USA > Iowa > Tama County > History of Tama County, Iowa, together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 2
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725|Lamb, Jacob W
338 Merritt, James A. 339
Fowler, Allen S
858 Hinegardner, D. S.
1004 Langley, E. T.
683 Merchant, Lewis ... 983
925
Fowler, James
345 Hoag. Joel.
680| Lawson, G. B
988 Mills, O. Il. 341
Frank, George M
865
Hodgin, R. F
569 Miller, William E.
310
Franks, William.
811 Hollen, 3. ff.
950 Leibrandt, C. A.
337 Miller, C. W
578
Frazee, R. H. 1015 Holstead, W. H
483 Leland, S. C ..
375 Millard, JJ. C.
804
Furrow, Joseph
665 Horton, Silas H
732 Levering, Noah
953 Mitchell, James
761
Gaft, Jobn.
610 Howard, H. W
718 Lewis, Norman 666 Liehty, Peter.
1004. Moffatt, John B.
$10
Gallagher, William.
780 HToward, .lobn.
150 Life, John
734 Monroe, Gilbert J.
Gallagher, D. K
780 IToward, A. L.
973 Life. George M.
895 Moore, Theodore
Gallagly, Thomas
876 finfford, Abraham.
1004| Loder, William
862 Moore, J. S.
1014
Garner, William
478 Hughes, D. L. .
896, Logan, James
Gardiner, Jobn.
826 Hull, James L
895 Long, Simeon D.
760 Moore, R. H.
881
Gaston, Hugh F
51 Hulett, L. D.
669 Loop, Anson
Giger, John II.
77 Hutchison, G. A
776
Giger, I. F.
47 Ingham, S. W
Gloss, Albert.
902 Innes, James.
757 |Ludwig, IL ..
Goding, O. W
566 Irish, Charles W
480| Lundt, Jobn.
827 Morgan, F. K.
833
Goding, F. W
566 Ives. T. N.
352 Lynde, Edward
717 Morgan, M. R ...
833
Goodenow, Fitch.
783 Jacobs, Hoface.
480
713 MeAlevy, Samnel E
932 Moreton, Isaac ...
914
Goodrich, G. H
325 Jacobs, Claus F.
546 Loop, Charles.
1022 Morton, John. 698
691 Loupee, Lewis .. Louthan, John B.
586 Morton, Margaret. 698
Giger, Samuel.
871 Louthan, Wallace B.
340 Morton, Jonathan. 501
825 Morton, Newman W
Gallagher, William
984 1Tuey, Jobn.
-35 Livingston, David
346 Merritt, Theodore J. 742
Foster, C. J. L ..
320 Hitchner, W. D. 478 Hixson, P.
847 Lauderdale, J. H.
Foster, H. C.
973 Law, Andrew
864 Merrill, William
891 Metz, Reinhard 678
938 Lee, Simon A ..
970 Lesser, Wallace R
318 Millard. O. P.
809
Houghton, William.
636 Matthieson, Mathias. Matthews, Lewis
808
Findley, J. T.
659 fledge, James B 357 LaDow, B. B.
657 Mattern, Joseph
937 831 781 461
650 Kober, John.
615 Malin, Thomas M 684
615 Malin, George M. 684
816
968 Kollman, William.
913 Maltbie, S W ..
836
840 Krouse, William
1022 Marston, II. L.
597 Knapp, B. L ...
714 Knight, Thomas L.
866 Mason, O. N.
852 Knoop, Christian
858 Maden, Isaac 951
Elmer, O. F.
937 Hart, John W
879 King, William B
824 Kinne, L. G
330 Magee, Robert.
Emerling, Charles
942 Harris, Thomas
Enderton, James.
