USA > Iowa > Mahaska County > The history of Mahaska County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics > Part 34
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From Washington they proceeded to New York, where they were shown little attention, and General Street attempted to show them the city on foot, but on their first appearance the Gothamites crowded them beyond en- durance in their endeavors to see Black Hawk and others, so that the whole party was obliged to escape the crowd by passing through a store, and tak- ing the alley way toward their hotel. At Boston they were met at the train by carriages, at the public expense, and the following day, in open carriages with guards on foot, were shown almost the whole city. Governor Edward Everett gave a banquet for them, and there, as everywhere, Kish- ke-kosh made himself the decided favorite by his witticisms, jokes and stories, especially among the ladies. He came back home loaded with presents, jewelry, rings and fancy work, which, during the remainder of his life, he delighted to display, saying these were given him by the "white squaws." When the Indians returned and were asked about New York City, they only expressed their disgust. Boston was the only place in the United States, in their estimation, an opinion which they may have im- bibed from Bostonians, who probably in words, as well as in attentions, gave the braves to understand that their city was the "hub."
It was in recognition of Kish-ke-kosh's distinction during this visit that he was made a village chief and removed to the banks of the Skunk river, as above mentioned.
Here the squaws, after grubbing ont hazel brush on the banks of the creeks or the edge of timber, unaided by plow or brave, planted and tended their patches of corn, surrounding them by rude fences of willow, which were renewed every year. Here the men trained their ponies, hunted, fished and loafed, until they were disturbed by the incoming of the whites.
The following incident is located at this point: Sometime about 1841 Major Beach, Indian Agent, in company with W. B. Street, and others, came up here from Agency City, on some business with Kish-ke-kosh.
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Arriving late in the evening they encamped near the village, and on the following morning Kish-ke-kosh, with his assistants, came over to the camp to receive them. The pipe of peace was lighted and passed around, and business transacted. After the council the whites were invited to come over in the evening to the feast which the Indians proposed having in honor of their visit. The invitation was accepted, and presently the whites heard a great howling among the dogs, and looking in direction of the village they could plainly see the preparations for the supper. A number of dogs were killed and stretched on stakes a few inches above the ground. They were then covered by dried grass, which was set on fire and the hair singed off, after which, when the dogs had passed through a scraping process, they were cut up and placed in pots, along with a quantity of corn. Thus was the favorite barbecue among the race prepared. The whites were promptly in attendance, but on account of their national prejudice (!) they were provided with venison soup instead of dog stew. After the feast dancing was com- menced, first the Green Corn dance, then the Medicine dance, and closing just before morning with the Scalp dance. Kish-ke-kosh did not take part in the Terpsichorean exhibition, but sat with the whites, laughing, joking and telling stories. This village of Kish-ke-kosh contained about two hundred and fifty Indians, and a few months after the treaty of 1842 they removed to a point about three miles south-east of the present capital of the state on the Des Moines river, where Keokuk had his village at this time. There they remained until the spring of 1846, when the entire party were conveyed in United States Government wagons to a point on the reservation, seventy miles southwest of Kansas City. Some of the bark covered huts of Kish-ke-kosh's village still remained in White Oak township after the white settlers came, and the graves covered by a roof of rude slabs were still to be seen, but now every Indian relic is gone, save as the plowman turns from under the glebe an occasional arrow-head or hatchet. The wigwam has given way to the stately homestead or tapering spire; the war dance and dog feast to the second best county fair in the state. Where once the Indian youth found his early training in drawing his supple bow upon the wary fox, the boys of another race trudge to the district school, or serve an appren- ticeship behind the plow. The soil for centuries unbroken now yields a fruitful reward to an industry unknown to the aboriginies of our prairies. The Indian has read the Mene, Mene, tekel, upharsin of his doomed race, and his history forces upon every thoughtful mind a feeling of pity, in con- trast with a thought of expediency-a contrast in which expediency has usually had the best of it.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first dwelling occupied by whites on the soil of what is now Ma- haska county was erected in 1842, by one Macbeth, while the country was yet in possession of the Indians. Eddyville was then an Indian village known as Hard Fish's village, and here J. P. Eddy had a trading point, whence came the modern name of the town. A short distance from this village, but within the limits of Mahaska county, Macbeth, by permission of the Indians, built his cabin, though it is doubtful if he ever lived in it. It is said to have been occupied by John B. Gray and his family, during the winter of 1842-3.
