Ellsworth County, Kansas

Ellsworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Ellsworth. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,376. The county was named after Fort Ellsworth.

History

Early history

From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America both east and west of the Mississippi River. In 1762, after losing the French and Indian War to Great Britain, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1763 France ceded its territories east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain.

It regained the western territory under Napoleon, who sold it in 1803 to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. He had decided to get rid of the New World territories after failing to regain control of Saint-Domingue, where a slave rebellion had toppled colonial control. In 1804 Haiti declared independence as the second republic of the Western Hemisphere.

The Plains Indians retained control of much of their territory until the late 19th century, giving way finally before superior United States arms and technology. Their territories were invaded by settlers, and crossed by the development of improved routes for settlers' emigrant wagon trains to the West Coast, followed by more permanent construction of transcontinental railroads. These brought tens of thousands of settlers to the Plains.

19th century In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized; and in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Ellsworth County was established February 26, 1867. The county was named after the old Fort Ellsworth, named in honor of 2nd Lieutenant Allen Ellsworth of the 7th Iowa Cavalry (Company H), who supervised construction of the fort in 1864 during the American Civil War. On November 17, 1866, the fort was renamed Fort Harker in honor of General Charles Garrison Harker who had died on June 27, 1864, from wounds received in an abortive offensive action in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. The fort was subsequently moved to a new site about one mile to the northeast, and the old fort's remaining buildings were ordered torn down in June 1867.

On March 22, 1869, Fourteen Pawnee Indians, including scouts who had been honorably discharged after working for the army, were traveling through Ellsworth County when they ran into U.S. cavalry troops. Though the Pawnees had discharge papers from the army, a fight ensued. The Indians retreated to a sandstone cave, known today as Palmer's Cave. Their attackers set fire to grass at the cave's entrance, and six to nine Pawnees were killed as they ran out. The others died from exposure without their possessions. A few days later, the post surgeon at nearby Fort Harker, in today's town of Kanopolis, removed six heads from their bodies, and shipped them to the Army Medical Museum in Washington, D.C., for cranial study.

In the later 19th century, this area became known for cattle ranching and cattle drives. Town life was often riotous with cowboys celebrating after long drives.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. It is intersected by the Smoky Hill River.

Adjacent counties Lincoln County (north) Saline County (east) McPherson County (southeast) Rice County (south) Barton County (southwest) Russell County (northwest)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Ellsworth County, Kansas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)6,4276,2335,9545,7335,45596.79%94.64%91.25%88.24%85.56%Black or African American alone (NH)31342272992540.05%2.03%3.48%4.60%3.98%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)10212532390.15%0.32%0.38%0.49%0.61%Asian alone (NH)8101624230.12%0.15%0.25%0.37%0.36%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census100xx0.02%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)024480.00%0.03%0.06%0.06%0.13%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census6483232xx0.98%1.28%3.64%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1921862343223652.89%2.82%3.59%4.96%5.72%Total6,6406,5866,5256,4976,376 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,376 and a median age of 43.8 years. Residents under 18 accounted for 18.8% of the population while 22.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 129.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 138.4 males age 18 and over.

None of the county's residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.7% White, 4.0% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.7% of the population.

There were 2,352 households in the county, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,080 housing units, of which 23.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.4% were owner-occupied and 23.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.0%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 6,525 people, 2,481 households, and 1,639 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 3,228 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.67% White, 3.56% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.

There were 2,481 households, out of which 27.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.90% were non-families. 31.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 111.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,772, and the median income for a family was $44,360. Males had a median income of $30,110 versus $20,486 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,569. About 4.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Laws Ellsworth County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986. Voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink, with a 30% food sales requirement.

Education

Unified school districts Central Plains USD 112 Ellsworth USD 327

Communities

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

Cities

Ellsworth (county seat) Wilson Kanopolis Holyrood Lorraine

Unincorporated communities

Black Wolf Carneiro Delight Elkhorn Langley Venango Yankee Run

Ghost towns

Arcola Frantz Midway Terra Cotta

Townships Ellsworth County is divided into nineteen townships. The city of Ellsworth is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. 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.

Township FIPS Populationcenter Population Populationdensity/km2 (/sq mi) Land areakm2 (sq mi) Water areakm2 (sq mi) Water % Geographic coordinates Ash Creek 02575 58 1 (2) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.51% Black Wolf 07025 87 1 (2) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.10% Carneiro 10800 57 1 (2) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.36% Clear Creek 13725 91 1 (3) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.17% Columbia 15025 60 1 (2) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.04% Ellsworth 20525 797 9 (23) 88 (34) 0 (0) 0.23% Empire 21150 174 1 (3) 171 (66) 14 (6) 7.79% Garfield 25575 27 0 (1) 92 (36) 0 (0) 0.30% Green Garden 28600 Lorraine 211 2 (6) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% Langley 38600 76 1 (2) 92 (35) 2 (1) 1.86% Lincoln 40675 62 1 (2) 95 (37) 0 (0) 0.22% Mulberry 49050 44 0 (1) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.24% Noble 50825 90 1 (3) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.04% Palacky 54100 63 1 (2) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.08% Sherman 64950 65 1 (2) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% Thomas 70450 72 1 (2) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.21% Trivoli 71525 55 1 (2) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.38% Valley 72800 Holyrood 577 6 (16) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.14% Wilson 79700 Wilson 894 10 (25) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.06% Sources:

Ellsworth County, Kansas

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