USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 1
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 00013471514
,٠
HISTORY
OF
DUBUQUE COUNTY IOWA
Being a General Survey of Dubuque County History, Including a History of the City of Dubuque and Special Account of Districts throughout the County, from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time
FRANKLIN T. OLDT
Editor-in-Chief
P. J. QUIGLEY
10 /
Supervising Editor CATHOLIC HISTORY
Dubuque
FACSIMILE SIGNATURE OF JULIEN DUBUQUE
GOODSPEED HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION CHICAGO
· 1/8.04
21.9.4 .5 ١
3%
60
PREFACE
A N examination of this volume by subscribers will reveal that a vast extent of original research for material has been made in newspaper files, public documents and private rec- ords of various kinds. The object has been to compress into the pages, even at the partial expense of finished literary style, interesting and valuable data concerning the county so far as space would allow. In addition, though the subscription list is small, the number of pages has been extended over two hundred beyond what was contemplated at the outset, in order still further to save from permanent loss thousands of interesting items usually over- looked or disregarded by local historians. Thus a permanent foun- dation for a future perfect historical work, which can be elaborated and improved by subsequent writers, has been laid. Generally, statistical tables have been avoided and a narrative form has been adopted. The book necessarily contains errors, though it is believed they will be found comparatively few. The publishers stand ready, as is their custom, to correct all such by a special errata sheet to be sent to subscribers to be pasted in the books. As a whole we feel confident that subscribers will appreciate this fine volume.
THE PUBLISHERS.
一
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
HISTORY
CHAPTER PAGE
Geology, Lead and Zinc Mining, etc.
17
Dubuque's Settlement, the Indians, etc. 31
City of Dubuque, 1788 to 1849 46
City of Dubuque, 1850 to 1859 88
131
City of Dubuque, 1870 to 1911.
167
Boating, River Commerce, etc.
204
Railway Projects.
240
Military Record
251
Politics
324
County Affairs
391
Practice of Medicine, Dentistry, etc.
421
Protestants
431
Bench and Bar. 447
467
Catholics
871
Education
903
Miscellaneous Events
935
BIOGRAPHY
PAGE
PAGE
Abeln, Frank G .. . A
818
Beaubines, The. 501
Beck, Guido. 651
Aitchison, Albert Wallace 783
Becker, August. 619
Aitchison, William C., Jr. 811
Beiler, Frank A. 644
Allen, Leonard P.
699
Benton, Charles. 572
Allison, James Emerson 797
Benton, Curtis D. 568
Altman, Franc W. 647
Berg, Christopher H. 704
Andres, Claus. 679
Beringer, John F. 771
533
Armstrong, David. 593
Bigelow, Dr. Isaac S.
861
Armstrong, David W
823
Bisenius, Nicholas John. 695
Blocklinger, Dr. Albert Herman 755 Blocklinger, Benjamin Franklin 684 Board, Charles L. 812
Bockensted, Anton. 737
Boeckensted, Frank 741
Boldt, Gustav H. 703
Bonson, Richard. 643
Bonson, Hon. Robert 650
Barry, Rev. Michael
852
Brede, John F.
710
Brede, Louis H.
749
5
B
Baird, William. 537
Baldwin, Charles Dunn. 530
Baldwin, Isaac W. 529
Barker, W. T. 455
Barmeier, Harry
752
Baumann, Rev. Father John S .. 515
Beatty, James W.
512
Adams, Shubael P. 773
Arendt, Charles F. 699
Bevan, James W ..
Armstrong, James. 592
Townships, Settlement, etc.
City of Dubuque, 1860 to 1869
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Briggs, Thomas G ..
551
Briggs, Thomas Howard. 552
Brinkman, Herman. 693
Broell, John C ..
582
Brouillard, Henry
784
Brownson, Dr. Orestes A.
752
y Brueckner, Edward.
604
Brummer, John W .. 647
Brunkow, Ferdinand W.
