USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa, including a condensed history of the state, the early settlement of the county together with sketches of its pioneers > Part 2
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This land purchase was the first fruits of the reactionary influ- ence of the Revolutionary war. This was the first land ever pur- chased or peacefully acquired from a sovereign civilized power, in the history of the human family, for the purpose of dedica-
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
tion to constitutional government, because it was so guaranteed in the treaty which conferred it. This triumph of diplomacy over a government which was proud of its Talleyrand and Marabois, is of itself sufficient to immortalize the statesman who brought about such happy results. He who stood at the helm of govern- ment at this time had, prior to this, made himself immortal. The thought of his brain, finding exudation at the point of his pen, when reducing to paper the principles contained in the Declaration of American Independence, will immortalize him as long as the English language shall last, and will assist in the preservation of the latter.
Ou the 4th of July, 1805, under the act of Congress, approved March 3d, 1805, the District of Louisiana was organized into a territory of the same name, with a government of its own, in which condition it remained until 1812.
By act of Congress, approved June 4, 1812, the Territory of Louisiana was reorganized and called the "Territory of Missouri;" then, again, by act, March 2, 1819, "Arkansaw Territory." By a joint resolution, approved March 2, 1821, the State of Missouri was made a State and admitted into the Union, and from that date up to and until June 28, 1834, all of Iowa was a territorial orphan; this status of orphanage lasting, as above indicated, for the period of thirteen years, when it was taken again under paternal care and constituted part of the territory of Michigan. On the 3d of July, 1836, Wisconsin territory, embracing within its limits the present States of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, was taken from that of Michigan and made a separate territory; and on the 3d of July, 1838, the territory of the State of Iowa, including the greater part of Minnesota, was constituted the Territory of Iowa.
On the 28th day of December, A. D. 1846, Iowa was admitted into the Union, as the twenty-ninth star in the national galaxy, which from that day to the present has never been dimmed by any act of her people, but like a bright jewel in the set, beauti-
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
fies and adorns, as well as being shown off to great advantage, by reason of the purity and brilliancy of those forming the other parts of the constellation.
Harrison County was named by the Third General Assembly of the State of Iowa, which at that time convened at Iowa City, the then capital of the State, for the ninth President, William Henry Harrison, as will be found by reference to section No. 2, chapter No. 9, of the acts of the General Assembly last above referred to; and in which will be found the boundaries of the county, which is in the following words, viz .:
"Beginning at the north west corner of township No. 81, north of range 40, west, thence west on the line dividing townships 81 and 82, to the middle of the main channel of the Missouri river; thence down the middle of the main channel of said river to the intersection of the line between townships 77 and 78; thence east on said township line to the southwest corner of township 78, north of range 40, west; thence north on the line dividing ranges 40 and 41 to the place of beginning."
The action of the Legislature of the State, which gave bounds to this county, was approved by the Governor on the 15th day of January, A. D. 1851, left the county statu quo until in the month of January of the date of the 12th, A. D. 1853, when an act was passed, by which a commission of three persons, viz .: Abraham Fletcher of Fremont county, Charles Walcott of Mills county, and A. D. Jones of Pottawattamie county were selected to locate a " seat of justice" for Harrison county, and to proceed to the discharge of this duty on the first Monday of March of 1853, and by the same act declared the county organ- ized from and after the first Monday of March of the same year.
By section No. 20 of said act, the name for this embryotic "seat of justice " was, at that time, given by the Legislature, thereby furnishing to the then generation another instance where a name was determined on before birth, viz .: "That the county seat of Harrison shall be called MAGNOLIA."
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
The boundaries of the county, then, would be as follows: Mo- nona and part of Crawford counties on the north, the Missouri river on the west, Pottawattamie county on the south, and Shelby county on the east, and were it not for the shortage of the town- ships on the west, made so by the tortuous windings and con- stant cutting of the Missouri river, the county would be twenty- four miles north and south by thirty miles east and west.
