USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 21
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The Nodaways and Nishnabotna are the larger and pass southward through one of the most truly valuable, as well as attractive sec- tions, found in all Iowa's fair domain. Indeed, these valleys-from source to mouth-are unsurpassed in both natural beauty and in extreme fertility of soil.
On account of its many streams and springs, Page County is well supplied with the purest of water, making it a natural and successful county in which to grow live stock, and the same has come to be one of the best paying industries.
Good well water can be obtained anywhere in the county, in great abundance and at moderate depths below the surface-seldom ever going deeper than fifty feet for a clear, cold and never failing supply.
Very fortunately, this portion of Iowa has but few of those iniserable and unapproach- able sloughs and tracts of swamp lands so frequently found on extensive prairies farther to the northeast. The sloughs throughout the county are generally far between, with a broad expanse of excellent farm land on either side. There is also, generally, sufficient fall to carry off the surplus water, and when once drained gives the possessor the richest soil to be found in the world.
The belts of natural timber lands in Page County gives an abundant supply of fuel for all time to come. Timber is more plenty, however, in the eastern portion than it is far- ther west in the county. In the central and western parts of the county the timber and prairies are more generally confined to the borders of the streams.
Beautiful groves are dotted here and there, some occupying quite elevated positions, while others bordering on the low lands, which tend to relieve the otherwise monoto- nous and sometimes dreary aspect so frequent
The larger streams and their tributaries lave magnificent valleys, corresponding in width and size to their streams, respectively. [ on our broad western prairies. There are
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
inany varieties of timber found in the make- up of the forests of Page County, such as oak, hickory, sycamore, walnut, hackberry, bass- wood, sugar maple, soft maple, cottonwood, swamp ash and some white ash. The timber found growing in the bottoms is mostly confined to the soft-wood varieties, with a small per cent. of harder woods. The bluffs and uplands produce a fine and extensive growth of the harder and more valuable woods, such as go into the building of structures of all kinds as well as into fencing.
In many places the best of hard woods of the more advanced growth have been culled out, and in others pretty thoroughly cleared off to supply the needs of settlers, thus leav- ing the softer and less valuable species. But the second growth is rapidly increasing, and is furnishing as an average a better grade of timber than the original stock. Even those who were born in a timber county and have spent the prime of their lives in the woods, can find a timber home quite congenial to their liking. However, in these days, timber lands are not in so great demand as in the earlier pioneer times, since railroad facilities have rendered fuel, fencing and building ma- terial so cheap. The one invention of barbed wire for fencing purposes has lessened the actual need for large tracts of timber. The railways bring pine to our very door at cheap rates: hence the natural timber is only de- manded for fuel and protection against winds.
The prairie lands predominate here and are of the most excellent quality. On nearly all the divides between the rivers and running streams are found large expanses of beautiful prairies, well drained, easily cultivated, highly productive, with good water and market privileges.
The character of the soil, heretofore spoken of, is such that a failure of crops from dry weather is a thing unknown. The county
has sufficient rainfall and wet weather to insure a good growth of all sorts of vegeta- tion. Both wild and tame fruits do well in this section. The apple crop has come to be one of no small importance. Yet it should be held that Page County is best fitted by na- ture, soil and climate, for the production of the standard cereals, corn, wheat, oats, barley and rye. No county in Iowa's glorious clus- ter of ninety-nine is a greater corn-growing county than Page, and in regard to yield has but two-perhaps three equals. The average is placed at from forty-two to ninety bushels per acre. Spring wheat, winter wheat, rye, barley, oats, sorghum and potatoes are grown in great quantities.
Tame grasses were not fully appreciated at an early day as they are now, and indeed there was not the need that presents itself now, as the native grass was found in large tracts of unbroken land. But as the county developed and tame grass was needed the soil and climate proved itself equal to the emergency. Timothy, red-top and clover, for both pasturage and hay land, succeed well in all parts of Page County.
GEOLOGICAL.