837
Buckley, Henry L ..
850
Buechele, John Paul.
777
Buechele, Theodore E., Sr.
777
Bullinger, Francis Xavier
864
Bunker, Horace F ..
847
Burdt, Frederick C.
846
Burlage, Simon, Sr. 620
Burns, John F.
502
Byrne, John M.
S61
C
Campbell, Edmond H. 791
Carey, Eugene C.
793
Carey, Rev. Michael H. 851
Carkeek, Thomas T. 708
Carney, Frank.
501
Chesterman, Caleb C 606
Christman, Charles .. 630
Christman, Mrs. Christiana. 857
Clancy, Mathew C. 843
Clark, Alfred L ..
845
Clark, Rev. Arthur M .. 514
Clarke, Dr. E. Lincoln. 560
Clarke, Frederick M .. 565
Collis, George
691
Conlin, James L. 535
C'onlin, Thomas J .. 556
Connell, Charles W.
566
Conzett, Arthur M .. . 847
Cooley, Mrs. Clara Aldrich.
762
Cooley, Hon. D. N .. 761
Cooper, Augustin A. 499
Cox, Walter G.
584
Craft, George W. 538
Craft, William 689
Crawford, Hon. Phineas W.
770
Crawford, Theophilus
656
D
Dehner, Henry L .. 532
Dell, Charles H .. 824
Dement, Herman. 676
Deming, Judson Keith. 566
Denison, Jolin D., Jr ..
728
Denlinger, Martain
807
Dersch, Francis H. 701
Deyen, George B .. 822
Dickinson, George F. 526
Doerr, Phillip.
522
Doerrmann, Fred.
686
Dorr, Col. Joseph B .. 532
Dreher, Joseph J.
648
Drexler, Anton.
735
Drexler, Frank L ..
820
PAGE
Dubuque Academy of Music .... 742
Dubuque, Julien. . 19, 31, 43, 46, 391
Duffy, James J .. ..
618
Dyer, Judge J. J.
.452, 453
E
Ede, David F.
678
Eighmey, Charles H.
653
Elmer, Mrs. Phoebe. 857
Ellwanger, Andrew 719
Ellwanger, John.
631
Ellwanger, Otto .. 720
Emerson, J. Hannibal. 661
Emerson, James M ..
657
Ersehens, Peter F., Jr .. 639
Even, Peter.
605
Evers, Henry
586
F
Fagan, James.
527
Faha, Frank.
604
Fanning, James. 664
Fanning, Timothy. 664
Farrington, Earl J.
834
Felgner, Emil. 736
Fengler, Edwin A 520
Fengler, Leo M ... 521
Ferring, Anton W. 841
Finn, John J ..
516
Fitzpatrick, Thomas .J. 623
Flick, Arthur R. 524
Fober, Joseph L. 702
Foulke, H. B ..
459
Frantzen, J. P.
665
Freeman, L. P ... 814
Freking, Ferdinand 863
Friedman, Anton. 694
Friedmann, George
711
Friedman, Jacob.
Frith, Eugene E ...
737
Fromm. Dr. Lawrence 588
Frudden, Hon. A. F. 652
Fuhrman, Edward.
720
Fuhrmann, Frank P.
774
G
Ganfield, Henry
789
Ganfield, Samuel. 788
Garrigan, Matthew 816
Gebhard, John B.
820
Gehon, Gen. Francis
251
Gehrig, Joseph.
692
Gehrig, D. A.
869
Gerken, Prof. George F. 580
Gerken, Henry.
580
Giegenrich, Albert
636
Glab, Adam.
581
Glab, John.
579
Glab, Nicholas.
581
X Glaser, August L.
545
Goetzinger, Nicholas.
641
Gorman, Very Rev. Daniel M.,
LL.D ..
664
713
7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Gosden, Henry.
789
Graffort, Thomas 665
Graham, William 744
Gregoire, Charles Hypolitte.
501
Gregory, E. James.
