Hodgeman County, Kansas: History
In 1867, Hodgeman County was established and named for Amos Hodgman, member of the 7th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The letter E was later added to the namesake's name. The county was not formally organized until 1879.
The Homestead Act of 1862 drew many settlers to the region beginning in the spring of 1877, with only a small amount of wheat sown that year due to hail damage. Crop yields improved in 1878. The county initially had several competing towns vying to become the county seat, including Buckner (present-day Jetmore), which eventually won out. While many small towns, such as Kidderville and Milroy, had sprung up in the early years of the county, only Jetmore and Hanston survived as permanent settlements.
By the late 1870s, Hodgeman County had a population of approximately 1,500 people.
In 1882, 24 families of Russian Jews affiliated with the Am Olam agricultural collective movement founded a colony in Hodgeman County named Beersheba, which included sod homes and a sod synagogue.