"HSTORYj Gc 977.701 K84h 1135652 ■■• M. '.LnCTfOH f / ///I/// T7 / 1 5 1833 01717 0678 HISTORY OF KOSSUTH, HANCOCKS WINNEBAGO COUNTIES, IOWA, TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF THEIR CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS, EDUCATIONAL, CIVIL, MILITARY AND POLITICAL HISTORY; PORTRAITS OF PROM- INENT PERSONS, AND BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. HISTORY OF IOWA EMBRACING ACCOUNTS OF THE PRE-HISTORIC RACES, AND A BRIEF REVIEW OF ITS CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY. ILLU STRATED itt TO THE PIONEERS OF KOSSUTH, HANCOCK AND WINNEBAGO COUNTIES. THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, WITH THE HOPE THAT l'OUH VIRTUES MAY BE EMULATED AND YOUR TOILS AND SACRIFICES DULY APPRECIATED BY COMING GENERATIONS. ^ 113565^ P R E F AC E This work was commenced, and has been carried forward to completion, with a specific object in view, which was, to place upon record in a reliable manner and in permanent form, whatever incidents of importance have transpired within what are 'now the limits of Kossuth, Hancock and Winnebago counties, since their first settle- ment. As preliminary to the narrative proper, it was thought best to give a succinct history of the State at large. In the general history of the three counties, as well as in those of their cities, townships and villages, the reader will li i I that incidents, reminiscences and anec- dotes are recorded with a variety and completeness commensurate with their impor- tance. Herein is furnished (and this is said with confidence) to the present genera- tion and to those which follow it, a valuable reflex of the times and deeds of the pioneers. It has been truly said that "a people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything to be remembered with pride by remote descendants." It is believed that, in the following pages, there is erected to the pioneer men and women of Kossuth, Hancock and Winn.eba- go counties a lasting monument. The resolutions passed by Congress in 1876 in reference to the preparation and preservation of local history, and the proclamation from the President recommend- ing that those resolutions be carefully observed, have met with the very general and hearty approval of the people. Indeed, so acceptable has seemed this advice from our law-makers, that steps have already been taken in almost every thoroughly organ-\ ized community throughout the land to chronicle and place in permanent form the annals of each neighborhood, thus rescuing from oblivion much interesting and vain- 7 PREFACE. able information that is irretrievably lost each year through the death of old settlers, and the decay and ravages .Lime::::::::::::::: r Sulphate ot Str..IlltU '" Sulphate of Baryta 'J Sulphate of Magnesia "; Climate ij Topography » Lakes and Streams * CHAPTER VIII. IOWA AND THE REBELLION <*j Response to the Nation's Call °J Kirst Infantry J.. [ : 1 1 jmtry ,' Third Infantry £ Font th Infantry '; Fifth Infantry g Sixth Infantry '' Sownlll Intant.} t, Eighth Infantry ,, Ninth Infantry £ Tenth Infantry .;' Eleventh Infantry }" Twelfth Infantry { Thirteenth Infantry j j Fourteenth Infantry Fifteenth Infantry '.', Sixteenth Infantry ! ■ Seventeenth Intantry J"~ Eighteenth Infantry ™j Nineteenth Infantry !":; Twentieth Infantry :' Twenty-lust Infantry "™ Twenty-second Infantry v™ Twenty-third Infantry *"* Tweiitv-fourtli Infantry "•_' Twentv-niih Infantry \ ■» Twenty-sixth Infantry Twenty-seventh Infantry ''■' Twenty-eighth Infant r> !'