Calhoun County, one of the counties created by the first territorial legislature, was named for John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. The boundaries, as defined by the creative act, were as follows: "Beginning at the northwest corner of Jefferson county; thence west 25 miles; thence south to the main channel of the Kansas or Kaw river; thence along said channel to the southwest corner of Jefferson county; thence north to the place of beginning."

The territory included within these lines embraces the southern part of the present county of Jackson and that part of Shawnee county lying north of the Kansas river. In 1857 the legislature added the northern part of the present county of Jackson, the boundaries being defined by the act as follows: "Beginning at the southwest corner of Jefferson county, thence north with the west boundary thereof to the northwest corner of said Jefferson county; thence east between sections 24, 25, 19, 30 on range line between ranges 16 and 17 east, township 7 south; thence north with said range line to the first standard parallel; thence west along the south boundaries of Brown and Nemaha counties with the first standard parallel to the corner of sections 1 and 2, of township 6 south, of range 12 east; thence south with the section lines between the first and second tier of sections to the middle of the main channel of the Kansas river; thence down the Kansas river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of beginning."

The county was organized with these boundaries in 1857, and at the election of Oct. 4, 1858, Golden Silvers was chosen to represent the county in the territorial legislature. An election to determine the location of the county seat was held on Oct. 11, 1858, and Holton received a majority of all the votes cast some doubts were raised as to the legality of the election, and to settle this question Mr. Silvers secured the passage of an act, which was approved by Gov. Medary on Feb. 9, 1859, declaring Holton the permanent county seat. Two days later he approved another act changing the name to Jackson county. (See Jackson County.)