Wednesday, January 18, 2006

HISTORY OF RILEY COUNTY...Part 7

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.
In the names of the municipal townships and election precincts, with shifting boundaries, there has been many and frequent changes. Ogden, Manhattan, Dyer and Pierce were the names given to the townships of the county, April 2, 1856. Dyer lay between the Big Blue and Calhoun County, and Marshall County and the Kansas River, becoming afterwards the most of what became Pottawatomie County. Rock Creek Township was formed from it May 18, 1856. Pierce, Manhattan, and Ogden were wholly in what is now Riley County. Deep Creek, McDowell's Creek and Douglas townships were in territory, belonging now to Davis County. Reynold's Township was formed out of the territory between the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers, September 16, 1856. Dixon Township embraced territory north of it.

January 17, 1859, the municipalities were designated Ogden, Manhattan City, Blue Mont, Kent, Indiana, Randolph, Madison and Kansas Falls. March 21, 1859, they were known as Manhattan, Madison, Ogden and Junction City. Clay County, then unorganized, had a voting place established at the house of Isaiah Scott, near Mount Pleasant, Dickinson County, unorganized November 14, 1859, had a voting place established at the house of John Erwin. November 17, 1859, the townships were Jackson, Junction, Manhattan and Ogden. April 14, 1868, Milford was formed from Jackson, and a little later South Milford was created, the latter territory being, in 1878, a part of Davis County. Milford Township, as such, is now Madison and Bala townships. Manhattan is a city of the second class; Ogden one of the third class. The other villages are not distinct from their municipal townships. Commencing with Manhattan Township, as the political center, adjoining it on the southeast is Zeandale, westward of Zeandale is Ashland, west and northwest of Ashland is Ogden. Jogging out six miles westward on the north line of Ogden, and northward of it, is Madison; north of Madison is Bala; Fancy Creek is north of Bala; Center north of Fancy Creek; May Day north of Center, terminating on the county line of Washington. Swede Creek is in the northeast part of the county; east of it is the Big Blue, separating it from Pottawatomie County. Jackson lies south of Swede Creek; Grant south of Jackson; Wild Cat south of Grant, being northwest of Manhattan Township.

County Commissioner Districts. - The first district embraces the townships of Manhattan and Zeandale. There are three voting places in the city - First, Second and Third Wards; a precinct in the township north, and one south of the Kansas River. The population in 1875 was 2,508; in 1880, 8,635. The second district embraces Ashland, Ogden, Madison, Bala, Fancy Creek, Center and May Day. The population in 1855 was 2,713; in 1880, 3,957. The third district comprises Swede Creek, Jackson, Grant and Wild Cat. The population in 1875 was 1,844; in 1880, 2,838. In 1875 the population of the county was 7,?6?; in 1880, 10,430.

School Districts. - There are sixty-five districts in the county; one joint district, with Pottawatomie, one with Marshall, one with Washington, and six with Davis.

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