775
Guthrie, James R., M.D.
663
H
Haas, Hon. Daniel J
640
Ham, Mathias.
799
Ilam, Moses M ..
673
Hammel, August.
771
Hamil, Andrew Preston
792
Hamil, Thomas A.
783
Hamilton, Judge William W.
665
Hammond, William A
528
Harkett, William A.
636
Harragan, Joseph F.
717
Harrington, Cornelius Daniel. 578
Harris, Capt. D. S.
205, 218
Ilarris, James H.
666
Hartmann, Anthony A
833
Hartmann, Leo. L.
834
Haudenshield, Jacob.
836
Hauer, Lorenz.
626
Hawkins, Benjamin
718
Hawkins, Reuben.
750
Hay, Robert.
621
Heald, Burton D.
548
Healey, Mrs. Elizabeth
857
Healey, George W. 662
Heeb, Anthony F ..
611
.Heer, Fridolin Joseph, Sr.
597
Heer, Rev. George W. 650
Heery, Willianı. 814
Hefferuan, Thomas Henry, M.D. 603
Hein, George L
540
lleim, John L ..
655
Heisey, David J.
719
Heitzman, William.
668
Heles, John B .. . 587
Hempstead, Gov. Stephen. 497
Henderson, Col. D. B ... 377, 384, 386
Herod, Joseph.
664
Ilerdmann, Thomas A.
830
Heyne, Gustavus A.
838
Higbee, Herbert G.
510
Higgins, Eugene .. 803
Higgins, Warren .. 804
Hillyard, Lorenzo O. 610
Hinds, Franklin.
639
IFirons, Harvey.
551
Hodgdon, Gen. John 661
Hoefer, Adam J. 576
Hoerr, Peter ..
671
Hoffman, Mathias M. 724 Holmes, Dr. Harry Lowell. 511 Hollnagel, Charles H. 683
Holscher, Bernard, Sr. 732
Honerbaum, Barnard.
809
Horchem, B. J ..
781
Hnelshoff, Bernard H.
645
Huntoon, D. C.
866
Hyde, Lucien R ..
517
J
Jaeger, Frank M ..
753
Jackson, Dr. Edward R.
605
Johnson, A. C.
523
Jonas, Dan J.
763
Jones, Gen. George W.
865
Jones, Rudolph
689
Jungk, Philip
825
K
Kapp, John
572
Karrick, Capt. George O.
252
Kearney, Frank J. 687
Kearney, William S.
812
Keckevoet, John.
831
Kehoe, John C.
557
Kelly, Thomas.
540
Kenline, Henry Charles.
749
Kenneally, Daniel J.
669
Kennedy, Michael ..
815
Kenter, Clemens
818
Kerper, Jacob.
575
Kerper, John A.
539
Kessler, Jacob. 634
Kiene, Emil. 559
538
Kiene, Peter, Jr
Kiene, Peter, Sr. 501
Kies, John L.
777
Kifer, John H. 805
Kingsley, Thomas 681
Kinsella, John A.
677
Kirchen, John P., Sr 751
Klaner, Peter
617
Klauer, William H. 834
Kleis, Charles E ..
507
Kluesner. John. 765
Knapp, Dr. Horace G. 505
Knight, William J. 465
Knoll, Dr. Oscar A. 800
Knowlton, Henry A.
676
Koch, John Adam.
705
Kohlmann, Henry W.
527
Kolek, Richard.
531
Kremer, George
716
Kretschmer, Prof. Charles G. 627
Kretschmer, Frederick N ..
577
Kretschmer, Herbert C.
576
Kuhn, Prof. Albert. 799
Kumpf, Edward E.
795
Kutsch, Frank P
844
Kutsch, Joseph P.
504
L
Lange, Dr. Frank X.
582
Lange, Otto Fernando
734
Langel, Adolph
868
Langel, John.
869
Langworthy, Edward.
