The Early History of Sedgwick
by Frank W. Blackmar (1912)
Sedgwick, the third largest town in Harvey county, is located on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. and the Little Arkansas river, 10 miles south of Newton, the county seat. It is an incorporated city of 626 inhabitants according to the census of 1910, has 2 banks, an opera house, a weekly newspaper (the Panagraph), telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with four rural routes. It is the oldest town in the county, having been laid off in June, 1870, by the Sedgwick Town company, of which T. S. Floyd was president.
The first store, which was the first in the county, was built in July of that year by William H. Owen. The postoffice was established in the same year with T. S. Floyd as postmaster. The money order department was added in 1877. The first school house in the county was erected here in 1870 and the first term was taught by C. S. Bullock and wife. The first newspaper was the Sedgwick Gazette, the initial number of which was issued in Jan., 1871. The Citizens' Savings bank was organized and began business in 1872. The town was incorporated as a city of the third class in March of that year.
The first election was held on April 1, and the first city officials were as follows: Mayor. T. S. Floyd; police judge, F. T. Morris; clerk, H. Goodell; treasurer, P. M. Morgan; marshal, W. H. Hurd; councilmen, N. A. Mathias, W. B. Chamberlain, O. W. Sherman, O. Y. Hart and Charles Shaefer. The city government was suspended in 1877 on account of a clerical error in the charter. It was revived again in 1881 and a reorganization took place followed by an election of officers in April, 1882, when S. B. Cretcher was elected mayor; N. A. Mathias, police judge; James Cox, R. W. Hall, E. N. Green, J. M. Massey and P. M. Morgan, councilmen. The following were appointed: A. G. Stone, clerk; T. J. Miller, treasurer; C. E. Green, marshal.
Geography
Sedgwick is located at 37°54'59N, 97°25'22W (37.916409, -97.422820). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,537 people, 545 households, and 424 families residing in the city. The population density was 544.4/km² (1,408.8/mi²). There were 568 housing units at an average density of 201.2/km² (520.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.71% White, 0.07% African American, 1.56% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.12% of the population.
There were 545 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,934, and the median income for a family was $49,659. Males had a median income of $37,216 versus $24,732 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,009. About 4.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
|
