The history of Jackson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion history of the Northwest, history of Iowa miscellaneous matters, &c, Part 29

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical
Number of Pages: 788


USA > Iowa > Jackson County > The history of Jackson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion history of the Northwest, history of Iowa miscellaneous matters, &c > Part 29


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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52 3


55


28


9.


10


1


.....


1


28


23


2


2


17


....


699


961


45


2


7


7


Seventh Infantry ..


761


382


Eighth Infantry.


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.


1


..


...


.


.


4 ...


27


Third Infantry.


..


17


1


...


228


18 246


4


1


8


402


.....


3


5


8


Seventh Cavalry.


24


3


27


9


91 ..


4


..


Eighth Cavalry.


3


1


...


11


+Company A, 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry ...


1


Second Veteran Infantry.


137


..


Total Casualties.


REGIMENT OR BATTERY.


Total.


Total.


2


3


..


47


22


24


Eleventh Infantry ... Twelfth Infantry ....


54| 1|


55


25| 148


11 174|| 121| 276


30| 151| 133 2571


220| 208


6| 226| 209 1


610| 768


59| 382


26| 19


11|


37


3


22


Thirteenth Infantry ..


65 1


66


34 182 ...


1


217


77


269 290


4 294


6


852


84


15


15


30 .


Fourteenth Infantry ..


27, 1


28


23|


122


145


53


190 162


..


162


1 526


249


13


10


23


Fourteenth Residuary Battalion


Fifteenth Infantry ..


52 ...


52


78| 194


2.


274


270


32


302


392


2 394


7


1029


78


13


14


27


57


..


57


32


217


249


160


49


209


289


1


290


14


819


242


21


6


27


Seventeenth Infantry.


43


..


43


18


97 ..


1


116


129


93


222


225


225


8


614


264


23


3


26


Eighteenth Infantry .


26 2


28


109 ..


31


119


222


6


228


73


1


74


449


63


5


5


10


53.


53


33


91


6


130


183


5


188


190


1


191


502


204


27


13


40


8.


8


5


130.


7


142


157


6


163


43


46


359


10


36


2


38


Twenty-first Infantry


37 1


38


29


157


2


188


139


14


153


147


3


2


531


20


49


5


54


Twenty-second Infantry


53


1


54


52


126


2


180


150


8


158


245


245


634


79


40


2


42


Twenty-third Infantry ..


58


1


59


53


197


253


200


4


204


240


3


243


2


761


72


48


6


54


39


...


39


22


199


219


120


18


138


162


2


164


4


564


17


16


8


69


40 2


42


29


204


3


236


140


1


141


140


3


143


562


24


69 .


..


7 .


7


14


162


4


180


134


68


202


132


3


135


G


530


32


40


5


45


52 ..


52


24


180| 1


1


206


166


16 182


242


4


246


10


696


89


33


10


43


Twenty-eighth Infantry ..


19 2


21


17


248


1


266


117


7


124


97


2


99


1


511


53


31


6


37


Thirtieth Infantry ....


1


40


24


233


257


129


13


142


202


3


205


2


6.16


19


46


1


47


72


Thirty-first Infantry.


11


11


16


261


277


137


38


175


77


....


...


56 ...


56


33


2031 ..


1


237


156


10


166


132


1


133


589


93


27


6


33


Thirty-second Infantry ..


25 !


26


37


166 ..


236


109


34


143


166


2


168


580


73


18


10


28


Thirty-third Infantry.


4


4


2


228 1


231


286


27


313


13


13


561


3


22


22


Thirty-fourth consolidated Battalion Infantry


3


4


10 ..


12


29


7


36


12


2


14


66


23


2


25


19


182 1


1


2031


172


17


189


93


93


510


15


51


14


65


Thirty-sixth Infantry ..


35


35


24


220


1


251


187


4


191


142


142


619


437


17


6


23


Thirty-seventh Infantry ..


3


3


141| ..


1


142|


326


30


356


2


2


503


..


..


....


1.19 .


1


141


89


34


123


105


3


108


406


203


12


3


15


Fortieth Infantry


5


5


10


179 ..


