USA > Iowa > Lucas County > History of Lucas County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc > Part 41
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* The classification adopted is that of Jordan's Manual of Vertebrates, 2d edition. A close and more extended survey may add a few more species to the list.
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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.
OPHIDIA-SERPENTS.
Reptiles, not shielded with an epidermal covering of imbricated scales which is shed as a whole and replaced at regular intervals; mouth very dilatable; the bones of the lower jaw separate from each other, only united by ligaments; limbs wanting or represented by small spurs on the sides of the vent-a transverse slit. Various anatomical characters distin- guish the snakes, but the elongated form and absence of limbs separate them at once from all our other vertebrates, excepting the lizard Opheo- saurus, and this is not in any other respect, snake-like .- fordan.
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COLUBRID ÆE-COLUBRINE SNAKES.
1. Heterdon platyrhinus, blowing viper, perfectly harmless.
2. Heterodon simus, hog-nosed snake, innocent.
3. Tropidonotus erythrogaster, red-bellied water snake.
4. rhombifer, Holbrook's water snake.
5. grahami, Graham's snake.
6. Tropidoclontum kirtlandi, Kirtland's snake, pretty.
7. (?) Storeria occipitomaculata, red-bellied snake, doubtful.
8. Eutania saurita riband snake, handsome; small snake, rare.
9. faireyi, Fairie's garter snake.
10. proxima, Say's garter snake.
radix, Hoy's garter snake; determination doubtful.
sirtalis, striped snake; several varieties.
11. 12. 13. Pityophis sayi, western pine snake, seventy inches long.
Coluber obsoletus, racer, one of the largest snakes.
vulpinus, fox snake.
emoryi, Emory's racer.
Cyclophis æstivus, summer green snake, splendid.
Diadophis punctatus, ring-necked snake, also var. amabitis.
Ophibolus sayi, king snake.
20. 21. S doliatus, corn snake.
triangulatus, spotted adder, harmless.
22. 23. calligaster, Kennicott's chain snake. 24. 25. Carphophiops amænus. ground snake. 26. vermis, worm snake, rare and local.
CROTALIDÆ-CROTALID SNAKES.
(These snakes are all renowned for the deadliness of their venom.)
27. Crotalus horridus, rattlesnake, deadly; doubtful determination.
28. Caudisoma tergemina, prairie rattlesnake; abundant.
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14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. (?) arnyi, Arny's ring-necked snake.
(?) Virginia elegans, Kennicott's brown snake, doubtful.
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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.
There is much doubt that Crotalus horridus, is found here. The prairie snake varies so wonderfully that it is not at all sure but that some local form of that species is confounded with the wood-rattlesnake, which is more eastern in its distribution.
BATRACHIA.
Cold-blooded vertebrates, allied to the fishes, but differing in several respects, notably in the absence of rayed fins, the limbs being usually developed and functional, with the skeletal elements of the limbs of rep- tiles; toes usually without claws.
The batrachians undergo a more or less complete metamorphosis, the young ("tadpoles ") being aquatic and fish-like, breathing by means of external gills or branchiæ; later in life lungs are developed, and with one exception, the gills disappear; skin naked and moist, (rarely having im- bedded scales), and used to some extent as an organ of respiration; heart with two auricles and a single ventricle; reproduction by means of eggs, which are of comparatively small size, without hard shell, developed in water or in moist situations .- fordan.
RANIDÆ-FROGS.
Rana halecina, leopard frog; common.
clamitans, green frog.
catesbiana, bull frog; " well noted for its rich bass notes."
temporaria, wood frog; variety.
HYLIDÆE-TREE FROGS.
Hyla versicola, common tree toad.
(?) Hyla Pickeringii, Pickering's tree toad.
Acris gryllus, cricket frog.
(?) Charophilus sp.
BUFONIDÆ-TOADS.
Bufo lentiginosus, American toad; variable.
PLETHODONTIDA-SALAMANDERS.
Hemidactylium scutatum, four-toed salamander. Spelerpes bilineatus, two-striped salamander. Spelerpes longicaudus, cave salamander.
Spelerpes ruber, red triton.
AMBLYSTOMIDÆ-AMBYSTOMAS.
Amblystoma opacum, opaque salamander: handsome.
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Amblystoma tigrinum. tiger salamander; common. Amblystoma microstomum, small mouthed salamander. Amblystoma punctatum, large spotted salamander.
Menopoma alleghaniense, hell bender; common.