By the latest measurements the county contains 446,056 acres, of which over 400,000 are under cultivation, and 42,720 native timber. This, and the personalty in the county, as per the assessment of 1885, in value amounts to the sum of $5,514,299.
The streams which water and drain the county gain the Mis- souri bottoms within the county, except the Pigeon and Mos- quito. Beginning at the east side of the county, the first stream which is met is the Mosquito, then the Pigeon, Boyer, Willow, Allen and Steer Creeks, then the Soldier and Little Sioux rivers. These all take a southwesterly course until they either empty into the Missouri river in the county or pass the southern boun- dary line.
The Mosquito is a small stream, having its rise in Washington and Cass townships, and can scarcely bear the name of a river ; but in a country where every little rivulet is misnomered " river," this importance has attached to this little stream, so that it is called Mosquito river, the named derived from the great abun- dance of mosquitoes which infested the place in the early days of the settlement. They of the settlement days of 1849, in re- ferring to the vastness and size, and numerical strength of the above named bill-posting insect, call to mind the stretch of im- agination of the '49 miners of California. Tradition has it that these mosquitos were of such ponderous size that they kept in their hip pockets a 14-inch file and whetstone, so that they could, during the heat of the day, prepare their proboscis for active duty as the evening and night came on. This only is given as per the statement of one John Q. Jolly, who was a resident on
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
this stream, and whose imagination was known to be very vivid.
The Pigeon has its origin in Douglas township, and from its source to the place where it crosses the south line of the county, measures a distance of quite sixteen miles. Why this little stream was named "Pigeon " cannot be accounted for; nor is there anyone who can tell the origin of the name, except as above given. Both of these streams last named drain large quantities of exceptionally good land, and afford water supplies for stock purposes which few localities equal. The banks of these creeks are somewhat precipitous, and usually rise to the height of ten to twenty feet, by reason of which the water is carried away without doing damage by overflows, except in very rare cases, when the rain-fall has been so extraordinary as to swell all other streams in the county and produce general havoc elsewhere.
The principal water courses, are the Boyer, Willow, Soldier, and Little Sioux. The Boyer in its crooked windings from the northeast corner of the county to the place where it enters Potta- wattamie county, ten miles from the Missouri river and twenty miles from the southeast corner of the county, traverses a dis- tance of sixty miles by measurement of its channel, and only by straight line a distance of twenty-eight. Some have supposed that there is but very little fall to the waters in the Boyer, but in this supposition there is a great mistake. Take for a start- ing point the place where the depot is located at the town of Dunlap in this county, and have measurement made from there to the place where the railroad depot is located at the town of Missouri Valley, there is only lacking the small number of six feet of being as many feet fall as there is in the dis- tance from the depot building at Sioux City to the depot at Missouri Valley. From the depot at Dunlap to the depot at Missouri Valley, a distance by rail of twenty-six miles, there is a fall of ninety-one feet, while from the depot building at Sioux
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
City to the depot at Missouri Valley, a distance of seventy-five miles by rail, there is a fall of ninety-seven feet.
Within the county there are at the present three good water merchant mills; on the Boyer river, one at the village of Logan owned by James McCoid; one near the village of Woodbine, owned by that old pioneer, John W. Dalley, and Mr. Kellogg; and one at or near the town of Dunlap, owned by Mr. Harvey Bishop, all in successful operation.
All these mills above referred to, do not use over twenty feet of the before-named ninety-one, and as a mathematical result, there is a waisture of water power yet on the Boyer sufficient to propel ten more such mills as they that are now in successful operation.
Though digressing from the subject, I will take the liberty to state that the depot building at Missouri Valley is 418 feet higher than the Chicago & Northwestern railroad bridge, where the same spans the Mississippi river at Clinton, and that the surface of the railroad at Woodbine in this county is one foot higher than the track at New Jefferson in Greene county.
The Willow is the next stream westward of the Boyer and makes its first appearance in Crawford county, and enters this county in Lincoln township near the west line of section 3, township 81, range 42, quite six miles west of the place where the Boyer crosses the north line ..
