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In order for an unorganized county to be recognized by the state of Kansas, a certain number of householders/legal electors had to petition the governor. The governor would appoint a census taker. Initially, unorganized counties were required to document that they had at least 600 inhabitants in order to be recognized as a county by the state legislature. Over time the number of residents needed to organize a county changed to 1500 and later to 2500 residents. The census was submitted to the governor who then issued a proclamation indicating that the requirements had been met, appointing county commissioners and a county clerk, and naming a county seat. Not all of these documents are available for each county.
Included in this file is the completed 1872 census for Barton county, several letters about the organization and census of the county, a list of people stating that the census that was taken did not comply with legislative law, and the proclamation by Governor Harvey appointing county officials and designating Great Bend as the temporary county seat.
Creator: Kansas. Secretary of State
Date: 1872
Item Number: 216612
Call Number: Kansas. Secretary of State's Office, County Organiation Files, ca. 1861-1912
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 216612
Collections - State Archives - Secretary of State
Date - 1870s - 1872
Government and Politics - Local Government - County
Government and Politics - State Government - Governors - Harvey, James Madison
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Census
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Letter
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Proclamation
Places - Cities and towns - Great Bend
Places - Counties - Barton
Thematic Time Period - Immigration and Settlement, 1854 - 1890
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Censuses
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Government records - Proclamation
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Letters
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/216612