507
Langworthy, Dr. Henry Glover. 658
PAGE
Kiene, Henry
501
8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Moes, Mathias. 707
Moloney, Lawrence. 754
Monger, Shubael A. 727
Monroe, Thomas M. 455
Mueller, Dr. Emil F. 594
Mueller, Henry. 546
Mulgrew, Thomas J. 851
Mulkern, Hon. M. B.
453,
454
Mullany, John I .. 624
Mullen, Richard D.
544
Muntz, Samuel E ..
774
Murphy, John Stanford. 766
Murphy, William C ..
687
Murray, P. C.
796
Myers, Dorrance Dixon, Sr.
602
N
Nabor, Bernard A ..
583
Newburgh, Joseph W.
858
Newton, Rev. Isaac ..
571
Neyens, John ..
784
Nightingale, George L.
517
Noel, John B ...
712
Norman, J. J. E.
639
Norton, John W.
829
Norton, Patrick.
854
0
Ovel, John G ..
583
O'Neill, John.
810
O'Neill, John H ..
456,
459
Oneill, William B ..
543
O'Malley, Rev. Peter.
848
O'Farrell, James.
832
Otto, Prof. Rudolph Franz.
719
Oberbroekling, Rev. Frederick
William
671
Orvis, Rev. Gurney Mahan
648
Ott, Joseph .John
660
P
Palmer, William A.
728
Pape, Rev. Frederick W.
629
Perkins, Solon B. .
787
Pond, Dr. Alonson M.
801
Plamondon, Isidore J., Jr ..
555
Pitman, John A ..
564
Pottebaum, Henry 508
Patterson, Samuel.
519
Pitsehner, Charles.
840
Palen, Dr. Charles.
849
Preston, Gustavus
828
Poole, Horace.
697
Pferseh, Philip C.
633
Menke, John W. 864
Merkes, Thomas .. 707
Mescher, Henry .J
817
Metcalf, George.
643
Meuser, Joseph A
542
Meyer, Joseph L.
549
Mihm, John J ..
717
Moes, Dr. M. J.
706
PAGE
Langworthy, James L. 513
Langworthy, James Lyon 696
Langworthy, Lucius H. 498
Lattner, Samuel B. 746
Leary, James.
860
Leffert, Daniel. 806
Leigh, Charles E .. 758
Leman, Adolph Warburg, M.Th. 738
Lemper, Henry P.
733
730
Lenz, Nicholas Martin Phillip.
Levens, Capt. Thomas.
532
Levi, James.
588
Lighteap, Leonard L. 702
Limbach, Joseph H. 596
Linehan, Dr. Charles M. 591
Linehan, Edmund 860
Linehan, J. J.
591
Linehan, Dr. Mathias D. 633
Link, James F ..
822
Loetseher, Christian 725
Loizeaux, Charles, E., M.D.
603
Lorimier, Peter A
497
Lubek, Louis C ...
782
Luehrsmann, Dr. Bernard H. 596
Luehterhand, Fred L. M. 709
Lusk, William H ..
523
Luther, William C.
622
Lyon, Col. D. E ..
550
Lyons, Michael Edward ..
722
Lyon, George "
550
M
MacHogan, William
819
Maguire, Daniel D., 842
Maguire, John E., M.D. 552
Maiers, Peter J .. 856
Manson, John W.
525
Manson, Walter.
632
Martin, William B
Martin, Moses H ..
546
Martin, Robert.
790
Massey, Frederick I. 695
Mason, Dr. Timothy.
636
Mathes, Lee Dandrige
657
Mathiesen, Julius H.
837
Matthews, Alphons. 722
Matthews, Hon. Matthew C. 794
MeCollins, John J.
713
McCraney, Thomas.
646
MeEnany, Michael.
835
McFadden, Prof. John
A
729
McGee, George.
573
McGee, Isaac L.
569
MeNamara, C. B ..
766
MeNamara, John F.
726
Q
Quinlan, Robert W
859
Quigley, Patrick J.