Under this heading usually comes the part of a local history the least cared for by the average reader. This grows out of the fact that every resident of a given county is sup- posed to be quite well posted in regard to both the topography and geology of his home county. To nearly all, the study of geology is a dry study. There are, however, some things connected with it, that all should nn- derstand, in order to gain an intelligent knowledge of the land upon which they live and toil for their livelihood. Volumes need not be here copied; but the following may be- of interest and be of some good service to the reader. With, these remarks it may be said:
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
3
that " Geology" as found in the State His- tory of this book (page 158), will give a general and anthentic idea of the geology of Page County, while the subjoined will speak briefly of some of the more special features of the geological formation found beneath the surface of Page County soil.
The general dip of the county-averaging two feet per mile, is a little west of southı, its surface waters finding their way to the Missouri River. The entire eastern portion of Page County is drained by the Nodaway's streams, and along their valleys the most beautiful scenery of the county is to be found. The surface of the county is for the major part prairie lands. The valleys present the usual appearance of the "Drift" deposit in the eastern portion of the county while in the western part they are occupied by the " Bluff" deposit. This material is of a slightly yellowish ash color, except where darkened by decaying vegetation, very fine and silicious, but not sandy, not very cohesive and not at all plastic. The origin of the " bluff" is referred to the sediment of an an- cient lake, which was later on in the history of the world drained and the sediment caused to become dry land. That so enormous de- posit of this age as is found in Page County --- nearly two hundred feet on its western side-should be made, we must conceive the presentlevel of the land to be lowered, the water of the Gulf of Mexico backing upon the land, the whole country adjacent to the lower Mis- souri far below the surface of the ancient lake thus formed, while the Upper Missouri is plowing its way through the land, wearing away its boundaries and hurrying with them to the comparatively quiet water below. Here and there they were deposited and re- mained as sediment until those giant throes which lifted again the partially submerged continents and hurled the encroaching waves
back to their former dominion. Such a change occurred in Page County and the proofs are on every hand. The " bluff de- posit " is now known to occupy the region through which the Missouri River runs al- most centrally and measures more than two hundred miles in length and one hundred in width.
So far as the existence of mineral resources in Page County has been demonstrated, they consist entirely of its coal and stone. The prospecting already done for coal has only been in the upper strata and have not proved paying mines, but it is fully believed by geolo- gists, that the lower coal-measure formation, with its beds of coal extends beneath Page County; and if the region ever obtains a sufficient amount of capital to explore and develop, that paying coal fields may be ob- tained at quite a shallow depth.
It may be said, however, that the soft coal which is, and has for many years been, taken from out the coal mines of this county, compares favorably with most of the Iowa coal, though the quantity is not near so great. The following will be considered as good authority, when the reader is informed that it is from the official pen of Dr. White, State Geologist:
The strata thus far discovered are all re- ferred to the horizon of the lower half of the series of limestone and shales of the Winter- set section. At Hawleyville, just upon the east border of the county, there is an ex- posure of about five feet in thickness, of bluish limestone, with partings of blue clay shale. These are no doubt the equivalents of a part of the strata associated with the coal bed at Fosters, in the northwestern part of Taylor County, but no coal has yet been found in connection with the one at Hawley- ville. Crossing over to the valley of the West Nodaway, the next exposure of strate found were upon the left bank of the stream, a little distance below Clarinda, the county
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
seat. Here the same bed of coal is found again, which is worked at various points in Adams and Taylor counties, and its associated strata has the same general character. It has been mined just below Clarinda, and also at several points within a mile below the mill, on the east side of the river. The following section was measured there, commencing with the surface of the river as the base of No. 1.
SECTION NEAR CLARINDA.
No. 5-Hard, bluish, impure limestone 2 feet.
No. 4-Bluish, clayey shale 1% "
No. 3-Coal 1} "
No. 2-Light bluish, clayey shale con- taining fossils 2
No. 1-Unexposed to the water's edge 10
Total measurement 168 "
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
INDIAN OCCUPANCY,
CHAPTER III.