5


194


117


4


41


41


361


2


20


26


*Forty-first Infantry (battalion) ..


1


1


14


14


15


Forty-fifth Infantry ..


2


2


17


1


22


1


1


Forty-sixth Infantry.


2


2


23


24


21


25


3


Forty-seventh Infantry.


1


1


45


1


46


47


Forty-eighth Infantry ....


4


4


First African Infantry [60th U. S.].


1 1


5


1


331


5


337


40


40


1


1


383


1


1


* Before transferred to 7th Iowa Cavalry.


+ Partial returns. 1940 78,2017 ,1199 8695; 8 109 10011 8005 1982 9987 8180| 112 8282] 115| 30394 4489. 1264 281 1545


253


..


..


1


1


2


7


4


11


11


Sixteenth Infantry ..


..


..


...


:


39


30


196


2


228


171


6


177


123


3


126


570


3


41


1


42


Twenty-fourth Infantry ..


Twenty-fifth Infantry ...


69


Twenty-sixth Infantry ..


...


...


...


...


... ..


1


311


108


9


117


2


431


8


....


...


...


2 ..


2


15


17


..


..


..


...


..


. .


..


2 ......


12


Thirty-eighth Infantry.


1 ...


1


310


1


34


21


..


...


3


..


39


..


..


...


3


X


3


......


3


6


..


..


..


...


..


....


..


·2


.. ..


540


13


72


......


....


Thirty-fourth Infantry ..


Thirty-fourth [34th and 38th] Infantry consolidated


1


30


32 243 ...


124


192 137


..


..


..


..


..


...


....


Twenty-seventh Infantry ..


..


..


2


Thirty-ninth Infantry


121


..


Forty-fourth Infantry ..


..


..


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.


4


30 ...


......


...


Nineteenth Infantry ...


Twentieth Infantry ..


150


39


Twenty-ninth Infantry ...


77


.


3


Thirty-fifth Infantry ...


33


1


254


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.


NUMBER OF TROOPS FURNISHED BY THE STATE OF IOWA DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, TO JANUARY 1, 1865.


No. Regiment.


No. of men.


No. Regiment.


No. of men.


1st Iowa Infantry


959


39th lowa Infantry.


933


2d


1,247


40th «


900


3d


1,074


41st Battalion Iowa Infantry.


294


4th


1,184


44th Infantry (100-days men)


867


5th


66


1,037 45th


912


6th


1,013


46th


892


7th


4


1,138


47th


...


884


8th


..


1,027


48th Battalion


...


..


1,478


10th


11th


1,022


3d


66


60


1,360


12th


981


4th


66


1,227


13th


989


5th


66


1,245


14th


840


6th


1,125


15th


1,196


7th


16th


.€


919


8th


1,234


17th


66


956


9th


1,178


18th


.€


875


Sioux City Cavalry *...


93


19th


20th


925


1st Battery Artillery


149


21st


980


2d 66


22d


66


1,008


3d


961


4th


1st Iowa African Infantry, 60th U. St .. Dodge's Brigade Band ..


14


26th


919


Band of 2d Iowa Infantry


10


27th


94


Enlistments as far as reported to Jan. 1,


2,765


29th


1,005


1864, for the older Iowa regiments ..... Enlistments of lowa men in regiments of other States, over


2,500


31st


64


925


Total


61,653


33d


985


Re-enlisted Veterans for different Regi- ments.


7,202


35th


..


984 Additional enlistments.


6,664


36th


986


37th


914 Grand total as far as reported np to Jan.


38th


910 1, 1865


75,519


This does not include those Iowa men who veteranized in the regiments of other States, nor the names of men who enlisted during 1864, in regiments of other States.


* Afterward consolidated with Seventh Cavalry.


+ Only a portion of this regiment was credited to the State.


123


23d


24th


979


903


25th


995


28th


956


30th


978


977


32d


34th


985


Co. A, 11th Penn. Cavalry


87


1,027


2d


1,394


9th


1,090


Ist Iowa Cavalry.


346


562


142


152


953


255


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.


