USA > Iowa > Marion County > The History of Marion County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, & C. > Part 33
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258
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
large portions of the bottom-lands to be overflowed during the rainy season and making travel difficult or impossible where there are no good roads and bridges. At other places there are rocky bluffs which preclude the possi- bility of an overflow at any season of the year. The stream has an abund- ance of good timber along its banks and contiguous thereto; it is properly noted for the abundance of fish which it contains, though since the building of numerous dams further down, the fish are not so numerous or of such good quality as formerly. One peculiarity of this stream, or rather the country bordering upon it, is that there appears to be no uniformity in the geological formations: in certain localities there is an abundance of good building-stone and other localities are characterized by a total absence of stone. Its bed lies partly in the coal-region and partly without the coal- field. There are many peculiarities in regard to the formations through which the stream flows that geologists have not yet been able to explain.
OTHER STREAMS.
There are four other important streams in the county; they are Coal Creek, Whitebreast Creek, English Creek and Cedar Creek.
Coal Creek enters the county from the west in section 30, flows toward the northeast and. making a bold curve, flows to the northwest and leaves the county in section 7, about four miles north of the place where it en- tered. Its principal tributary is Coon Creek from the south.
Whitebreast Creek is a tributary of the Des Moines. It enters the county from the west about four miles from the southwest corner; its gen- eral direction is toward the northeast and the length of the stream in the county is about twenty miles.
Butcher Creek, which rises near Pleasantville and empties into this stream in section 33, township 76, range 20, is its chief tributary from the north. Wind Branch and Kirtou Branch are its principal tributaries from the south. This stream flows through the most beautiful and productive part of the county and is one of the most important in the county. It affords an abundance of living water for stock purposes throughout the year, and during a large portion of the time has a sufficient volume of water for mill power; this power has in times past been utilized in the propelling of mills.
English Creek rises in the southwest part of the county and flows north of east and empties into the Des Moines some eighteen or twenty miles from its source. Long Branch and Wild Cat are its chief tributaries.
Cedar Creek enters the county from the south about five and a half miles west of the southeast corner of the county. It flows in a northeastern direc- tion and leaves the county at a point in section 36, township 75, range 18, about eight miles from its source. It chief tributaries are North Cedar and Walnut Creek entering it from the west.
The Des Moines has a number of small tributaries entering it from the north. The principal ones are Brush Creek, Calhoun Creek, Prairie Creek and Walnut Creek. Wild Oat Creek and Ballard Creek are smaller tribu- taries from the west.
The Des Moines River forms the great basin toward which from the north- east and southwest incline the two grand water-sheds which compose the territory of the county. Adown these flow the list of noble streama, in a like direction as if for a like purpose, that of watering and refreshing and
259.
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
beautifying the country and making it one of the most favored and goodly regions which the sun shines upon. Many years, and possibly ages ago they digged their winding channels and nurtured a growth of forest trees from which the pioneer might construct his rude cabin. After years and years of waiting the white man came and found the country ready for his abode: it should be the abode of happiness and contentment, but we fear that too often from the valleys and the hills go up murmurings and com- plainings instead of what would be more appropriate, the voice of unceas- ing gratitude and praise.
TIMBER.
