The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1004

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THE NAME.

It has been intimated by one that there is nothing in a name; but a name sometimes means a great deal. In this instance, it means that the original owners of the soil, though savages, possessed certain ennobling traits of character; and although weak and abject, were by the first settlers deemed worthy to have their memory perpetuated in the annals of our country.

In naming newly discovered countries and streams of water, the first settlers of Iowa followed the custom of adopting Indian names. The cus- tom doubtless had its origin in the precedent adopted by the first discov- erers of America. The wisdom of this custom becomes more and more apparent as the eye becomes used to the sight and the ear to the sound of the names.

By following the custom, our language has become greatly enriched, and each successive generation is reminded of a race of people once numerous and powerful, but now so weak and abject as to be virtually eliminated from the family of nations. These names have invariably a pleasing sound, when the ear becomes accustomed to them, and their adoption is a most befitting tribute to a race of people which, although savages, possessed cer- tain characteristics which make the story of their misfortunes the most re- markable to be found on the pages of history, and the most pathetic which has been wrought by the stern vicissitudes of time.

The period during which a large part of Iowa was settled, and during which this country was organized, was a period of great events in the his- tory of our country. The martial feeling, when aroused, stirs society from center to circumference, and nothing so quickly and permanently affects a peeple in its manners, modes and etymology as war. It was during the progress, and immediately after the triumphant close, of the war with Mex- ico that a large number of the counties of central Iowa were organized. The Democratic party in the Nation, which favored the war, was also largely in the majority in the State, and the war spirit, which had taken possession of nearly every one, and which entered into all kinds of conver- sation and official deliberations, left its impress particularly on the General Assembly of the Territory and young State of Iowa. In the organization of at least fifteen counties, the names of battle-fields and distinguished gen- erals of the Mexican War were perpetuated. The question of the acquisi- tion of Texas, and the consequent war with Mexico, was one of the leading issues before the people at the time many of the counties of Iowa were

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

organized. It was, therefore, to be expected, and altogether consistent with the general tendency of affairs, that the battles and generals of the Mexican War should be commemorated in naming many of the counties.

The war of the Rebellion, another great national contest, began in 1861; at that time, most of the counties were already named, and with the exception, probably, of Lyon county, in the extreme northwest corner of the State, there is nothing in the names of counties to commemorate names made illustrious in that contest. With townships, the case is differ- ent, as they continued to be organized after the war, and are now being organized. In Poweshiek county, we have a Lincoln township and a Sher- idan township, while probably nearly half of the counties in the State have either a Lincoln or a Grant township.

Names are sometimes given to towns and countries by accident; some- times they originate in the childish caprice of some one individual, whose dictate, by reason of some real or imaginary superiority, is law. Those counties and cities of our State, however, which were named after distin- guished aboriginal chieftains, or to commemorate great national events, have great real significance, and in this instance, the county and its chief city did not receive a name by accident; neither did it originate in the · childish caprice of one man, but the christening took place after mature deliberation and by general consent.

From the time that the first white man set his foot on the eastern shores of America till the present, the Indian has disputed his conquest of the soil. In certain cases, he has abandoned his claim on receipt of a consid- eration, and in other cases, he has submitted to the arbitratment of arms; but in either case, he has invariably retired to the west, and left the white man in possession. When by an edict of the government the tide of civi- lization was stayed for a time on the east banks of the Mississippi, the white man learned something of his western neighbors, the Sac and Fox Indians, who then held undisputed possession of this portion of Iowa. When the first strip of Iowa Territory was purchased of the Indians, and the white man crossed the "Father of Waters," he became still better acquainted with this tribe of Indians. During the next ten years, the white settlers of Iowa became still better acquainted with his Indian neighbors, and when, in 1846, the Indians departed to their new western home, the white man could but regret the sad lot of the Indian, and be- come impressed with a desire to perpetuate his memory. Thus it was that in honor of a distinguished chief this county was called Poweshiek. A further account of this illustrious Indian will be found elsewhere.

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

CHAPTER II.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Situation-Extent-Surface-Rivers-Timber-Climate-Prairies-Soil-Geology-Economic Geology-Coal-Building Stone-Clays-Spring and Well Water.

POWESHIEK county is situated south and east of the center of the State. Accurately speaking, it is about twenty-five miles east and about the same distance south of the geographical center of the State. The town of State Center, a station on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, in Marshall county, is very near the geographical center of the State, while Grinnell is probably nearer the center of wealth and population. Num- bering by counties, Poweshiek is in the fifth tier, counting from the east, and in the eighth, numbering from the west; it is in the sixth tier from north boundary of the state, and in the fifth from the south. It lies be- tween 41 degrees and 30 minutes and 42 degrees north latitude, it being somewhat north of the latitude of New York City. Its longitude is about 92 degrees and 50 minutes west of Greenwich, and the center of the county is about 13 degrees west of the National Capital, or about 1,100 miles.