657 Harris, William
821 Kinner, James M
836 Mann, Thomas E. 380
Esbbangh, Jobn A
682 Hartsock, William.
685 Kfine, Walter.
485 MeKune, George.
696 697
Edmonds, Alonzo
666 Hall, B. A.
978 Kephart, E. B.
Edwards, G. G
1042 Hammnitt, Benjamin
778 Keup, Martin ..
687 MePherran, Robert
858 MeTurk, William. 717
667 Kile, Mrs. Ibby
835 MeKay, Benjamin
Dupre, T. A 843 Guernsey, A. W
342 Kelly, S. V. R Kellogg, Wiffiam P
808 |MeKune, John W 696
Haagen, Charles
931 Kendrick, J. C.
750 McKune, John E.
882 McCormack Brothers .. 883
602 MeCosh, Andrew 861
749 Graham. J. H.
582 Johnston, W. F.
736 MeClain, Willliam .. 652
.
859 860 Moore, Z. T. 886
Gethmann, Lonis.
930 Hurd, Fayette.
1005 Lamb, William L
Fleming, William F Fiint, J. C ..
755 Hendricks, John ... 900 Hild, John. 900 Hiff, Joseph.
650 Kober, George
579 Meeker, William. 841
Free, Thomas S 469 Homan, Charles ..
737 Moore, Edwin .. ~14
863 Moore, Theodore 742
Morford, Isaae R.
835 Magee, James L. 795
Draper, Norman. 022 Grover, George H.
XII
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Mowry, Welcome
$34 Rhoads, L. L.
. 981 Springer, J. N.
572 Vermilya, John C. 464
Mudgett, Newton
644 Rice, N. C ..
347 Staley, T. J.
470 Voege, Joachin. 930
Murray, Thomas
478 Rice, Alfred.
890 Stanffer, Issac.
Murray, James
759 Rich, Alanson P
899 Staveley, Anthony
Mutch, James
757 Rigg, Robert N.
Myers, Charles
645 Riley, John.
Myers, C. H ..
567 Roberts, C. H ..
Rogers, Reuben
1055 Stevens, C. J
477 Walls, Solomon
Newcomb, A. G 885
Rogers, Reuben ().
1056 Stewart, James.
759 Walters, W. ( 1012
Newcomer, Smith
Rogers, Warren
888 Stewart, William.
660 Walz, John.
678
Nicholson, John
568
Ross, Henry
638 Sterrett, A. Il.
546 Warren, T. E. 475
Nutt Romanzo, 738
Rothrock, James H
311 Stevenson, John ..
70% Watson, James.
327 Watsor, Thomas
O'Neill, James 652
339 Way. D. R ..
80G
Olney, Clinton. 4.84
582
Stone. Benjamin
1013 Weaver, Solomon
Osborne, N. L.
255 Safely, John G
323 Stoner, David ..
Utterman, George W.
Salsbury, W. C
802
Stonkes, Henry
Otterman, Philip.
779 Sapp, MI. B.
1030
Stoakes, George.
854 West, S. Newell -33
Owen, J. A .. 1010
Sehmidt, John
tag!Stoakes, Eleazer
mos Wescott, D. G
935
Owens, Henry A
625 Sehroeder, Madison Scott, Robert A
784
Stoakes, Mathias
658; Whannell, Robert ..
Pageler, Gerhard
93] Scott. Jasper H
761
Stoakes, J. N
658 Whannell, Thomas. 708
Parker, J. C ..
823 Seamons, M. L
340 Stoddard, William H.
Penrose, E. G.
966 Sexton, Lemuel
685 Stoddard, Leonard.
Pennell, V. B.
652 |Sbane, John.
312
Stoddard, William ..
323
Whitaker, Thomas 9,59
Peters, Henry.
937 Sharp, John B
996
Stoelting, ('
946
Whitmore, William. 834
Peterson, John
635 Sharp, William
920
Struble, G. R.
328-349
Wies, Clans ..
826
Peverill, William
[3] Sherman, Phineas L
mog Struve, John
.1058
Wieting, Nathan C. 319
Philp, William.
626 Sherrett, Thomas ..
863
Stuart, James W
864
Wild, John.
1025
Poilp, James.
Shower, Isaiah
859
Stuart, David M
865| Wiles, .1. C.
833
Phillips, James.
Shugart, Z. T.
1053
Surface, J. I ....
652
Willey, James A
910
Piekett, Moses
652 Shugart, Levi H
1053
Swan, Peter.