The circumstance which more than any other favored the early and rapid settlement of Marion county was the abundance of timber. The presence of timber aided materially in bringing about an early settlement, and it aided in two ways. First, the county had to depend on emigration from the older settled States of the East for its population, and especially Ohio and Indiana. These States originally were almost entirely covered with dense forests and farms were made by clearing off certain portions of the timber. Almost every farm there after it became thoroughly improved still retained a certain tract of timber, which is commonly known as the "woods." The woods is generally regarded as the most important part of the farm and the average farmer regards it as indispensible; when he emi- grated west, the great objection to the Iowa country was the scarcity of timber, and he did not suppose that it would be possible to open up a farm on the bleak prairie. To live in a region devoid of the familiar sight of timber seemed unendurable and the average Ohio and Indiana emigrant. could not endure the idea of founding a home far away from the familar sight of forest trees. Then again, the idea entertained by the early emi- grants to Iowa that timber was a necessity was not simply theoretical and ethical. The early settler had to have a house to live in, fuel for cooking and heating purposes, and fences to enclose his claim; at that time there were no railroads whereby lumber could be transported from the pineries, no coal-mines had yet been opened and few, if any, had been dis- covered. Timber was an absolute necessity, without which personal exist- ence as well as material improvement was an impossibility. No wonder that a gentleman from the East, who in early times came to the prairie re- gion of Iowa on a prospecting tour with a view of permanent location re- turned home in disgust and embodied his views of the country in the fol- lowing rhyme:
Oh, lonesome, windy, grassy place, Where buffalo and snakes prevail; The first with dreadful looking face, The last with dreadful sounding tail! I'd rather live on camel hump And be a Yankee Doodle beggar, Than where I never see a stump And shake to death with fever 'n' ager.
As before remarked, there are two reasons why the first settlers refused to. locate at a distance from the timber and why the timbered regions border- ing upon the Des Moines River became densely populated while the more fertile and more easily cultivated prairies remained for many years un- claimed. The pioneers were in the main the descendants of those hardy backwoodsmen who conquered the dense forests of Indiana, Ohio, and the
200
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
regions farther east. When farms were opened up in those countries a large belt of timber was invariably reserved from which the farmer could draw his supply of logs for lumber and fence rails, and fuel for cooking and heating purposes. Even at the present day a farm without its patch of timber is exceedingly rare in those countries. Having from their youth up been accustomed to timber, the emigrant from these timbered regions of the East would have ever felt lonesome and solitary deprived of the famil- iar sight of the tall forest trees and shut off from the accustomed sound of wind passing through the branches of the venerable oaks. Then again, timber was an actual necessity to the early settler. In this day of rail- roads, herd laws, cheap lumber and cheap fnel, it is easy enough to open s farm and build up a comfortable home away out on the prairie, far from the sight of timber. But not so under the circumstances surrounding the first settlers. There was no way of shipping lumber from the markets of the East, coal-mines were unknown, and before a parcel of land could be cultivated it was necessary to fence it. In order to settle the prairie coun- tries it was necessary to have railroads, and in order to have railroads it was necessary that at least a portion of the country should be settled. Hence the most important resource in the development of this Western country was the belts of timber which skirted the streams; and the settlers who first hewed out homes in the timber, while at present not the most en- terprising and progressive, were nevertheless an essential factor in the solu- tion of the problem.
From either side of the river flowing in a southwestern and northeastern direction are a number of small streams or creeks. The uniform width of the belt of timber along the Des Moines was originally about four or five miles, but where these smaller streams empty into the river the timber ex- tends much further out. These places are called " points" and at these points were the first settlements made; here were the first beginnings of civilization; here began to operate the forces which have made the wider- ness a fruitful place and caused the desert to bloom as the rose.
Much of the present forest has been removed; part of it was econom- ically manufactured into lumber which entered into the construction of the early dwelling-houses, many of - which still remain; much of it was ruth- lessly and recklessly destroyed. From the fact that attention was early given to the culture of artificial groves, Marion county now has probably abont as much timber as formerly, and the State much more.
Among the most abundant of all trees originally found was the black walnut, so highly prized in all countries for manufacturing purposes. Tim- ber of this kind was very plentiful and of good quality originally, but the high price paid for this kind of timber presented itself as a temptation to destroy it which the people, frequently in straightened circumstances, could not resist. Red, white and black oak are still very plentiful, although they have for many years been extensively used for fuel. Crab-apple, elm, maple, ash, cottonwood and wild cherry are also found. The best timber in the State is found in this county.
