St. Paul or Saint Paul is a city in Neosho County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 614.

History

Father John Schoenmakers, S.J. founded Osage Mission on April 28, 1847. Called the "Apostle to the Osage" and the "Father of civilization in Southeast Kansas," he served for 36 years as spiritual director, doctor, steward, lawyer, judge, catechist and preacher to the Osage. He served as an officially appointed U.S. postmaster of Osage Mission from 1851 to 1864. With the relocation of the Osage he ministered to the needs of the newly arrived settlers. He built the present St. Francis Church stone structure. Father Schoenmakers is buried in St. Francis Cemetery one quarter mile east of the Church. The other leading man in the Osage Mission was Kentucky-born John Allan Mathews. He was married to Mary Williams and after her death to her sister Sarah Williams. The Williams sisters were the daughters of William S. Williams and his Osage wife, A-Ci'n-Ga. They first met Mathews while attending school in Kentucky after their mother died. Mathews was a slaveholder and souther-sympathizer. He married Mary in

Jackson County, Missouri Jackson County is located in the western portion of the U.S. state of Missouri, on the border with Kansas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 717,204. making it the second-most populous county in the state (af ...

in 1835 and was appointed blacksmith for the Senaca in 1837 and for the Osage in 1839. In about 1861 he gathered a group of Osage who tried to force Schoenmakers to flee the area because they disagreed with Schoenmakers' abolitionist ideas. Matthews was killed by the 6th Kansas Cavalry under Gen. James G. Blunt in fighting at

Chetopa, Kansas Chetopa is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 929. Chetopa was named for Chief Chetopah, an Osage Indian chief. Later, the community name was shortened. History The commu ...

on Sep. 18, 1861. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

both Union and Confederate troops took an interest in Osage Mission. From about December 1862 to June 1865 Union soldiers intermittently were stationed at or near the Mission. At least a couple times Confederate supporters entered Osage Mission or were in the immediate vicinity. For more see Osage Mission's post. As early as 1883 there was agitation to change the name of Osage Mission because it suggested it was still an Indian Mission. Neona was suggested to honor the daughter of Chief Little Bear, but local protests favored the name of St. Paul. The reigning judge decided to allow the citizens to vote on the new name and St. Paul was chosen in an election held on April 11, 1895. Some claim the new name was selected to honor the

Apostle Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Apostles in the New Testament, Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the Ministry of Jesus, teachings of Jesus in the Christianity in the 1st century, first ...

, but it was most probably selected in honor of St. Paul of the Cross, founder of the

Passionist The Passionists, officially named the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (), abbreviated CP, are a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men, founded by Paul of the Cross in 1720, with a special emphasis on a ...

s, who had just then established a home in Osage Mission. The name of the post office was officially changed from Osage Mission to Saint Paul in May 1895. The historic St. Francis Hieronymo Church dedicated in 1884 has undergone its latest renovation in 2007 due to a storm on June 30, 2005 that knocked off the steeple. The Osage Mission-Neosho County Museum is directly south of the church. The Lone Elm School, a one-room school house that operated from 1867 through 1951 stands on the museum grounds. A visit to the St. Francis Parish Cemetery reflects much of the history of the Osage Mission, as does the only remaining structure of the girls' school established by Mother Bridget Hayden when she arrived at the Mission in 1847. The Osage Mission Infirmary & Guest House is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

and is managed under the name, St. Ann's Bed and Breakfast. The owners strive to maintain its history and authentic design. St. Paul's homecoming is called Mission Days. It is held annually on Memorial Day Weekend with activities that begin on Thursday and conclude on Monday, including: races, music shows, dances, pony & draft horse pulls, parade, horseshoe tournament, carnival, kids games, golf tournament, calf penning & Calcutta, and Memorial Day services at the local cemeteries.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 629 people, 240 households, and 153 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 259 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 240 households, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 24.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 646 people, 226 households, and 148 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 241 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.21%

, 0.15%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.62% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.93% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population. There were 226 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were

living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.28. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,393, and the median income for a family was $41,563. Males had a median income of $30,385 versus $19,926 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,012. About 6.1% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

In 2013 a municipally-operated supermarket opened.

Education

St. Paul is served by three Chetopa–St. Paul USD 505 public schools: * St. Paul Elementary School * St. Paul Junior High School * St. Paul High School

Historical Sites

St. Paul has three listed sites: the Osage Mission Infirmary (325 Main St.), the Oak Grove School District 20 (20505 20th Rd), and Maxwell’s Slough Bridge (off K-57 .5 miles west and 1 mile south of St. Paul).

Notable people

* Mary Lease (1850–1933), political activist, lecturer

References

External links

City of St. Paul

St. Paul - Directory of Public Officials

St. Paul city map
KDOT {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Paul, Kansas Cities in Neosho County, Kansas Cities in Kansas Populated places established in 1847 1847 establishments in Indian Territory