759
Wilson, John
855
Pierce, Milton H
1058 Shultz, Valentine.
698
Swan, John ..
Tie Wilson, M. C.
959
Pinkerton, J. Il.
66% Shultz, Peter H
936
Pinkerton, W. H.
887 Simon, Joseph.
1063
Ploen, Peter.
716 Simon, Frank.
1063
Pond, II. A
930 simon, Moses.
884
Wilson, West. Willett, J. W 656
842
Powers, Thomas.
645 Skyles, Thomas.
899
Tauk, Hinrich
824
Powers, Robert M ..
687 Slessor, James
756
Taylor, David
738
Williams, George S.
912
Powell, Robert.
659 Slessor, W. H
Poyneer, E. M.
806 Slessor. W. T.
755 Taylor, Ira.
1020
Wilkinson, Wm ..
250
Williamson, W. R.
836
Putman, J. M ..
1054 Sloss, Allan .. 938 Sloss, James
1060 Temple, E. W.
.39
Wing. J. B.
Queal. Paul.
320 Smith, E. R.
576
Thomas, B. F
657
Wise, Adam ..
651
Quintard, Charles C 1013 Smith, J. II
686 Thompson, S ..
403
Wood. W. II.
347
Rawson, A. Z ..
914 Smith, C. A
Kay, David.
943 Smith, John C.
91] Tode, Claus.
11.2™
Wood. Joshua ('
616
Reed, J. D. E.
660 Smith, S. P.
8 ** Tomlinson, William
62.
Wonser, W. W. 344
Reed, Milton.
984 Smyth, William
309
Townsend. John S
206
Worrall, W. P 670
Reedy, John S ..
995 Spleman, Garrett
gs9 Turnbull, Richard
915
Worden, William
Reedy, S. C.
TTx Soleman, H.
960 Tyler, A. J.
Trowbridge, James
650/ Woolley, II. M.
1012
Reickhoff, William
325 Spayth, D ..
1003
Reid, Samuel ..
759 Spafford, L. M
Render, Marx HI
822 Spiers, Alexander
Gor Van Horn, Peter S ... .. 679 Van Vliet, Henry. ..
637 Yeomans, Robert. 945
Rohder, P.
822 Spire, Christopher.
560 Young. W. F 1005
lebder, Jurgen .. 82 Sprole, William
800 Vandever, William
450 Youngman, J. W. 1031
345
Ramsdell, John
545 Smith, Frank E.
1026
Tierney, Daniel
943 Tiffany. W. II.
341 Wood. George
Wood, Alfred
611
Reamer, Daniel.
341 Smith Jeremiah
900 Toland, David.
Wood. Lyman
846
Redmond, John F.
660 Smith, Henry
851
Townsend, J. S ...
:02
Wonser, F. J. M. 343
Reed, Georgo.
901 Snyder, Levi.
ww4 Turbett. W. S.
8401 Woolley, E. M.
Reichman, Rudolph. 362 Souster, W. W
Reichman, Edward ..
1024 Spayde, J. L.
Woodward, J. II. Wylie. Robert
479 359 569
364 Terpenning, Ransom
8330
Winders. Hiram.
Quinn, Abraham
703 Smith, Frank S.
585 Thomas, Enos.
660 Thompson, Benjamin.
Withers. W. J
Withington, H. H
Wood, F. C.
Robok, Philip K. jr.
. . 1020 Smith Barzilla
92- Tompkins, A 460-830
Wood, Lyman E
701
Porter, William
825 Skrable, Charles.
Porterfield Brothers
877 Skrahle, John
106] Tappen, W. W
001
Wilcoxon, T. D. H
Wilkinson, A
795 250
Poyneer, A. N.
462 Sloss, George.
89] Taylor, Giles.
"58 Tedford. John L.
Temple, 'T. ('
Williamson, II. &
Winn, Walter F.
458 774
Swift, II. S
811| Wilson, C. A.
Wiebenson, E 439
Peterson, Jonathan
634 Shaler, Jacob W
915 Struble, James 11
476
White, Isaac W.
White, Nathan.