A line of timber averaging four miles in width follows the course of the Des Moines River, and all the other streams are liberally supplied. De- tached groves, both natural and artificial, are found in many places through- out the county, which are not only ornamental, in that they vary the mo- notony of the prairie, but likewise very useful in that they have a very im-
261
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
portant bearing on the climate. It is a fact fully demonstrated by the best of authority that climate varies with the physiognomy of the country.
OLIMATE.
The climate is what is generally termed a healthy one; subject, however, to the sudden change from heat to cold. The winters, however, are as a general thing uniform although there seems to have been very marked mod- ifications in the climate during the past few years, resulting, doubtless, from the changes which have taken place in the physiognomy of the country.
At one time it was asserted, with much confidence, that the climate of the Mississippi Valley was warmer than that of the Atlantic States in the same latitude, but this idea has long since been exploded by observations which have been made in both regions.
From Blodgett's Climatology of the United States we learn that the "early distinctions between the Atlantic States and the Mississippi Valley have been quite dropped as the progress of observation has shown them to be practically the same, or to differ only in unimportant particulars. It is difficult to designate any important fact entitling them to any separate classification; they are both alike subject to great extremes; they both have strongly marked continental features at some seasons and decided tropical features at others and these infinence the whole district similarly without showing any line of separation. At a distance from the Gulf of Mexico, to remove the local effect, the same peculiarities appear which be- long to Fort Snelling; Montreal as well as to Albany, Baltimore and Richmond."
As this county is nearly on the saine parallel as central New York it is fair to presume that the climate is nearly identical, provided the above be true. Yet observation shows that there is a preceptible tendency to ex- tremes as we go further west, owing to the lakes and prairies probably, and shows that the spring and summer are decidedly warmer, and the winters colder here than in New York. From the open country, the great sweep of the winds, and the force of the sun, the malaria from the rich prairies is counteracted and dispelled so that the climate here is as healthy as in any portion of the known world.
March and November'are essentially winter months as the mean temper- ature rises but little, if any, above the freezing point. The hottest days occur some years in July and in other years in August. Observations made during the period of twenty years show that the hottest day of the year has ranged from June 22d, to Angust 31st. During that period the hottest day of the year occurred twice in. June, nine times in July and nine times in August. The coldest days occur some years in December and other years in Jan- nary, while observation has established the fact that not unfrequently the coldest day occurs in February. During a period of twenty years, extend- ing from 1850 to 1870, the coldest day occured seven times during the month of February, nine times during the month of January and four times during the month of December. The coldest day came earliest dur- ing the year 1851, when it occurred on the 16th day of December, and it came latest in 1868, when it was the 10th of February. The days upon which the temperature most closely approximates the mean annual tem- perature occur in April and October. During a period of twenty years they occurred in no other months; except in 1866, when the day most nearly approximating mean annual temperature occurred November 2d.
262
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
During a period of thirty-one years, extending from 1839 to 1870, the latest appearance of frost has ranged from April 5 to May 26, and its latest appearance from September 2 to October 23. This is true of all the years except 1863, when there was frost every month in the year, the latest occurring August 25, and the earliest August 29. During those thirty-one years the latest frost occurred twenty times in April, twenty times in May and once in August; the earliest frost occured nineteen times in Septem- ber, twenty-one times in October and once in August. It will thus be seen that with the exception of the year 1863, when there was frost every month in the year, there was no frost during the months of June, July and August. Heavy frosts of such severity as to destroy fruit seldom occur later than April 15: even during the year 1863, when there was frost every month, there was none of sufficient severity to damage anything after that date.
