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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 memorial to the governor, a Ness County census, and two proclamations. One appointing one set of county officers and designating Smallwood City as the temporary county seat and the other listing another set of officers and Sidney as the temporary county seat.
Creator: Kansas. Secretary of State
Date: 1873-1880
Item Number: 217036
Call Number: Kansas. Secretary of State's Office, County Organization files, ca. 1861-1912
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 217036
Collections - State Archives - Secretary of State
Date - 1870s
Date - 1880s - 1880
Government and Politics - Local Government - County
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Census
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Petition
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Proclamation
Places - Counties - Ness
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Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Censuses
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Government records - Proclamation
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Petition
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/217036