LACERTILIA-LIZARDS.
Opheosaurus' ventralis, glass snake; tail breaks into pieces when caught.
Cncmidophorus sexlineatns, six-lined lizard.
SCINCIDÆ-SKINKS.
Eumeces fasciatus, blue-tailed lizard; common.
Eumeces septentrionalis, northern skink; common.
TESTUDINATA-TURTLES.
C'istuda clausa, common box turtle.
Malacoclemmys geographicus, map turtle.
Malacoclemmys pseudogeographicus, Lesueur's map turtle.
Chrysemys picta, painted turtle. (Not seen. Possibly, in local tradi- tion, confounded with the elegant terrapin.
Pseudemys troostii, yellow-bellied terrapin.
Pseudomys elegans, elegant terrapin Chelydra serpentina, snapping turtle.
Cinosturnum pennsylvanicum, small mud turtle. Trionyx ferox, soft-shell turtle.
Few persons realize the numbers and beauty of many of these forms of life which are usually considered either dangerous or disgusting. They are often of surprising beauty and always instructive. Belonging, as they, do to the highest branch of animal life-the vertebrata-though to some of its lower orders, they come to us revealing through their structure and structural affinities that long line of ancestry through which the highest orders have been evolved. They take us back, in thought, to those remote periods of the world's history, when birds, reptiles and fishes were difficult of separation,; when each comprised in their structure some of the salient features of the other. While, perhaps, the structural resem- blance of the modern forms is recondite or hidden to the casual observer, by the aid of forms long since entombed in the rocks the competent stu- dent not only detects, but places on them their proper value. It is said that "there are sermons in stones," but with, perhaps, greater accuracy it may be said there is history in bones.
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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.
MOLLUSCA.
In the streams of the county, and in its wooded districts as well, are found some of those low forms of animal life that are rarely if ever seen by a people dwelling in prairie regions. These creatures are the mollusks numerous in individuals but comparatively rare in species. In all the perennial streams they find a congenial home. The species, of both land and fresh-water shells tound in the county, are as follows:"
FRESH-WATER MOLLUSKS.
Unio* alatus, Say-The winged unio.
rubiginosus, Lea-The ruddy unio.
coccineus, Hill-The saffron unio.
66 parvus, Barnes-The little unio.
luteolus, Lam-The straw-colored unio.
66 undulatus, Barnes-The wavy unio.
pressus, Lea-The flat unio.
ligamentinus, Barnes-The ligament unio.
" gibbosus, Barnes-The gibbous unio.
“ ventricosus, Barnes-The inflated unio.
" rectus, Lamarck-The straight unio.
mississippiensis, Lea-The Mississippi unio.
Margaritana* complanata, Barnes-The complanate clam.
rugosa, Barnes-The rugose margaritana. Anodonta danielsii, Lea-Daniel's anodon.
4 grandis, Say-The splendid anodon.
ferussaciana, Lea-Ferrusac's anodon.
imbecillis, Say-The slight anodon.
Sphaerium striatinum, Lam-The striated globe-shell.
occidentale, Prime-The western globe-shell.
66 rhomboideum, Prime-(Very rare) the rhomboid globe-shell. Pisidium abditum, Prime-The hidden pea-shell. Limnaca reflexa, Say-The reflected river-snail.
humilis, Say-The humble river-snail. decidiosa, Say-Abundant.
Physa heterostropha, Say-The sinistral physa. gyrina, Say, (var. last?)-The tadpole physa. Ancylus rivularis, Hald-The river limpet.
Planorbis trivolvis, Say-The three-whorled plane-shell.
campanulatus, Say-The little-bell-like plane-shell.
parvus, Say-The little-plane-shell.
66 lentus, Say-The smooth plane-shell.
*Unio and Margaritana both mean pearl bearing.
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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.
Melantho subsolidus, Anth -- The somewhat-solid black snail.
LAND MOLLUSKS.
These forms are very few, and none of them abundant. It is barely possible that the great prairie fires of past years were the main agency in reducing their numbers. These animals are to be sought in the woods, in shady, moist ravines and may be taken in greatest abundance during the warm rains of spring. They are easily prepared, and when properly cleansed, make most beautiful-though fragile-ornaments. Many of the smallest kinds must be sought under chips and decayed vegetation, and even then will be commonly overlooked.
Helix albolabris, Say-White-lipped snail-shell.
profunda, Say-The deeply umbilicated snail-shell.
alternata, Say-The striped land-snail.
" hirsuta, Say-The hirsute snail-shell.
arboreus, Say-The tree snail.
pulchella, Mull-The beautiful whorled shell (minute).
,monodon, Rackett-The one-toothed snail.
leaii, Ward-Lea's land-snail.
clausa, Lea-The closed (umbilicus) land-snail.
Pupu pentadon, Say-The five-toothed pupa-shell (very-small).
Many of these shells possess great beauty, but all lack the brilliant col- oration of species that are found in tropical countries, or even in some portions of North America. There are numerous highly colored varie- ties on the West Coast, and some few found in the Southern States. Only two of the above list attain any considerable size, the Helix albolabris, and Helix profunda, which sometimes grow to one and one-half inches in di- ameter. Further investigation of all the shells of this county will abund- antly reward any interested person.
MAMMALS.
Time was when the prairies and woods of Lucas county gave suste- nance and shelter to many interesting animals among the higher orders. The buffalo (Bison americanus) once roamed here in countless numbers, and even now, in the marshes and morasses along the river bottoms their remains are frequently exposed. The American panther (Felis concolor) once found a congenial home in its woods, but the coming of the white man, who wages a merciless war on wild life of every sort-has driven them to other and remote homes. The wolf (Canis lupus and C. latrans) is still occasionally seen skulking along the lowlands, the self-despised
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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.
remnants of a once numerous race. The fox ( Vulpes vulgaris and Vulpes velox) under its various names of " red fox," "silver fox" and "black fox," occasionally enjoys a " square meal" at the farmer's expense, and to the detriment of his hennery, but hunted in revenge for their depredations, and in desire for their pelts, they are rapidly becoming extinct. One ani- mal still flourishes, the enterprising nature of which is not unfrequently wafted to us on the " stilly breezes of night," to our disgust, and yet a most valuable companion to the farmer, the skunk (Mephitis mephitica). The French, perhaps, had sufficient reason to name him " le enfant diable," but he is a great entomologist, if he does occasionally disgrace himself, and conducting his entomological excursions by night, he rids the farmer of many a pest otherwise sadly destructive. Notwithstanding that his scalp commands a bounty, the industrious gopher (Geomys bursarius) piles his mounds here and there, all unconscious of the legal care of which he is the recipient. In addition to the animals above mentioned, there are in the county the following :
Putoriuo vison, common mink.
ermineus, weasel.
vulgaris, least weasel.
Vespertilio, little brown bat.
noctivagans, black bat. cinereus.
Atalapha crepuscularis, twilight bat; rare here. noveboracensis, common.
Corynorhinus macrotis, doubtful. Sciuropterus volucella, flying squirrel. Sciurus niger, fox squirrel; common.
carolinensis, gray squirrel; abundant.
66 hudsonius, chickaree; common.
hudovicianus, western fox squirrel.
Tamias striatus, chipmunk; everywhere.
Spermophilus tridecemliniatus, striped gopher. franklinii.
(?) Arctomys monax, wood-chuck. Zapus hudsonius, jumping mouse.
Hesperomys leucopus, deer mouse.
michiganensis, common. Ochetodon humilis, harvest mouse. Arvicola riparius, meadow mouse.
austerus, meadow mouse.
Synaptomys cooperi, cooper's mouse. Blarina brevicauda.
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Scalops argentatus, silvery shrew.
Condylura cristata, star-nosed mole. Castor fiber, beaver.
Lutra canadensis, otter, by tradition.
Taxideu americana, badger.
Fiber zibethicus, muskrat; common.
Erethizon dorsatus, porcupine, by tradition.
Lepus sylvaticus, hare; common.
This list comprises the major part of the mammalian fauna of the county. Further study will correct it, perhaps, by the addition of a few species. This simple enumeration of varieties may aid the future student in the determination of the county's animal resources.
THE RED MAN.
The red men of the forest, whom the Norsemen of the north, Genoe's adventurer, the Gallic explorers, and Anglo-Saxon Puritans, found upon the American continent, is a race whose origin and ancient traditions are yet matters of mystery. Theory and speculation have offered us all the light we have concerning this wild, uncivilized people, who were thus found in possession of the North American Continent, as far back as the tenth century, when the Northmen landed upon its northeastern coasts.
The Mayflower, in 1620, brought to Plymouth Rock, the advance of the Anglo-Saxon race, which was destined to achieve the mastery of the continent over its native occupants, and build up a grand civilization, though at the cost of conquest, and the probable ultimate extinction of the red man, it seems to have progressed. From stride to stride, as the increasing Anglo-Saxon race needed more of the wild domain of the In- dians, he was pushed on to the rear, and thus the rear has well nigh ended; and the problem, which to-day, vexes the statesmen and the philanthro- pist of the Nation, is the "Indian Problem." For over a hundred years its solution has taxed the genius ot the Anglo-American people, and it bids fair to tax them for generations to come. His condition and treat- ment have, from time to time, awakened the sympathy of philanthropists, and various humane plans have been devised to ameliorate his savage nature, and bring him under the influence of the laws and civilized teach- ings. This plan now seems to be the policy of the government, and will doubtless eventually be adopted.
From the close of the revolution, and the treaty of peace with the mother country, the Anglo-American population increased rapidly, and
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reached out for domain, until about half a century-1832-brought them to the great river of the continent-the Mississippi. Iowa then belonged to the Iowas, and the Sacs and Foxes, whose original titles acquired by the right of possession, were secured by various treaties dating from 1832 to 1842, which last cession included Lucas county, and all their ter- ritory west of the Mississippi river. These were the tribes that once roamed over the prairie in the buffalo chase, and camped along the Char- iton. But in 1846, the last of them were removed beyond the western limit of the state. They left no tradition in this county for historical record.
Should the younger generations of this mysterious race of people follow the wild footsteps of their ancestors, and extinction should be the final result, the semi-civilized tribes of the Indian Territory will likely be the only ones to perpetuate the race, which now number some eight thousand persons. They were tribes from the southern states.
" Whether the red man has been justly deprived of the ownership of the New World, will remain a subject of debate; but that he has been deprived, cannot be denied. The Saxon came; and his conquering foot has trodden the vast domain from shore to shore. The weaker race has withdrawn from his presence and his sword. By the majestic rivers, and in the depths of the solitary woods, the feeble sons of the bow and arrow will be seen no more. Only their names remain on hill, and stream, and mountain. The red man sinks and fails. His eyes are to the west. To the prairies and forests, the hunting grounds of his ancestors he says fare- well. He is gone! The cypress and the hemlock sing his requiem."
After the red men had surrendered possession of the soil of Iowa to their Great Father-Uncle Sam-there was a remnant of the Pottawat- tamies who refused to entirely leave their old grounds, and for several years, from 1849 to about 1854, they camped along the streams in this county, under the chieftanship of John Green. They were harmless and friendly; always begging, and always hungry enough for a hearty meal, and however amply they were supplied, they never left anything upon the table from which they partook; they would invariably hide away under their filthy wraps whatever they could not devour.
When curious visitors dropped in upon them at their wigwams, they were friendly, and especially so while their visitors' tobacco lasted. When the white settlers first began to visit them, they would, when asked for tobacco, hand out all they had, whether it be a full paper or a whole plug, and would expect when they had filled their pipes, or taken a chew, they would hand back what remained. But this was contrary to their rule of social life; and instead, they would slily slip the balance in their bosoms, and wink at their red companions, at their cheeky trick, as much as to say, " white man heap good." This trick was short lived however,
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as their white neighbors soon learned how to manage them. Whenever they took occasion to visit the "hazy sons of the forest " ever afterward, they would take the precaution to cut their tobacco into small pieces, and thus avoid those wholesale levies upon them.
The Indian is an an inveterate beggar; and the white people devised a plan to check his too frequent calls upon this mission. They would refuse to give them anything, but would offer to sell them what they asked for, upon their promise to pay for it the next time they came. The next time would never come, and thus the white settlers would invariably get rid of the dusky beggars.
THE PIONEERS-THEIR SETTLEMENTS AND CAREERS.