With regard to the amount of rain-fall, a distinguished author on the subject of climatology, after giving numerous illustrations says: "The array of facts here presented will, it is hoped, prove of interest, not only to the residents of the State of Iowa and the Mississippi Valley, but also for the dwellers upon the seaboard, as furnishing data from which a comparison may be drawn as to the difference in the temperature, amount of. rain-fall, the source thereof, etc .; as also their distribution through the several sea- sons of the year. Eastern meteorologists have been greatly surprised at the great amount of precipitation of vapor in the valley, overlooking the fact that there the rain winds are northeast, here southwest. The amount pre- cipitated has not diminished since the first settlement of the country, and probably will not as the area covered by timber has not decreased with the settlement of the State, and is not likely to in the future; on the contrary is increasing and is likely to increase with the growth of settlement in age and extent. The peculiarities of our soil and climate are such that the past decades have demonstrated that our State can endure an extreme of drought or rain with as little or less loss than any other cultivated region of our country."
The largest rain-fall during any one year since the settlement of the county was in 1851, when it amounted to 74.49 inches; the least was in 1854, when it was only 23.35 inches. The average or mean amount of rain-fall for twenty-two years was 44.27 inches. August was the month of greatest amount of rain and January the least.
The following table shows the amount of rain for each year during the twenty-two years, from 1848 to 1870:
1848
26.29 inches.
1849 59.27 inches.
1850
49.06 inches.
1851
.74.49 inches.
1852
59.49 inches.
45.78 inches. 1853
1854
23.35 inches.
1855
28.38 inches.
1856
38.17 inches.
1857
39.52 inches.
1858
51.28 inches.
1859
32.65 inches.
263
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
1860
25.10 inches.
1861
47.89 inches.
1862
44.78 inches.
1863
33.75 inches.
1864
51.57 inches.
1865
.45.34 inches.
1866
43.37 inches.
1867
42.18 inches.
1868
46.00 inches.
1869
47.56 inches.
Observations have gone to show that a large proportion of the rain which falls in this locality is accompanied by southwest winds. Seventy per cent of the rainy days were accompanied by N.N.E. winds; eighteen per cent by E.S.E. winds; forty per cent by S.S. W. winds, and nineteen per cent by W.N.W. winds; or to sum up, sixty-two per cent occur in connection with winds from a westerly course. The greatest rain-fall in a given length of time occurred in August, 1851, between the hours of 11 o'clock P. M, of the tenth, and 3 o'clock A. M. of the eleventh, a period of four hours, dur- ing which time 10.71 inches fell. The wind both days was from the north- cast. The greatest snow-fall was on the twenty-first day of December, 1848, when 20.50 inches fell; the next largest snow-fall was December 28, 1863, when the amount was 15.10 inches in twelve hours.
The winter of 1848 will never be forgotten by the early settlers. The wow commenced early in November before the ground had became frozen, covering the earth with a heavy coat of white, and continued until the un- precedented snow-fall of December 21, before alluded to, which was the most fearful one ever witnessed in the county. The snow continued at & depth of over three feet till the following February. Often there were heavy driving storms and, after a few days cessation, others followed with wach driving force as to render it impossible for the settlers to venture out or to get from place to place without danger of being lost or frozen to death.
There being yet comparatively few settlers in the county and not a great deal of marketing to be done, or foreign trading to be transacted, travel was not sufficient to keep the roads open or form a beaten track in any direc- tion.
If anyone found it necessary to venture out any distance from home, the driving winds filled up his tracks almost as fast as he made them, so that he was unable to find the same track upon returning.
The inhabitants of the pioneer cabins were completely snow-bound all winter, never venturing out only in cases of absolute necessity, and then it was at the peril of their lives, or at least of frosted ears and toes, especially if they had any great distance to go. It afforded unparalled opportunity for enjoying home life in case of those who were fortunately favored with the necessary comforts, but to those who were not thus favored it was a terrible winter.
It is said that it was by no means an unusual thing to make several un- successful attempts to get through the snow-drifts by those who through want, if not actual starvation, were driven to make the attempt.
This was probably the only winter since the first settlement of the county that the snow was so deep and the cold so vigorous, as to occasion want
264
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
and suffering of a general character. As before remarked, 1863 was pe- culiarly cold throughout; frost occurred every month of the year, and in order to be comfortable it was necessary to keep up a fire occasionally each month, July and August not excepted.