POPULATION OF IOWA, BY COUNTIES.


AGGREGATE.


COUNTIES.


1875.


1870.


1860.


1850.


1840.


Voters.


Adair.


7045


3982


984


1616


Adams


7832


4614


1533


1727


Allamakee


19158


17868


12237


777


3653


Appanoose


17405


16456


11931


3131


3679


Audubon


2370


1212


454


527


Benton


28807


22454


8496


672


4778


Black Hawk


22913


21706


8244


135


4877


Boone


17251


14584


4232


735


3515


Bremer


13220


12528


4915


2656


Buchanan


17315


17034


7906


517


3890


Buena Vista


3561


1585


57


817


Buncombe*


Butler


11734


9951


3724


2598


Calhoun.


3185


1602


147


681


Carroll.


5760


2451


281


1197


Cass


10552


5464


1612


2422


Cedar.


17879


19731


12949


3941


1253


3934


Cerro Gordo


6685


4722


940


1526


Cherokee.


4249


1967


58


1001


Chickasaw


11400


10180


4336


2392


Clarke


10118


8735


5427


79


2213


Clay


3559


1523


52


868


Clayton


27184


27771


20728


3873


1101


5272


Clinton


34295


35357


18938


2822


821


5569


Crawford


6039


2530


383


Dallas.


14386


12019


5244


854


1244 . 3170


Davis.


15757


15565


13764


7264


3448


Decatur


13249


12018


8677


965


2882


Delaware.


16893


17432


11024


1759


168


3662


Des Moines


35415


27256


19611


12988


5577


6654


Dubuque.


43845


38969|


31164


10841


3059


394 8759 299


Fayette.


20515


16973


12073


825


4637


Floyd.


13100


10768


3744


2884


Franklin


6558


4738


1309


1374


Fremont.


13719


11173


5074


1244


2998


Greene.


7028


4627


1374


1622


Grundy


8134


6399


793


1525


Guthrie


9638


7061


3058


2339


Hamilton


7701


6055


1699


1455


Hancock


1482


999


179


303


Hardin


15029|


13684


5440


3215


Harrison.


11818


8931


3621


2658


Henry


21594


21463


18701


8707


3772


4641


Howard


7875


6282


3168


1712


Humboldt


3455


2596


332


695


Ida.


794


226


43


172


Iowa ..


17456


16644


8029


822


3576


Jackson


23061


22619


18493


7210


1411


4901


Jasper.


24128


22116


9883


1280


5239


Jefferson.


17127


17839


15038


9904


2773


3721


Johnson


24654


24898


17573


4472


1491


5225


Jones


19168


19731


13306


3007


471


4180


Dickinson


1748


1389


180


Emmett


1436


1392


105


* In 1862, name changed to Lyon.


256


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.


POPULATION OF IOWA-CONCLUDED.


AGGREGATE.


COUNTIES.


1875.


1870.


1860.


1850.


1840.


Voters.


Keokuk


20488


19434


1327]


4822


4202


Kossuth


3765


3351


416


Lee


33913


38210


29232


18861


6093


7274


Linn


31815


28852


18947


5444


1373


7509


Louisa


12499


12877


10370


4939


1927


2899


Lucas.


11725


10388


5766


471


2464


Lyon*


1139


221


287


Madison


16030


13884


7339


1179


3632


Mahaska


23718


22508


14816


5989


5287


Marion.


24094


24436


16813


5482


4988


Marshall


19629


17576


6015


338


4445


Mills.


10555


8718


4481


2365


Mitchell.


11523


9582


3409


2338


Monona.


2267


3654


832


1292


Monroe


12811


12724


8612


2884


2743


Montgomery


10389


5931


1256


2485


Muscatine


21623


21688


16444


5731


1942


6588


O' Brien


2349


715


8


595


Osceola


1778


498


Page.


14274


9975


4419


551


3222


Palo Alto


2728


1336


132


556


Plymouth.


5282


2199


148


1136


Pocahontas


2249


1446


103


464


Polk


31558


27857


11625


4513


6842


Pottawattomie.