S one views this goodly county to-day, with all of its signs of thrift and develop- ment, which can only be found in highly cultivated and truly civilized countries, they can scarcely believe that for less than half a century ago the lands now occupied by a peaceful and Christianized people were the hunting-ground and battle-field of a less for- tunate race-the North American Indian.
As late as the era of the Black Hawk war, when the whites were trying to suppress the Indians on the rolling prairies of Illinois and midst the dense forests of southwestern Wis- consin, the territory now known as Page County was unmolested hunting-ground and the sole property of the Indians, whose sav- age tribes held full sway.
Formerly this portion of Iowa belonged to the Sac and Fox Indians and the Pottawatta- mies. The two former tribes held it until 1842, when according to a treaty made on the 11th of October, of that year, between the Sacs and Foxes, and the United States Government, they ceded to the Government their title and interest therein, the treaty be- ing held at the Sac and Fox Agency, where Agency City is now located. The treaty was ratified by the Senate March 23, 1843. The council lasted nearly a week, Governor Cham-
bers of Iowa appearing as commissioner on the part of the Government; the Indians were represented by such chiefs as Keokuk, Appanoose, Poweshiek and Panana. This treaty was an important one to the Govern- ment, and especially so for the organization and prosperity of State and county; yet it was made with great difficulty: at one time during the council it seemed almost certain to succeed.
The Indians demanded the reservation of a certain tract of land, and positively refused to treat peaceably without such stipulation, while on the other hand the instructions of the Government were positively opposed to any reservation.
The principal causes for this obstacle, on the part of the Indians, doubtless, was their profound regard for a white man who had been to them a true friend in need, their determination to fulfill their promise to his family after his death and their sacred re- gard for his last resting place, whichi made it very hard for them to yield.
For a clearer understanding of the case it may be said that in 1835, General J. M. Street, who had been Indian agent among the Winnebagoes since 1827, was removed to the Sac and Fox agency, first at Rock Is-
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
land, and in 1838 at Agency City. General Street was a great favorite among the Indians, and they were accustomed to call him "father." In 1840, during the month of May, the Gen- eral died. His family procured an air-tight coffin, and announced their intention to re- move liis remains to Prairie du Chien, where reposed some of his near relatives. The chiefs held a council and remonstrated, offer- ing any given part of their country they might choose as General Street's burying- ground, and adding, that in case their wislı was respected they would give to the good general's widow a section of land, and a half section to each child. Accordingly these terms were agreed upon, and the remains were deposited on Iowa soil, and no reference was ever made to the land promised until the date of the above treaty.
About the evening of the second day of the treaty one of the Government officers came to General Street's son, William B. Street, then employed at the Agency, and said, " I do not think we will succeed in making a treaty." " Why ?" "Because," said the officer, "the chiefs demand a reservation of one section for General Street's widow, and a half section for each one of her children, including the half-breed children, and we have no right under our instructions to grant any compro- mise in way of reservation."
Mr. Street, Jr., not wishing the treaty to fail, held a consultation with some of the principal chiefs, telling them he did not care to have the reservation inade good, and his brothers and sisters were all there in another territory, and that he believed they, too, would relinquish that right.
Keokuk and some other chief's assented re- luctantly, but old Poweshiek insisted that all the reservation they desired should be de- manded. Mr. Street remonstrated with him as to the results in the near future, and again
told him he did not care for such reservation. " What, do you decline the gift?" said the indignant old chief; for this was construed as an insult among the Indians to refuse a present. So great was the injury felt by Poweshiek, that he would not speak to young Street for six months. However, one day when under the influence of liquor, Street gave him a pony, and forever after they were friends.
Finally the Indians demanded the reserva- tion of a single section to be given Mrs. Street, the honored widow of the lamented General. Governor Chambers, of Iowa, would not consent. Then old Keokuk, rising, ad- dressed the council thus: "There lies," said he, pointing to the grave of General Street, "there lies the grave of our father, the best white friend we have had, and without this reservation this land shall never, never -- no, NEVER be sold while a single member of our tribe remains." On the next day Governor Chambers agreed to the reservation of one section, and directed the Indians to inake their choice. They selected that on which the Agency building was situated, and in- cluded General Street's grave.
Finally the Indians agreed to pay for the improvements which had been inade on the section tract by the Government, amounting to $2,500. The treaty being thus ended, Keokuk said that if the Senate changed the terins by one scratch of a pen it would not be agreed to by the Indians. As had been anticipated, a motion was made in Congress to strike out the words "section reservation," whereupon Keokuk's words were repeated. So on March 23, 1843, was ratified an Indian treaty for the first time in the whole history of the United States Senate where there was no erasure made.
By this treaty a tract of land comprising more than two-thirds the present domain of
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
Iowa was transferred to the United States, for which the Sac and Fox Indians were to receive eight hundred thousand dollars in good State stocks, on which the Government should guarantee five per cent. annual inter- est. It was stipulated that they were to be removed from the country at the expiration of three years, and all who remained there- after were to remove at their own expense. Part were removed to Kansas in the autumn of 1845, and the remainder in the spring of 1846.
By the terms of this peaceable settlement, in which money paid the debt, hitherto made good through the might of the musket and sword, with bloodshed and desolation, the early settlers of Page County encountered no difficulty with the red men, and the historian has to record no price of blood paid for their primitive homes, which now have come to be the fit abode of even kings and princes.
Few Indians ever put in their appearance after the work of settlement had once thor- oughly begun.
By the various treaties made with the Sac and Fox Indians, the Government paid them eighty thousand dollars per year, by families. Mr. Street was disbnrsing clerk for John Beach, Indian Agent, during the year 1841, and for many years retained in his possession the receipts for the part payment of the an- nuities, in his own hand-writing, and the marks of the chiefs in signing.
According to the stipulations of this treaty, given above, the Government secured the right to extend the limits of emigration westward from the old boundary line, passing north and south through Locnst Grove, Jef- ferson County, to a new line established farther west, extending north and south through the meridian of Red Rock, Marion County, and the Sacs and Foxes were entitled to occupy a territory west of this temporary
line until October 11, 1845, when they must again move westward to their reservation in Kansas.
During the month of May, 1843, nearly all of the Indians were removed up the Des Moines River, and took possession of their new home in the place which soon became known as Keokuk's village, situated about three miles southeast of the present State capitol building. In that locality they re- mained until the three years had expired, and the time for their final removal had come.
But even before they had left their old camping grounds, the tide of emigration was rapidly pressing in upon them. The day was also fixed upon by the treaty for the Indians to give up the right of occupancy of all the territory east of the Red Rock line, and for emigrants to move westward and occupy the newly vacated lands.
Those expecting to make settlement on the "New Purchase" were forbidden to come on the reserve until the time of its delivery into the hands of the Government by the Indians, May 1, 1843. Dragoons were stationed all along the border, whose duty it was to keep the whites out of the country until the time appointed. For several weeks previous to the date assigned, settlers came up into the new country, prospecting for homes, and were quietly permitted to cross over the bor- der and look around, so long as they were unaccompanied by wagon and carried no ax. The ax was, however, often placed, without a lielve, in a knapsack, and an impromptu handle fitted to it by a pocket-knite, when necessity called for its use. During the last few days of April the dragoons relaxed their strict discipline, and an occasional wagon slipped in through the brush. The night of April 30 found some score or more of new- comers on the ground, who had been pros-
-
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
pecting the country and decided in their own minds which lands they would claim. These settlers were mostly along the Des Moines River, it then being thought that prairie land was not half so desirable as the river and timber country.
