Severy, formerly Gould, the third town in point of size and importance in Greenwood county, is located on Salt creek at the crossing of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the St. Louis & San Francisco railroads, 16 miles south of Eureka, the county seat. It has 2 banks, a weekly newspaper (the Severyite), churches and schools. This is an important shipping point for live stock, grain, hay and produce. All lines of mercantile endeavor are represented. There are express and telegraph offices and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population in 1910, according to the census report, was 608.

Severy was founded at the time the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. was built in 1879. It was the successor to the town of that name which had been started some years before, and lay a short distance to the south. The town was laid out by the Arkansas Valley Town company in January, and by April it had sufficient population to become incorporated. The first mayor was E. Ellingson. The first building on the town site was the combination store and residence of R. Dodds. The next was the blacksmith shop of A. R. Tomlinson. The first general store was built and opened by E. Ellingson. Other early business men were Stewart, liveryman; N. S. McDonald, physician; and H. C. Reece, attorney. The first hotel was opened in 1880 by Weir & Whittenhall. The Severy postoffice was first established about 2 miles west of the present town at the home of R. T. Bullock. Later it was moved to the old location of Severy and in 1879 to the new town. The first postmaster after its final location was R. Dodds.

The first religious organization was a Union Sunday school organized about 1879. The first church building was the Congregational, built in 1880 and 1881. The first school was established in 1882. The first newspaper, the Severy Pioneer, issued its initial number in March, 1880.