677 Whitten, C. C. 604
Pennell. L. H ..
981 Sharp, John.
:13
Stoddard, Albert
-14 1027 Weir, Thompson. 854 Wenteh, P. P. 656
Overmire, Peter .... 254-1Schoel, August
939 Stonkes, John.
853|West, Alexander W
Stoakes, William H.
660 Whannell, Peter 707
678 Wheaton, Andrew J. 473
Paxson, Josiah
796 Sears, W. G .
470'Stewart, Joseph
546 Ward, J. F.
Ruggles, Edward ...
"05 Stivers, William H Stiger, II J Stiger, S.
626
:39 Starr. Arthur P
963 Wager, Harvey
726 Stevens, H. J
943 Wagner, H .. 1014
351 Stevens, J. 11
586 Waldon, M. M .. 451
Rogers, Amos R.
1055.Stewart, Andrew J
913 Walker, G. W
Nichols, John G.
Ross, John ..
1016 Weaver, Frank ... 1056
Ormiston, J. S ..
Swartz, William. 83
Wilson, James
Wilbur, George L
318
1062 Talmage, T.
336
Wilcox, Sylvester
Willard, H. F
5º Taylor, William.
Prindle, Truman
Smith, Henry L. Smith, E. II.
Quinn, Peter. 704 Smith, Robert S.
Smith, James H
-. Thompson, J. A.
883 VanAnken, James B. 105: Veiser, Jacob. 474
942 Vogt, George. 652
Stoddard, Lyman H
PORTRAITS.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Bailey, George L.
321 Fellows, B. W
789 Keeler, R. W.
349 Slessor, James
Baldwin, C. H 499
Kephart, E. B
543 Slessor, W. T. 753
Beardshear, W. M
331 Smith, E. R.
Brooks. J. H 509
Smith, Frank S. 583
Struble, G. R .. 499
Hartshorn, H. A
849
Carmichael, L 397
Haworth, James 647
Clark, Leander.
257 Hedge, James B
359 Mann, S. S.
923
Corns, William
96] Hollen, J. H
387 Murray, Thomas
Whannell, Thomas 703
Cummings, A.
McAnulty, Hugh 415 Winn, W. F 933
Willett, J. W 454
Ebersole, E. C.
453 Joralemon, J. C.
573| Parker, J. C
481 |Wilkinson, A.
247
Certificates of the Committees.
Below is given a copy of the certificate, signed by the committee appointed by the Old Settlers' Society, to revise and correct the general history of Tama county, and also committees from each township to revise and correct the bistories of the various townships, showing that the publishers have complied with their prom ises, and did their utmost to produce a reliable and complete history of the county. The following is the cer- tificate of the general committee:
"We, the undersigned, members of the general committee, appointed by the Old Settlers' Society of Tama county, to correct and revise the manuscript of the History of Tama county, written and compiled hy the Union Publishing Company, of Springfield, Illinois, do hereby certify that we did, to the best of our ability and recollection, examine said manuscript, and made all the changes and additions that we in our judgment deemed necessary, and as corrected approve the same: W. C. Salsbury, J. C. Vermilya, F. Davis, -- Committee. J. H. Hollen, D. F. Bruner, L. Clark, G. R. Struble,
Following is the certificate of the committee for the respective cities and townships:
"We, the committee appointed by the Old Settlers' Society, to revise and correct the history [of our res- pective townships] for the History of Tama county, written and compiled by the Union Publishing Company, of Spring field, Illinois, do hereby certify that said mannscript was submitted to us, and that we did make all the changes, corrections and additions that we in our judgment deemed necessary, and as corrected approve the same:"
J. V. B. Greene, (. W. Dobson, John Peterson, -Carlton.
W. A. Daniel,
J. C. Wood,
J. T. Ames, -Buckingham.
Robert Whannell,
James Trow bridge, L. Stoddard, Jacob Croskrey,
Eli Chase, -Columbia.
William Kline, J. C. Fleming, J. H. Scott, -Grant. Quincy W. Babb, Jacob Koons, J. B. Merritt, -Highlandt.
