Labette County, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Labette County is a county located in southeast Kansas
, in the Central
United States
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,607. Its county seat
is Oswego
, and its most populous city is Parsons
. The Parsons Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Labette County.
, set up an inn and killed at least 12 travellers including one child. While the Benders hold a tragic and morbid story, they are famous in the area.
, county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.
, there were 22,835 people, 9,194 households, and 6,114 families residing in the county. The population density
was 35 people per square mile (14/km2). There were 10,306 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup
of the county was 89.28% White
, 4.66% Black or African American
, 1.95% Native American
, 0.32% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 1.20% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races
. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 3.07% of the population.
There were 9,194 household
s out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples
living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 29.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.
The median income for a household
in the county was $30,875, and the median income for a family was $37,519. Males had a median income of $29,043 versus $21,706 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,525. About 8.90% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.
. The cities of Chetopa
, Oswego
, and Parsons
are considered governmentally independent and are 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.
Additional information
Maps
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in the Central
Central United States
The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the Southern United States; the term is also sometimes used...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,607. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Oswego
Oswego, Kansas
Oswego is a city in and the county seat of Labette County, Kansas, United States,, and situated along the Neosho River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,829.-History:...
, and its most populous city is Parsons
Parsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
. The Parsons Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Labette County.
History
From 1871-1873 the Benders, later called the Bloody BendersBloody Benders
The Bloody Benders were a family of serial killers who owned a small general store and inn in Osage township, Labette County, Kansas from 1872 to 1873. The inn was a dingy place called the Wayside Inn. The alleged family consisted of John Bender, his wife Kate, son John Jr. and daughter Kate...
, set up an inn and killed at least 12 travellers including one child. While the Benders hold a tragic and morbid story, they are famous in the area.
Law and government
Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry"Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 653.3 square miles (1,692 km²), of which 648.82 square miles (1,680.4 km²) (or 99.31%) is land and 4.48 square miles (11.6 km²) (or 0.69%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Neosho CountyNeosho County, KansasNeosho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 16,512...
(north) - Crawford CountyCrawford County, KansasCrawford County is a county located in southeastern Kansas in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 39,134. Its county seat is Girard, and its most populous city is Pittsburg. The county was named in honor of Samuel J. Crawford, Governor of Kansas...
(northeast) - Cherokee CountyCherokee County, KansasCherokee County is a county located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,603. Its county seat is Columbus, and its most populous city is Baxter Springs...
(east) - Craig CountyCraig County, OklahomaCraig County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 15,029, a gain of 0.5 percent from 14,950 in 2000. Its county seat is Vinita.Craig County was organized in 1907.-History:...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(south) - Nowata CountyNowata County, OklahomaNowata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,573, a decline of 0.3 percent from 2000, when the population was 10,569...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(southwest) - Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, KansasMontgomery County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 35,471. Its county seat is Independence, and its most populous city is Coffeyville. The Coffeyville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Montgomery...
(west)
Demographics
As of the U.S. Census in 2000United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 22,835 people, 9,194 households, and 6,114 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 35 people per square mile (14/km2). There were 10,306 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the county was 89.28% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 4.66% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 1.95% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.32% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 1.20% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 3.07% of the population.
There were 9,194 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 29.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.
The median income for a household
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
in the county was $30,875, and the median income for a family was $37,519. Males had a median income of $29,043 versus $21,706 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,525. About 8.90% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
Name and population ( estimate):- ParsonsParsons, KansasParsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
, - OswegoOswego, KansasOswego is a city in and the county seat of Labette County, Kansas, United States,, and situated along the Neosho River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,829.-History:...
, (county seatCounty seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
) - ChetopaChetopa, KansasChetopa is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 1,281 at the 2000 census. Chetopa was named for Chief Chetopa, an Osage Indian chief.-Geography:Chetopa is located at...
, - AltamontAltamont, KansasAltamont is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 1,092 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Altamont is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, - EdnaEdna, KansasEdna is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 423 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Edna is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, - Mound ValleyMound Valley, KansasMound Valley is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 418 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mound Valley is located at ....
, - BartlettBartlett, KansasBartlett is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 124 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bartlett is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, - LabetteLabette, KansasLabette is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 68 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Labette is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
,
Unincorporated places
- AngolaAngola, KansasAngola is a small unincorporated community in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The post office was established January 31, 1887, and discontinued September 16, 1971....