654
R
Rankin, John.
547
Ranson, Franklin Adelbert.
571
Rath, George C.
510
843
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Redding, James E. 560
Reinold, John F .. 680
Renier, Philip J .. 798
Reynolds, Joseph 238
Rhomberg, Alphons L.
534
Rhomberg, Alphonse J.
535
Rhomberg, Frank M .. .
574
Rhomberg, Joseph Andrew 532
Rhomberg, Joseph H. 574
Rhomberg, Titus E.
536
Rider, Peter ..
615
Rittscher, John A. 616
Roberts, Thomas C .. 458
Robinson, Frederick C.
634
Roche, Michael.
674
Rodgers, Robert W. 802
Roedell, Alfred T.
868
Rose, George De Forest
616
Roshek, John Jerome 867
Rowan, Joseph J., Jr. 553
Ryan, the Rt. Rev. Roger 848
Ruete, Theodore W.
656
S
Samuels, Ben M
635, 451
Sanner, John P.
816
Sauer, Daniel 747
Sauser, J. P.
813
Sauser, Michael H ..
685
Schaetzle, Joseph W.
740
Schaul, Adolph
855
Schemmel, Theodore. 736
Schemmel, Joseph .. 587
Schemmel, William 588
Scherr, Bernard C.
613
Scherr, Franz ... 613
Schiek, Arthur D.
559
Schollian, Alexander 672
Schmid, George, Jr .. 518
Schmid, George, Sr. 517
Schmitt, Paul J ..
521
Schroeder, Frank N.
637
Schrup, Nicholas J.
592
Schrup, John ..
592
Schrup, Dr. Joseph Henry
715
Schublin, August.
828
Schulte, Bernard.
756
Schulte, George G
757
Schulte, John J ..
757
Schultz, Daniel.
786
Sehunk, Henry A.
746
Schwind, Benjamin J.
619
Schwind, John W. 612
Schwinn, Phillip. 669
Sebo, Nicholas.
808
Segur, James F.
705
Seippel, Peter J ..
667
Shaffer, Nicholas M ..
541
Shiras, Hon. Oliver Perry
778
Simplot, Alexander.
690
Singrin, William.
827
Skemp, Charles P.
612
Skemp, Charles W
608
PAGE
Sleator, Col. David. 665
Slocum, Prof. Perkins S. 554
Smead, John S ... 556
Smith, Albert Hugo. 614
Smith, George P .. 842
Smith, Prof. Harry B. 721
Smith, Thomas 548
Spahn, Charles J. 714
Speilman, Jacob. 862
Spencer, John. 688
Spensley, Harker Brent. 849
Spoden, John N.
764
Spoden, Peter ..
765
Staheli, Christopher E .. 852
Stampfer, Joseph Frederick 594
Stedman, Benjamin F ..
585
Steffens, Dr. Cornelius M. 731
Steuck, Carl A .. 854
Stichler, George W. 553
Strief, Samuel L ... 562
Stronck, Michael. 626
Stronck, Peter .. 627
Stuber, John William
514
Sullivan, Timothy
756
Summerfield, Adolph G. .
682
Sumpman, Dr. Hubert Anton 595
Sweeney, Dr. Robert J.
727
Swift, Samuel T.
578
T
Taylor, Stanley Morgan.
607
Taylor, Thomas J.
830
Tegeler, Henry.
743
Tegler, Bernard
821
Tibbals, William R.
698
Tingley, Patrick.
643
Traub, Eugene.
735
Traufler, George
730
Traut, Paul.
780
Tredway, Alfred.
570
Tredway, Harry E. 570
Trexler, Adolph M.
567
Trombley, Robert H.
853
Tschudi, Fred.
709
'Tucker, Edward.
809
U
Utt, Anna M.
824
Utt, John B.
824
Urbach, Abe.
670
Urbach, Milton
670
V
Van Horn, Charles
590
Van Vors, Jason F.