C. H. Baldwin, S. V. R. Kelley, J. F. G. Cold, -Lincoln. J. C. Wiles, O. N. Mason, -Oneida.
J. P. Wood, G. Taylor, -Perry.
William B. King. R. Yeomans, A. Bywater, -Spring Creek.
L. H. Shugart, Amos Rogers, Jas. B. VanAnken. -York.
James Haworth, G. M. Fee, Adam Wise, -Carroll.
J. L. Townsend, J. B. Wylie, J. B. M. Bishop, -Crystal.
J H. Giger, J. H. Tindall, L F. Hammitt, -Howard.
Abram Tompkins, J. M. Hayes, C. E. Hayes, D. C. Lamb, -Otter Creek.
James F. Cram,
Jolın M. Ramsdell,
-Richlamt.
W. T. Hollen, William Blodget, B. A. Hall, -Tama township and City.
Joseph Dysart,
T. S. Talmage,
Charles Unger,
-Mlark.
J. L. Gedford,
Harney Wager,
Theodore Moore,
John Riley,
-Geneseo.
Edward Ruggles, A. N. Poyneer, J. M. Bradley, G. D. H. Wilcoxon, -Indian Villyge.
Franklin Davis,
A. LaDow,
A. J. Wheaton,
William E. Rogers,
-Toledo townshipand City.
553
Guernsey, A. W
Kinne, L. G
971
Bruner, D. F 303 Harrison, W. H 609
Lamb, Jacob W 425
Life, John. 471 Thompson, Benjamin .. 563 Townsend, J. L. 699
619 Johnston, W. F. 293
A. Wilkinson, James A. Willey, -Salt Creek.
STATE CAPITOL, DES MOINES, IOWA.
H
1
HISTORY OF IOWA.
-
CHAPTER I.
T IIE traveler, in wending his way | erally conceded, but scientists fail as yet across the fair State of Iowa, with its evidences of civilization upon every hand; its magnificent churches with spires pointing heavenward; its school-houses almost upon every hill; palatial residences evincing wealth and refinement, cannot realize that, less than a half century ago, this "beautiful land" was the home only of the red man, who roamed at will over the fair and fertile prairies, hunting in the woods and fishing in its streams. The change would seem too great for him to realize. But it is in'eed true. These churches, these school-houses, these pala- tial residences, these railroads, these tele- graph and telephone wires, all have been erected or placed here within the space of a half century.
Before the advent of the Red Men, who were found in possession by the Europeans, who inhabited this country, is a subject yet unsolved, and is shrouded in mystery. That there were human beings of a distinct race from the red men of later days, is gen-
to agree as to their nature and origin. That this continent is co-existent with the world of the ancients cannot be questioned. Every investigation instituted under the auspices of modern civilization confirms this fact. It is thought by many that the first inhabitants came from Asia, by way of Behring's Strait, and in large numbers. Magnificent cities and monuments were raised at the bidding of tribal leaders, and populous settlements eentered with thriv- ing villages sprang up everywhere in man- ifestation of the progress of the people. For the last four hundred years the colo- nizing Caucasian has trodden on the ruins of a civilization whose greatness he could on'y surmise. Among these ruins are pyramids similar to those which have ren- dered Egypt famous. The pyramid of Chalula is square, each side of its base being 1,335 feet, and its height 172 feet. Another pyramid north of Vera Cruz is formed of large blocks of highly polished porphyry, and bears upon its front hiero-
18
HISTORY OF IOWA.
glyphic inscriptions and curious sculpture. It is 82 feet square, and a flight of 57 steps conducts to its summit, which is 65 feet high. The ruins of Palenque are said to extend 20 miles along the ridge of a moun- tain, and the remains of an Aztec city, near the banks of the Gila, are spread over more than a square league. The principal feature of the Aztec civilization which has come down to us was its religion, which we are told was of a dark and gloomy character. Each new god created by their priesthood, instead of arousing new life in the people, brought death to thousands; and their grotesque idols exposed to drown the senses of the beholders in fear, wrought wretchedness rather than spiritual happi- ness. In fact, fear was the great animating principal, the motive power which sustained this terrible religion. Their altars were sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies in large quantities, and on them thousands of human victims were sacri- ficed in honor of the demons whom they worshipped. The head and heart of every captive taken in war were offered up as a sacrifice to the god of battles, while the victorious legions feasted on the remaining portions of the bodies. It is said that during the ceremonies attendant on the consecration of two of their tem- ples, the number of prisoners offered up in sacrifice was 12,210, while they them- selves contributed large numbers of volun- tary vietims to the terrible belief.