- DennisDennis, KansasDennis is an unincorporated community in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The post office was established May 31, 1881. The nearby Big Hill Archeological District is on the National Register of Historic Places....
- Montana
- Strauss
- Valeda
Townships
Labette County is divided into sixteen townshipsCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
. The cities of Chetopa
Chetopa, Kansas
Chetopa is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. The population was 1,281 at the 2000 census. Chetopa was named for Chief Chetopa, an Osage Indian chief.-Geography:Chetopa is located at...
, Oswego
Oswego, Kansas
Oswego is a city in and the county seat of Labette County, Kansas, United States,, and situated along the Neosho River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,829.-History:...
, and Parsons
Parsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
are considered governmentally independent and are 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 | Population center |
Population | Population density /km2 (/sq mi) |
Land area km2 (sq mi) | Water area km² (sq mi) | Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 10325 | 217 | 2 (5) | 103 (40) | 0 (0) | 0.22% | 37°6′18"N 95°27′4"W | |
| Elm Grove | 20750 | 798 | 6 (16) | 130 (50) | 0 (0) | 0.17% | 37°3′22"N 95°20′12"W | |
| Fairview | 22550 | 239 | 3 (7) | 94 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.11% | 37°10′9"N 95°12′6"W | |
| Hackberry | 29350 | 403 | 3 (8) | 131 (51) | 0 (0) | 0.15% | 37°3′30"N 95°12′44"W | |
| Howard | 33300 | 357 | 3 (8) | 111 (43) | 0 (0) | 0.13% | 37°2′23"N 95°27′33"W | |
| Labette | 37400 | 373 | 4 (10) | 94 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.18% | 37°15′43"N 95°18′54"W | |
| Liberty | 40175 | 395 | 4 (11) | 95 (37) | 0 (0) | 0.11% | 37°15′47"N 95°11′45"W | |
| Montana | 47850 | 179 | 3 (7) | 71 (27) | 1 (1) | 1.90% | 37°15′28"N 95°7′34"W | |
| Mound Valley | 48850 | 806 | 5 (13) | 166 (64) | 0 (0) | 0.11% | 37°12′30"N 95°25′40"W | |
| Mount Pleasant | 48950 | 1,351 | 14 (37) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.34% | 37°10′50"N 95°18′14"W | |
| Neosho | 49775 | 222 | 3 (8) | 70 (27) | 2 (1) | 2.40% | 37°20′11"N 95°6′37"W | |
| North | 50975 | 612 | 7 (19) | 83 (32) | 0 (0) | 0.16% | 37°19′39"N 95°12′40"W | |
| Osage | 53150 | 703 | 4 (12) | 157 (61) | 5 (2) | 2.93% | 37°20′4"N 95°26′18"W | |
| Oswego | 53475 | 310 | 5 (12) | 66 (25) | 1 (0) | 1.73% | 37°9′21"N 95°6′22"W | |
| Richland | 59425 | 303 | 3 (8) | 97 (38) | 0 (0) | 0.43% | 37°3′29"N 95°6′19"W | |
| Walton | 75250 | 726 | 9 (23) | 83 (32) | 0 (0) | 0.16% | 37°20′59"N 95°19′2"W | |
| Sources: | ||||||||
Unified school districts
- Cherokee USD 247 (Web site) is a school districtSchool districtSchool districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
of 300 square miles (777 km²) primarily covering portions of CrawfordCrawford County, KansasCrawford County is a county located in southeastern Kansas in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 39,134. Its county seat is Girard, and its most populous city is Pittsburg. The county was named in honor of Samuel J. Crawford, Governor of Kansas...
and CherokeeCherokee County, KansasCherokee County is a county located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,603. Its county seat is Columbus, and its most populous city is Baxter Springs...
counties, but also includes small portions of Labette and NeoshoNeosho County, KansasNeosho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 16,512...
counties. - Parsons USD 503 (Web site)
- Oswego USD 504 (Web site)
- Chetopa-St. Paul USD 505 (Web site)
- Labette County USD 506 (Web site)
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Labette County, KansasNational Register of Historic Places listings in Labette County, KansasThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Labette County, Kansas.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Labette County, Kansas, United States...
Further reading
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
Official sitesAdditional information
- Blue Skyways
- Case, Nelson (1901) History of Labette County, Kansas
- Kansas Statistical Abstract
- Labette County GenWeb
- Labette County History and Heritage Project, Genealogy
Maps
- 2007 Labette County Map, KDOT
- 2011 Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
- 2011 Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
- 2005 Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE