The Early History of Colony
by Frank W. Blackmar (1912)
Colony, an incorporated city in Ozark township, Anderson county, is located near the southern boundary of the county, at the junction of the Missouri Pacific and two divisions of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway systems, 16 miles south of Garnett, the county seat. The history of the town begins with the construction of the first railroad over the site, the plat being filed on Aug. 2, 1872. Two years later a number of members of a colony formed in Ohio and Indiana settled in the new town, and these gave it the name it bears to this day.
Many of these colonists stayed but a short time, and for several years the growth of the town was slow. In Aug., 1881, several of the best buildings were destroyed by fire, and since that time the growth has been more substantial. Colony has a bank, an international money order postoffice with three rural routes, grain elevators, a hotel, an opera house, a weekly newspaper (the Free Press), telegraph, telephone and express accommodations, churches of several of the leading denominations, good public schools, and in 1910 reported a population of 530. A number of gas wells in the immediate vicinity furnish both light and heat for the inhabitants.
Geography
Colony is located at 38°4'15N, 95°21'58W (38.070803, -95.366109). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 397 people, 160 households, and 120 families residing in the city. The population density was 306.6/km² (794.7/mi²). There were 186 housing units at an average density of 143.6/km² (372.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.96% White, 0.25% African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.25% Asian, and 3.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population.
There were 160 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 78.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,167, and the median income for a family was $27,708. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,398. About 13.8% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 21.6% of those age 65 or over.
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