This handsome little stream runs in a southwesterly direction; keeping her distance from the one on her east; leaves Lincoln within one-half mile of the southwest corner thereof, visits Boyer township by cutting a flat-iron out of her north west corner, then meanders a distance of six miles by sections, through Mag- nolia township, then into Calhoun township and out in a diago- nal course, entering the Missouri bottoms at this place, cuts a little slice off of Taylor, and from thence nearly south until the south line of the county is crossed, and thence emptying into
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
the Boyer a little south of Loveland station in Pottawattamie county.
Allen and Steer creeks both have their origin in Allen town- ship, take a southwesterly course, and after having meandered among the hills of Allen, Magnolia and Raglan townships, for a distance of eight to twelve miles, empty into what is known as the Gilmore or Atwood lake, at the foot of the bluffs. These creeks, like the larger ones above referred to, carry within their banks the sweetest and purest waters, and are of immeasurable value to stock raisers along their course. The former was named Allen, for one Andrew Allen, who, in 1851, squatted on this stream, and the latter received the not exceedingly classic name of "Steer," because of the miry condition of the stream at the place where it debouches from the highlands, three or more steers having mired therein while being driven across, in 1849.
The Soldier, named because a company of United States reg- ulars encamped on the banks thereof in 1846, has its inception in Ida and Crawford counties, enters Monona county at the east side, north of the centre, and runs in a south westerly direction until the same passes the north line of this, at which point, viz .: the north- east quarter of section 1, township 81, range 44, it makes a little zag toward the east, then winds like the trail of a serpent in a southwesterly direction until the farms of O. P. Edmonds and James Roberts, in sections 4 and 5, in township 80, range 44, are reached, and there grooves the Missouri bottoms in a direct south course through Raglan; then turns to a southwesterly course through the northwest corner of Taylor, on through Clay in the same direction, until within one mile of the Missouri river, then in a direct run of five miles east empties into the Missouri river at the north west corner of Cincinnati township. This stream is nearly the size of the Boyer in the way of volume of water, and drains a large section of country from the north line of the county to the place where it is lost in the great Muddy. From the Edmonds farm in section 5, township 80, range 44, on the
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
south line of Jackson township, to the mouth of this stream, there is but little fall, and hence the drainage is not as perfect as where the same meanders through the hills.
By consulting White's Geological Reports of Iowa, volume 2, page 414, it will be there found that the surface of the S. C. & P. railroad track at Mondamin in this county is nine feet higher than at Modale, a distance of a little over six miles, and that there is a fall of ten feet from River Sioux station to Mondamin, having the same distance as that between Mondamin and Modale. This would average only a fraction over one and one-half feet to the mile, which, to say the least, is not indicative of the best drainage.
The statements herein made as to the fall in the Boyer, as well as that of the Soldier, are not based upon guess-work, but are the figures furnished Prof. White, who in 1868 and 1870, was the State Geologist, by W. W. Walker, then Vice President and Chief Engineer of the C. & N. W. railroad, and that of the S. C. & P. railroad by L. Burnett, assistant superintendent of the latter road. While this beautiful, clear, pure stream winds its way in the high lands, the declivity is by far greater than that last above given, and though it affords great opportunities for water power, the same is only utilized at one point, and that at and near the centre of Jackson township, viz .: On the south line of section 14, township 81, range 44, at which place Mr. L. Peyton has in continuous operation a very excellent flouring mill.
The Little Sioux river, the father of Harrison county waters, makes the shortest stay in the county of any of those which are designated as rivers. First starting from springs on the south line of the State of Minnesota, and then replenished and fed by the little rivulets of Osceola, Dickinson, Clay, east part of O'Brien, west part of Buena Vista, east part of Cherokee, east part of Woodbury and all of Monona counties, introduces herself into Harrison about eighty rods west of the northeast corner of section 5, township 81, range 44, in Little Sioux township, and from thence
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
steadily keeps a south westerly direction until finding outlet in the Missouri river at the north half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 27, township 81, range 45, a distance of about two hundred rods west of the depot at the station of River Sioux. The entire mileage of this river in the county will not exceed eight, yet the stay being so short, it discharges doubly more water into the Missouri than all other streams of the county. The bank on the left of the river, as to this county, is high, in many places hug- ging the bluffs, until it divorces itself from the company of the hills, so that but little overflow therefrom has ever caused any damage.
