[1] The county was named in memory of Samuel Allen Rice, Brigadier-General, United States volunteers, killed April 30, 1864, at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas.

[4] For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles.

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

[7] The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

[8] In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway.

The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada, Hillsboro, Lehigh, Canton, Galva, McPherson, Conway, Windom, Little River, Mitchell, Lyons, Chase, Ellinwood.

27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The cities of Lyons and Sterling are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships.