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OF
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Do Not Circulate
THE LIBRARY BINGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO, UTAH
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Brigham Young University
https://archive.org/details/historyofwashing00desm
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THE
HISTORY
OF
WASHINGTON COUNTY,
IOWA,
CONTAINING
A History of the County, its Cities, Towns, &c.,
A Biographical Directory of its Citizens, War Record of its Volunteers in the late Re- bellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prom- inent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Washington County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellan- eous Matters, &c.
ILLUSTRATED.
DES MOINES: UNION HISTORICAL COMPANY. 1880.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1880, by
THE UNION HISTORICAL COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
MILLS & COMPANY, PRINTERS AND STEREOTYPERS, DES MOINES, IOWA.
THE LIBRARY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO, UTAHI
PREFACE.
THE American people are much given to reading, but the character of the matter read is such that in regard to a large proportion of them it may indeed be said that "truth is stranger than fiction." Especially is this the case with respect to those facts of local history belonging to their own immediate county and neighborhood. This is, perhaps, not so much the fault of the people as a neglect on the part of book publishers. Books, as a rule, are made to sell, and in order that a book may have a large· sale its matter must be of such general character as to be applicable to general rather than special conditions-to the Na- tion or State rather than to the county or township. Thus it is that no histories heretofore published pertain to matters relating to county and neighborhood affairs, for such books, in order to have a sale over a large section of country, must necessarily be very voluminous and contain much matter of no interest to the reader. The publishers, having received a liberal patronage from the people of Washington county, have endeavored to prepare a work con- taining a full and minute account of the local affairs of the county.
The following pages constitute a history of the Northwest, and a detailed account of the early settlement, natural resources, and subsequent development of Washington county, together with reminiscences, narratives, and biographies of the leading citizens of the county.
The work may not meet the expectation of some, and this is all the more probable, seeing that it falls far short of our own standard of perfection; however, in size, quality of material and typographical appearance it is such a book as we designed to make, and fills the con- ditions guaranteed in our prospectus.
To the early settler who braved the dangers, endured the hardships and experienced the joys of pioneer life, it will be the means of recalling some of the most grateful memories of the past; while those who are younger, or who have become citizens of the county in more recent times, will here find collected, in a narrow compass, an accurate and succinct account of the beginning, progress and changes incident to municipal as well as individual life.
The old pioneer, in reviewing the history of the county, all of which he saw and part of which he was, will find this work a valuable compendium of facts arranged in analytical order, and thus will events which are gradually vanishing into the mists and confusion of forgetfulness be rescued from oblivion.
The rising generation which is just entering upon the goodly heritage bequeathed to them by a noble and hardy ancestry, will find in this work much to encourage them in days of despondency, and intensify the value of success when contrasted with the trials and compared with the triumphs of those who have gone before.
In the preparation of this work we have been materially aided by numerous persons in sympathy with the enterprise and solicitous for its success. To all such persons we feel ourselves under great obligations and take this method of acknowledging the same. In this connection it is but proper to mention the names of those who have rendered the most important assistance: Hon. N. Everson, A. R. Dewey, Esq., and the newspaper men of Washington, especially H. A. Burrell, whose material aid in the preparation of the work, and whose words of sympathy and encouragement have contributed much in making this
iv
PREFACE.
book what it is. We are also indebted to J. A. Keck, Esq., for the use of valuable papers and manuscripts.
In presenting this work to our many hundred readers we have the satisfaction of knowing that they are of sufficient intelligence to appreciate merit when it is found, and errors will be criticised with the understanding that book-making, like all other kinds of labor, has its peculiar vicissitudes.
Whatever of interest, or of profit, or of recreation the reader will find in perusing the fol- lowing pages, will be a source of satisfaction, gratitude and happiness to the
PUBLISHERS.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
The Northwest Territory :
Early French Explorations in the Mississippi Valley - 7 - Early Settlements in the Northwest 14 The Northwestern Territory - 22 The Louisiana Purchase 28
Indian Wars in the Northwest 34
Sketches of Black Hawk and other Chiefs 42
Early Navigation of Western Rivers 56
Archæology of the Northwest 59
Sketches of
Western and
Northwestern States -
67
Road Districts -
347
Expedition of Lewis
and
Voting Precincts
- 348
Clarke
86
Sketch of Chicago
96
First Jail
Ferries
348
349
History of Iowa:
Descriptive and Geographical Sketch - 105
Geology of Iowa
117
Economic Geology · 125
How the Title to Iowa Lands is derived - 130 Early Settlements and Terri- torial Organization 141
Territory of Iowa -
153
State Organization 158
Educational 162
State Institutions
169
Railroads
172
Official Record 174
The Judiciary 176 Congressional Representation 177 State Agricultural Society - - 178
Centennial Awards · 191 History of Washington County :
Location and name 257
Geography
258
Physical Features
259
Geology
261
Economic Geology
263
Indians and Indian Affairs - 264 Keokuk and Wapello 268 Indian Incidents and Remin-
iscences 275
Early Settlements 279
Pioneer Life 308
Claim Clubs and Club Laws
- 314
PAGE.
PAGE.
The Brighton Press · 418
Carrier's Address - 419
Educational -
- 422
Higher Education
426
Washington Academy 427
Religious
431
Gold Excitement
435
Old Settlers' Association 442
War History -
449
Sherman's March to the Sea - 518 Soldiers' Reunion 519 Wars Nearer Home 522
The Washington County Cam- paign - 522
The Skunk River War 523
Accident and Crime 527 The Great Tornado 537
Towns and Townships:
Washington Township 540
City of Washington 542
Brighton Township 565
Town of Brighton
568
Clay Township
-
569
Marion Township 571
Town of Eureka 573
Oregon Township 573
Astoria
574
Ainsworth
574
Crawford Township 576
Crawfordsville 577
578
First Criminal Case
371
Paris
579
Grand Jury for 1840 -
371
Petit Jury for 1840
371
Town of Yatton
582
The First District Judge
372
Riverside
582
Territorial and County Roads 374
Political
378
Cedar Township
-
County Officers
Public Buildings
384
Franklin Township 587
Court-houses
384
Grace Hill
587
West Chester 588
588
388 Harrisburg 589
English River Township 590 Richmond 592
The Press of Washington
County
. 407
Kalona
593
The Argus
408
Jackson Township
593
The Washington Press
412
Lime Creek Township 594
"Waszonville
595
The Gazette
417
Wellman
596
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
Westward the Star of Empire
takes its Way
17 Illinois
72
The "Old Kinzie House" 103
A Prairie Home 129
Breaking Prairie
145
97
LITHOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS.
PAGE.
Nat. Boden -
- 305
John Bryson
- 323
J. H. Hull, M. D.
409
Robert W. Griffith
- 477
BIOGRAPHICAL TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
PAGE.
Brighton
622
English River
- 684
Lime Creek
676
Cedar
667
Franklin
651
Marion
- 701
Clay
- 615
Highland
- 673
Oregon
640
Crawford
633
Iowa - 690
Seventy-six 662
Dutch Creek
657
Jackson
670
Washington
597
A Border Sketch - 316
Surveys and Land Sales - 319
First Real Estate Record
- 326
First Mortgage 326
First Real Estate Transfer 328
Trading Points 329
Trapping and Hunting 333
Growth of the County
334
Table of Events
-
336
County Organization 337
Location of the County-seat - 345 Proceedings of Commission- er's Court 347
Township Organization 349
Second Court-house
350
County Judge -
351
The Board of Fifteen
352
Early County Officers and Fi-
nances
352
First Tax List -
357
First Bills Allowed
365
Old Records -
366
The First Court
367
Second Court
368
Third Court
369
First Divorce
370
Seventy-six Township
583
585
381
Town of Lexington
586
That Jail -
387
Asylum for the Poor and In- sane -
Railroads
PAGE.
PAGE.
Lincoln Monument, Springfield,
PAGE.
PAGE.
Frank Critz
- 375
S. Y. Wickham
- 449
B. D. Miller
- 341
FAGE.
PAGE.
Old Fort Dearborn, 1830
- 103
An Indian Camp 33 Chicago in 1820 97
Indians Trying a Prisoner - 49
A Pioneer Winter 65
Present Site Lake Street Bridge, Chicago, 1833 .
Dutch Creek Township
Iowa Township
580
Highland Township
395
The Washington Democrat - 416
HISTORICAL.
First Court-house
347
vi
CONTENTS.
ABSTRACT OF IOWA STATE LAWS.
PAGE.
Adoption of Children - 203
Forms :
Confession of Judgment - 208
Landlord and Tenant
206
Limitation of Actions
199
Capital Punishment 199
Commercial Terms 208
Notice to Quit - 210
Marks and Brands
201
M: chanics' Liens
204
Descent 195
Estrays
201
Exemption from Executions 200
Fences
202
Forms :
Article of Agreement 209
Game Laws:
Birds and Quadrupeds 217
Bond for Deed 217 Fish and Fish Ways 218
Bills of Purchase
207
Interest -
195
Wolf Scalps
201
Chattel Mortgage
215
Jurisdiction of Courts - 198
MISCELLANEOUS.
PAGE.
Constitution of the United PAGE.
PAGE.
Population of Iowa Cities - 255
The Pioneer . 256
Constitution of the State of
Iowa
220
use
- 252
Jurors - 199
Bills of Exchange and Promis- sory Notes - 195
Lease 214
Mortgages 212, 213 Married Women
200
Damages from Trespass 201
Notes 207, 215
Orders 207
Quitclaim Deed 216
Receipts - 208
Wills and Codicils 211, 212
Surveyors and Surveys 204
Support of Poor 205
Taxes - 197
Wills and Estates 196
Weights and Measures 207
Purchasing Books by Subscrip- tion 219
Roads and Bridges 204
Warranty Deed - 216
Bills of Sale 210
Map of Washington County - Front. Statistics - 183 States . - - 240 Practical Rules for every-day
PAGE.
PAGR.
-
MAP OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, IOWA. JOHNSON CO. CO.
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4
THE NOTRHWEST TERRITORY.
EARLY FRENCH EXPLORATIONS IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
Soto-Le Caron-Samuel de Champlain-French Adventurers-James Marquette-Louis Joliet -Embarkation to Explore New Countries -Lake Michigan and Green Bay -The "Quisconsin "- Indian Accounts of the Country - Discovering the Great River- Indian Name of the River -- Joy of the Explorers-Interview with Indians on Iowa Soil-Feast- Speech of an Indian Chief-The Des Moines River-" Muddy Water " -The Arkansas- Return-Indian Nations -Marquette's Record - His Subsequent Voyage-La Vantum- Marquette's Death -- Removal of His Remains-Joliet's Subsequent Explorations-Robert La Salle-Louis Hennepin-Chevalier de Tonti-De La Motte-Fort Crevecoeur-Henne- pin's Voyage-Falls of St. Anthony-Seur de Luth-Hennepin's Claims as an Explorer- Colonization of Louisiana-Dissensions-Murder of La Salle.
THE three great colonizing powers of the Old World first to raise the standard of civilization within the limits of North America were France, England, and Spain. The French made their earliest settlements in the cold and inhospitable regions of Quebec; the English at Jamestown, Vir- ginia, and at Plymouth, Massachusetts; and the Spaniards on the barren sands of Florida. To the French belongs the honor of discovering and colo- nizing that portion of our country known as the Valley of the Mississippi, including all that magnificent region watered by the tributaries of the Grea, River. It is true that more than one hundred years earlier (1538-41) tht Spanish explorer, De Soto, had landed on the coast of Florida, penetrated the everglades and unbroken forests of the south, finally reaching the banks of the Great River, probably near where the city of Memphis now stands. Crossing the river, he and his companions pursued their journey for some distance along the west bank, thence to the Ozark Mountains and the Hot Springs of Arkansas, and returning to the place of his death on the banks of the Mississippi. It was a perilous expedition indeed, characterized by all the splendor, romance and valor which usually attended Spanish adventurers of that age. De Soto and his companions were the first Europeans to behold the waters of the Mississippi, but the expedition was a failure so far as related to colonization. The requiem chanted by his companions as his remains were committed to the waters of the great river he had discovered, died away with the solemn murmurs of the stream, and the white man's voice was not heard again in the valley for more than ahundred years. De Soto had landed at Tampa Bay, on the coast of Florida, with a fleet of nine ves- sels and seven hundred men. More than half of them died, and the remainder made their way to Cuba, and finally back to Spain.
Four years before the pilgrims "moored their bark on the wild New Eng- land shore," a French Franciscan, named Le Caron, penetrated the region of
8
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
the great lakes of the north, then the home of the Iroquois and the Hurons, but a French settlement had been established at Quebec by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. This was followed by the establishment of various colonies in Canada, and the hardy French adventurers penetrated the coun- try by the way of the St. Lawrence and the lakes. In 1625 a number of missionaries of the Society of Jesus arrived in Canada from France, and during the succeeding forty years extended their missions all along the shores of Lake Superior.
In 1637 a child was born at the little city of Laon, in France, whose destiny it was in the fullness of time to be instrumental in the hands of Providence in giving to the world a definite knowledge of the grandest and most fertile region ever opened up to civilization. That child was James Marquette, the descendant of a family of Celtic nobles. He entered the Society of Jesus when seventeen years of age, and soon conceived a desire to engage in the labors of a missionary among the Indians. He sailed for Quebec in 1666, and two years later founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary. The winter of 1669-70 he spent at Point St. Ignatius, where he established another mission. Here the old town of Michillimackinac, afterward called Mackinaw, was founded. It was from Indians of the different tribes who came to this mission that he received some vague intimations of the great river-the father of all the rivers. He at once conceived a desire to penetrate to the banks of the wonderful river, and carry his missionary work to the tribes which he had learned inhabited its borders. He applied to his Superior, Claude Dablon, for permission to "seek new nations toward the Southern sea." The authorities at Quebec were equally desirous of having new regions explored, and therefore appointed Louis Joliet to embark upon a voyage of discovery. Joliet was a native of Quebec and had been educated in a Jesuit College. He had at the age of eighteen taken minor orders, but had abandoned all thoughts of the priest- hood and engaged in the fur trade. He was now twenty-seven years of age, with a mind ripe for adventure. He left Quebec, and arriving at Mackinaw found Father Marquette highly delighted with the information that they were to be companions in a voyage which was to extend the domain of the King of France, as well as to carry the Gospel to new nations of people. The explorers, accompanied by five assistants, who were French Canadians, started on their journey, May 13, 1673. Marquette has himself recorded in the fol- lowing simple language their feelings on this occasion: "We were embark- ing on a voyage the character of which we could not foresee. Indian corn, with some dried meat, was our whole stock of provisions. With this we set out in two bark canoes, M. Joliet, myself and five men, firmly resolved to do all and suffer all for so glorious an enterprise." They coasted along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, entered Green Bay, and passed up the Fox river, carrying their canoes across the Portage to the "Ouisconsin," now called Wisconsin. At Lake Winnebago, before crossing the Portage, they stopped at an Indian village, which was the furthest outpost to which Dab- lon and Allouez had extended their missionary work. Here they assembled the chiefs and old men of the village and told them of the objects of the voyage. Pointing to Joliet, Father Marquette said: "My friend is an envoy of France to discover new countries, and I am an ambassador from God to enlighten them with the truths of the Gospel." The Indians furnished two guides to conduct them to the Wisconsin river. It is related that a tribe of Indians endeavored to dissuade them from pursuing their perilous journey
9
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
by telling of desperate and savage tribes that they would meet; that the forests and the rivers were infested with frightful monsters; that there were great fish in the rivers that would swallow up men and canoes together, and of a demon who could be heard from a great distance, and who destroyed all who approached. Unmoved by these frightful stories, Marquette, Joliet, and their five brave assistants, launched their little canoes on the waters of the Wisconsin, and moved slowly down the current. After a lapse of seven days, June 17th, 1673, they reached the mouth of the Wisconsin and glided into the current of the Mississippi, a few miles below the place now known as Prairie du Chien. Here, and on this day, the eye of the white man for the first time looked upon the waters of the Upper Mississippi. Marquette called the river "The Broad River of the Conception." The Indian name is derived from the Algonquin language, one of the original tongues of the continent. It is a compound of the words Missi, signifying great, and Sepe, a river.