The Wilsey, Col. Cochran and M. Murray farms, which fit up to the margin of the waters of the Little Sioux on the left bank, are as excellently situated as ever came from the hand of the Creator, the gentle declivity, the broad stretch of level prairie, reaching from bluff to river, not a foot in waste; which at gath- ering time yields 100 bushels of corn in the ear, per acre, sug- gests an Eden worthy of the waiting, toil and good judgment of the worthy possessors.
The surface of the county presents an appearance as varied as the tastes of man and as diversified as his conduct. So far as the selection of a bome is concerned, all can, within the limits of the county, find any quality or character of place, soil or altitude which fancy dictates. The high, rolling upland, far beyond the reach of flood or malaria, the sunny cove nestling in the bluff and protecting the place from blizzards; the broad expanse of level prairie, reaching on and on as far as the eye can measure; the elevated lands on margin of lake or river; the home in the native forests, or if perchance the peculiarities of mind suggest a selection of unfathomable " gumbo," this county possesses all these in certain ratios.
The different valleys or bottom lands are known and designa- ted by the names of the rivers or creeks which drain them, viz .: Mosquito, Pigeon, Boyer, Willow, Soldier, and Little Sioux, and
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
vary in dimensions in nearly the same ratio as the streams. The first two last named, differ but little in extent and quality of soil.
These valleys are from one-half to a mile in width, and now all improved, the handsome and tasty farm house, broad expanse of corn, wheat and tame-grass fields, make the same a very par- adise indeed. The uplands between these are beautiful rolling prairies, forming well defined divides from which the surface and spring waters are gathered by draws or slight depressions and discharged into small feeders which enter the valleys below.
In nearly all of the locations, or nearly all the farms, which are not accommodated by spring, creek or other surface water, the same is attained by wells, scarcely ever exceeding a depth of forty feet, and the greater majority at half that depth, and these are so manipulated by wind-mills that the water necessary for the supplying of house and herd is really as abundant and equally cheap as those who have the privilege of spring or stream.
The Boyer valley is the Eden of the county, arrests the eye of every passer and holds the beholder spell-bound while measuring its extent and unsurpassed beauty and fertility. This valley is from one two miles in width, stretches from the northeast corner of the county to the place where the same merges into the Missouri bottom, a distance of over twenty-six miles, thereby furnishing excellent drainage and outlet for this and the coun- try northeast and east, as well as the natural outlet for trans- portation to and fro by rail. The miles and miles of nearly level fields of corn, wheat, oats, tame and wild grasses, the extensive and handsomely constructed farm houses, large barns, cribs and sheds, the abundance and pureness of such excellent water, the unprecedented productiveness and inexhaustibility of the soil, places this valley in the lists as equal to any within the states and territories of this Union.
The writer of these hastily thrown-together thoughts well remembers the expression of a friend, in the person of B. F.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
Pyle, of Pittsburg, Pa., who, standing on the bluff at the south- west corner of the village of Logan, which position affords the beholder a view of all the Boyer valley to the southwest, the Missouri bottoms up to and across the Missouri river, as well as the northeast corner of Douglas and the southeast of Washing- ton counties, Neb., and not only this, but the Boyer valley north to quite the distance of Dunlap; - who after surveying this matchless valley, appropriately quoted, as his sentiments and observation, the following stanza:
"No fairer land the prophet viewed, When on the sacred mount he stood, And saw below transcendent shine The plains and groves of Palestine."