21665


16893


4968


7828


4392


Poweshiek


16482


15581


5668


615


3634


Ringgold


7546


5691


2923


1496


Sac ..


2873


1411


246


657


Scott.


39763


38599


25959


5986


2140


7109


Shelby


5664


254


818


1084


Sioux


3120


576


10


637


Story


13111


11651


4051


2574


Tama


18771


16131


5285


8


3911


Taylor


10418


6989


3590


204


2282


Union


8827


6986


2012


1924


Van Buren


16980


17672


17081


12270


6146


3893


Wapello


23865


22346


14518


8471


5346


Warren.


18541


17980


10281


961


4168


Washington.


19269


18952


14235


4957


1594


4168


Wayne


13978


11287


6409


340


2947


Webster.


13114


10484


2504


2747


Winnebago.


2986


1562


168


406


Winneshiek


24233


23570


13942


546


4117


Woodbury.


8568


6172


1119


1776


Worth


4908


2892


756


763


Wright.


3244


2392


653


694


Total


1353118 1191792


674913


192214


43112


284557


773


* Formerly Buncombe.


257


THE NORTHWESTERN STATES.


ILLINOIS.


Length, 380 miles, mean width about 156 miles. Area, 55,410 square miles, or 35,462,400 acres. Illinois, as regards its surface, constitutes a table-land at a varying elevation ranging between 350 and 800 feet above the sea level ; composed of extensive and highly fertile prairies and plains. Much of the south division of the State, especially the river-bottoms, are thickly wooded. The prairies, too, have oasis-like clumps of trees scattered here and there at intervals. The chief rivers irrigating the State are the Mississippi-dividing it from Iowa and Missouri-the Ohio (forming its south barrier), the Illinois, Wabash, Kaskaskia, and San- gamon, with their numerous affluents. The total extent of navigable streams is calculated at 4,000 miles. Small lakes are scattered over vari- . ous parts of the State. Illinois is extremely prolific in minerals, chiefly coal, iron, copper, and zinc ores, sulphur and limestone. The coal-field alone is estimated to absorb a full third of the entire coal-deposit of North America. Climate tolerably equable and healthy ; the mean temperature standing at about 51º Fahrenheit As an agricultural region, Illinois takes a competitive rank with neighboring States, the cereals, fruits, and root- crops yielding plentiful returns ; in fact, as a grain-growing State, Illinois may be deemed, in proportion to her size, to possess a greater area of lands suitable for its production than any other State in the Union. Stock- raising is also largely carried on, while her manufacturing interests in regard of woolen fabrics, etc., are on a very extensive and yearly expand- ing scale. The lines of railroad in the State are among the most exten- sive of the Union. Inland water-carriage is facilitated by a canal connecting the Illinois River with Lake Michigan, and thence with the St. Lawrence and Atlantic. Illinois is divided into 102 counties ; the chief towns being Chicago, Springfield (capital), Alton, Quincy, Peoria, Galena, Bloomington, Rock Island, Vandalia, etc. By the new Consti- tution, established in 1870, the State Legislature consists of 51 Senators, elected for four years, and 153 Representatives, for two years; which numbers were to be decennially increased thereafter to the number of six per every additional half-million of inhabitants. Religious and educational institutions are largely diffused throughout, and are in a very flourishing condition. Illinois has a State Lunatic and a Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Jacksonville ; a State Penitentiary at Joliet ; and a Home for


(G6)


258


THE NORTHWESTERN STATES.


Soldiers' Orphans at Normal. On November 30, 1870, the public debt of the State was returned at $4,870,937, with a balance of $1,808,833 unprovided for. At the same period the value of assessed and equalized property presented the following totals: assessed, $840,031,703 ; equal- ized $480,664,058. The name of Illinois, through nearly the whole of the eighteenth century, embraced most of the known regions north and west of Ohio. French colonists established themselves in 1673, at Cahokia and Kaskaskia, and the territory of which these settlements formed the nucleus was, in 1763, ceded to Great Britain in conjunction with Canada, and ultimately resigned to the United States in 1787. Illinois entered the Union as a State, December 3, 1818; and now sends 19 Representatives to Congress. Population, 2,539,891, in 1870.


