USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 08192068 2
CVC
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/storyofleecounty01robe
STORY -
OF
LEE COUNTY IOWA
Under the Editorial Supervision of NELSON C. ROBERTS, Fort Madison DR. S. W. MOORHEAD, Keokuk
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME I
11 CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914
-
THE CFW Y WK PUBUIE LOMARY
804430 A ION, TE HOA AND TILDEN FC NDATO 1915
L
R
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC.
LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES-SURFACE-WATERCOURSES AND DRAIN- AGE-ALTITUDES-SOILS-GEOLOGY-GENERAL SECTION-THE GLA- CIAL EPOCH-CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT-ECONOMIC GEOLOGY-BUILDING STONE-COAL-CLAY DEPOSITS-MISCELLA- NEOUS MINERALS-THE WATER SUPPLY . I
CHAPTER II
ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS
THE MOUND BUILDERS-CHARACTER OF THEIR RELICS-DISTRICTS OF IN THE UNITED STATES-THEORIES CONCERNING THEM-MOUNDS IN LEE COUNTY-THE INDIANS-GENERAL DISTRIBUTION AT THE CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY-THE ILLINI-THE IOWAS -- SACS AND FOXES-CHIEF BLACK HAWK-KEOKUK-HIS REPUTA- TION AS AN ORATOR AND DIPLOMAT-MONUMENT AT RAND PARK, KEOKUK-MATANEQUA 19
CHAPTER III
EARLY EXPLORATIONS-PREPARATION
SPANISH, ENGLISH AND FRENCH EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA-CLAIMS OF THE THREE NATIONS TO TERRITORY-THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES -MARQUETTE AND JOLIET THE FIRST WHITE MEN IN LEE COUNTY -LA SALLE-THE PROVINCE OF LOUISIANA-CROZAT AND LAW- THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE-CONFLICT BETWEEN ENGLISH AND FRENCH TRADERS-FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR-IOWA UNDER
iii
iv
CONTENTS
SPANISH DOMINATION-THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION-CLARK'S CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST-FREE NAVIGATION OF THE MIS- SISSIPPI-THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE-IOWA UNDER VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS-ITS ORGANIZATION AS A TERRITORY-ADMITTED AS A STATE. 35
CHAPTER IV
INDIAN TREATIES AND WARS
VARIOUS POLICIES IN DEALING WITH THE INDIANS-POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES-TREATY OF 1804-PIKE'S EXPEDITION UP THE MISSISSIPPI-FIRST COUNCIL WITH INDIANS IN IOWA-TREATIES OF PEACE AFTER THE WAR OF 1812-TREATY OF 1824-REMOVAL OF THE SACS AND FOXES TO IOWA-THE BLACK HAWK WAR-TREATY OF 1832-THE "BLACK HAWK PURCHASE"-SUBSEQUENT TREATIES -REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS-THE HALF-BREED TRACT 45
CHAPTER V
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
FIRST WHITE MEN IN LEE COUNTY-TESSON'S GRANT-EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-CLAIM ASSOCIATIONS-LAND SALE AT BUR- LINGTON-FORT DES MOINES-PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS-HARD- SHIPS AND PASTIMES-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY-EARLY ELECTIONS-OWEN'S FERRY-FIRST JURYMEN-LOCATING THE COUNTY SEAT-PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 61
CHAPTER VI
TOWNSHIP HISTORY
CIVIL TOWNSHIPS AUTHORIZED BY THE LEGISLATURE-LEE COUNTY DIVIDED INTO TEN TOWNSHIPS IN JANUARY, 1841-CHANGES IN BOUNDARIES-LIST OF TOWNSHIPS IN 1914-CEDAR-CHARLESTON -DENMARK-DES MOINES-FRANKLIN-GREEN BAY-HARRISON- JACKSON-EARLY SETTLERS IN EACH-PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS- RAILROADS-TELEPHONE LINES-SCHOOLS, ETC. 85
V
CONTENTS CHAPTER VII
TOWNSHIP HISTORY, CONTINUED
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP-MADISON-MARION-MONTROSE-THE TES- SON LAND GRANT-THE OLD ORCHARD-PLEASANT RIDGE-VAN BUREN-WASHINGTON-WEST POINT-HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH-PIONEERS-OFFICIALS PAST AND PRESENT-TRANSPORTA- TION-EDUCATION, ETC. 97
CHAPTER VIII FORT MADISON
LOCATION AND SURROUNDINGS-THE OLD MILITARY POST-DIFFERENT STATEMENTS REGARDING ITS ESTABLISHMENT-ITS CORRECT HIS- TORY-ITS DESTRUCTION AND ABANDONMENT-MONUMENT ON THE SITE-PETER WILLIAMS-THE KNAPPS-EARLY SETTLERS- FIRST TOWN PLAT-THE GOVERNMENT PLAT-TOWN INCORPORATED -BECOMES A CITY IN 1842- LIST OF MAYORS-FIRE DEPARTMENT -WATER WORKS-PUBLIC LIGHTING-STREET RAILWAY-POST- OFFICE-COMMERCIAL CLUB-MISCELLANEOUS FACTS. 113
CHAPTER IX THE CITY OF KEOKUK
LOCATION AND INDIAN NAME-THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER-MOSES STILLWELL-OTHER PIONEERS-AMERICAN FUR COMPANY-"RAT ROW"-HORSE RACING AS AN AMUSEMENT-ADOPTION OF THE NAME KEOKUK-PLATTING THE TOWN-SOME EARLY EVENTS -- KEOKUK INCORPORATED-LIST OF MAYORS-WATERWORKS-FIRE DEPARTMENT-PUBLIC LIGHTING-STREET RAILWAY-THE POST- OFFICE-INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION-THE RIVER BRIDGE-MISCEL- LANEOUS COMMENT I35
CHAPTER X
TOWNS AND VILLAGES
SPECULATION IN EARLY DAYS-NUMEROUS TOWNS PROJECTED-LIST OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN LEE COUNTY-HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH-PRESENT DAY POSTOFFICES 153
vi
CONTENTS CHAPTER XI
EARLY MILITARY HISTORY
WAR WITH MEXICO-ANNEXATION OF TEXAS-GENERAL TAYLOR'S ARMY OF OCCUPATION-WAR DECLARED-ACTION OF CONGRESS- CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS-IOWA'S RESPONSE-A REGIMENT ENROLLED BUT NOT MUSTERED-FIFTEENTH UNITED STATES INFANTRY- INDEPENDENT COMPANIES-GENERAL BENJAMIN S. ROBERTS-A FEW VETERANS 173
CHAPTER XII THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD
CONDITIONS LEADING UP TO THE WAR-THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE -- THE OMNIBUS BILL-THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA BILL-POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860-SECESSION OF THE SLAVE STATES-FORT SUMTER-CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS-GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD'S PROCLA- MATION-IOWA'S RESPONSE-WAR MEETINGS-BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE REGIMENTS IN WHICH LEE COUNTY WAS REPRESENTED- ROSTERS OF LEE COUNTY COMPANIES-MISCELLANEOUS ENLIST- MENTS-THE WORK AT HOME. 181
CHAPTER XIII
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND MILITIA
SPANISH RULE IN CUBA-INSURRECTIONS AMONG THE CUBANS-THE TEN YEARS' WAR-SENTIMENT IN THE UNITED STATES-DESTRUC- TION OF THE MAINE-ACTION OF CONGRESS-DECLARATION OF WAR -IOWA READY-FIFTIETH AND FIFTY-FIRST INFANTRY-IOWA NATIONAL GUARD-TWO COMPANIES IN LEE COUNTY . 221
CHAPTER XIV INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS
EARLY CONDITIONS IN LEE COUNTY-RIVER TRANSPORTATION-PIONEER STEAMBOATS AND RIVER MEN-THE GOVERNMENT CANAL-DES MOINES RIVER NAVIGATION-PUBLIC HIGHWAYS-PLANK ROAD- THE RAILROAD ERA-THE DIFFERENT LINES OF RAILWAY IN LEE COUNTY-MILEAGE AND VALUE OF RAILROADS 229
vii
CONTENTS CHAPTER XV
THE KEOKUK DAM
EARLY VIEWS CONCERNING THE DES MOINES RAPIDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI -ROBERT E. LEE'S REPORT-COMPANIES ORGANIZED TO DEVELOP WATER POWER-JOSEPH SMITH'S FRANCHISE-GATES' WING DAM OLD GOVERNMENT CANAL-KEOKUK AND HAMILTON WATER POWER COMPANY-HUGH L. COOPER-HOW THE DAM WAS BUILT- FORMAL DEDICATION-LAKE COOPER-HISTORIC OBJECTS SUB- MERGED
243
CHAPTER XVI
FINANCE AND INDUSTRY
BONDED DEBT OF THE COUNTY-PUBLIC REVENUES-VALUE OF TAXABLE PROPERTY-BANKING INSTITUTIONS-KEOKUK BANKS IN 1914- FORT MADISON BANKS-OUTSIDE BANKS-AGRICULTURE-CROPS AND LIVE STOCK - FARMERS' INSTITUTES - MANUFACTURING - BRIEF SKETCHES OF THE LEADING FACTORIES. 251
CHAPTER XVII
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTER OF THE EARLY SCHOOLS-THE COURSE OF STUDY-SPELL- ING SCHOOLS-THE THREE R'S-FIRST SCHOOLS IN LEE COUNTY- CAPTAIN CAMPBELL'S REMINISCENCES-WEST POINT AND DEN- MARK ACADEMIES-PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-THE PERMANENT SCHOOL. FUND-STATISTICS-KEOKUK SCHOOLS-FORT MADISON SCHOOLS - PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS -THE PRESS - PUBLIC LIBRA- RIES 267
CHAPTER XVIII LEE COUNTY IN LITERATURE
MARK TWAIN ONCE A RESIDENT OF KEOKUK-VIRGINIA WILCOX IVINS -DAVID B. SMITH-J. MONROE REID-SUE HARRY CLAGETT- MARGARET GRAHAM COLLIER-JOHN BURGESS-N. GRAY BARTLETT
CONTENTS
-REBECCA S. POLLARD-RUPERT HUGHES-GEORGE P. WILKINSON - -FRANK GRAHAM MOORHEAD-G. WALTER BARR-MISCELLANEOUS WORKS BY LEE COUNTY AUTHORS. 283
CHAPTER XIX
THE BENCH AND BAR
PURPOSE OF COURTS-THE LAWYER'S PLACE AS A CITIZEN-EARLY LEE COUNTY COURTS AND JUDGES-FIRST JURORS-TERRITORIAL COURT OF IOWA-PERSONNEL OF THE JUDICIARY-COURTS UNDER THE PRESENT CONSTITUTION - SKETCHES OF PROMINENT ATTOR- NEYS 293
CHAPTER XX
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
HOME REMEDIES OF EARLY DAYS-THE PIONEER DOCTOR-HIS CHARAC- TER AND METHODS OF TREATMENT-HIS STANDING IN THE SETTLE- MENT-HARDSHIPS OF FRONTIER PRACTICE-DR. SAMUEL MUIR THE FIRST LEE COUNTY PHYSICIAN-OTHER EARLY PRACTITIONERS- KEOKUK MEDICAL COLLEGES-SKETCHES OF PROMINENT OLD-TIME PHYSICIANS 305
CHAPTER XXI
CHURCH HISTORY
FATHER MARQUETTE-EARLY CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES-ESTABLISH- MENT OF THE FIRST CHURCH-CATHOLIC PARISHES-CHRIS- TIAN CHURCH-CONGREGATIONALISTS-PRESBYTERIANS-METHO- DIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-THE BAPTISTS-PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH-EVANGELICAL CHURCH-MISCELLANEOUS CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. 317
CHAPTER XXII
SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIRS-WOMEN'S SOCIETIES-DAUGH- TERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION-KEOKUK AND FORT MADISON
ix
CONTENTS
CLUBS-KEOKUK COUNTRY CLUB-MASONIC FRATERNITY-INDE- PENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS-KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS-THE ELKS-MISCELLANEOUS ORDERS 333
CHAPTER XXIII
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS, ETC.
LITTLE CALL FOR CHARITY IN EARLY DAYS-THE COUNTY HOME- HOSPITALS-CHARITABLE SOCIETIES-BIRGE BENEVOLENT UNION HOME - THE PENITENTIARY - CEMETERIES - COUNTRY GRAVE- YARDS 345
CHAPTER XXIV
MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY
PIONEERS AND OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION-PERSONAL MENTION OF SOME OF ITS FOUNDERS-THE MORMONS-THEIR EXPULSION- MATTHEW SPURLOCK - CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS - FLOOD . AND STORM-ILLUSTRIOUS SONS. 353
CHAPTER XXV
STATISTICAL REVIEW
POPULATION AND WEALTH-CHRONOLOGY-A SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY-POST- SCRIPT 365
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
CHAPTER I
PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC.
LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES-SURFACE-WATERCOURSES AND DRAIN- AGE-ALTITUDES-SOILS-GEOLOGY-GENERAL SECTION-THE GLA- CIAL EPOCH-CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT-ECONOMIC GEOLOGY-BUILDING STONE-COAL-CLAY DEPOSITS-MISCELLA- NEOUS MINERALS-THE WATER SUPPLY.
Lee County occupies the extreme southeastern corner of the state. On the north it is bounded by the counties of Henry and Des Moines, being separated from the latter by the Skunk River; on the east by the Mississippi River, which separates it from the State of Illinois; on the southwest by the State of Missouri, from which it is separated by the Des Moines River, and on the west by the County of Van Buren. The form of the county is that of an irregular trapezoid and its area is a little over five hundred square miles.
Along the boundary streams the surface is somewhat broken, the bluffs sometimes reaching a height of 200 feet or more. In the interior the county is an elevated plateau, the surface of which is gently undulating or rolling. Across this plateau there are two wide, shallow troughs trending toward the southeast, marked by the valleys of East and West Sugar creeks. The narrow watershed between these two troughs terminates at the Mississippi River in what is known as "Keokuk Point."
East Sugar Creek rises in the southwestern part of Henry County and flows a southeasterly course through the townships of Marion, Franklin, West Point and Jefferson. Not far from the little station called Beck Siding, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, it receives the waters of Panther Creek, and about half a mile below the mouth of Panther Creek it unites with the Little Devil Creek Vol. I-1
1
2
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
to form Devil Creek, which empties into the Mississippi about half- way between Fort Madison and Montrose. Its total length is a little over thirty miles.
Panther Creek, the principal tributary of East Sugar from the west, rises in the southern part of Franklin Township, about a mile east of the Town of Donnellson, and flows a southeasterly direction for some ten or twelve miles, when it unites its waters with those of East Sugar Creek as already stated.
Little Devil Creek has its source in the northeastern part of West Point Township and flows in a general southerly direction through- out its entire course. It is about ten miles in length.
West Sugar Creek rises in Cedar Township, near the northwest corner of the county, and flows southeastwardly through the town- ships of Cedar, Harrison, Franklin, Charleston, Des Moines, Mont- rose and Jackson, a distance of some thirty-five miles, or until it empties into the Des Moines River about six miles west of Keokuk.
The principal tributary of West Sugar Creek is called Main Creek. Its source is about a mile north of Argyle Station, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, and its source is southeast- erly until it empties into West Sugar Creek, near the northwest corner of Jackson Township.
The Des Moines River is Iowa's principal stream. It rises in the northwestern part of the state and flows diagonally across the entire state to the extreme southeast corner, where it mingles its waters with those of the Mississippi. It first strikes Lee County near the southwest corner of section 18, township 67 north, range 7 west, from which point it forms the boundary between Iowa and Missouri for a distance of about thirty miles, or throughout the re- mainder of its course. In early days, during the spring floods, steamboats from the Mississippi would ascend the river as far as Raccoon Fork, and smaller steamboats would go up as far as Fort Dodge. Clearing away the timber and cultivating the soil have changed conditions so that the river has been robbed of a good portion of its original water supply and it is much smaller than formerly. On some of the old maps made by early French explorers the river is shown as being fully as large as either the Mississippi or Missouri.
There has been considerable speculation as to the origin of the name "Des Moines." The first reference to the stream was made by Joliet, who, on his map of 1674, gives the stream the name of "Ouacuiatanas." In 1688 Franquelin made a map, or "Carte de la Louisiane," upon which the river appears as the "Moingona." De Lisle's map of 1707 shows it as the "Riviere les Moingona," and the
3
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
French called the Indians living along its course "Les Moins." In time the river came to be generally known as "La Riviere des Moines," which is unquestionably French, and has been interpreted as meaning "The River of the Monks."
When Lieut. Zebulon Pike explored the Upper Mississippi Val- ley in 1805-06, he called particular attention to this stream, which he called the "River de Moyen" and expressed the opinion that the name thus spelled is a corruption of La Riviere des Moines, or River of the Monks. Charles Rollin Keyes, who served as assistant state geologist along in the '90s, and who made a somewhat exhaustive study of Iowa's physical characteristics and resources, says the name as given by Pike means "the middle." He accounts for it on the hypothesis that when the French voyageurs visited St. Louis and were asked from what part of the country they came they replied "De Moyen," meaning the country between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, or the middle of the interior. Mr. Keyes is inclined to think that this is the true origin of the name, and that the transition from "De Moyen" to "Des Moines" was a comparatively easy matter.
Concerning the Skunk River, which forms the dividing line be- tween Lee and Des Moines counties, Frank Labiseur, who was the United States interpreter for the Sac and Fox Indians in early days, says: "The Indian name was Chicaque, which, in their language, is anything of a strong or obnoxious odor-such as onion, skunk, etc. From the fact that the headwaters of the stream abound in wild onions, the interpretation should have been 'Onion.'"
South of the Skunk River and almost parallel to it is Lost Creek, which rises in the southern part of Pleasant Ridge Township and flows southeast through Pleasant Ridge, Denmark, Washington and Green Bay townships. Near the little hamlet of Wever, in the last named township, it formerly sank into the earth and found its way to the Mississippi through a subterranean channel, but now runs by an open channel into Green Bay.
Jack Creek rises near the Village of Charleston and flows in a southeasterly direction through Jefferson and Montrose townships, emptying into the Mississippi near the Town of Montrose. Other tributaries of the Mississippi are Lamelee Creek, in the southern part of Montrose Township; Price Creek, in the central part of Jack- son ; and Soap Creek, at Keokuk.
Lick Creek flows southward through the western part of Harri- son and Van Buren townships and empties into the Des Moines River near the Village of Croton. About five miles farther down Mumm Creek, a small stream, some four miles in length, joins the
4
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
Des Moines, and Monk Creek empties into the same river at Belfast. Prairie Creek flows in a northwesterly direction through the western part of Pleasant Ridge Township; Sutton Creek, in the same town- ship, flows to the Skunk River; Cedar Creek crosses the northwest corner of Cedar Township, and there are a number of smaller streams in different parts of the county, giving Lee an excellent system of natural drainage. The waters of all these streams ultimately reach the Mississippi.
ALTITUDES
West Point, in the northwestern part of the township of the same name, is the highest point in the county; the next highest is at Big Mound, in Cedar Township, and the lowest known level is at the low watermark of the Mississippi River at Keokuk. The following table shows the altitude of various places in the county above both the low water level of the Mississippi at Keokuk and the sea level :
ABOVE LOW
ABOVE SEA
WATER
LEVEL
Argyle
191
668
Belfast
68
545
Big Mound
27 I
748
Charleston
217
694
Croton
73
550
Donnellson
219
696
Fort Madison (Santa Fe depot)
46
523
Keokuk
0
477
Keokuk (Fourteenth and Grand Ave.)
178
655
Montrose (R. R. station)
40
507
Pilot Grove
168
645
Saint Paul
166
643 670
Summitville
193
Warren
226
703
West Point
281
758
The figures given in this table are taken from surveys made by civil engineers in the construction of railroads, the surveys of the Mississippi River Commission, and other sources. They are believed to be as near authentic as they can be made. By taking a map of the county and studying it in comparison with the table, a good general
5
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
idea of the topography of this portion of Southeastern Iowa may be obtained.
SOILS
Alluvial plains border all the streams of the county, especially along the lower portion of their courses. On the Mississippi River, however, the alluvial deposits are important at two points only- one a triangular district between the Skunk River and Fort Madi- son and embracing the greater part of Green Bay Township, and the other alluvial area including a large part of Jefferson and a portion of Montrose townships. In these two sections the plains near the river are low and wet, subject to overflow in times of high water, but farther back the surface rises in a series of sand terraces to a height of about fifty feet. In his report for 1895, the state geologist says : "These terraces represent the flood-water stages of the river in times somewhat remote, yet subsequent to the deposi- tion of the drift which once covered the area and which was removed by the river in the process of widening its valley."
At Sand Prairie, or Vincennes, on the Des Moines River, is an alluvial plain similar in all respects to the terraced areas on the Mis- sissippi. In all these districts the soil is above the average in fertil- ity, while along the smaller streams the alluvial deposits, consisting chiefly of a sandy loam, yield large crops.
On the uplands of Lee County, the soil is chiefly a black loam- like humus, less sandy than the bottom lands, ranging from two to five feet in depth. In a few places there are small areas of that tenacious soil known as "gumbo," which can be cultivated only with great difficulty, but by far the greater portion of the county is com- posed of a rich, tractable soil, well adapted to agriculture.
GEOLOGY
During the years 1847 to 1850, Dr. D. D. Owen, acting under the authority of the United States Land Office, undertook the study of the mineral lands of the Northwest, and it was through his work that the first accurate accounts of the geology of the region now compris- ing the State of Iowa were given to the scientific world. A brief reconnoisance of Lee County was made in 1858 by A. H. Worthen, afterward state geologist of Illinois, but owing to the limited time allowed for his work he was unable to go into details. About 1870 Dr. C. A. White published a geological account of the state, in which some references are made to Lee and the adjoining counties.
6
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
It was not until 1893, however, that any comprehensive survey was made of the geological formation and resources of Lee County, the result of which was published in Volume III of the Iowa Geo- logical Survey. According to this report, "The stratified, or in- durated, rocks are almost entirely Lower Carboniferous limestones. These form the great basement upon which the coal measures of the region were laid down. The total thickness of the rocks exposed above low-water level in Lee County is not far from four hundred feet, though the actual vertical measurement of an outcrop at any one place is probably nowhere more than one-half of this maximum."
Several typical or standard sections are given. Probably the most important of these are the ones at the old McGavic mill, two miles below the union depot at Keokuk; the record of the Hubinger well in Keokuk; the bluff section at Fort Madison; a section at Den- mark, on the Skunk River; one at Croton, on the Des Moines River, and one on East Sugar Creek, about two miles northwest of Franklin. From the investigations made at these and other points in the county, the geologist prepared a "General Geological Section," which shows the geological construction of the county to be about as follows :
Beginning at the surface, there is a deposit of alluvium, loess and till, of the Pleistocene age, averaging about sixty feet in thickness. Immediately below this are the lower coal measures, varying from five to forty feet. Next comes the St. Louis limestone, about thirty feet in thickness, after which comes the Augusta limestones, and below the Augusta group lie the Kinderhook shales. Arranging the different strata in the form of a table, the section would show the relative proportions of the different formations to be as follows- starting at the surface :
PLEISTOCENE :
FEET
Alluvium 20
Loess
1 5
Till 25
CARBONIFEROUS :
Lower Coal Measures 40
St. Louis Limestone 30
Sonora Shales 8
Warsaw Shales 20
Geode Bed 33
Keokuk Limestone 53
Montrose Chert 30
.
7
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
Upper Burlington Limestone 50
Lower Burlington Limestone 80
Kinderhook Shales
12
Total 416
All the strata lying between the Kinderhook shales and the St. Louis limestone belong to the Augusta stage. The Kinderhook shales are best exposed on the Des Moines County side of the Skunk River, near Patterson station; the Burlington limestones are also scen to best advantage along the Skunk River from its mouth up as far as Augusta; the Keokuk limestone has a fine exposure at the mouth of Soap Creek and near the old McGavic mill site; the geode bed, the Sonora and Warsaw shales, the St. Louis limestones and the coal meas- ures are also seen in the outcrops in that locality. The geological report already referred to says : "These several outcrops serve as standards to which all sections in the county may be readily referred. * * All the bedded rocks have been subjected to profound erosion, which has carved out deep channels and numberless minor depressions. Over this uneven surface the glacial materials have been spread, obscuring in great part the harder rocks. Subsequent action of running waters has cut through the drift mantle and laid bare the underlying strata at many places."
THE GLACIAL EPOCH
Far back in the geologic past, about the close of the Paleozoic period, came the Pleistocene or "Ice Age," during which all of what is now the State of Iowa was covered with a vast sheet of ice, called a glacier, extending from the region of the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains. This glacier was formed in the northern part of the continent by successive falls of snow. The weight added by each snowfall aided in compressing the mass below into a solid body of ice. In time the entire glacier began to move slowly south- ward, carrying with it great bowlders, clay, soils, etc., to be deposited in regions far distant from those from which they were taken. As the huge mass moved slowly along, the bowlders and other hard sub- stances at the bottom of the glacier left scratches or striæ upon the bed rocks, and from these scorings the geologist has been able to determine the course of the glacier. At various places along the west bank of the Mississippi River, from the mouth of the Iowa to the southern border of the state, the striæ have been noted upon the rocks of the bluffs, indicating the general direction of the great glacier to have been toward the southeast.
8
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
As the ice melted, the materials carried by the glacier were de- posited upon the bed rocks in the form of drift, which constitutes the alluvium, loess and till as noted in the preceding table. At the close of the glacial period the surface was void of either animal or plant life. Gradually the action of the rain and winds leveled the surface, the heat of the sun warmed the earth, and life in primitive forms made its appearance.
It is a noticeable fact that within the limits of Lee County there are no deposits representing the period of time intervening between the laying down of the lower coal measures and the beginning of the Pleistocene or Ice Age. If later coal measures or Tertiary strata were deposited they were removed by erosive agencies before the beginning of the glacial epoch. The effect of this erosion has been noted by geologists in the discovery of preglacial valleys of the Mis- sissippi and Des Moines rivers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.