, ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁France ▁claimed ▁ownership ▁of ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁North ▁America . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 2 , ▁after ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Indian ▁War , ▁France ▁secret ly ▁c eded ▁New ▁France ▁to ▁Spain , ▁per ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Font aine ble au . ▁▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 2 , ▁Spain ▁returned ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁to ▁France , ▁but ▁keeping ▁title ▁to ▁about ▁ 7 , 5 0 0 ▁square ▁miles . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 3 , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁for ▁modern ▁day ▁Kansas ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁from ▁France ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 2 8 , 0 0 0 ▁square ▁mile ▁Louisiana ▁P urchase ▁for ▁ 2 . 8 3 ▁c ents ▁per ▁a cre . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁the ▁Kansas ▁Territ ory ▁was ▁organized , ▁then ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁Kansas ▁became ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁U . S . ▁state . ▁ ▁Ch aut au qua ▁County ▁was ▁created ▁by ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁Kansas ▁legisl ature ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁by ▁the ▁division ▁of ▁Howard ▁County ▁into ▁El k ▁County ▁( the ▁northern ▁half ) ▁and ▁Ch aut au qua ▁County ▁( the ▁southern ▁half ). ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁creation , ▁the ▁county ' s ▁population ▁was ▁about ▁ 7 , 4 0 0 . ▁ ▁Geography ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁U . S