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 39

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 39


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T. S. Alberry .March 1, 1872, to March 1, 1874, at $500 per year.


J. M. Fitzgerald. March 1, 1874, to March I, 1875, at $500 per year.


J. M. Fitzgerald. March 1, 1875, to January, 1877, at $750 per year.


J. M. Fitzgerald January, 1877, to January, 1880, at $900 per year.


The Farm is located three and one-fourth miles north of Andrew, on the Dubuque and Maquoketa road, and has about one hundred and seventy-five acres under cultivation. The remainder of the Farm is rough land and young timber-land, which is used as a pasture-ground.


The buildings upon the Farm are generally in good order. The Warden occupies a brick dwelling-house, about 28x38 feet, and containing six rooms. The Poor House proper is a frame building to the east side of the dwelling, originally built for a wagon-shed below and dancing-hall above. This was refitted and partitioned, when it came into the possession of the county, in such a manner as to furnish comfortable quarters for the paupers.


In 1870 and 1872, there was a stone building, 26x30 feet, two and one- half stories, erected by the county, in which might be accommodated the incurable insane returned from the State Asylum. Each floor is divided into rooms or cells, with doors of iron grating, opening into the halls, by which means the cells are heated in winter from stoves located in the halls. In this department are nineteen insane persons, eleven of whom have been pronounced incurable.


There are at present twenty-one paupers in the care of the county. Dur- ing the past year, the average number of paupers and insane has been thirty- eight. Total number to whom relief was furnished, seventy-one. There are accommodations for probably twenty-five more than the present number. The Farm is well stocked and equipped with necessary farming machinery.


The cost per week of keeping each pauper during the year 1878 has been 66 cents. Deducting from the expenditures for the year the expense which would accrue in keeping the State Asylum, a balance would result in favor of the county.


THE COUNTY JAIL.


The stone jail erected at Andrew by Peter Mullen in 1847, of which men- tion has been made in connection with the sketch of the county seat contest, was for many years an eye-sore to the more enterprising citizens of Jackson County. This jail stood, and still stands, on the public square in Andrew, being now con- verted into a dwelling-house. Almost every grand jury summoned for years published a phillipic against its unstable walls and filthy interior, but in vain.


January, 1867, it was declared unfit for human beings, and a committee was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to prepare specifications for a new one.


345


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


During that year, the question was submitted to the people to decide whether the county should build a jail costing $8,000. This met with a decided negative. Then again, in 1869, was submitted a proposition to erect a $15,000 jail, to be paid for in county bonds. Still the people of Jackson did not believe in build- ing palaces for criminals.


The law allowed the Supervisors, on their own motion, to expend not to exceed $5,000 for a county jail, and, in October, 1870, they took the question into their own hands, as may be seen by the following resolution, which was adopted :


Whereas, At the September term, 1870, of the District Court in Jackson County, Iowa, the grand jury in and for said county reported the jail on the public square in Andrew to be unfit for the safe keeping of prisoners, that the same is unhealthy, not being well ventilated, and that the same is a nuisance ; and,


Whereas, Said report was ordered by said District Court to be laid before the Board of Supervisors of Jackson County at the next meeting thereof for its action thereon : now, therefore, be it


Resolved, That there be appropriated by the Board out of the county fund of Jackson County the sum of $5,000, to be expended in the erection of a jail on the public square in Andrew, in said county, and under the supervision and control of John Holroyd and Arnold Reiling, two members of this Board, and that they be and are hereby required to furnish a plan and specifications for said jail, and to let the contract for the building of the same as soon as practicable.


In obedience to this resolution, a contract was made with Messrs. Strasser & Schlect to build a substantial stone jail for $5,000, which was done in 1871. The contract did not include the iron cells.


Jackson County Jail is located on the northwest corner of the public square in Andrew, and is a solid stone structure two stories in height, and about thirty- five by forty feet in size. The front part of the jail affords comfortable apartments for the jailer. The rear half is a large room, with ceiling about twenty-two feet high, and ceiled throughout with iron. Under the floor is a block stone pavement. Double iron doors guard the entrance. On the north side of this room are six cells for prisoners, three of iron and three of four-inch wood. A small yard adjoins the jail on the east, surrounded by a stone wall some eighteen feet high, and guarded on the top with broken glass set edgewise in a bed of mortar. An apartment for women is fitted up in the attic.


Jackson County has a good jail. The misfortune is, that it is located eight miles from the county seat. While court is in session the prisoners are brought to Maquoketa and confined in cages provided for them in the basement.


The present jailer is Capt. T. M. Hamilton, who is esteemed as a most efficient officer and kind keeper.


COUNTY FINANCES.


The financial management of Jackson County, generally speaking, has been an economical one. Opposed to running the county deeply in debt, its financiers have never permitted useless extravagance. True, a seeming care- lessness has on two occasions, as elsewhere appears, exposed the county funds to breaches of trust, which may, perhaps, more properly be called the misfor- tunes than the faults of managers.


Times have occurred when county warrants were not worth more than sixty or seventy cents on the dollar, but a judicious financial policy has ever endeav- ored to keep them at par, thus bringing contract bids to a cash basis and secur- ing full work for orders drawn. No money has ever been paid by the county, in its corporate capacity, for railroads, nor has any great amount been expended for public buildings. Much has been expended in the way of bridges, as elsewhere appears.


346


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


June 1, 1879, shows an indebtedness only in the bridge fund. There are outstanding warrants on the Treasurer, at that date, for $9,806.86, with an accumulated interest, in addition, of some $1,200 or $1,500. This indebted- ness will be liquidated, in all probability, during the coming year. There are no county bonds outstanding.


The report of the Treasurer, for the same date, shows the amount of cash in the treasury to be upward of $30,000, showing a decidedly healthy condi- tion of money affairs at the present time.


The tax levy for 1878 was as follows : County Fund, 4 mills; State Fund, 2 mills ; School Fund, 1 mill ; Bridge Fund, 3 mills ; Bonds, 2} mills ; Insane Hospital, } mill ; County Insane, 1 mill; total, 14 mills.


The school tax of 1 mill goes to the General School Fund. In addition to this, the Directors of each school district levy a tax for the support of schools in their respective districts. Of the State School Fund, there is loaned out by County Auditor of Jackson County, $37,160.84. The revenue derived hy the county by apportionment from the State School Fund during the past year was $4,582.50.


We give herewith the assessment for 1879: Town lots, $535,516; land, $2,614,661 ; personal property, $1,111,817 ; railroads, $172,221; total, $4,434,215.


In the above assessment, real estate is supposed to be estimated at about one-third its actual value. The Assessors were instructed to assess the lands averaging from $5 an acre, in the poorest township, to $9 per acre in the town containing the best lands. The large proportion of timber-land reduces greatly the average value, there being, in places, land valued at $60 near by that which would be dear at $10,


Herewith we give the equalization list for the above assessment, as prepared by the Board of Supervisors to assist Assessors in making their assessments uniform :


Work horses and mules, four years old and over, to average. $40 00


Work horses and mules, three to four years old, to average. 30 00


Work horses and mules, two to three years old, to average .. 20 00


Work horses and mules, one to two years old, to average .... 15 00


Asses, fit for service, to average. 150 00


Stallions, fit for service, to average. 200 00


Jennies, fit for service, to average .. 60 00


Work oxen, four years old and over, to average per yoke. 50 00


Steers, from three to four years old, to average. 16 00


Steers, from two to three years old, to average ..


10 00


Steers, from one to two years old, to average


5 00


Cows, four years old and over, to average.


10 00


Heifers, two to three years old, to average.


6 00


Heifers, one to two years old, to average.


4 00


Swine, one year old and over, to average


2 00


Swine, six months to one year, to average.


1 00


Sheep, per head. 1 00


Vehicles (first-class), two-horse, to average


150 00


Vehicles (first-class), one-horse, to average. 100 00


All other vehicles, as well as farming implements (except lumber wagons in actual use) and other property to be assessed on the foregoing basis, except articles which are exempt under the provisions of Section 797 of the Code.


On motion, it was ordered that the real estate of the different townships be classified as follows :


Bellevue Township, to average.


$6 00


Brandon .. .€


5 50


Butler


5 00


Fairfield


6 00


Farmers Creek


6 00


347


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


lowa


Township, to average.


$7 00


Jackson


6 50


Maquoketa 46


8 00


Monmouth


8 00


Otter Creek


5 00


Perry


6 00


Prairie Springs ..


..


6 00


Richland


7 50


South Fork


8 00


Tete des Morts


5 50


Union


=


6 00


Van Buren


.€


9 00


Washington


5 00


The assessment for 1879, by townships, is as follows :


VALUE OF LANDS, TOWN LOTS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.


TOWNSHIPS.