839
Voelker, Christian Anthon.
638
Von Der Heide, John Henry.
733
..
Vorwald, Henry
624
Vorwald, John and Annie.
609
W
Walker, Marshall M.
563
Waller, John R ..
629
10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Walsh, James M. 589
Walter, John B .. 748
Walton, Charles Wesley 658
Waples, Peter. 517
Weaver, Gassoway S.
503
Webb, Capt. N. F.
204
Weigel, Frederick. 758
Wieland, Dr. Frank W.
678
Wieneke, August W
840
Williams, John B ..
615
Willner, Milton F.
589
Young, Robert.
700
Wilberding, Henry.
827
Wilson, Judge David S .. . .. 452, 462
Zumhoff, William. .
633
ILLUSTRATIONS
NAME
FACING PAGE
Allison, William B
369
Asylum
113
Beck, Guido.
651
Birdseye View of Dubuque
257
Boldt, G. H.
703
Christman, Mrs. Christiana.
857
Cooley, Hon. D. N. 761
762
Cooper, A. A.
499
Cooper, Mrs. A. A.
500
Country Club.
129
Dubuque, 1846.
65
Dubuque's Monument, Julien
177
Dubuque in Early Days
33
Dubuque Club.
113
Dubuque Boat Yard.
161
Dubuque Views
471
Eagle Point.
145
Eagle Point High Bridge.
225
Ellwanger, John.
631
Elmer, Mrs. Phoebe
857
Fitzpatrick, T. J.
623
Frantzen, John P. 665
579
Guthrie, Dr. J. B.
663
Ham, M ..
799
Ham, M. M.
673
Healey, Mrs. Elizabeth.
857
Heeb, A. F.
611
Heer, F. J .. 597
Henderson, Hon. David B. 385
Herod, J ..
664
Fligh and Railroad Bridges
241
Hollnagel, Charles
683
ly)
Wilson, Judge T. S .. 453, 463
Wiltse, Gen. Henry A. 660
Wise, Benjamin C .. 509
Wood, Fernando H. 642
Wright, William Scott. 682
Wunderlich, Henry J. 529
Wunderlich, Henry. 529
Y
Willy, Ulrich.
506
Z
PAGE
Wilson, Mrs. Frances P. (Stoke- 498
Glab, John.
Cooley, Mrs. Clara Aldrich
1 I
NAME FACING PAGE
Hollnagel, Mrs. Charles.
683
In and around Dubuque 193
Jones, Gen. George W.
49
Keane, Archbishop John Joseph.
896
Kiene, Peter, Sr.
501
Kiene, Peter.
502 617
Kleis, C. E.
507
Kretschmer, Charles G.
627
Linwood Cemetery
97
Matthews, Alphons
722
Matthews, M. C.
794
Mazzuchelli, Fr. Samuel.
871
Mouth of Catfish Creek.
161
Mississippi River View
225
Oldt, F. T.
903
Pape, Rev. Frederick W.
629
Park and Country Views.
273
Patterson, Sam.
519
Picturesque Dubuque.
289
Quigley, P. J . .
654
Rhomberg, F. M.
574
Rockdale, Street Scenes, etc. .
321
Roman Catholic Church, Dyersville.
455
Ruins of Old Mill 97
Schwind, Jacob.
612
Smith, H. B.
721
Steps to Cemetery Hill.
257
St. Boniface Catholic Church.
423
St. Joseph's Sanitarium, Dubuque.
390
The J. S. and W. W
209
Thole, Rev. A. J.
629
Trexler, A. M.
567
Trinity Catholic Church, Luxemburg.
671
Waller, John R.
630
Y. W. C. A. Building
129
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Klauer, Peter.
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
GEOLOGY, LEAD MINING, ETC.
D UBUQUE COUNTY lies only partly within the driftless area of this region; this area extends down from the north along the Mississippi in varying widths to about seven miles below the city of Dubuque, where it runs to a point. It extends up the Catfish some ten or twelve miles and up the Little Maquoketa about twenty miles. This region is represented by the Pre-Cambrian system and the remainder of the county by the Ordovician system.
