Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1920-09-30
HISTORY OF TREGO COUNTY
By Joshua Croft
Oranizatlen, First Election And
New Buildings Erected

New Buildings Erected
The Indians passed near Buffalo
Park, Cove county. Some day elapsed
before the people ceased to come to
WaKeeney with the news that Indians
had just been seen in this or that To-
cality. The indians We're well out of
the way in the state of Nebraska be-
fore our people resumed steadily their
usual occupation or slept sound1y- The
first immigration boom IN the county
began in the spring of 1877 and ended
IN the fall OF 1879, nearly all the avail
able government land was taken in
these two years The people of Trego
county IN 1879 sent a petition to the
governor to organize the county. W
H Hortsho1n, who was appointed to
take the first census OF the county IN
June 1879 made his returns to, the
governor of the number of inhabitants
OF the county which was 2,41O- The
number of bonifide holseholders 63s.
the number Of acres of land IN cult
walton 12.s24
June p, 1879 Governor John P ST.
John issued his proclamation organ
izing the county and also appointed
the following officers: Commissioners,
T. w. Miller, H. C. Bryant and w H
Fuson. County Clerk, George Pink
ham and WaKeeney was designated
as the county seat. The county was
divided in three townships, Ogallan
embracing the eastern portion, .Collyer
the western portion and WaKeeney
the central The first meeting of the
board of commissioners was June 20,
| 1879, an election for county and town
ship officers We're ordered to be held
IN July 20, 1879. At this election the
following county officers We're elected:
Enos Click, commissioner OgaIlah
! district, Davis Barclay. of WaKeeney,
commissioner, of this district and J. c..
| Brown, commissioner Of Co1Iyer town
i ship; County Clerk, George Pinlzhaln !;
Treasurer, John, Nickel; Probate
Judge, Willis H. F,uson; Register of
Deeds, A. H. Peppe; Sheriff, J. F
! Allen; Coroner, Dr.. J. w Scott
/ County Attorney. J. c. Phillips
Clerk OF the District Court, A. P
Boles; superintendent of Public In
struction, Rev. James K Million ;
County Surveyor, T. K. Peek
The herd law was voted on and car
ried at this election. For. county seat
WaKeeney received 81 votes and
Ogallah -
| w. s. Tilton established the Wa
{ Keeney World at WaKeeney March
=
the first time June II, 1879, the Wa
I Keeney Grist Mill, which was torn
down and removed to Clifton. Kansas.
on account of the fact that the l11er-
chants did not patronize him.
July 4, 1879 was a great day in Wa
Keeney, about $500 people assembled
here to celebrate the day. There were
many from other counties as the
Union Pacific railway run an exctr-
sion train from Russell, Kansas. The
En1poria and WaKeeney Brass Band
furnished the music. There was a
/ large zpatforsnn erected north Of the
| Depot and pIanks for seats There
was large procession in the parade.
W S T3lton was marshal of the dav.
J. F. keeney, delivered the address OF
| welcome; Governor, John psf. John
/ delivered the Grafton and some other
speeches were delivered and then was
/ the dance in the depot at might.
The first issue of the WaKeenev
Kansas Leader by H. P Shuts an
peared in August 1879. The United
States Land Office was moved from
Hays to WaKeeney October 25, 1879.
The MAGNIFICENT stone railway depot
at sVaheeney was built by Warren &
keeney and the Kansas Pacific Rail
way company. The WaKeeney Opera
block was commenced ii the same
year and finished IN 1880 By James
F. Keeney-
Two, ear loads OF Arkansas apples.
the first IN for the season, were on