Township 1, Rooks County, Kansas

Township 1
Township
Location in Rooks County
Coordinates: 39°26′17″N 99°06′03″W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Rooks
Township 1	1971
Elevation	1,680 ft (512 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	242
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
GNIS feature ID	472247[1]

Township 1 is a township in Rooks County, Kansas, United States. Woodston is the largest population center in Township 1.

History

Rooks County was established with four townships: Bow Creek, Lowell, Paradise and Stockton. That number increased to seven by 1878[2] and twenty three in 1925. The twenty three townships were in place until 1971, when the number was reduced to the current twelve townships.[3]

Township 1 was formed from Rooks County townships Ash Rock, Lowell and Medicine[4] in 1971, pursuant to Kansas Statute 80-1110.[5] The statute allowed for the dissolution of townships and the assignment of those territories to contiguous townships.[6]

Buros Creek flows through the northern part of Township 1 into South Fork Solomon River. Medicine Creek flows through the southern part of Township 1 into South Fork Solomon River.

Ash Rock Township

Ash Rock Township was established in 1877 from part of Lowell Township. The township was named for a petrified tree trunk found by an early settler, H. C. Olds. The Stone Church built in 1883 is a landmark from Ash Rock township.[7]

Lowell Township

Lowell Township was one of the four original Rooks County civil townships along with Bow Creek, Paradise and Stockton. The original Lowell Township was 18 miles north-to-south (three survey townships). The western border was with Bow Creek and Stockton Townships, while the eastern boundary was the Osborne County line, making it nine miles (1-1/2 survey townships) wide. Lowell originally included territory that would become Ash Rock, Medicine and parts of Greenfield, Iowa and Lanark townships.[2]

The South Fork Solomon River traversed Lowell Township.[8]

Medicine Township

Medicine Township was established in 1879 from part of Lowell Township. The township was named for Medicine Creek that traversed the township to the South Fork Solomon River. Medicine Creek was called "heap big medicine" by Native Americans.[9]

References

1. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 13, 1978. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
2. "MAP OF ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS, 1878". KS Gen Web. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
3. "Rooks County Kansas". Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
4. "Kansas Civil Townships and Independent Cities". Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
5. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ROOKS COUNTY KANSAS (January 7, 1971). "LEGAL ADVERTISING". Plainville Times. p. 10.
6. "Chapter 80.:-TOWNSHIPS AND TOWNSHIP OFFICERS". Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
7. Dodrill, Mrs. Ellsworth (January 26, 1961). "A History of Ash Rock Township". Plainville Times. p. 8.
8. Murphy, Elton J. (March 2, 1961). "A History of Lowell Township". Plainville Times. p. 5.
9. Rubottom, Mrs. L. A. (March 23, 1961). "A History of Medicine Township". Plainville Times. p. 5.