It is bounded on the north by Tama county, on the east by Iowa, on the south by Keokuk and Mahaska, and on the west by Jasper. On the south one-fourth of the county line, or six miles, touches on Keokuk county, and three-fourths, or eighteen miles, touches on Mahaska.

The county is in the shape of a square, or as nearly so as could be made by the original governmental surveys. It consists of sixteen congressional townships, each six miles square, and had the surveys been strictly accu- rate, would contain three hundred and sixty-eight thousand six hundred and forty acres; the surveys of necessity not being strictly accurate, the county contains more than that number of acres, probably about three hun- dred and sixty-nine thousand acres. The civil townships as now consti- tuted, are as follows: Deep River, Jackson, Union, Sugar Creek, Washing- ton, Pleasant, Scott, Lincoln, Warren, Bear Creek, Malcom, Grinnell, Chester, Sheridan, Madison and Jefferson. Of these, all correspond in their boundaries with the congressional townships, except Jackson and Union; these two include two congressional townships, the former being eight miles wide, and the latter but four. Beginning at the south, the four townships of Deep River, Jackson, Union and Sugar Creek, consist of ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16 of congressional township 78; Lincoln, Scott, Pleasant and Washington consist of ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16 of congres- sional township 79; Warren, Bear Creek, Malcom and Grinnell consist of ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16 of congressional township 80; Jefferson, Madi-

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

son, Sheridan and Chester consist of ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16 of congres- sional township 81.

The present arrangement of townships is the best which could possibly be made, with the exception of Union and Jackson, and few counties of the State have been so fortunate in that the physical features of the country permit of such a subdivision. In many counties there are large streams of water or other natural conditions which render such a regular subdivision impracticable. As a consequence, there are three cornered strips with ir- regular boundaries, very difficult to be properly described. It must not be supposed, however, that the present subdivision of the county into civil townships has been such from the beginning; on the contrary it has been the growth of years, and has only become possible in more recent times. Orignally, the first settlements were the basis for the formation of the first townships, and new townships were formed from time to time as the coun- try settled up and such organizations became possible. The subdivision of the county into civil townships as they originally existed, together with the subsequent changes is a matter which forms a very interesting and im- portant part of the county's history. It will be treated more fully else- where.

The surface of the county is an undulating plane, there being fewer ele- vations and depressions than in any of the surrounding counties. With the exception of the southwest part, in the vicinity of Skunk River, there are few hills and ravines. The surface, however, is far from being flat, and there is as perfect a system of natural drainage as can be found anywhere. From some of the higher points the eye commands views of exquisite love- liness, embracing the silvey course of river or creek, the waving foliage of trees, the undulating surface of prairie, with cultivated farms, with farm houses-from the log hut of the first settler, to the brick or painted houses and barns of the more advanced cultivators of the soil, and the palatial mansions of the wealthy capitalist. A writer of considerable reputation, and a close student of natural history, says:

"The real beauty of this section can hardly be surpassed; undulating prairies, interspersed with open groves of timber, and watered with pebbly or rocky streams, pure and transparent, with banks spotted here and there with timber and again with the green sward of the prairie. These are the ordinary features of the landscape. For centuries the successive annual crops have accumulated organic matter on the the surface to such an ex- tent that the succession, even of exhausting crops, will not materially im- poverish the land.

N. C. Candit, Esq., formerly of Montezuma, in describing the county in

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

an article written for the Iowa Gazetteer, some fifteen years ago, gives the following graphic and truthful description of the soil:

" The soil is chiefly a rich, black loam, composed of vegetable deposit, with a clay subsoil underlaid with carboniferous limestone. The depth of this vegetable deposit, which has been accumulating for centuries, varies from two to six feet in depth, and is almost inexhaustible in fertility. The ease with which the soil is cultivated, is an item of great importance to the settler. One man with a team can tend from forty to fifty acres of corn well. There is no waste land in the county. It can all be brought under cultivation."

There is probably not a region of country in the State of Iowa of like extent which possesses such a complete system of drainage with so little waste land. There is proportionatley such a small area of waste land, and the system of drainage is so admirable that the amount of swamp or marsh land is too insignificant to be worth mentioning.

The country presented to the first settlers an easy task in subduing the wild land. Its broad prairies were fields almost ready for the planting of the crop, and its rich black soil seemed to be awaiting impatiently the op- portunity of paying rewards in the shape of abundant crops, as a tribute to the labors of the husbandman. The farms of Iowa are generally large, level, unbroken by impassable sloughs and without other obstructions, such as stumps and boulders; what is true of the State is also true of Poweshiek county, with the exception of this, that the farms, as a rule, are smaller and better cultivated. Corn planters, reaping machines, mowers and all kinds of labor-saving machinery can be used with great ease.

