The first settlement was made in the southwest part of the county, date not given, by a Mr. Johnson. - No churches have yet been built in the county, and no school houses, except one built of sod; two schools, however, are in operation. - The first marriage was between W. Z. Nutting and Miss Howell. - The first business was a general store at Stafford, 1877, by E. R. Crawford, and the first post office was established at Freeman, Lucy J. Stone, postmistress.
The county was organized in 1878. An attempt was made to organize it in 1874, but it was clearly fraudulent, there being no population worth mentioning. Jesse Vickers first settled in Stafford, July, 1876. Robert Anderson was the first resident of Iuka, spring of 1877.
Population. - Population in March, 1878, 2,180.
Topography. - The general surface of the country Is undulating; the average width of the bottoms is two miles; there is about 92 per cent. of upland and 8 per cent. of bottom.
Timber. - The timber is inconsiderable.
Coal. - No coal has been discovered.
Principal Streams. - The Ninnescah is the largest stream, with several tributaries, all flowing eastward. Good well water is obtained at a depth of from 10 to 30 feet
Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 645,120; under cultivation, 8,532.50.
Farm Animals. - Number of horses, 234; mules and asses, 91 ; milch cows, 221; other cattle, 215; sheep, 4,495; swine, 317.
Value of Agricultural Implements. - Value of agricultural implements, $135.
Newspaper History. - The Pratt County Press was started at Iuka, in August, 1878, by J. B. King .and M. C. Davis, under the firm name of King & Davis, editors and publishers, by whom it is still continued.
The Citizen was published at Stafford for a short time (dates and names not given), when the establishment was sold to E. B. Cowgill of the Rice County Gazette.
NOTE. - Pratt was attached to Reno county for judicial purposes. At the time the statistics were ,collected, returns were made to Reno, the same as if it had been a township of that county. Consequently the statistics of population and of agriculture are included in the general tables, and credited to Reno county.
TABLE showing the Acreage, Product and Value of the Principal Crops for 1878.
| CROPS. | ACRES. | PRODUCT. | VALUE. |
| Winter Wheat - bu. | 2,981 00 | 53,658.00 | $27902 16 |
| Rye - bu. | 235 00 | 3,760 00 | 1,128 00 |
| Spring Wheat - bu. | 620 00 | 3,720 00 | 1,562 40 |
| Corn - bu. | 3,703 00 | 111,090 00 | 22,218 00 |
| Barley - bu. | 93 00 | 2,790,00 | 837 00 |
| Oats - bu. | 596 00 | 23,840.00 | 3,576 00 |
| Buckwheat - bu. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Irish Potatoes - bu. 6 50 | 650.00 | 227 50 | |
| Sweet Potatoes - bu. | 2 00 | 240 00 | 156 00 |
| Sorghum - gall. | 3 00 | 345 00 | 172 50 |
| Castor Beans - bu. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Cotton - lbs. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Flax - bu. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Hemp - lbs. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Tobacco - lbs. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Broom Corn - lbs. | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Millet and Hungarian - tons | 293.00 | 879 00 | 3,516.65 |
| Timothy Meadow - tons | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Clover Meadow - tons | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Prairie Meadow - tons | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Timothy Pasture | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Clover Pasture | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Blue-Grass Pasture | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Prairie Pasture | ....... | ....... | ....... |
| Total | 8,532.50 | $61.295.56 |
