Iuka, and semi-weekly to Ellinwood. R. M. Blair, postmaster.

Blair R M, Propr Stafford County Herald.
Blair & Vickers, real estate.
Bulow H, physician.
Cox Frank, banker.
Crawford Mrs S, milliner.
Haddock E S, general store and lawyer.
Jolly J Lee, druggist.
Magill & Briscoe, flour mill.
Reigel Rev H S. (United Brethren).
Smile Rev J G (Baptist).
Stafford County Herald, R M Blair Editor.
Taylor Rev A J (Methodist Episcopal).
Tyrrell J W, general store.
Tyrrell W S, Justice and physician.
Vickers House, J Vickers propr.
Vickers J, livery and propr Vickers’ house.
Wattson & Co, blacksmiths.

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