.' Twentv-ninth Intantiv ' Thirtieth Infantry ' Thirty-first Infantry '"• Thirty-second Infantry Thirty-third Infantry • Tllirty-loiirth Intautry Thirty-fifth infantry J ThirtV-iixth Infantry '* Thirty-Seventh Infantry ;; Thirty-eighth Infantry } ; Thirty-ninth Infantry "• Fortieth Infantry Forty-tlrst Infantry Forty-fourth Infantry { '" b Infantry Porty-BlXth Infantry J ] Fort y-se vent li Infantn JJJ Forty-eighth Infantry JJ First Cavalry J .', See, in. I ( lavalry - Tin Firsi Battery J; i tery [J Third Battery J Fourth Battery j Iowa Regiment of Colored Troops jj Nellie I II B'lPlel Bl IL'.'Uli- JJ Southern Border Brigade JJ Promotions " CHAPTER IX. PAGE EDUCATIONAL-STATE INSTITUTIONS 117 The First School House in Ael for the Estalili-hinenl ol Common SehoolH. US The Slate University 121 State Normal School J~3 State Agricultural ( ollege J^* other Colleges and I ui\ orsities 1-4 Deal and Dumb Institute [26 College for the Blind 1~<; Iowa Hospital for tile Insane }~> Hospital lor the Insane at independenee h> Soldiers' l irulKins' Home l~> Asylum lor Feeble Minded children I'.' Penal Institutions Jf» Anamosa Penitentiary MO Uavs' Reform School ^ state Historical Soeiety ■;[ siate Agricultural Society J3J Fish-Hatching House 1-il Ti'AL mpaigli of 1K40 - u.paign of 1S41 mpaigli of IS!-' isa 134 134 136 138 14U 143 ■ ■ ■ 145 ,,'..,!,,,,,. UT 1 HI ,,,,,. ,,..,, ,,| is,, - 150 mpaign ot 1S5.1 mpaigli of lsf.7. . 154 : ,:' c 1 is. : 159 :;:"' HI III ■ 165 167 mpaign ei l-iii .' 172 mpaign of lsiir, 173 ipai-n ol 1879. ,paign of 1880. lpaign of 1XHI. I HA] TER XI. TERRITORIAL AND STATE OFFICERS- Robert Lucas 216 John Chambers 220 JamesClarke —' i illier Territorial olliccrs 2ti7 State Officers. , 227 j , *, a ' r TABLE OF COFTENTS. VII 1 HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY. PAGE UL- ... 352 >EN- CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER II. EAKLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.... County's Name PAGE 331 .... 2.34 242 244 . . 246 253 260 CHAPTER XIII. TOPOGRAPHY/, GEOLOGY AND AGRK TCJRE CHAPTER XIV. NATIONAL. STATE AND COUNTY REPRE CHAPTER III. 'COUNTY GOVERNMENT CHAPTER IV. OFFICIAL MATTERS CHAPTER V. POLITICAL CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER XV. ALGONA TOWNSHIP .... 3T0 CHAPTER XVI. BURTTOWNSHIP CHAPTER XVII. .... 437 CHAPTER XVIII. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER XIX. GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP Town of Bancroft CHAPTER XX. IRVINGTON TOWNSHIP , ... Village of Irvington CHAPTER XXI. ... V,2 489 493 CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. The Bee Algrona Times Algona Republican Kcissuth County Review The Bancroft Register .... CHAPTER X. EDUCATIONAL School Commissioners County Superintendents .... 296 297 299 300 301 '.'...'.'. 304 304 30S Village of Whittemore CHAPTER XXII. LUVERNE TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXIII. .... 501 .'.... 507 CHAPTER XXIV. PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXV. 531 Teachers' Association CHAPTER XI. .. .. 311 CHAPTER XXVI. CHAPTER XII. REMINISCENCES AND EVENTS OF INTEREST 345 ) CHAPTER XXVII. WESLEY TOWNSHD? 542 [ '* 6 r- V VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS. BIOGRAPHICAL. ri'.i imi.i PAGE Ackley, DeWitl I . . .. 389 Cunningham, Joseph A. 554 . 283 ■ - w 47« ■ urran.Henrj 541 "ill- ... II 1,'», III .." .. Hil AUen, G ■£■• C 281 514 Danson, Robert .1 ." ■ . 44} Amosfw'iUhimM.'.'.: l.-.ii .'....... l.iiMi.ui 432 . 447 Andruss, Zebina C. ;.■'. ..:.w-. .I..I111T 47:: .'.is Austin, G I".:; l>a\ ,-..,,, Hasselas. .. . '.::: II. Ml/. JO. 1,1,1111. Au-iin. Oscar 1. i i'.iv;-..... llilllirl :c, llupkius, J. W 195 Diivismi. .1 • — ■ - 1' Hudson, A. L 422 Bachman, E W Hudson, 41. 11 i-mi. Matthew 11 Murray, John ! 