The yield of corn on this valley per acre is from sixty to ninety bushels, the yield being measured by the good judgment of the farmer in the way of the selection of seed, the time the same is placed in the ground and the labor bestowed thereon at the proper season. The yield of wheat varies according to the season, which at times falls as low as twenty, but often reaches thirty or more bushels per acre. The tame grasses often shed three to four tons to the acre, and the wild or native grass, in good localities, two and a half to three.
The uplands separating the Boyer from the Pigeon, as well as that separating the former from the Willow river, the same applying to all the divides in the county, are corrugated by small ribs extending out from the backbone or divide, usually in a direction southeast or southwest, as the water-shed indicates. These are more numerous on the north line of the county, viz .: in the townships of Lincoln, Allen and Jackson; yet in these, and all others of the upland townships, whole tracts of hundreds of acres of prairie have been overgrown with thrifty groves within the brief memory of the writer. These tracts of young forests add a very pleasant feature to the landscape, relieve the monotony of the ever present cereal or grass, and paint a green island on the apparent desert of prairie.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
Were any of the readers of these pages to stand on the cliff directly north of the residence of Mr. John T. Coffman, in sec- tion 9, township 80, range 44, the same being in Raglan town- ship, and from that position in the months of June, July or August, look in a direction east of northwest, over Jackson town- ship, a landscape, such as was never painted, aye, such as is be- yond the power of artist to reproduce, would present itself to his or her vision.
At the locus last designated, the bluffs of Jackson look like the waves of the ocean, when the wind is driving them fierce and furious, or to the writer it can be more accurately described, by saying that the Creator, at the time spoken of in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, was a trifle short of time; that the week there spoken of closed and that Jackson township had only been poured out of the Maker's ladle and "time " was called before the smoothing process had been applied.
Here the divides apparently run in every direction; the little scooped-out valleys seem to have been constructed without refer- ence to direction or symmetry, and, withal, present an appear- ence of such modest neglige as to captivate the beholder.
As the years come and go the thrifty growth of young forest trees, springing up spontaneously in every conceiveable place, where protected from the ravages of fire, and to such extent as heretofore named, the feeling can scarcely be avoided, that the primitive beauty and nakedness of these bluffs are soon to receive a forest mantle of nature's own weaving, by which their grace- ful outlines, now cut so clearly against the sky, will be lost for- ever.
The Soldier valley is of double the width of the Willow, and is only the superior of the latter in area. The north or west side is bounded by ranges of bluffs unrivalled in variety of pic- turesque scenery by any similar region in the Missouri valley, and what is more striking and interesting, well defined terraces
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
occupy a large part of the valley, which afford very many rural situations.
The valley of the Little Sioux is entirely different from any in the county, occasioned by reason of the same being minus any bluffs or highlands on the right bank. This river behaves her- self very handsomely in all her stay in the county, but her bad conduct before reaching the point where lost in the great Muddy, creates a prejudice against her, in this, that while passing the boundaries of the county of Monona, in her freaks of folly, mad- ness and power, her banks, in the spring time, are overflowed and the water thus forced out on the surface of the county north, is driven down or onward, to such extent that the one- fourth of the township of Little Sioux receives a baptism from one to five feet of that which the county north should have taken care of. This, by many persons, has been interpreted as a source of great loss to the people in the vicinity, but a moment's reflection will convince the thoughtless that it is not a loss or judgment visited on the locality. All east of this place is quite barren of grass lands, and while these spring freshets cover the surface of this portion of the township and seemingly enjoin the raising of corn or other cereals, yet it brings about just such a condition as best meets the real wants of the farmers, in this, that such a superabundance of grass is grown, and so caused by these annual spring freshets, that all on the bluffs or high lands here find a superabundance of hay for the winter's use, which otherwise could not be had.
The Missouri valley comprises more than one-fifth of the area of the county; though all appearing as of the same quality, yet there is such vast difference in short distances, one location may be of very excellent quality, while that which lies tangent thereto is wholly worthless. All along this valley there are draws, or low places, which render the same useless for agricultural pur- doses. These at some point or other ripen into lakes, and they in turn generally find outlet into the rivers which empty into
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