259


THE NORTHWESTERN STATES.


INDIANA.


The profile of Indiana forms a nearly exact parallelogram, occupy- ing one of the most fertile portions of the great Mississippi Valley. The greater extent of the surface embraced within its limits consists of gentle undulations rising into hilly tracts toward the Ohio bottom. The chief rivers of the State are the Ohio and Wabashı, with their numerous affluents. The soil is highly productive of the cereals and grasses-most particularly so in the valleys of the Ohio, Wabash, Whitewater, and White Rivers. The northeast and central portions are well timbered with virgin forests, and the west section is notably rich in coal, constitut- ing an offshoot of the great Illinois carboniferous field. Iron, copper, marble, slate, gypsum, and various clays are also abundant. From an agricultural point of view, the staple products are maize and wheat, with the other cereals in lesser yields ; and besides these, flax, hemp, sorghum, hops, etc., are extensively raised. Indiana is divided into 92 counties, and counts among her principal cities and towns, those of Indianapolis (the capital), Fort Wayne, Evansville, Terre Haute, Madison, Jefferson- ville, Columbus, Vincennes, South Bend, etc. The public institutions of the State are many and various, and on a scale of magnitude and efficiency commensurate with her important political and industrial status. Upward of two thousand miles of railroads permeate the State in all directions, and greatly conduce to the development of her expanding manufacturing interests. Statistics for the fiscal year terminating October 31, 1870, exhibited a total of receipts, $3,896,541 as against dis- bursements, $3,532,406, leaving a balance, $364,135 in favor of the State Treasury. The entire public debt, January 5, 1871, $3,971,000. This State was first settled by Canadian voyageurs in 1702, who erected a fort at Vincennes ; in 1763 it passed into the hands of the English, and was by the latter ceded to the United States in 1783. From 1788 till 1791, an Indian warefare prevailed. In 1800, all the region west and north of Ohio (then formed into a distinct territory) became merged in Indiana. In 1809, the present limits of the State were defined, Michigan and Illinois having previously been withdrawn. In 1811, Indiana was the theater of the Indian War of Tecumseh, ending with the decisive battle of Tippecanoe. In 1816 (December 11), Indiana became enrolled among the States of the American Union. In 1834, the State passed through a monetary crisis owing to its having become mixed up with railroad, canal, and other speculations on a gigantic scale, which ended, for the time being, in a general collapse of public credit, and consequent bank- ruptcy. Since that time, however, the greater number of the public


260


THE NORTHWESTERN STATES.


works which had brought about that imbroglio - especially the great Wabash and Erie Canal - have been completed, to the great benefit of the State, whose subsequent progress has year by year been marked by rapid strides in the paths of wealth, commerce, and general social and political prosperity. The constitution now in force was adopted in 1851. Population, 1,680,637.


IOWA.


In shape, Iowa presents an almost perfect parallelogram; has a length, north to south, of about 300 miles, by a pretty even width of 208 miles, and embraces an area of 55,045 square miles, or 35,228,800 acres. The surface of the State is generally undulating, rising toward the middle into an elevated plateau which forms the "divide" of the Missouri and Mississippi basins. Rolling prairies, especially in the south section, constitute a regnant feature, and the river bottoms, belted with woodlands, present a soil of the richest alluvion. Iowa is well watered ; the principal rivers being the Mississippi and Missouri, which form respectively its east and west limits, and the Cedar, Iowa, and Des Moines, affluents of the first named. Mineralogically, Iowa is important as occupying a section of the great Northwest coal field, to the extent of an area estimated at 25,000 square miles. Lead, copper, zinc, and iron, are also mined in considerable quantities. The soil is well adapted to the production of wheat, maize, and the other cereals ; fruits, vegetables, and esculent roots; maize, wheat, and oats forming the chief staples. Wine, tobacco, hops, and wax, are other noticeable items of the agricul- tural yield. Cattle-raising, too, is a branch of rural industry largely engaged in. The climate is healthy, although liable to extremes of heat and cold. The annual gross product of the various manufactures carried on in this State approximate, in round numbers, a sum of $20,000,000. Iowa has an immense railroad system, besides over 500 miles of water- communication by means of its navigable rivers. The State is politically divided into 99 counties, with the following centers of population : Des Moines (capital), Iowa City (former capital), Dubuque, Davenport, Bur- lington, Council Bluffs, Keokuk, Muscatine, and Cedar Rapids. The State institutions of Iowa-religious, scholastic, and philanthropic - are on a par, as regards number and perfection of organization and operation, with those of her Northwest sister States, and education is especially well cared for, and largely diffused. Iowa formed a portion of the American territorial acquisitions from France, by the so-called Louisiana purchase in 1803, and was politically identified with Louisiana till 1812,