Асгев.


Vatue.


Town Lots.


Personal Property.


Total Valuation.


Andrew City


159165


$ 11875


S 8133


S 20012


Bellevue City


137353


58188


195543


Bellevue Township.


26167


159195


3163


51753


213051


Butler Township


22806


113474


32838


146312


Brandon Township.


22731


124927


3497


30428


160277


Fairfield Township.


22523


147295


47543


184839


Farmers Creek Township.


22351


136624


6066


40835


183580


Iowa Township


21447


175586


831


42572


214989


Maquoketa City.


1671


23065


208018


225945


455678


Monmouth Township.


22842


181466


16165


85237


282869


Otter Creek Township.


22914


114315


26036


140351


Perry Township.


22377


144042


41700


185742


Prairie Spring Township.


22639


110999


3130


37875


152004


Richland Township ..


22679


170985


2540


34740


208265


South Fork Township.


20821


173349


22216


195565


Sabula City.


23


115


88589


39425


128129


Union Townsbip


8872


54364


15677


70041


Van Buren Township


20974


194580


34862


72586


302028


Washington Township.


26376


130519


3672


34810


169827


Tete des Morts Township.


20661


116918


3845


41395


162158


Totals.


402186


$2614661 $535516


$1111817


$4278681


SOCIAL STATISTICS, ETC.


Since the organization of Jackson County, in 1838, the census report shows the following increase in population. It will be noticed that steady growth has marked each year, with two exceptions. There has been no unhealthy haste, but a constant influx of substantial citizens, drawn hither by the merit of the region. Below is given a statement of each enumeration.


1838


881


1856


14077


1840


1452


1859


17710


1844


2000


1860.


18493


1846


4767


1863.


19158


1847


4689


1865.


19097


1849


5677


1867.


19970


1850.


7210


1869


20579


1851


7597


1870.


22619


1852.


8231


1873


22284


1854.


12166


1875.


23060


..


28434


201046


11904


81857


321457


Jackson Township


22876


145747


40028


185765


Maquoketa Township.


We append a tabular statement of the population of the county according to the census of 1875. This will not represent the true state of case in 1879,


348


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


but will be of value as a matter of reference. The growth of the county is slow now, and the addition of five per cent upon the aggregate, will probably not be far from the true census of the county.


POPULATION.


TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND TOWNS.


Total Population.


Number of Families.


Brandon Township


589


512


1101


217


Butler


66


435


382


817


153


Bellevue


66


503


458


961


143


Fairfield


46


432


362


794


144


Farmers' Creek Townsbip


867


778


1640


113


lowa


60


585


578


1163


228


Jackson


4 4


459


486


945


164


Maquoketa


66


567


502


1069


189


Monmouth


6 .


724


691


1415


284


Otter Creek


441


445


886


130


Perry


478


374


847


154


Prairie Springs


543


501


1


1045


170


Richland


463


413


876


140


South Fork


4 4


498


427


925


187


Tete des Morts


522


457


979


170


Union


108


98


206


39


Van Buren


696


623


6


1325


243


Washington


575


489


1064


190


Town of Andrew


145


119


264


57


Sabula


540


462


1


1003


222


City of Bellevue.


789


832


2


1628


301


Maquoketa


1041


1071


2112


458


Total of County


11995


11055


10


23060


4296


The population of the towns during the census of 1870, 1875 and 1874 was as follows :


TOWN OR CITY.


1870


1873


1875


Andrew


352


378


264


Bellevue


1353


1552


1623


Maquoketa.


1756


1681


2112


Sabula


920


1033


1003


The following items from the census report of 1875, may also be of interest :


Number of acres of improved land.


.193,290


Number of acres of unimproved land.


.142,401


Number of acres under cultivation in 1874.


142,401


Number of acres of natural timber.


95,160


Number of population born in United States.


17,950


Number of population born in foreign countries.


4,863


Number of voters in 1875.


4,901


Number of voters born in Ireland.


506


Number of voters born in Germany ..


1,452


Number of foreigners not naturalized ..


361


Number of persons between the ages of 5 and 21 years.


8,694


Male.


Female.


Colored.


In the above table it may be noticed as a curious coincidence that the num- ber of acres of unimproved land and the number under cultivation in 1874, are precisely the same, though running into the hundred thousands. In Jackson County, in 1875, there were thirty-one post offices, as follows: Andrew, Bald- win, Bellevue, Bridgeport, Canton, Cottonville, Crabb's Mills, Emeline, Fulton, Garry Owen, Gorden's Ferry, Green Island, Higginsport, Iron Hill, La Motte,


349


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


Maquoketa, Miles, Monmouth, Mt. Alger, Nashville, Otter Creek, Ozark, Pres- ton, Sabula, St. Donatus, Spragueville, Spring Brook, Sterling, Union Center, Van Buren, Zwingle.


GEOLOGICAL.


Nearly the entire county is underlaid by the Niagara limestone, which, in many places, is exposed along the banks of the Maquoketa and other streams, often forming cliffs many feet in elevation. No other rock than this is seen in the interior of the county, but in the eastern and northeastern edges, the Missis- sippi and its tributaries have cut down through the Hudson River shales into the Galena limestone, and exposed from fifty to one hundred feet in thickness this latter rock.


The Niagara limestone, as developed in this district, is a light yellow grayish dolomite, which is generally somewhat crystalline in its texture. Its upper portion is somewhat porous and softer than the lower, so that it is much less conspicuous than the harder strata below. In the southern part of the county, these upper beds are seen occasionally and especially in loose masses, which are characterized by the presence of numerous casts of heads and stems of crinoids. The localities of iron ore in Iowa are situated chiefly in Jackson County, near the Maquoketa and the branches running into it from the north side, especially Farmers', Brush and Lytle's Creeks. There are numerous fragments and small pieces of hematite ore lying on the surface in some por- tions of that region, and these have, naturally enough, among those unac- quainted with the modes of occurrences of the metalliferous areas, been pre- sumed to indicate the existence of heavy beds of the same material in the rocks below. There has, however, never been discovered a lower stratum of ore having anything like the dimensions necessary to justify the erection of fur- naces for the smelting of iron.


The ore seems to have originated, in some instances, in the decomposition of nodules of iron pyrites distributed irregularly through the rock. In other cases, it has been deposited in the fissures and cavities of the limestone, with springs, charged with ferruginous matter, itself likely the result of the decom- position of the sulphuret. In general, the fragments of the iron ore lie scat- teringly over the surface, and this is not an uncommon occurrence over the whole region underlaid with the Niagara limestone; but there are some limited districts where the quantity of fragments that have been liberated by the decom- position of the rock is considerable. Usually these loose masses are quite small, the size of a man's fist being the most common. Occasionally the ore may be seen in the rock, although this is not frequently the case. When thus seen, the evidence of its local origin and of its necessarily limited range is con- clusive.


The dip of the limestone strata seems to be quite rapid in this region, as is shown by the position of the Cincinnati shales, called sometimes Maquoketa shales, which are met in ascending the bluffs at Dubuque, at an elevation of some two hundred and fifty feet, while at Bellevue they have sunk to the water's edge ; although the direction of the river in this part of its course is at a considerable angle with the line of greatest dip of strata in this region. From Bellevue to Sabula, near which place the shales finally disappear beneatlı the river, the dip is considerably less than it has been shown to be above the first-mentioned place.


The Tete des Morts Valley, in the northeastern part of the county, is one of the most picturesque and attractive in this region. Along the borders of


350


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


the stream there are cliffs of the Galena limestone, rising, in some places, fifty feet perpendicular. Above this rock we come upon a gently undulating region, having a rich soil which extends back on each side of the creek, gradually rising until it reaches the bluff, at a distance which diminishes as we ascend the stream. This undulating and fertile belt is underlaid by the soft and easily decomposed shales of the Cincinnati group, which are capped by the harder beds of Niagara limestone.


The shales mentioned above as Maquoketa shales, are known in State Geol- ogist White's reports as such, though usually mentioned in geological works as Cincinnati shales. Prof. White applies the name Maquoketa to the particular epochal subdivision or formation of the group which alone is found in Iowa.


The surface occupied by this formation is comprised within a singularly long and narrow area, seldom reaching more than a mile or two in width, but more than a hundred miles in length, within the State. Its most southerly exposure has been mentioned above as at Bellevue bluffs, and near Sabula at the water's edge, and the most northerly one yet recognized is in the western part of Win- neshiek County.


The whole formation is largely composed of bluish and brownish shales, which weather into a tenacious clay upon the surface, and the soil derived from it is usually stiff and clayey. The shales are sometimes slightly arenaceous. and sometimes calcareous bands compose a considerable part of their bulk. The shales are sometimes bituminous, but there is no reason to suppose that they contain enough for the profitable distillation of petroleum. Their eco- nomic value is very slight, consisting principally of the brick clay into which they disintegrate upon the surface.