The valley at Dubuque lies about 600 feet above the sea, and above the valley tower the bluffs a few hundred feet higher. The plain back of the bluffs is an important feature of the county. This plain is cut by abrupt ravines and valleys, the principal streams draining Dubuque county being Turkey, Big and Little Maquoketa and Tete des Mort rivers and Catfish creek. The Mississippi flows through a narrow valley bounded by steep bluffs or mounds. This narrow valley and high bluffs are exceptional. Between two long tributaries of one of the smaller streams the upland reaches out in a long, finger-like promontory; between two tributaries of the Mississippi there is instead a sharp canyon wall, as if there had existed promontories which later were truncated half or three- quarters of a mile back from the main stream. Thus the valley reverses the normal habit of rivers, becoming narrower here than farther up stream. Certain other streams show this same tendency in a less marked degree, and in addition Maquoketa river and Catfish creek now join the Mississippi through new valleys up stream, having deserted old open valleys having the normal down- stream course usual for tributary valleys. These and other pecu- liarities are unusual in the formation of water courses.
"This region is one of unmetamorphosed, little disturbed, sedi- mentary rocks of the Paleozoic age and there are no igneous rocks in it or recent ones near it. It has been at least once worn down by erosion to mature topographic development and afterward uplifted and is now being redissected. The rocks have a very gentle dip to
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rocks slope gently toward the southwest.
The Ordovician rocks
The Pre-Cambrian rocks lie 1,000 to 1,500 feet below the sur- face; they do not outcrop in Dubuque county. The Cambrian rocks are represented by about 1,000 feet of sandstone with minor por- tions of shale and dolomite. The Pre-Cambrian and Cambrian
GENERAL SECTION OF ROCKS AT DUBUQUE.
SYSTEM.
FORMATION.
CHARACTER.
THICKNESS.
.... 5-70
1
Silurian
Niagara
Dolomite
· . 150
Maquoketa
Shales
160
Galena
Dolomite
240
Platteville
Limestone and dolomite
55
St. Peter
Sandstone
80
Dolomite
50
Sandstone
10-40
Chien l Oneota
Dolomite
200
Cambrian
Potsdam
Sandstone with minor shale and dolomite . . 800
Pre-Cambrian
1
L Quartzite with various igneous rocks
Not determined
lie within the well-known driftless area.
the southwest, superimposed on which are numerous shallow folds of local extent. Within the ore-bearing district only Ordovician and Silurian beds occur." The principal exposures of rock at Dubuque are the Galena formation. The Maquoketa shale and Niagara dolo- mite are seen elsewhere in the county. The lead and zinc deposits
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
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Quaternary
Alluvium Terrace deposits Loess Residual clays J
FEET IN
Ordovician
Prairie) (Shakopee du New Richmond
·
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
are the only ones of importance in the mining operations of Dubuque county. Where this formation is fully developed it embraces (1) a dolomite at the base ; (2) a sandstone in the middle ; (3) a second dolomite. Above the latter lies the St. Peter sand- stone ; then the Platteville limestone; then the Galena dolomite, and then the Maquoketa shale. Above this are the quaternary deposits.
Lead ore was discovered at Dubuque by the Indians as early as 1780, and about four years later Julien Dubuque, then at Prairie du Chien, was informed of the existence of that mineral at Dubuque by the Fox Indians. From 1788 to 1810 he worked these mines with hoe, shovel, crowbar and pick, but sank no shafts. He had a furnace at the mouth of Catfish creek and another at Eagle Point. In 1805 Lieutenant Pike learned that Dubuque mined from 20,000 to 40,000 pounds of lead annually.