Pioneers are those who go before, and clear the way. They are usually brave, hardy and ambitious people, who are prompted by various motives, and governed by various circumstances, to break away from the haunts and associations of their old homes; where, perhaps, civilization has outgrown them, and made them restless and discouraged in their efforts to realize their dreams of, and ambition for, wealth and distinction. They are not usually those who are settled in their eastern homes, sur- rounded with wealth and the comforts of life; nor the children of those who have been reared in homes of luxury and ease. But they are those who prefer the free and unconventional ways of frontier life. The rigid rules and usages of an accomplished civilization are uncongenial to them, and seeing the opportunity to build up homes of their own, and mould social communities after their own taste and standard, they push out to the front. Among these are the children of many well-to-do people, but who are unable to "give them a start" in life, where they are. They, too, with brave hearts, and buoyant and ambitious spirits, go forth to build for themselves in the wilds of the frontier; to emulate the example of their fathers before them, whose industry and economy had enabled them to rear comfortable homes upon the rocky hillsides of New England, or in the forests of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio, or upon the prairies of Illinois. They bade adieu to homes, comforts and loved ones, and pushed out for the land which the red man had surrendered for their coming. They select from the wild domain the acres upon which are to be carved their future homes and secure them to "themselves, their heirs and legal representatives forever." Rude abodes are constructed for the time, and frontier life commences. Neigh- bors are few and far between, but they become neighbors in the full and true sense of the term-who stand by each other in sympathy and assist-
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ance, like true brothers of a household; sharing each other's pleasures and sorrows, they aid each other in their plans and purposes for the future. Buoyed with ambition-with the prospects and hopes of future prosperity, they toil on. Their nights are passed in their rude cabins where they dream of the homes and comforts they had left, and of those their imagination pictures for the future; startled to intervals of wakeful- ness now and then, by the howling wolf, or the tread of some wild intru- der. Thus, the solitude of pioneer days pass on; and they toil on, chang- ing their primitive surroundings into productive fields.
The first summer is past, autumn is at hand, and the single young man concludes to return to his old home and friends for the winter; and there- fore places his new possessions, his future home, in charge of his nearest neighbor, some miles away, who had come with his family-with his all, to stay. With gladdened heart, he takes the trail leading from his western wild into civilization, thence on to greet relatives, friends, old scenes, and- one dearer still, into whose ears he uttered the story of his frontier adven- tures, together with his hopes and prospects of the future. In these utter- ances she had a profound regard-a personal interest. With the courage of a true woman she consented to share his fortunes, be they where or what they might. Winter passed with all its pleasures and delights with friends, and among the scenes of their young manhood and womanhood days. Preparations being completed, and the nuptial ceremony pro- nounced, the happy twain leave for their future home-their little cabin on the western frontier. The two or three families which had gathered and formed the settlement the spring before, were gladdened by the return of their young neighbor; and he and his bride were greeted right heartily to their pioneer home. Though toil and privations were theirs, yet they enjoyed their new life. Crops were planted, improvements were made, and their new home soon began to wear a homelike appearance. Besides, it was their own, around which their hopes and aspirations were entwined, and which nerved them to labor and gain for themselves the surroundings, comforts and enjoyments, equal to, if not better than those they left behind them.
This year brought additions to the settlement, which rendered it less monotonous, and social intercourse soon became cordial. Unlike that of to-day, there were no rivalries, no jealousies, no meaningless expressions of civility, no unkind criticisms of each other's ways or dress, and no hypocritical manifestations of interest in each others prosperity and wel- fare, or of sympathy for each other in their reverses and misfortunes. There are ties of fellowship existing between the pioneers of a settlement which are rarely disregarded-ties of common interest and common sympa- thy. They form a little empire all their own, so far removed from the con- ventionalities of social life in the older and more pretentious communities,
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that they are not affected by them. New arrivals were made welcome, assisted in constructing their cabins; and were always lent a ready and wil- ling hand, without invitation, in anything that would add to their comfort and cheer them in their new homes-in short, they were cordially admitted to their pioneer brotherhood. In this brotherhood there was a common interest-an interest not peculiar to one frontier locality more than another, but in all such localities alike, from the earliest times of our country's settlement-from the landing of the Puritans upon the eastern shore of our continent, to the present time. There were grave reasons for these ties of brotherhood; the very nature of the situation . created a spirit of unity for self-protection. The people of these new frontier settlements had come beyond the safely-established reign of law- where local civil authorities had not yet been created. Hence, they must rely upon the law of nature-self-protection. This was their only protection in those times, and to make it effectual, it was essential for each one to have the friendship and good will of his neighbors. For a man to be in ill-repute in a pioneer settlement was generally more detrimental to him, than to be an outlaw under the civil authorities. Hardened characters often found their way into frontier communities-characters who had little fear of the penalties of the law; but, who stood in terror of the aroused indignation of a frontier brotherhood.
Though this be but a picture of general outline of pioneers in their frontier settlements, that genius of the forest," who, for many years was a living exemplification of pioneer life beyond the Sierras, and whose songs of Nature are unexcelled, gives a still more graphic picture of "The Pioneer," as he saw him:
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