The northeastern part of Jackson County composes a part of what is some- times called the " bowlderless region," including about one-third of the county. This district is characterized by almost a complete absence of bowlders, while they occur in every other part of the State.


BURT'S CAVE.


Burt's Cave or Caves, as they would be more properly named, are located about nine miles northwest of Maquoketa, in one of the wildest and most romantic spots in the State of Iowa. Rocks have been hurled about promiscu- ously in the mighty upheavals, by which the face of Mother Earth was here made to assume such a varied form. Hill and dale alternate with increasing size and frequency as we approach the spot where the caves are to be found.


Hanging across the gorge at the height of almost one hundred feet, at a distance of, perhaps, fifteen rods from the mouth of the cavern, is the natural bridge, consisting of an arch of rocks spanning the gorge at the dizzy elevation just mentioned.


We quote, in description of the caves, from the pen of Judge Thayer, of the Clinton Age, who, in describing an excursion to this natural wonder, writes as follows :


"'Now for the mouth of the cave' was the cry. Down the declivity we all started, and in less than five minutes we were at the entrance of the mighty cavern. Torches were there in hands of experienced guides, and the whole company commenced to survey the internal beauties of this wonderful work. We soon came to a brook of cool, clear water, which seemed to take its rise in a cavity half-way up the arch, and satisfying our thirst we moved on.


"It is something over a half-mile through the main part of the cave. But there are myriads of smaller cavities, on either side of the main street, which


351


HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.


have only been partially explored, and which, in our mind, lead to rooms and halls unsurpassed, perhaps, only by the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. Some of our company, with no preparations for exploring, made new and important discoveries.


" When the interest in such wonderful curiosities becomes a little greater in the West, scientific surveys and explorations will be made, and then the fuil extent of this great cavern may be ascertained. Until then, the public may consider it a tremendous bore and let it go at that.


" Passing over one side of the mountain, we come again to the entrance- having once passed through the hill. At the right of the entrance is another aperture, probably one hundred and fifty feet wide, one thousand feet long, with the lowest arch high enough to walk under conveniently, and without stooping. This cavern is hardly less interesting to the spectator than the tunnel through which we have just passed. In one part of it is a beautiful, flat prominence known as the ballroom, where the light, fantastic toe is merrily tripped, at times, hour after hour. Here we gathered specimens, which we cannot describe save to say they are beautiful and we prize them.


" Passing through this cavern, we go some seventy-five feet into a ravine where the banks on either side are solid rock, and, extending up several hundred feet, make as grand scenery as the eye desires to behold. Then we reach the entrance to still another cave. We entered this but a few hundred feet. Beyond us we could hear a stream of water pouring out of the rocks and mak- ing, we should judge from the sound, a young Niagara. Here there have been less explorations made than anywhere else about the mountain. But, viewing the entrance from without, and taking a hasty survey of the height and breadth of this elevation, we predict that here will be found the greatest wonders of all this mountainous region."


The ceilings of these caves are hung with most beautiful stalactites, and upon the floor the corresponding stalagmites, the slow deposits of centuries, rise to meet their companions above. Unfortunately for the beauty of these caves, no effort has been made to preserve the natural ornamentation of the ceilings, and the glittering pendants have been broken off, or knocked down by visitors, until only a fraction, and that of the least interesting of these lime deposits, remains.


Further explorations of these caverns have been made since Judge Thayer's visit, and marvelous reports of miles of passage-ways have been brought back by those who have spent whole days among these subterraneous wonders. After a few turns in this labyrinth, the best geographical head is muddled. and no one dares venture into strange parts of the cave without a ball of twine attached to the entrance, or some other mark to lead him out again.


This cave was discovered by Joshua Bear and David Scott, while the county was yet unsettled. Mr. Bear has given the following account of the discovery :


" You know that Scott and I, the first year we lived in Iowa, had to depend almost entirely upon our rifles for the subsistence of our families. In the hunt- ing season, he would come to my house, or I would go to his, and we would start together for a ten-days' hunt. On the occasion of the discovery of the cave, we started from Scott's for the heavy timber on the forks of the Maquo- keta, knowing that the deer would take shelter there from the heavy snow-storm prevailing at the time. We hunted till near sundown, having hung up some five or six deer during the day.




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