The prairie of the county is gently rolling throughout its whole extent. The timber is of a good quality, but the original growth, not overly abund- ant at first, has almost disappeared in some parts; this is more than made up by the cultivation of artificial groves.

The elevation of the county is somewhat less than the average of the State. The average elevation of the county is not far from 850 feet above the level of the sea, or 406 feet above low water mark in the Mississippi River, at Keokuk. The highest point along the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad between Davenport and Earlham, in Madison county, is at Grin- nell, where the elevation is 993 feet above the level of the sea, or 549 feet above low water mark in the Mississippi River, at Keokuk. The highest point in the county is a little north of Grinnell, and may be reckoned at not far from 1,000 feet above the sea level. Toward the east and south, the decrease in elevation is very rapid, the east line of the county being a little more than 200 feet lower than the west line. From Grinnell to Brooklyn,

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

there is, according to the field-notes of the original railroad survey, a fall of 175 feet. Grinnell is 463 feet higher than Davenport, and 211 above the city of Des Moines. The portion of ground upon which Grinnell is built, is emphatically the apex of a water-shed. When it rains, the water which falls in the west portion of the town flows into Sugar Creek, and thence into Skunk River; that which falls into the east part of the town, flows into Bear Creek, and thence by the way of the Iowa River into the Mississippi, where it mingles with the neighboring rain-drops from the mouth of Skunk River between Burlington and Keokuk. The descent to- ward the south is as marked as it is toward the east, Grinnell being 257 feet higher than Oskaloosa.

RIVERS AND CREEKS.

From the data just given, it would not be difficult for the student of physical geography to determine the character and course of the streams of water in the county. It is evident that their general course should be toward the southwest; that they should be numerous and not large; that they should be shallow, with low banks and swift currents; upon investi- gation, we have found that the facts in the case correspond with what is required by the foregoing conditions. The principal streams of the county are seven in number, as follows: Walnut Creek, Big Bear Creek, Little Bear Creek, North English River, Deep River, South English River and Skunk River.

Walnut Creek .- This stream, while not the largest, is one of the most important; its head waters are in the northwest corner of the county, whose legitimate offspring it consequently is. Although its course is irregular, now toward the south and now again making a graceful curve it turns to ward the north, it is in its general course true to its mission, following the slope of the county; and passing out of the county near the northeast corner, it finds its way to the Iowa River, where it mingles with the current which has traveled many miles from the northward. A narrow belt of timber originally skirted its banks throughout the greater part of its course, and this belt at various places widened out into groves of considerable width Much of this timber has been cut off, and the soil which nurtured it is now turned by the plow of the thrifty husbandman. Numerous small tributa- ries, mostly from the north, flow into it, thus resembling the trunk of a tree with numerous branches. Tradition speaks of no saw mills turned by the water of this creek, but the whistle of the steam saw mill has doubtless been heard in the land, and we should be surprised, if upon investigation, it did not appear that many articles of furniture, still retained in the fam- ilies of the early settlers, were constructed from the black walnut trees

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

which grew along this stream, and of lumber sawed at some mill not far off. If the early settlers of that region are wise, they will retain and carefully preserve all such heirlooms, and carefully hoard what is still left growing of this highly valued and much coveted timber.

Big Bear Creek .- This stream enters the county near the northwest corner. Its course is a little south of east, and it leaves the county at the southeast corner of section 13, township 80, range 13. It is second to none in importance. No other stream in the county waters such a long extent of country, the length of its course in the county being not far from thirty miles. It affords living water the year round, and while it is of inestima- ble value to stock-raisers, it seldom overflows its banks so as to destroy crops, and it is readily forded at most places during the greater portion of the year. Originally a narrow belt of timber skirted its banks throughout the larger part of its course, and there were four or five extensive groves which afforded a good supply of timber to the first settlers. The largest of these was Snook's Grove, extending west from the junction of Little Bear Creek, to a point not far from the present site of Brooklyn. This grove was about three miles wide and some six or eight miles long, and formed a nucleus for the first settlements of the northern part of the county. There was a saw mill erected on this stream at an early day, by a man named Talbot, and was known all over the county as Talbot's mill. Numerous small tributaries flow into it from the north. The stream which is its principal tributary is from the south, and is known by the name of

Little Bear Creek .- The small streams which constitute the head waters of this stream, rise east and north of Grinnell. The course of the stream is to a point very near the center of the county, where it courses to the north and empties into Big Bear Creek some four or five miles from the east line of the county. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad follows the valley of this stream, from its junction with Big Bear Creek a distance of some twelve or fifteen miles westward. The length of the creek is from twenty to twenty-five miles.

