Public Schools
The county has manifested commendable interest in the cause of public education, and has made noteworthy progress. There are fifty-seven school districts, fifty-three schoolhouses, sixty-five qualified teachers, and 2,225 school children enumeratedl,150 males and 1,075 females. The schoolhouse sites are valued at $1,110; schoolhouses at $10,337; books and apparatus at $350.
Population
When the county was organized in December, 1867, it contained about thirty families, perhaps one hundred and fifty persons. In 1876, it contained a population of 3,288; in 1880, according to the Government census, 5,587. The Assessors’ returns for 1881 make the population 5,577, distributed among the precincts as follows; Union Creek, 1,183; Schoolcraft, 509; Shell Creek, 311; Fairview, 309; Jefferson, 327; Norfolk, 1,266; Battle Creek, 1,120, Emerick, 231; and Grove, 321; but no one has confidence in the returns, and we should probably be much nearer the truth to add 1,000 to the whole number returned, and divide this number proportionately among the precincts.
Source: Andreas, A. T. History of the State of Nebraska, p. 1102. Chicago: The Western Historical Company. 1882.