Persons who have been in the county quite a number of years say that it is very seldom that the frost injures the corn crop, it being a characteristic of the climate that when the spring is late the fall is either quite hot or lengthened so as to fully mature the crop. At one time it was supposed that fruit could not be successfully raised in this section. This is probably true with some varieties of fruit, particularly the peach. The mean time for late frosts is May 4, and the mean time for the flowering of fruit trees is May 5, and the peach being a very delicate tree the buds are liable to be destroyed by the late frosts, even though the body of the tree survives the rigors of the winter. With regard to apples and all kinds of small fruit the experience of many years has gone to establish the fact that this region has no equal in the United States.
The great rains of 1851, like the snow of 1848, will be long remembered by the people of Marion county. Early in the spring heavy rains were of frequent occurrence, and they increased in frequency and power till the whole country was literally flooded. Small streams assumed the magnitude of large rivers, while the larger rivers spread out so as to cover the entire portion of bottom-land and in places resembled large lakes where it was impossible to see from shore to shore. Few bridges had been erected at that time, and most of those which had been built were washed away. The inconvenience arising from the heavy rain and the consequent swollen con- dition of the streams occasioned greater inconvenience, if not so much suf- fering, as the heavy snows of 1848. Early in the summer the amount of rain-fall gradually diminished and the water in the streams decreased. The flood was at its highest point during the latter part of June, and the waters began to perceptibly abate early in July. The heaviest fall of rain during the entire season, however, occurred during the night of August, 10th, when, as remarked, 10.71 inches fell during the space of four hours.
There is a variety of soil as well as surface in the county. Portions along the Des Moines river, in particular, are somewhat broken and uneven, but the soil is productive and peculiarly well adapted for the growth of grasses. Along the river bottoms the soil is very deep and rich, owing to the heavy accretions, and there corn especially is raised with success. As a rule the soil of the county is better adapted to the growth of grass and the cultivation of corn than to the production of the other cereals.
PRAIRIES.
Between the strips of timber are high undulating prairies, on which in- numerable small streams take their rise. There are also many small prai- ries along the streams, the soil of which is very fertile. Prairies are, in fact, the prevailing characteristic of the county. They are abundant in quan- tity and mostly of a very excellent quality. Prairies, however, are not found in this county of so great extent as in most counties of the State, and there are none in which the soil is of an inferior character. On nearly all of the divides between the rivers and running streams are found large tracts of beautiful, rolling prairie lands, well drained, easily cultivated, highly productive and conveniently located to water, timber, mille and
265
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
markets. The character of the soil in these prairies is snch that good crops are raised even during very wet and very dry seasons. The soil is light and porous so that ten hours of bright sunshine will dry the roads after a heavy rain and fit the plowed field to be cultivated. The same peculiarity of soil which enables crops to withstand much moisture and thrive during a very wet season, also enables them to endure prolonged drouths; the soil being very porous is capable of absorbing a large amount of water during the rainy season and when the drouth sets in the forces of mature bring back to the surface the surplus moisture from the subter- raneons store-houses with as much ease as the water in the first place was absorbed. This is not the case with that quality of soil commonly known as hard-pan; the subsoil not being porous, only a small quantity of water is absorbed, after which it gathers on the surface in pools and is then carried away by the process of evaporation; drouth sets in, and as soon as the mois- ture is exhausted from the surface soil plants wither and die.
Along the river bluffs at numerous places gush forth springs of living water, whose supply even during the dryest seasons seems to be exhaustless, while good well-water can be obtained anywhere by digging or boring a distance ot from fifteen to thirty feet. The lakes which are represented on the carly maps prove to be nothing but small slonghs. It is found that by draining these marshy places they afford the most productive spots of land, It will not be many years, under the present enterprising management, till all these sloughs will be converted into corn-fields.
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