North English River .- Rises south of Grinnell, and flows in a southeast- ern direction, leaving the county in section 24, township 79, range 13. There were, originally, numerous valuable groves of timber along the course of this stream, the most important of which was Harklerode's Grove, named thus in honor of William Harklerode, who first settled in that re- gion of country. Following the irregular course of the river in the county, it has a length of from twenty-five to thirty miles.

Deep River .- This stream rises about four miles northwest of Monte-

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

zuma, and flows in a southeastern direction, leaving the county near the northwest corner of section 35, township 78, range 14. The civil township in the southeastern part of the county was named after this river.

South English River .- This stream rises south of Montezuma, and flows in a southeastern direction, leaving the county in section 35, township 78, range 14. After leaving the county, it bears eastward and empties into the Iowa River in Washington county. There is a most beautiful and prosperous section of country along the course of this stream, and it fig- ures extensively in the history of the two counties to the south and east; two townships, one in Keokuk county and one in Washington county, are named after this stream. The town of South English is also located on its banks.

Skunk River .- This stream crosses the southwest corner of the county. .The name comes from the Indian word Checauqua, which means Skunk, and it was an exhibition of very bad taste on the part of the early settlers in translating it. This detestable custom of dropping the pleasant sound- ing Indian name and the substitution of one which is unpleasant to the ear and repulsive to the eye, may possibly be regarded as an evidence of the ety- mological researches of the pioneers, and as such, is creditable to them, but is more creditable to their industry than to their good taste. There is nothing romantic nor poetical about the name Skunk, but those who think lightly of the river on that account, should remember that the garden city of the West derives its origin from no better source. Chicago and Chica- qua are slightly different pronounciations of an Indian word that means the same thing. Skunk River proper, is formed by the junction of two streams called respectively North and South Skunk, the point of confluence being in the southeastern part of Keokuk county, about four miles from the county line. After leaving Keokuk county, it flows through the south- west corner of Washington, thence through Henry and forming the bound- ary line between Des Moines and Lee, empties into the Mississippi some twenty miles above the mouth of the Des Moines. One of the first, and at present, probably, the only water mill in the county, was erected at an early date on the bank of this stream by James McDowell. It afterward passed into the possession of G. B. Walker, who put in a run of burs, and it was used for manufacturing lumber as well as flour. Sometime after it was bought by a man named McIntyre, since which time it has generally been known by the name of McIntyre's mill. This river has always been regarded as a treacherous stream, and during many seasons of the year it was impossible to cross it, except at certain points. One of the favorite crossing places was near the mill, and went by the name of McIntyre's

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Ford. At some points the land slopes gradually away from the stream, thus permitting large portions of the bottom lands to be overflowed during the rainy season, and making travel across the country difficult or impossi- ble where there are no good roads and bridges. At other places there are rocky bluffs which preclude the possibility of an overflow at any season of the year. The stream has an abundance 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, nor 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 formation. In cer- tain 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 pecu- liarities in regard to the formation through which the stream flows that geologists have not yet been able to explain. The tributaries of Skunk River in Powshiek county are Sugar Creek, English Creek, Buck Creek and Moon Creek. At the head waters of Sugar Creek there was, originally, a fine grove. This was sometimes called Upper Sugar Grove, and sometimes Lattimer's Grove in honor of Nathaniel J. Lattimer, the first settler in that region. At the junction of Sugar Creek with Skunk River, was a very extensive body of timber, usually known as Sugar Grove. English Creek flows in an almost direct southern course and empties into the Skunk in Mahaska county. Moon Creek and Buck Creek flow in a southern direc- tion, and leave the county before reaching Skunk River.

As before remarked, there is not a county in the State where the streams are more numerous, or more generally distributed. There is not a town- ship in the county that has not an abundance of living water. The streams flow in a like direction, as if for a like purpose-that of watering and re- freshing and 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 complainings, instead of what would be more appropri- ate-the voice of unceasing gratitude and praise.

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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.

TIMBER.

The first settlements of the county were invariable made in the timber or contiguous thereto. The early settlers chose the groves, both as a mat- ter of necessity and choice. 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 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 tim- ber commonly known as "the woods." The woods is generally regarded as the most important part of the farm, and the average farmer regarded it as indispensable. When he emigrated 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 familiar sight of forest trees. Then again, the idea entertained by the early emigrants to Iowa, that timber was a neces- sity, was not simply theoretically ethical. The early settler had to have a house to live in, fuel for cooking and heating purposes, and fences to en- close his claim. At that time there were no railroads whereby lumber could be transported from the pineries. No coal mine had yet been opened, and few, if any had been discovered. Timber was an absolute necessity, without which, personal existence, as well as material improvement, was an impossibility. No wonder that a gentleman from the East, who in early times came to the prairie region of Iowa on a prospecting tour with a view of permanent location, returned home in disgust and embodied his views of the country in the following rhyme:

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The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 32

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1004

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1004