The explorers felt the most intense joy on beholding the scene presented to their enraptured vision. Here was the great river whose waters somewhere thousands of miles away flowed into a Southern sea, and whose broad valley was the fairest and richest in the world, but unknown to civilized man, save as an almost forgotten dream or a vague romance. They had solved one of the great mysteries of the age in which they lived. As they glided down the stream the bold bluffs reminded Marquette of the "castled shores of his own beautiful rivers in France." The far stretching prairies alternating with forests, on either side, were adorned in all the wild glories of June. Birds sang the same notes that they had sung for ages amid those "forests prime- val," while herds of buffalo, deer and elk were alarmed and fled to the dense retreats of the forest or the broad prairies beyond. Not until the 25th June did they discover any signs of human habitation. Then, about sixty leagues, as they thought, below the mouth of the Wisconsin, at a place where they landed on the west bank of the river, they found in the sand the foot-prints of man. Marquette and Joliet left their five companions in charge of the canoes and journeyed away from the river, knowing that they must be near the habitation of men. They followed a trail leading across a prairie clothed in the wild luxuriance of summer for a distance of about six miles, when they beheld another river and on its banks an Indian village, with other vil- lages on higher land a mile and a half from the first. The Indians greeted the two white strangers, as far as their ability permitted, with a splendid ovation. They appointed four of their old men to meet the strangers in council. Marquette could speak their language. They informed him that they were "Illini " (meaning "we are men"), and presenting the calumet of peace, invited them to share the hospitalities of their village. Marquette told them of the object of their visit, and that they had been sent by the French, who were their friends. IIe told them of the great God that the white man worshiped who was the same Great Spirit that they adored. In answer, one of the chiefs addressed them as follows:
"I thank the Black Gown Chief (Marquette) and the Frenchman (Joliet) for taking so much pains to come and visit us; never has the earth been so beautiful, nor the sun so bright as now; never has the river been so calm, nor so free from rocks, which your canoes have removed as they passed; never has our tobacco had so fine a flavor, nor our corn appeared so beautiful as we behold it to-day. Ask the Great Spirit to give us life and health, and come ye and dwell with us."
After these ceremonies the strangers were invited to a feast, an account of
10
THE NORTHWEST . TERRITORY.
which is given by Marquette. It consisted of four courses. First, there was a large wooden bowel filled with tagamity, or Indian meal, boiled in water and seasoned with oil. The master of ceremonies, with a wooden spoon, fed the tagamity to their guests as children are fed. The second course con- sisted of fish, which, after the bones were taken out, was presented to the mouths of the strangers as food may be fed to a bird. The third course was a preparation of dog meat, but learning that the strangers did not eat that it was at once removed. The fourth and final course was a piece of buffalo meat, the fattest portions of which were put into the mouths of the guests.
The stream on whose banks took place this first interview between the explorers and the untutored Indians, after parting with their guides, was the Des Moines river, and the place of their landing was probably about where the town of Montrose is now located, in Lee county, Iowa. One of our sweetest American poets has rendered Marquette's narrative in verse, as follows:
" Came a people From the distant land of Wabun; From the farthest realms of morning Came the Black Robe Chief, the Prophet, He the Priest of Prayer, the Pale-face, With his guides and his companions. And the noble Hiawatha,
With his hand aloft extended, Held aloft in sign of welcome, Cried aloud and spoke in this wise:
' Beautiful is the sun. O strangers, When you come so far to see us; All our town in peace awaits you; All our doors stand open for you; You shall enter all our wigwams; For the heart's right hand we give you.
Never bloomed the earth so gayly, Never shone the sun so brightly, As to-day they shine and blossom When you came so far to see us.' And the Black Robe Chief made answer,
Stammered in his speech a little, Speaking words yet unfamiliar:
' Peace be with you, Hiawatha, Peace be with you and your people, Peace of prayer, and peace of pardon, Peace of Christ, and joy of Mary!' Then the generous Hiawatha, Led the strangers to his wigwam, Seated them on skins of bison, Seated them on skins of ermine, Brought them food in bowls of bass-wood, Water brought in birchen dippers, And the calumet, the peace-pipe, Filled and lighted for their smoking. All the warriors of the nation, Came to bid the strangers welcome;
' It is well,' they said, 'O brother, That you came so far to see us.'"
Marquette and Joliet remained at the Indian villages six days, and were then accompanied to their canoes by an escort of six hundred Indians. In- vitations were extended to the strangers to renew their visit, after which the explorers embarked in their boats and floated on down the stream, passing the sites of future great cities of the valley, and passing the mouths of the Missouri and Ohio rivers, and as far down as the mouth of the Arkansas.
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