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when it merged into the Missouri Territory; in 1834 it came under the Michigan organization, and, in 1836, under that of Wisconsin. Finally, after being constituted an independent Territory, it became a State of the Union, December 28, 1846. Population in 1860, 674,913; in 1870, 1,191,792, and in 1875, 1,353,118.


MICHIGAN.


United area, 56,243 square miles, or 35,995,520 acres. Extent of the Upper and smaller Peninsula -length, 316 miles ; breadth, fluctuating between 36 and 120 miles. The south division is 416 miles long, by from 50 to 300 miles wide. Aggregate lake-shore line, 1,400 miles. The Upper, or North, Peninsula consists chiefly of an elevated plateau, expanding into the Porcupine mountain-system, attaining a maximum height of some 2,000 feet. Its shores along Lake Superior are eminently bold and picturesque, and its area is rich in minerals, its product of copper constituting an important source of industry. Both divisions are heavily wooded, and the South one, in addition, boasts of a deep, rich, loamy soil, throwing up excellent crops of cereals and other agricultural produce. The climate is generally mild and humid, though the Winter colds are severe. The chief staples of farm husbandry include the cereals, grasses, maple sugar, sorghum, tobacco, fruits, and dairy-stuffs. In 1870, the acres of land in farms were : improved, 5,096,939; unimproved woodland, 4,080,146 ; other unimproved land, 842,057. The cash value of land was $398,240,578; of farming implements and machinery, $13,711,979. In 1869, there were shipped from the Lake Superior ports, 874,582 tons of iron ore, and 45,762 of smelted pig, along with 14,188 tons of copper (ore and ingot). Coal is another article largely mined. Inland communication is provided for by an admirably organized railroad system, and by the St. Mary's Ship Canal, connecting Lakes Huron and Superior. Michigan is politically divided into 78 counties ; its chief urban centers are Detroit, Lansing (capital), Ann Arbor, Marquette, Bay City, Niles, Ypsilanti, Grand Haven, etc. The Governor of the State is elected biennially. On November 30, 1870, the aggregate bonded debt of Michigan amounted to $2,385,028, and the assessed valuation of land to $266,929,278, representing an estimated cash value of $800,000,000. Education is largely diffused and most excellently conducted and pro- vided for. The State University at Ann Arbor, the colleges of Detroit and Kalamazoo, the Albion Female College, the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, and the State Agricultural College at Lansing, are chief among the academic institutions. Michigan (a term of Chippeway origin, and


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signifying "Great Lake), was discovered and first settled by French Canadians, who, in 1670, founded Detroit, the pioneer of a series of trad- ing-posts on the Indian frontier. During the " Conspiracy of Pontiac," following the French loss of Canada, Michigan became the scene of a sanguinary struggle between the whites and aborigines. In 1796, it became annexed to the United States, which incorporated this region with the Northwest Territory, and then with Indiana Territory, till 1803, when it became territorially independent. Michigan was the theater of warlike operations during the war of 1812 with Great Britain, and in 1819 was authorized to be represented by one delegate in Congress ; in 1837 she was admitted into the Union as a State, and in 1869 ratified the 15th Amendment to the Federal Constitution. Population, 1,184,059.


WISCONSIN.