440 Baiter, G< . 44U Barslow .'.;.. Nicoulin, J.F . :«I4 Barr, Js i r.^4 Norton, Hiram ... - . 439 Uatti reon, Abijab.. . 4U3 Bell, Benry ii,ii. ii. ii I.iIk. B.. . 431 Oleson, Carl E... •;>** Bell, Christian Hi', I),,, \i, ,|. i. II. iii . r itlivrr, Clii.il..*>.'. ... Bei -■ b 1 '>r. Iiiiiii...,.i,I>..\..1 v Ingham, W. II . Olson, '. \::> Benscboter, Gram .. 526 Ingham, Harv, j . >- 1 ■ • i I .:. 1 ..■ 1-. Joseph. 432 ■ iuser,Rudo 1 I.V.I Earl.-y. Tliuiims ■' . i.uiii. Martin A Birg. . i barles Blancbard, M 1' . Palmer.O. E . 429 Blossom, I ii '•..tt. i-.iii.I) 382 1 son. P T 528 .'■ii. ■-..,,. limn II . . arce] Wihet F.'.'. 158 534 438 Bronsonl P< terL 5 Pinkerton, John M... 496 Brown, John Ii, iwn, :. llm.ni.Ji . Uei I< Brunson.A. \ . 287 Buell,Dumon1 \ ,.,,..,., ,. , l8L . . 471 Burt, i 1 !■■.,.,,„, Bberhard Burtis, G I 465 Bush, \ .1 Butler, Hyman li Butts r m ■ ™ : ! Bye 1 Kyes, i alviu 1 v i';'.,.!.',""" '': 519 Cain, .l.-sse W 181 1 Mil. Al 871 , 1 361 1 811,0. i arlon, Kinsej ■ William. . . 4111 Caulkins, Elijah 891 < hapin, Morris B, . 644 Chi .John . 4»0 . \\ ,11,. A. . 165 i nubb, C ' 465 465 E F . 457 hanenW... ' 492 i offen, Warren OS, I'll n . 474 . i - M' ■:. Muni. . M li M .1 606 '; 128 c ollar, ' Mi !...>. .lull.. Schmidt,' i -i M. :-■ II. ii 1 « - • -mi. .-,■ . .lnii..-- l\ s.ll.l.-i.i.T. IVI.-i (i Schryv. r, Israel G >.-. I>. An. In «■ 1. 537 ■ '»' 1 1 ll'.'iMl. !-.",'!.'. i"i:" " '. .'.i:! •hllip 190 Herman, ad... i 15 Marbli .-. I; .. 497 "1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Sheet/., L. A Siefert, A Ion/.. A Siefert, William II Simpkins, George Slatrlf. 1". L Smith, Fi. F Smith, Hon lamin smith. .'harles t.' Smith, G. W Smith, Henry A Smith. J. A Smith. John G... Smith, J G Smith. Lewis H.. S..|..m.m. lii'tirse. Spear. S. C Spencer, Robert H Stacy, J . E PAGE Starr, Milton 2!H> Tiet/,, Fer.linantl 506 Stewart, George Stow, C. A Stow, Comfort P ... Sloiiffh, M. W Strneker. Ilermaiin Sutton, G. T Swanson, John. 128 Turner, Lafayette 411.1 Wa.lsworth. Joseph \V. 401 281 Walker, Peter J 505 135 Wallace, John 364 Tallman. Elias 4s:; War.l, E. L Ta\l..r, Maiecllus .. .V.n Wai ten, James H Ta'\lor. F M 382 Warren, K. B Tavlor. l'huunce\ 3u* Wartman, S. S Thompson, John ".IT Weaver, John N... Thompson, Joseph. 4-4 \\ caver, E. N Thru. ■eker. William u;: Wilkinson, J. J... PAGE Winkie. li. FI 52H Winter. William I' 523 Wilts.-, Case 534 Wilson, JohnJ 358 Wilson, John 438 W 1, Francis A 445 W Iworth, U It 385 WootFworth, Charles... 482 Wooster. Helen 306 Wooster, Abel.. 459 Younie, A 404 Zahlten, August 423 Zankc, Joseph 430 ZilM'aiu.', J. B 454 Zimmerman, David 465 Zoelle, Valentine. . .. 507 PORTRAITS. PAGE .. 376iMi PAGE PAGE Katie.. 3771Zahlten, A 415 •** (» v *>" ] x TABLE OF CONTENTS. [ HISTORY O. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER II. F HANCOCK COUNTY. PAGE .... (1L'7 .... 628 '.'.'.. 628 629 PAGE 555 CBAPTER XII. Hancock Sentine 1 The Independent Hancock County Autograph Hancock Signal. Organization Reminiscence by Hun. J . M . Elder. CHAPTER HI. COUNTY GOVERNMENT CHAPTER IV. OFFICIAL MATTERS 560 562 5155 Hancock County Tribune 031 CHAPTER XIII. GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND MISCEL- CHAPTERXIV. A M STERDAM TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XV. AVERY TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XVI. HI XG II AM TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XVII. BOONE TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XVIII. BRITT TOWNSHIP .... Kia .... mi .... 051 .... 654 .... 656 Ci\ 11 Townships Marriage Record Financial Registry of Deeds CHAPTER V. THECOUETSOF HANCOCK COUNTY District Court Circuit Court '".'