As it neared midnight on the morning of May 1, settler after settler took liis place upon the border of his claim, with his buncli of sharpened stakes and lantern, or his blazing torch, and when it was thought 12 o'clock had fully come, there was some lively surveying by amateur engineers in the mid- night darkness! The claims were paced off, and, strange to say, there were few cases of dispute, the matter having been pretty gener- ally understood on the day previous. Some of the "claims" were rather large-more, in fact, than was contemplated by the law. Some were even unmindful of the wholesome advice of a mother in Hoosierdom, who pos- sibly lived in a later day, but who counseled, " Git a plenty while you're gittin'," to which these early settlers added, " and git the best you can find!"
The memorable midnight of the last day of April, 1843, dark as it may liave been, opened to the welcome dawning of a May day in the prosperity of this heaven-favored land as the crowds of anxious emigrants, so long held in check by the old boundaries, began to cross the line in multitudes and press for- ward to " possess the land " and secure their claims of 320 acres each in this goodly heritage. It was a rapid and successful inarchi of civilization, which gave but abun- dant proof of the wisdom of our Govern- inent's policy. It is said that before the sun sank behind the western horizon, there were fully 1,000 of these claims occupied by pio- neers.
From the spring of 1843 until the antminn of 1845 the Indians remained quietly enjoy-
ing their newly-defined camps and hunting grounds, neither disturbing nor being dis- turbed by their white neighbors; and, true to the instincts of their nature, while living at peace with their neighbors they inclined to revel in a fruitless life of indolence and debauch. They were restrained from tres- pass on their eastern border only by their imaginary Red Rock line of reservation, which effectually and distinctly separated be- tween civilization and barbarismn. On the other hand, for a short time longer they were permitted to rove at will westward and north- ward over these yet uncultivated and seem - ingly boundless prairies, and seek to gratify the desires of their wild, rude nature in hunt and chase and war dance, while taking their last farewell of this beautiful, broad domain, which for years had been their dwelling-place and so lately they had been allowed to name as their own.
On the 11th of October, 1845, the much- desired day came at last, bringing to the yet unsettled pioncer the welcome privilege to choose from all the goodly land before him his future home. But to the poor Indian it brought the solemn warning that his lease of home was gone, and in keeping with his record of the past, he must again move on into western wilds, and there seek a new home, leaving his cherished hunting grounds, so long possessed and enjoyed by liim, to pass into the hands and under the full control of his pale-faced brother, soon to be stripped of all that was attractive and dear to the red man's heart.
In accordance with the stipulations of the treaty, the greater part of the Indians were removed at the expense of the Government, in the fall of 1845, and those who remained until the spring of 1846 were conveyed in United States Government wagons to a point on the reservation about seventy five miles
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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.
southeast of Kansas City, to join their com- rades who had gone before. Some of their bark-covered huts still remained after the white settlers came, and the graves, covered by a roof of rude slabs, were yet to be seen ; but all these soon disappeared, to be rememn- bered only as things of the past, and now almost every Indian relic is gone, save as the plowman turns from under the soil an occa- sional arrow-head or hatchet of stone, and lays it aside on his curiosity shelf as a me- mento of barbarism.
Thus the Red Rock line of reservation liad served its time and purpose in marking the western limits of the white man's domain, and in protecting the red man in his rights of home against the advancing strides of emigration until his allotted time had come to move westward again on his roving mis- sion, and add one more proof that his race is fast fading away and must eventually disap- pear before the restless march of the Anglo- Saxon race, as did the traditional Mound- builders give place to the red man of latter times.
When the last barrier of restraint was thus removed, the tide of emigration, so long hield in check, began to come in at a rapid rate over these prairies, and thus it has continued to roll, wave after wave, in rapid succession until it has reached the Western slope, carry- ing with it the energy and talents and enter- prise of nations, and washing to surface the gold from the mountains and valleys of the Pacific shore, and has enveloped our land in the mighty main of enterprise and civiliza- tion; while the hapless Indian, driven, driven by the advancing tide from shore to shore over this mighty. continent, is caught at last in the billows and drifts with the tide, clinging only to the floating driftwood of his own shattered bark of barbarism, and as his last faint hope before being lost in the roll- ing surges and forever sunk in the sea of oblivion.
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