The race known as the Mound-Builders next attracts the attention of the ethnolo- gists. Throughout the Mississippi Valley, including many portions of Iowa, are found mounds and wal's of earth or stone, which
can only have a human origin. These mounds vary in size from a few feet to hundreds of feet in diameter. In them are often found stone axes, pestles, arrow- heads, spear-points, pieces of flint, and other articles. Pottery of various do- signs is very common in them, and from the material of which they are made geol- ogists have attempted to assign their age.
Some have thought that the M. und- Builders were a race quite distinct from the modern Indians, and that they were in an advanced state of civilization. The best authorities now agree that while the comparatively civilized people called the Aztecs built the cities whose ruins are occasionally found, the Mound-Builders were the immediate ancestors of the In- dians De Soto first saw, and little different from the Indians of to-day.
The origin of the Red Men, or Ameri- can Indians, is a subject which interests as well as instructs. It is a favorite topic with the ethnologist, even as it is one of deep concern to the ordinary reader. A review of two works lately published on the origin of the Indians, treats the matter in a peculiarly reasonable light. It says :
"Recently a German writer has put for- ward one theory on the subject, and an English writer has put forward another and directly opposite theory. The differ- ence in opinion concerning our aboriginals among authors who have made a profound study of races, is at once curious and in- teresting. Blumenbach treats them in his classifications as a distinct variety of the human family; but, in the three-fold divi- sion of Dr. Latham, they are ranked among the Mongolidæ. Other writers on races
@
19
IIISTORY OF IOWA.
regard them as a branch of the great Mon- golian family, which at a distant period found its way from Asia to this continent, and remained here for centuries separate from the rest of mankind, passing, mean- while, through divers phases of barbarism and civilization. Morton, our eminent ethnologist, and his followers, Nott and Gliddon, elaim for our native Red Men an origin as distinet as the flora and fauna of this continent. Prichard, whose views are apt to differ from Morton's, finds reason to believe, on comparing the American tribes together, that they must have formed a separate department of nations from the earliest period of the world. The era of their existence as a distinct and isolated people must probably be dated back to the time which separated into nations the in- habitants of the Old World, and gave to each its individuality and primitive lan- guage. Dr. Robert Brown, the latest authority, attributes, in his 'Races of Man- kind,' an Asiatic origin to our aboriginals. He says that the Western Indians not only personally resemble their nearest neighbors -the Northeastern Asiatics-but they re- semble them in language and tradition. The Esquimaux on the American and the Tehuktcis on the Asiatic side understand one another perfectly. Modern anthro- pologists, indeed, are disposed to think that Japan, the Kuriles, and neighboring regions, may be regarded as the original home of the greater part of the native American race. It is also admitted by them that between the tribes scattered from the Arctic sea to Cape Horn there is more uniformity of physical feature than is seen in any other quarter of the globe. The weight of evidence and au-
thority is altogether in favor of the opin- ion that our so-called Indians are a branch of the Mongolian family, and all additional researches strengthen the opinion. The tribes of both North and South America are unquestionably homogeneous, and, in all likelihood, had their origin in Asia, though they have been altered and modi- fied by thousands of years of total separa- tion from the present stock "
If the conclusions arrived at by the reviewer is correct, how can one account for the vast difference in manner and form between the Red Man as he is now known, or even as he appeared to Columbus and his successors in the field of discovery, and the comparatively civilized inhabitants of Mexico, as seen in 1521 by Cortez, and of Peru, as witnessed by Pizarro in 1532 ? The subject is worthy of investigation.