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HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
Those expecting to make settlements on the "New Purchase " were for- bidden to come on the reserve until the time of its delivery into the hands of the government by the Indians, May 1st, 1843. Dragoons were sta- tioned all along the border, whose duty it was to keep the whites out of the country until the appointed time. For some weeks previous to the date assigned, settlers came up into the new country, prospecting for homes, and were quietly permitted to cross the border and look around, so long as they were unaccompanied by wagon and carried no ax. This latter weapon was sometimes placed without a handle in the knapsack of the traveler and an impromptu handle fitted in by a penknife, when necessity called for its nse. During the last few days of April the dragoons relaxed their strict discipline and an occasional wagon slipped in through the brush. The night of April 30th found some scores of newcomers on the ground, who had been prospecting the country, who had decided mentally what claims they would make, and had various agreements among themselves. These settlers were mostly along or near the Des Moines river, it then being thought that prairie land was not half so desirable as the river and timber country.
As it neared midnight on the morning of May 1st, settler after settler took his place upon the border of his claim with his bunch of sharpened stakes and lantern, or his blazing torch, and when it was thought twelve o'clock had arrived there was some lively surveying by amateur engineers in the dark. The claims were paced off, and strange to say there were few cases of dispute, the matter having been pretty generally understood on the preceding day. Some of the claims were pretty large, more, in fact, than the law suffered the claimants to hold, some of whom were not un- mindful of the wholesome advice of a mother in Hoosierdom, who possibly lived in a later day, but who counseled "Git a plenty while your gittin," to which the settler added, "and git the best." The first squatter is un- known under these circumstances, though the name of those who claim the honor is legion.
In the settlement of the Territory of Iowa, the legislature began by or- ganizing counties on the Mississippi. As each new county was formed it was made to include, under legal jurisdiction, all the country bordering west of it, and required to grant to the occidental settlers electoral priv- ileges and an equal share in the county government, with those who prop- erly lived in the geographical limit of the county. Thus did Mahaska county at one time have jurisdiction over the country about Des Moines city.
By act of the territorial legislature, February 5, 1844, a provision was made for the organization of this county, including unlimited territory north and west, as far as settled. By the provisions of the act William Edmundson was appointed sheriff, and by judge Williams, of Muscatine, M. T. Williams, then of Mt. Pleasant, was appointed clerk. According to the territorial law it was the duty of these men to perfect the organiza- tion of the county.
There was no justice of the peace nor other officer privileged to admin- ister an oath, until Wm. Edmundson was appointed justice, March 10, 1844, by Gov. Chambers, in accordance with the privilege granted him by act of the legislature.
If the reader will, in imagination, carry himself back to this time, and consider the condition of the country when these gentlemen come into the
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county he will have no difficulty in realizing that the work of organizing a frontier county was no easy task. No local map of the country had ever been made. Roads were yet a thing to come. The fords of the river had not been discovered and the homes of settlers were only to be found by the sagacity of the traveler, who, taking the sun as a guide, would set out in a ride of from 15 to 30 miles, over a trackless prairie, in search of a squatter's cabin. In the face of these difficulties the sheriff and clerk divided the new county into election precincts and, with the aid of John W. Jones and Wm. A. Delashmutt, succeeded in finding and appointing election officers sufficient for holding the first election, which occurred on the first Monday in April, 1844.
As far as we have been able to ascertain, the following were the precincts, and members of the election board in this first election :
Harrison .- Britton Edwards, John Newell, Jacob Hamilton, Ephraim Munsell, and Col. Vance.
Spring Creek .- Jonathan Williams, Isaac N. Seevers, D. Bowers, Geo. W. Seevers, and William Pilgrim. The polling place of this precinct was on the farm now owned by James Roberts, about one mile northeast from the county seat.
Jefferson .- A. C. Sharp, Allen Lowe, Thomas Long, Thomas Stanley, and John Long.
White Oak .- John N. Butler, Henry Bond, Pleasant Parker, B. Stone, and Jacob Hunter. This election was held at the house of Henry Bond.
Six Mile Prairie .- G. G. Rose, Thomas Wilson, Wesley Freel, William Bassett, and John Patches.
Monroe .- John Hollingsworth, Isaac Bedwell, M. P. Crowder, Robert Ritchey, and George Bailey.