It has a mean length of 260 miles, and a maximum breadth of 215. Land area, 53,924 square miles, or 34,511,360 acres. Wisconsin lies at a considerable altitude above sea-level, and consists for the most part of an upland plateau, the surface of which is undulating and very generally diversified. Numerous local eminences called mounds are interspersed over the State, and the Lake Michigan coast-line is in many parts char- acterized by lofty escarped cliffs, even as on the west side the banks of the Mississippi form a series of high and picturesque bluffs. A group of islands known as The Apostles lie off the extreme north point of the State in Lake Superior, and the great estnary of Green Bay, running far inland, gives formation to a long, narrow peninsula between its waters and those of Lake Michigan. The river-system of Wisconsin has three outlets - those of Lake Superior, Green Bay, and the Mississippi, which latter stream forms the entire southwest frontier, widening at one point into the large watery expanse called Lake Pepin. Lake Superior receives the St. Louis, Burnt Wood, and Montreal Rivers; Green Bay, the Menomonee, Peshtigo, Oconto, and Fox; while into the Mississippi empty the St. Croix, Chippewa, Black, Wisconsin, and Rock Rivers. The chief interior lakes are those of Winnebago, Horicon, and Court Oreilles, and smaller sheets of water stud a great part of the surface. The climate is healthful, with cold Winters and brief but very warm Summers. Mean annual rainfall 31 inches. The geological system represented by the State, embraces those rocks included between the primary and. the Devonian series, the former containing extensive deposits of copper and iron ore. Besides these minerals, lead and zinc are found in great quantities, together with kaolin, plumbago, gypsum,


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and various clays. Mining, consequently, forms a prominent industry, and one of yearly increasing dimensions. The soil of Wisconsin is of varying quality, but fertile on the whole, and in the north parts of the State heavily timbered. The agricultural yield comprises the cereals, together with flax, hemp, tobacco, pulse, sorgum, and all kinds of vege- tables, and of the hardier fruits. In 1870, the State had a total number of 102,904 farms, occupying 11,715,321 acres, of which 5,899,343 con- sisted of improved land, and 3,437,442 were timbered. Cash value of farms, $300,414,064 ; of farm implements and machinery, $14,239,364. Total estimated value of all farm products, including betterments and additions to stock, $78,027,032 ; of orchard and dairy stuffs, $1,045,933; of lumber, $1,327,618 ; of home manufactures, $338,423 ; of all live-stock, $45,310,882. Number of manufacturing establishments, 7,136, employ- ing 39,055 hands, and turning out productions valued at $85,624,966. The political divisions of the State form 61 counties, and the chief places of wealth, trade, and population, are Madison (the capital), Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Prairie du Chien, Janesville, Portage City, Racine, Kenosha, and La Crosse. In 1870, the total assessed valuation reached $333,209,838, as against a true valuation of both real and personal estate aggregating $602,207,329. Treasury receipts during 1870, 8886,- 696 ; disbursements, $906,329. Value of church property, $4,749,983. Education is amply provided for. Independently of the State University at Madison, and those of Galesville and of Lawrence at Appleton, and the colleges of Beloit, Racine, and Milton, there are Normal Schools at Platteville and Whitewater. The State is divided into 4,802 common school districts, maintained at a cost, in 1870, of $2,094,160. The chari- table institutions of Wisconsin include a Deaf and Dumb Asylum, an Institute for the Education of the Blind, and a Soldiers' Orphans' School. In January, 1870, the railroad system ramified throughout the State totalized 2,779 miles of track, including several lines far advanced toward completion. Immigration is successfully encouraged by the State author- ities, the larger number of yearly new-comers being of Scandinavian and German origin. The territory now occupied within the limits of the State of Wisconsin was explored by French missionaries and traders in 1639, and it remained under French jurisdiction until 1703, when it became annexed to the British North American possessions. In 1796, it reverted to the United States, the government of which latter admitted it within the limits of the Northwest Territory, and in 1809, attached it to that of Illinois, and to Michigan in 1818. Wisconsin became independ- ently territorially organized in 1836, and became a State of the Union, March 3, 1847. Population in 1870, 1,064,985, of which 2,113 were of the colored race, and 11,521 Indians, 1,206 of the latter being out of tribal relations.




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