After his death the Indians burned Dubuque's house and fences and destroyed all traces of his mining operations so far as possible in order to keep out other white men. The Indians themselves continued to work the mines intermittently and sold the ore to traders who had furnaces on the islands in the river. In 1830 J. L. Langworthy and others, having previously obtained the con- sent of the Indians and the Dubuque heirs, crossed the river and began work in the mines. The Eagle Point crevice, it is said, was located at this time. Troops drove out the miners and burned their cabins. Evidently the Durango diggings were worked before 1820, because Schoolcraft, who visited this locality in 1820, says they were known and called "Mine of Maquanquitons."
"Very likely Dubuque himself worked these mines, because so far as known no others were permitted to do so. The ore in this locality is the common sulphuret of lead, with a broad foliated structure and high metallic luster. It occurs massive and dissemi- nated in a reddish loam, resting upon limestone rock. It generally occurs in beds or veins which have no great width and run in a certain direction 300 to 400 yards. . The lead ore at these mines is now (1820) exclusively dug by the Fox Indians, and as usual among savage tribes the chief labor devolves upon women- also old and superannuated men; they use hoe, shovel, pickax and crowbar. When a quantity of ore has been gotten out it is carried in baskets by the women to the banks of the Mississippi and then ferried over in canoes to the island, where it is purchased by the traders at the rate of $2 for 120 pounds, payable in goods. The traders smelt the ore upon the island in furnaces. Formerly the Indians were in the habit of smelting the ore themselves, upon log heaps, by which a great portion was converted into what are called lead ashes and thus lost. Now the traders induce them to search about the sites of the ancient fires and carefully collect the lead ashes for which they receive $1 per bushel delivered at the island payable in merchandise."-(Schoolcraft. )
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
When the Blackhawk Purchase was made in 1832 the settlers again crowded into this county, but again they were forced to leave by the soldiers because the treaty had not been ratified. After June, 1833, they were no longer opposed.
The first geological survey of this region was made by D. D. Owen in 1839. In 1846 the system of leasing mineral land by the government was abolished and much of the mining land was thrown into market.
The early mining at Dubuque was for lead ores. Pockets of this ore are yet found and individual pockets sometimes contain over 500 to 1,000 tons. Since 1880 zinc carbonate or "dry bone" has been more extensively mined than galena or lead ore. Neither has been mined except above high water of the river. In 1898-00 mixed carbonate and sulphide of zinc were worked at the Alpine mine. At the same time several carloads of mixed blende-galena- marcasite ore were taken from the Pike's Peak mine just below water level by the Dubuque Lead Mining Company. The ore at Dubuque occurs almost entirely in crevices and openings and within the corporate limits of the city. It is also found at Durango and in Jefferson, Table Mound and Mosalem townships. The crevices are vertical and are nearly always found extending east and west and in the long, finger-like ridges reaching out toward the river. There are "top," "middle" and "third" openings. The first is worked at West Dubuque. The "middle" is forty to fifty feet farther down. The "third" is twenty-five to thirty feet below the "middle." The richest deposits have been found at the crevice crossings.
There was no market for zinc ore previous to 1860, in which year the La Salle smelter began operations ; later the ones at Mineral Point, Waukegan and Peru were built and buyers were sent here. The rise in the price of zinc ore in 1887 caused miners here to begin operations.
John P. Sheldon, register of the Dubuque District previous to 1838, in his report to the General Land Office said: "The mining country on the west side of the Mississippi in the Wisconsin Terri- tory was opened to the miners in June, 1833, under my superin- tendence as sub-agent; the duties of which office I continued to perform until the month of September, 1834, during which time rent lead to the value of about $30,000 was collected. The regula- tions were in all respects like those which had been in force on the east side of the river, and permits were given to those who liad subscribed to them, to mine, to build cabins, to make gardens, and in several instances to enclose and cultivate fields and raise grain for their teams. The number of permits given I cannot recollect, but they were numerous, perhaps over a thousand. On the west side of the Mississippi lead ore has been discovered in the tract of country extending north and south about thirty-five miles and
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