Red Rock .- William E. James, Samuel Geddis, Argus A. Martin, John HI. Mikesell, and John Jordan. Now in Marion county.
Jackson (now Scott) .- Jacob H. Majors, - Highland, and Hezekiah Gay.
White Breast .- J. B. Hamilton, Albert Vertreese, Elias Elder, Osee Matthews, and Green T. Clark. This precinct was a part of what is now Marion county.
We were not successful in discovering the number of votes polled at this election, which resulted in the choice of the following officers:
John White, Probate Judge; Wm. Edmundson, Sheriff; Wm. Pilgrim, Recorder; Wm. D. Canfield, Treasurer; W. A. Delashmutt, Assessor; Brittain Edwards, Coroner; A. S. Nichols, Wilson Stanley, and Robert Curry, County Commissioners; David Stump, Surveyor; John W. Cun- ningham, Commissioner's Clerk.
A few days later these men were sworn into office and the machinery of government was in progress.
COUNTY SEAT CONTEST.
The act of the Legislature organizing the county appointed three commis- sioners from without its boundary, who were supposed to be an impartial court to decide the question of locating the county seat. This commission was paid for at the rate of two dollars per day for each individual, which seems quite a small remuneration for the hardships and privations of their ten days' tramp through the wilderness.
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HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
The commission was composed of Jesse Williams, of Johnson county; Ebenezer Perkins, of Washington county; and Thomas Henderson, of Keo- kuk county.
These men, on May 11, 1844, completed their task, and announced their decision as follows:
TERRITORY OF IOWA, Į MAHASKA COUNTY.
May 11th, 1844.
THE undersigned, commissioners appointed by the thirteenth section of an act entitled An Act to Organize the Counties of Keokuk and Mahaska, after being duly qualified, agreeably to the provisions of said act, have come unanimously to the conclusion to locate the county seat of said county, and do hereby locate said county seat, on the southeast quarter of section thirteen (13), in township seventy-five (75) of range sixteen (16).
JESSE WILLIAMS, THOMAS HENDERSON, EBENEZER PERKINS.
This quarter section, as many of our readers well know, contains the bus- iness portion and many of the dwellings of the present seat of justice, Oska- loosa.
Three locations were pressed for the choice of the commission.
1st. Auburn, a site at the head of Six Mile Prairie, its advocates claim- ing as its advantages, its location on the river-an argument, it is said, which had considerable force with the commissioners; it was also claimed that it would be the center of population of the county, under the impres- sion that the prairies were so expensive they would not be settled up for gen- erations.
2d. The geographical center of the county, a spot about two and one-half miles north of Oskaloosa. This was objected to as inaccessible, and of bad physical location.
3d. The place known as "The Narrows," the final choice of the commis- sion. This was a point on the water-shed between South Skunk river and the Des Moines, where the timber land from either stream approached al- most to joining. Before the country was settled, this point could be seen for twenty miles as the pioneer approached it from the southeast, and the ridge lined on either side by the timber skirting the bordering streams, looked like one long vista, with a gateway of green at the limit of vision. This water-shed was the great highway of travel between different points on the Mississippi and Missouri, or far west. These circumstances induced the de- cision of the commissioners in favor of "The Narrows." They favored Os- kaloosa as the name of the proposed town, but some of the citizens wished the county seat to have the same name as the county, Mahaska, and owing to the difference of opinion, the locating commissioners left the name of the town to be settled by the county commissioners, but recommended Oskaloosa as the name. Two of these latter, A. S. Nichols and Robert Curry, met at the appointed place on May 13, 1844, but the third com- missioner, Wilson Stanley, not being present, they adjonrned till the day following, when, being qualified, they proceeded to select jurors for the first term of the District Court, and provide for the survey of the county seat, etc., etc.
Wm. D. Canfield, not liking the name Mahaska, asked the commission to choose another name. M. T. Williams proposed Oskaloosa. The sentiment of the bystanders was taken, and a large majority favored the suggestion of
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Mr. Williams, and the following entry was made by the clerk of the Board:
Ordered, By the board, that Oskaloosa shall be the name of the seat of justice of Mahaska county.
HISTORY OF NAMES OSKALOOSA AND MAHASKA.
