84-528: Osborne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas . It county seat and largest city is Osborne . As of the 2020 census , the county population was 3,500. The county is named for Vincent Osborne, a captain in the American Civil War. For many millennia , the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century,
168-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
252-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
336-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
420-464: A double cabin with port holes surrounded with a log enclosure for their horses and the "Bullock Ranche" became the terminus for all early homestead and hunting parties in northwest Kansas over the next two years. After its creation in 1867 Osborne County was attached to Mitchell County for legal purposes, as the county had not formally organized. The first couple married in the county, Solomon Weatherman and Marinda Alling, had to travel to Beloit to obtain
504-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
588-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
672-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
756-649: A marriage license before returning to their homestead two miles south of modern-day Bloomington. They were married there on March 1, 1871. The second town in Osborne County, Arlington, was founded when Calvin Reasoner opened a log general store two miles east of present-day Bloomington in late 1870. On May 27, 1871, a meeting was held on the steps of Calvin Reasoner and Frank Thompson's general store in Arlington to discuss preliminary steps towards organization of
840-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
924-603: A number of years prior to his death at age 40 of erysipelas on December 21, 1879. Oddly, Osborne never set foot in the county named after him. On January 14, 1870, George Wolberd filed the county's first homestead claim in the extreme northeast corner of Osborne County. John M. Boer filed a homestead claim next to Wolberd later the same day. Both men were members of the Rotterdam Dutch Colony that settled in 1869 and 1870 along Oak Creek in what are now Mitchell, Osborne, Jewell, and Smith Counties. Zarah Hill came to
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#17327725245671008-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
1092-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
1176-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
1260-425: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). South Fork Solomon River The South Fork Solomon River is a 292-mile-long (470 km) river in
1344-461: Is divided into twenty-three townships . The city of Osborne 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. 39°21′N 98°47′W / 39.350°N 98.783°W / 39.350; -98.783 County (United States) In
1428-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
1512-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
1596-444: Is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km) (0.2%) is water. The county is intersected by the south fork of Solomon River . The surface is rolling and consists mostly of prairies. The geodetic center of North America is located within the county. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located in neighboring Smith County . As of the census of 2000, there were 4,452 people, 1,940 households, and 1,208 families residing in
1680-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
1764-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
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#17327725245671848-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
1932-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
2016-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
2100-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
2184-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
2268-564: The Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War , France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau . 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
2352-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
2436-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
2520-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
2604-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
Osborne County, Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
2772-552: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
2856-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
2940-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
3024-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
3108-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
3192-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
3276-653: The 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Osborne County was established. During the Civil War the Kansas legislature ordered the survey of western two-thirds of the new state in anticipation of future settlement. An escort of soldiers from Fort Riley accompanied U.S. Deputy Surveyors D. E. Ballard and E. C. Manning as they commenced
3360-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
3444-562: The North Fork Solomon River valley on March 1, 1870, and filed a claim on March 25 for land in the northeast corner of what later became Bethany Township. He was the third man to homestead in the county. That same month brothers Charles and William Bullock made the first permanent non-native settlement in the county on the north side of the South Solomon River in what is now Tilden Township. They constructed
Osborne County, Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
3612-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
3696-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
3780-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
3864-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
3948-426: The age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 5.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.70% were non-families. 35.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.90. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under
4032-465: The age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 25.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 29,145, and the median income for a family was $ 35,438. Males had a median income of $ 24,736 versus $ 16,516 for females. The per capita income for
4116-470: The audience. He then demanded of each of the champions for other towns that they show theirs, but they were obliged to confess that they had none. An effort was then made to postpone the vote until another meeting." - Francis Gruger, Pennsylvania Colony member. "Cal had sent a man to Russell to call for a requisition from the governor. A vote was taken and our crowd won by four. The chairman stated it wouldn’t do them [the colonists] any good, as they had to have
4200-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
4284-793: The central Great Plains of North America . The entire length of the river lies in the U.S. state of Kansas . It is a tributary of the Solomon River . The South Fork Solomon River rises in Sherman County, Kansas , and flows eastward through Thomas and Sheridan counties into Graham County . The South Fork Solomon River travels across Graham County roughly following the course of Highway 24. The South Fork Solomon River enters Graham County about ½ mile (0.8 km) south of Studley and exits Graham County about 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Nicodemus . The river runs through Bogue , Hill City , Penokee , Morland and Studley, and
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#17327725245674368-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