In the year 1541, Ferdinand DeSoto, a Spaniar 1, discovered the Mississippi river, at the mouth of the Washita. IIe, how- ever, penetrated no further north than the 35th parallel of latitude, his death ter- minating the expedition. It was thus left for a later discoverer to first view the "beautiful land."
In a grand council of Indians on the shores of Lake Superior, they told the Frenchmen glowing stories of the "great river" and the countries near it. Mar- quette, a Jesuit father, became inspired with the idea of discovering this noble river. He was delayed in this great un- dertaking, however, and spent the interval in studying the language and habits of the Illinois Indians, among whom he expected to travel. In 1673 he completed his pre- parations for the journey, in which he was to be accompanied by Joliet, an agent of
L
C
20
HISTORY OF IOWA.
the French Government. The Indians, who had gathered in large numbers to wit- ness his departure, tried to dissuade him from the undertaking, representing that the Indians of the Mississippi Valley were cruel and blood thirsty, and would resent the intrusion of strangers upon their do- main. The great river itself, they said, was the abode of terrible monsters, who could swallow both canoes and men. But Marquette was not diverted from his pur- pose by these reports, and set out on his adventurous trip May 13; he reached, first, an Indian village where once had been a mission, and where he was treated hospit- ably; thence, with the aid of two Miami guides, he proceeded to the Wisconsin, down which he sailed to the great Missis- sippi, which had so long been anxiously looked for; floating down its unknown waters, the explorer discovered, on the 25th of June, traces of Indians on the west bank of the river, and landed a little above the river now known as the Des Moines. For the first time Europeans trod the soil of Iowa. Marquette remained here a short time, becoming acquainted with the In- dians, and then proceeded on his explora- tions. IIe descended the Mississippi to the Illinois, by which and Lake Michigan he returned to French settlements.
Nine years later, in 1682, La Salle de- scended the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and, in the name of the king of France, took formal posession of all the immense region watered by the great river and its tributaries from its source to its mouth, and named it Louisiana, in honor of his master, Louis XIV. The river he called "Colbert," in honor of the French Minister, and at its mouth erected a column
and a cross bearing the inscription, in French:
' 'LOUIS THE GREAT, KING OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE, REIGNING APRIL 9, 1682."
France then claimed by right of dis- covery and occupancy the whole valley of the Mississippi and its tributaries, includ. ing Texas. Spain at the same time laid claim to all the region about the Gulf of Mexico, and thus these two great nations were brought into collision. But the country was actually held and occupied by the native Indians, especially the great Miami Confederacy, the Miamis proper (anciently the Twightwees) being the cast- ern and most powerful tribe.
Spain having failed to make any settle- ment in the newly-discovered country, it was left for France to occupy the land, and that government, soon after the dis- covery of the mouth of the Mississippi by La Salle, in 1682, began to encourage the policy of establishing a line of trading posts and missionary stations, extending through the west from Canada to Louis- iana.
In 1762, France, in a time of extreme weakness, ceded all the territory west of the Mississippi, including what is now Iowa, to Spain, which power retained pos- session until October 1, 1800, when it retroceded it to France. This latter power ceded it to the United States in 1303, for the sum of $15,000,000.
On assuming control, the United States organized all that region west of the Mis- sissippi and north of the Territory of Orleans as the District of Louisiana. In 1805 the District of Louisiana was organ- ized into the Territory of Louisiana.
21
IIISTORY OF IOWA.
This Territory was subsequently divided, and now forms seven great States-Louis-
iana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska.
CHAPTER II.
-
INDIANS AND
INDIAN WARS.
For more than one hundred years after Marquette and Joliet trod the virgin soil of Iowa, and admired its fertile plains, not a single settlement had been made or attempted, nor even a trading post estab- lished. The whole country remained in the undisputed possession of the native tribes, who often poured out their life blood in obstinate contest for supremacy. That this State, so aptly styled "The Beautiful Land," had been the theatre of numerous fierce and bloody struggles be- tween the rival nations for possession of the favored region long before its settle- ment by civilized man, there is no room for doubt. In these savage wars the weaker party, whether aggressive or de- fensive, was either exterminated or driven from its ancient hunting grounds.
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