Our readers will, perhaps, feel interested in knowing the origin of this name. We are informed that the proper spelling is Ouscaloosa. Ousca- loosa, of Indian history or tradition, was a Creek princess. The Seminoles made war upon the Creeks, and destroyed the whole body of warriors. The father of Ouscaloosa was among the slain, and she, with all the women of the Creeks, was taken prisoner. Eventually Osceola, a chief of the Semi- noles, made her his wife, and gave her the Seminole name Ouscaloosa, mean- ing " The Last of the Beautiful."
Apropos, we quote from the Herald of 1853:
Oskaloosa! Oskaloosa! What a beauteous name; Who'd have thought a wee papoose Ever bore the same?
Once it was an Indian baby, Then a chieftain's mate; Now a city, next it may be Capital of state.
"Tis a name of progress fairly, And the poet's song Is in droll diffusions rarely Helping it along.
Go ahead, fair Oskaloosa, Great and growing name! Who'd have thought a wee papoose Ever bore the same?
November 28th, 1853.
G. W. S.
For the current spelling of Oskaloosa the first clerk was responsible, who never having seen the name in print, guessed at the orthography. If the clerks at the post-office are to be believed, some other persons who live else- where have " guessed " differently, and with various results, as Oskalusa, Oscalosa, Oscaloosa, Oskalusa, Oscaloocy, Oskeloosa, Oskloosa, Oskalooca, Oskalouisa, Osklusa, Anskalucy, Oskaloosee, Oskalucy, Oskalusee, Oscal- lusa, Oskilucy, Oskalloosy, Oskaleucy, Oskalloosa, Auskaloosa, Auskiloocy, etc., etc.
Mahaska, the name of the county, was that of an Iowa chief, meaning, in our language, White Cloud. For the following interesting sketch of his life, we are indebted to a work in the State Library :
LIFE OF MAHASKA.
"Mahaska, or White Cloud, the elder, was the son of Manhawgaw or the Wounding Arrow, who was principal chief of the Panhoochee or pierced nose band of Indians. Mauhawgaw emigrated, some hundred and fifty years ago, from Michillmacinac to the west bank of the Iowa River, and
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HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
selected a position near its month, where his band kindled their fires and smoked their pipes to the Great Spirit. The name given to this river by Mauhawgaw, was Neohony, or the Master of Rivers.
" Having built his village, he was greeted with a salutation from the Sioux. A pipe was sent to him by that tribe, with an invitation to a dog feast, made in honor of the Great Spirit. He accepted the invitation and joined in the ceremony. Whilst at the feast, and no doubt reposing in the most perfect security, he was suddenly attacked; but though surprised he succeeded in killing one man and three woman, before he was slain. This outrage upon the national honor has never been forgiven.
"The Iowas, indignant at the conduct of the Sioux, resolved immediately on revenge. They raised a war party. Of this party, the son Mahaska was the legitimate chief; but being young, and having never distinguished him- self in battle, he declined taking the command, but by virtue of his right he conferred upon a distinguished and tried warrior, the authority to lead his warriors against the Sioux-stating at the time, that he would accompany the expedition as a common soldier, and fight until he should acquire exper- ience and gain trophies enough to secure to him the confidence of his peo- ple.
" Arrangements being made, the party marched into the Sionx country, and gained a great victory ; taking ten of the enemy's scalps. The young Makaska brought home, in his own bunch, the scalp of the Sioux chief, in whose lodge the life of his father had been so treacherously taken.
" Having thus shown himself a brave, he assumed the command of his war- riors and of his tribe. Ilis war adventures were numerons and daring. He was in eighteen battles against varions bands, and was never defeated. In one of his expeditions against the Osages, with whom his conflicts were many, he arrived on the north bank of the Missouri, and while there, and engaged in trying to stop and effusion of blood from his nose, he espied a canoe descending the river, in which were three Frenchmen; wishing to cross over with his party, he called upon the Frenchmen to land and assist him. The Frenchmen not only refused but fired upon the Indians, wounding one of the White Cloud's braves. The fire was instantly returned, which killed one of the Frenchmen.
" White Cloud had so far taken no part in this little affair, but, seeing one of his braves wounded, he called for his gun, saying, 'You have killed one of the rascals, I'll try if I cannot send another along with him to keep him company to the Chee.' Chee means the house of the Black Spirit.
