Stafford County, Kansas

Stafford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is St. John. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,072. The county is named in honor of Lewis Stafford, a captain of Company E, First Kansas Infantry, who died at the Battle of Young's Point during the American Civil War.

19th century
The boundaries of Stafford County were defined by the Kansas Legislature of 1870 but for several years, the county remained unorganized. The Legislature of 1875, with the intention of obliterating the county from the map, gave the territory in Stafford County to other counties. They gave the portion in Range 15 West to Pawnee County; the portion included in Ranges 11, 12, 13 and 14 to Barton County; and the south half of the county, excepting the portion in Range 15, was added to Pratt County. But after each of the counties had taken its part, a strip six miles wide and twelve miles long (two townships) remained as Stafford County. This was the condition of the county until April 25, 1879, when, by a decision of the Supreme Court, the act of the Legislature dividing the county was declared unconstitutional and the county was restored to its original boundaries. Stafford County was organized in 1879.

Amidst this legal turmoil, settlers began to establish themselves in the county. Among the earliest pioneers was W. R. Hoole, who in May 1874, laid claim to land in what would become Stafford County, followed by John Birbeck, who erected the county's first frame house shortly after and broke the first prairie in the county in 1875. The first child was born in the county in 1875, also to W. R. Hoole and his wife. A short-lived attempt at manufacturing salt at Salt Marsh, in the northeastern part of the county, was undertaken in 1876. The marsh was ultimately found to be better used as a pasture for livestock.

In addition to individual settlers, a sizable Mormon settlement, known as Zion Valley, was established near St. John in the spring of 1875. Led by William Bickerton, this community established the county's first post office and erected a frame temple before internal disputes led to its dissolution and the temple's conversion into a commercial establishment.

Educational infrastructure also began to take shape with the construction of the county's first schoolhouse, the Hoole Schoolhouse, in 1876, with Miss Ella Miller serving as its inaugural teacher.

The early economy of Stafford County was heavily reliant on the gathering of buffalo bones, which were abundant across the region. This industry proved, however, to be short-lived, as the easily accessible bone deposits were quickly depleted.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 795 sqmi, of which 792 sqmi is land and 2.9 sqmi (0.4%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Barton County (north)
 * Rice County (northeast)
 * Reno County (east)
 * Pratt County (south)
 * Edwards County (west)
 * Pawnee County (west)

National protected area

 * Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics


As of the census of 2000, there were 4,789 people, 2,010 households, and 1,294 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 /mi2. There were 2,458 housing units at an average density of 3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.97% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 2.97% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 5.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,010 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 33.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,107, and the median income for a family was $38,235. Males had a median income of $27,328 versus $21,063 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,409. About 8.70% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Stafford County is often carried by Republican Candidates. The last time they have been carried by a democratic candidate was in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.

Laws
Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Stafford County remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until an election in 2016 when this prohibition was removed by 1,304 to 535, 71% of the vote.

Unified school districts

 * Stafford USD 349
 * St. John-Hudson USD 350
 * Macksville USD 351

Communities
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Stafford County.

Cities

 * Hudson
 * Macksville
 * Radium
 * Seward
 * Stafford
 * St. John (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

 * Dillwyn
 * Neola
 * Zenith

Townships
Stafford County is divided into twenty-one townships. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally independent, and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.