Organization of Buffalo County

Valleys in Buffalo County

Pleasant Valley – northwest of Pleasanton, runs northwest-southeast
Buckeye Valley – northwest of Gibbon, runs north-south

Communities in Buffalo County
Majors
Berg

(source: Bassett, Samuel, History of Buffalo County, 1916)
1870 – First Buffalo County Board

Special election held on January 20, 1870
A. C. McLane, Thomas Wood and Edward Oliver elected county commissioners

First meeting of County Commissioners on 26 February 1870
Thomas K. Wood, Edward Oliver, Samuel Boyd, commissioners present
McLane appears to have been replaced by Samuel Boyd,
younger brother of James & Joseph of Boyd’s Ranche

Business:
Set 3 voting precincts – divided county in thirds north/south
1 from Hall/Buffalo line to east edge of Kearney
2 from east edge of Kearney to Stevenson Siding (Odessa)
3 from Stevenson Siding (Odessa) to Dawson/Buffalo line
Set Dist. 1 schoolhouse as meeting place at least until after the next election

Passed a resolution that “all horney cattle, be valued at the following rates as taxable
property: From one year old to two years old, $10 per head; and from two years old upward, to be valued at $30 per head.”

Passed a resolution “that all whisky saloonkeepers shall pay $25 per annum and $25 per
annum for each billiard table”

Appointed John Oliver as sheriff and assessor.

            First Budget:
General fund ................... 6 mills
Sinking fund ................... 2 mills
School fund .................... 2 mills
Poor fund ..................….. 1 mill
Total ..................…........11 mills

The total valuation of the county for taxable purposes in 1870 was $788,981
          $760,008 – UP
              28,973 – Boyd Ranch, the only quarter section of deeded land in the county