"As usual, the whites raised a great clamor against the Iowas, giving out all along the borders, that they were killing the settlers. A party was raised and armed, and marched forthwith against Mahaska and his warriors. They were overtaken-White Clond, not suspecting their designs and being conscious of having committed no violence, was captured and thrust into prison, where he remained many months. Ile finally made his escape and succeeded in reaching his own country in safety. He then married four wives. It is the custom of the tribe, when husbands or brothers fall in bat- tle, for braves to adopt their wives or sisters. White Cloud found, on his return, four sisters, who had thus been deprived of their protector, all of whom he married. Of these Rantchewaima, or the ' Female Flying Pigeon,' was one of the youngest.
" Often, after White Cloud had thus settled himself, was he known to ex- press his regret at having permitted his warriors to fire upon the Frenchmen.
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On those occasions he has been seen to look upon his hand, and heard to mutter to himself, 'There is blood on it.' He rejoiced, however, in the reflection that he had never shed the blood of an American. And yet his father's death, and the manner of it, made him restless, and rendered him im- placable against the perpetrators of that outrage, and their allies.
" Not long after his escape from prison and return to his home, and soon after his marriage, he planned an expedition against the Osages. He resolved to march with a select party of ten braves, to the Little Osage plains, which lie south of the Missouri river, and about two hundred and fifty miles above St. Louis. Arriving at the plains, a favorable opportunity soon offered, which was seized by Mahaska and the battle commenced. It was his misfortune, early in the conflict, to receive a rifle ball in his leg, just above the ankle. IIe had succeeded, however, before he was wounded, in taking three of the enemy's scalps, when he sought a retreat, and found one under a large log that lay across a watercourse. The Osages followed close upon him being guided by the blood which flowed from his wound; but they lost the trail on arriving at the watercourse; for Mahaska had taken the precaution to step into the water some distance below the log, by which stratagem he misled his pursuers, for they supposed that he had crossed over at the place where they last saw the blood. "He remained under the log, which lay on the water, with just so much of his nose out as enabled him to breathe.
" In the night when all was silence, save the tinkling of the bells of the Indian horses in the plains below, Mahaska left his place of concealment, and coming up with one of the horses, mounted him and made off in the direction of his home, which was on the river Des Moines. Arriving at the Missouri he resorted to the Indian mode of crossing, which is to tie one end of the halter around the head or neck of the horse, and taking the other end between his teeth, he drives the animal into the water, and unites his own exertions as a swimmer, to those of the horse, and is by this means carried over in safety.
" In all these difficulties he took care not to part with either his gun or his scalps. On arriving at home he paraded his trophies, and ordered the scalp dance to be danced. Not being able, on account of his wound, to lead the dance himself, he placed the scalps in the hands of Inthehono, or the 'Big Axe', who, being the first brave of his band, was entitled to the dis- tinction. Mahaska accompanied the presentation of the scalps to Big Axe with these words: 'I have now revenged the death of my father. My heart is at rest. I will go to war no more. I told Manshuchess, or Red Head (meaning Gen. Clark), when I was last at St. Louis, that I would take his peace talk. My word is ont. I will fight no more.'
" In the year 1824 Mahaska left home, being one of a party on an em- bassy to Washington, leaving his wives behind him, their number having increased to seven. When about one hundred miles from home, and near the month of the river Des Moines, having killed a deer, he stopped to cook a piece of it. He was seated, and had just commenced his meal, when he felt himself suddenly struck on the back. Turning round, he was aston- ished to see Rantchewaime standing before him, with an uplifted tomahawk in her hand. She thus accosted him: 'Am I your wife? Are you my husband? If so, I will go with you to the Mawhehunneche (or the Ameri- can big house), and see and shake the hand of Incohonee' (which means great father). Mahaska answered: 'Yes, you are my wife. I am your
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husband. I have been a long time from you. I am glad to see you. You are my pretty wife, and a brave man always loves to see a pretty woman.' "The party arrived at Washington. 'A talk' was had with President Monroe. The present of a medal was made to Mahaska, and a treaty was concluded between the United States and the Iowas. It is a treaty of ces- sion of limits, etc., and of consideration thereof. These conditions included a payment, in that year, of five hundred dollars, and the same sum an- nually for ten years thereafter. Provision is made for blankets, farming utensils and cattle, and assistance is promised them in their agricultural pursuits, under such forms as the President might deem expedient.
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