4452-623: The common corner of Corinth, Penn, Winfield and Bloom Townships. On May 15, 1868, the survey of Osborne County was at last completed. The boundaries of the county were defined by the legislature on March 3, 1867. The governor named it in honor of Captain Vincent B. Osborne, a Civil War soldier who lost a leg in a battle on January 17, 1865, at Joy's Ford on the Arkansas River. Later Osborne was elected State Representative of Ellsworth County in 1871 and served as Ellsworth County Probate Judge for
4536-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
4620-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
4704-492: The county was $ 16,236. About 7.20% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over. Like all of Kansas outside the eastern cities, Osborne County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Osborne County since Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Only six of 27 Democratic presidential candidates since 1920 have reached so much as thirty percent of Osborne County's vote –
4788-519: The county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km). There were 2,419 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km). The racial makeup of the county was 98.61% White , 0.07% Black or African American , 0.22% Native American , 0.20% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.07% from other races , and 0.81% from two or more races. 0.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 1,940 households, out of which 25.90% had children under
4872-402: The county. To no one's surprise, Reasoner was elected chairman of the meeting and Thompson secretary. A census committee of Charles Cunningham, William Bullock and A. B. Fleming was appointed to ascertain whether the county held the 700 residents required for securing state recognition of legal organization, and it was decided to reconvene one week later on Saturday, June 3, 1871, at Arlington with
4956-410: The first names of all women and children residing in the county were not listed in the census, and so the state authorities found the census defective. They stopped action on recognition of the county's organization until a second census was completed. This was done and on September 12, 1871, Kansas Governor James Harvey issued a proclamation declaring the county organized and a legal entity. Elections for
5040-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
5124-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
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#17327725245675208-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
5292-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
5376-497: The land with settlers bent on decimating the abundant game, plowing under the lush grass for farming, and just generally changing the way things were. Some 200 Cheyenne were encamped in the county when Ballard and Manning were ordered to resume the survey in 1866. While escorting the surveying party along Twin Creek on July 21, soldier Edward Roche of Company I, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, was killed by Indians. They buried him at what later became
5460-509: The last of these being Michael Dukakis in 1988 during a major Great Plains drought . Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Osborne County has remained a prohibition, or "dry" , county. List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Osborne County. Osborne County
5544-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
5628-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
5712-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
5796-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
5880-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
5964-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
6048-539: The proper papers signed by the governor. Major Henry D. Markley said they had attended to that on coming into the state, and produced the papers and said it had to be settled right now, and it was." - Frank A. Rothenberger. Apart from the county seat question, Calvin Reasoner's chief objective for the June 3 meeting, legal organization of the county, was accomplished. Charles Cunningham, Samuel Chatfield, and Frank Stafford were elected special county commissioners. Frank Thompson
6132-465: The purpose of locating a county seat. One of their men came to our Colony at four p.m. and told. Our men started at once, north, east, and south, telling every one to meet here at six p.m., that the county seat was to be located. Some forty men responded. They were told what Calvin Reasoner had done and all of them got to Arlington before seven p.m. Of course the Arlington bunch was surprised." - Frank A. Rothenberger, Pennsylvania Colony member. The meeting
6216-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
6300-553: The results. The Pennsylvania Colony had founded the town of Osborne City on May 1, 1871, with the intention of making it the county seat - a hope that Calvin Reasoner desired for his own town of Arlington. He therefore kept secret the May 27 meeting from the Colony and did his best to do the same with the second meeting. He failed. "He [Reasoner] sent runners north, south, and west, notifying them to be at Arlington at seven p.m. that day for
6384-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
6468-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
6552-517: The survey of what is now Osborne County on September 8, 1862. Early the next year, however, they had to suspend their surveying efforts due to the proximity of, and objections from, the natives of the area - the Indians. At this time the Solomon River valley was rich with beaver, antelope, elk, and buffalo. Several Indian tribes had hunted in the valley for decades and were in no mood to share
6636-417: The temporary county seat, which received an immediate second by another of our party. Then the fun commenced; a general hubbub ensued. After a while a gentleman arose and asked, ‘Where is Osborne City? We have never heard of the town!’ Our president then arose and deliberately drew from his pocket the charter of Osborne City, containing the great seal of the secretary of the state of Kansas, which he exhibited to
6720-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
6804-487: The various county offices were held that November and Osborne County was officially organized. Biographies of prominent men and women from throughout Osborne County's history, including Jones, can be found at the Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame website. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 894 square miles (2,320 km), of which 893 square miles (2,310 km)
6888-466: Was called to order with Calvin Reasoner as chairman. The Pennsylvania Colony held the majority of the persons attending. The census committee reported 724 inhabitants and 281 voters in the county, a sufficient number under law to further proceed with organization. "After assembling we found that we were a majority; however, we kept quiet until the time came to choose a temporary county seat, when one of our number arose and moved that Osborne City be declared
6972-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
7056-418: Was named county clerk and Osborne City became the temporary county seat. Cunningham, A. B. Fleming, and Charles Bullock were appointed to draft a petition to the governor praying for recognition of Osborne County's legal organization. The census presented at the meeting included all parties having claims in the county and showed that at the time half of the adult males in the county were bachelors. Unfortunately
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