LOCATION AND GENERAL FEATURES.
Jefferson County is situated in the eastern part of the State, and is in
extent twenty-six miles north and south, and twenty-two miles east and west.
It is bounded on the north by Atchison County, on the east by Leavenworth, on
the south by Douglas and Shawnee, and on the west by Shawnee and Jackson.
Owing to the fact that the county was formed before the surveys were made, its
boundaries are not on range and town lines; but the boundary lines are as
follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of Leavenworth County; thence
south on the west line of that county, to the north line of Town 1, south;
thence west on that line to the point where it intersects the main channel of
the Kansas River; thence up the center of the main channel of the river, to
the intersection with the line between the first and second tiers of sections
in Range 16, east; thence north on that section line, to the northwest corner
of Section 25, of Township 7 south, of Range 16 east; thence east on that
section line to the place of beginning.
The county is well watered by numerous streams, which intersect every
township. The principal of these are the Kansas River, which forms a portion
of the southern boundary; and the Delaware River which flows through the
western half of the county, for north to south, emptying into the Kansas River
near the town of Perry. The principal tributaries of the Kansas River are as
follows; Muddy Creek, Prairie and Fish creeks, Stonehouse Creek, Mud Creek,
Wild House and nine Mile creeks, and Buck Creek.
Next in importance to the Kansas River is the delaware, which flows through
the county with a considerable volume of water, and with a quite rapid
current, thus affording excellent waterpower, at a distance varying from two
to five miles apart. Its principal tributaries on the west side, beginning at
the north are Jeff Creek, Cedar Creek, Peters Creek Duck Creek and Rock Creek.
Tributary to the Delaware the east side, are Coal, Walnut, Little Brush, Little
Rock, Little Slough, Big Slough, Wild Horse and Newell creeks. Besides these
are Crooked, Little Walnut, and Fall creeks, with a number of small ones,
tributary to those named, which serve a good purpose for stock watering
purposes. Throughout the county, springs are quite numerous. Good well water
is found in abundance at a depth of from twenty to forty feet.
The general surface of the country is gently undulating, although in some
places it is too rough for cultivation. Along the streams are level and
gentile valleys, which vary from a few rods to two miles and more in width.
From the bottoms to the uplands, the surface of the land is much diversified,
ascending to steep buffs in many places, and in others rising gradually. The
uplands themselves consist of high and gently rolling prairie. Intersected, as
it is, by numerous streams and valleys, Jefferson County is peculiarly well
adapted to all kinds of agricultural and manufacturing industries, and is
unrivaled in beauty by any other county in the State. the surface is about 18
per cent bottom land, 82 per cent upland, 10 per cent forest, and 90 per cent
prairie. The average width of bottom lands is nearly one mile.
The rougher parts of the county are along the Delaware, in Osawkie,
Fairview and Kentucky townships, and in the northern part of Rural and
Sarcoxie townships. Although in the above-named localities there is
considerable rough land, most of it is covered with timber; the remainder
being good tillable land, well adapted to pasturage.
The southern half of the county, east of the Delaware River, is about 18
per cent timber, and this is continually increasing with the rapid growth of
young timer. The principal varieties are oak, hickory, ash, walnut, hackberry,
elm, maple, and cottonwood. On the prairies the farms are well ornamented with
groves of shade trees, but aside from this, tree planting has not been carried
on to any great extent.
The soil is a rich black loam, and the products embrace all varieties of
grain and vegetables common to the same latitude in other States, the yield
being generally very great.
The county is well adapted to fruit growing, and this industry is already
an important one among its resources. Large and productive orchards of apples,
peaches, pears, plums, etc., are found in every locality, while almost every
farmer raises an abundant supply of small fruits.
Good limestone, suitable for building purposes, is found, in abundance in
every township of the county. Besides this, an excellent quality of sandstone
is found in abundance in several localities.
The greater part of the county is supposed to be underlaid by strata of
coal, but as yet it has been developed only to a small extent. Three beds have
been discovered in several localities, at a depth of from five to twenty feet.
These beds are only of a few inches in thickness, and the quality is hardly
medium. The principal localities where it is found, are in Townships 8 and 9,
of Ranges 17, 18 and 19 east. It is used to a limited extent for local and
domestic purposes.
The farms of the county are well fenced, more than one-third of the fence
being hedge, which makes rapid and substantial growth. The other kinds of
material in general use for fencing, are stone, rails, boards and wire.
Unlike some counties of the State, there is no herd law, therefore each
farmer has to protect his own crops, and attention is given to securing
durable fence. This also tends to diversify farming and stock-growing interests.
There are no large manufactories in the county. There are a number of
flouring mills, cheese factories, etc., on the various streams.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad enters the county from the north
at Nortonville, thence extends in a southwesterly direction, crossing the
Delaware River at Valley Falls, and leaves the county in the southwestern part
of Rock Creek Township. The stations are Nortonville, Nichols, Valley Falls,
Rock Creek and Meriden.
The Kansas Central (narrow gauge) Railroad starts at Leavenworth, enters
Jefferson County from the east, at a point a little less than five miles from
its northern boundary, extends west to Winchester and from that place to
Valley Falls, thence northwest, up the east side of the Delaware, crossing the
northern boundary of the county about four miles from the northwest corner.
The stations are Winchester, Boyle, Valley Falls and Half Mound.
The Kansas Pacific Railroad traverses the southern part of the country,
up the north side of the Kansas River, entering the country at the southeast
corner of Rural Township. The stations are Buck Creek, Rural, Perry, Medina,
Newman and Grantville.
The Leavenworth, Topeka & Southwestern Railroad starts from Leavenworth,
enters Jefferson County on the eastern boundary of Union Township, and extends
west to Oskaloosa; thence to Osawkie, where it crosses the Delaware River;
thence extends southwest, forming a junction with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe Railroad at Meriden. Besides the above named stations there is one named
McLouth, in Union Township.
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KANSAS COLLECTION BOOKS
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