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 573 iT5 576 578 CHAPTER VI. POLITICAL CHAPTER VII. THE BAKOF HANCOCK COUNTY CHAPTER VIII. THEMEDICAL PROFESSION CHAPTER IX. THE 1VAH 1'nii THE DNION CHAPTER X. .NATIONAL. STATE AMI COUNTY SENTA'J [ON Congressional Mel T- "1 Hi'' li'-IK Till A>MTIll.l) Circuit .lu. l/i- County Judge 599 602 REl'RE- Gil 611 612 618 614 CHAPTER XIX. Town of Garner CHAPTER XX. CRYSTAL TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXI . 875 681 CHAPTER XXII. ELLINGTON TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXIII. ... 694 CHAPTER \.\l\ i. LRFIELD TOWNSHIP ( IIAl'TKK XXV. .... 707 CHAPTER XXVI. MADISON TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXVII. .. ".Ill Treasurer and Recorder, i uiinty Treasurer 1 ount j !,-• corder Clcr£ "1 ill'- ' Mm i - -l-Mll County Sun I'jnr Drainage Commissioner CHAPTER XI. 615 616 HIT 617 618 619 621 621 1 CollW ITU CHAPTER XXVIII. OHTHEL TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXIX .... 717 ...724 f - * » ♦» "' " V A y- i TABLE OF CONTENTS. XI f BIOGRAPHICAL. Abbey, M.J Adams, Edwin Aldrieb, Isaac N.... Allen, A. S Avery, Anson Bailey, John A Bailey, John D PAGE '.'. k;T .. :w .. K74 . 643 .■'- PAGE .'orey, Kiehard 693 Crew, James 6^0 Jrow, James 596 Dallman, Herman eck, ' Jam it 704 Day, S. B llavler. 'I'honias H4 hieiuis. lani.-s K72 Dooliuk. r_<\.. ids Duryea, George 65J Elder, James F 646 Eider. J. M iai i.lder, Hubert Kill Elder. '1 llolmls "lU'i Ell. i-cba-lian il'.m Elinor. William F Kill Farman, Bert 651 Fehly, I re.ieriek k> GUdden.Fremom B 70 Greeni , Z. C .. 601 Cries. Allien ", 1 " Grubb, Henry L 701 Hales, Edwin 661 Hamilton. H. (i Kid llarraldson. Nils 714 Hayes, Wes Heal, Frank. ;-;i 111 ■iiii.'n'hoi. ■r.'.l 11 . '.l". Howlund, S.V."" in. I Hoyt, 0. K Hunt, D. F Hiintly, Eevi Hi. -ton, HenrvJ Hymer, Thomas Jenson, Jorgen Johnson, James Johnson, Mat Karr, Joseph Kinsev, William K oerner, William F... Lackore, James Lafson, A. W Larsen, La wrenteus. Larson, Marten Lasher, John Latham. F. H Liqillll, K. K MeGraw, Elbert I.... \cii,ei,,'.i, l ,tm. ;;;.".'" Maben, G. K Mi n, Jay 1.) Melcher. Elie'nF. .'.'.'.'.' Morrison,' h'.'b" ..'.'.'. Mo. ode k. Frederick N< Nun. Peter S Nisi iet. William Northup, F S Osborne, Joseph Pritchard, William S. AGE PAGE . 595 . 657 i . 649 . 596 . 701 648 . 688 662 669 595 10 . 694 . 596 ; . 718 713 : 719 • 650 ' 597 . 625 . 693 . 702 . 671 Kill . 615 . 695 . 648 . 620 .11 i 670 «47 . 730 . 71 HI . 619 . 677 m 668 Rasmusson, Rasmus 662 Reed, Edgar F 616 Kipley, A. C 11 its, E. A 651 Bobbins, John B 6S7lKodman. William G. 670 Rogers, Frank 1(. .. . Hoss, Eugene S ans, Ml' . 596 Bussell, Harrison P.. 681 Sehoono\er, Noimnil 711 Seett, Byron F 700 si, aw, Farner ..... KKKSlilso'n, 0. H 1 . V.'.V 647 Stoddart, John.... K1K .Stork, John 696 Strong, Joseph G 663 Sturgeon, Samuel... n6 7ns Thiol, J. B . 702 Tompkins, E Kin Treganza, Joseph A. 666 Turtle, A. M . 691 Bailey, L B .. 613 Bates, Henry A Beadle, .1 . 11 ... 1 Beadle, G. W Beadle, J. Q Bennett, John E. Bingham, John (1 Book, John Boleinger, Bernard. Bonar. James C Herman, William... Bowers, Myron .. . Brooks, d! i:. .*..'"..' Brown, Thomas M. Bulfon, c harks 1. . ' Burdick, John 11..' Burdick, Frank T... (arisen, Godfrey... Carpenter, Harry A i ihase, Andrew J. . . i base L. VV. Chase, Daniel cliiistie, William... Christie. Sr., John.. Christie, Jr., John.. Clemens, John J... Colburn, Francis N. .. 114 . 619 '.'. li'iVJ i..-.: .. ac . r.iit . . 696 .. 701 ... 114! i 703 Ward. Catharine 7ns Warner, D. T .• 7ni Way, ChandlerC Wernet, Jo i b 598 Westpnall, Samuel A White.Albert D.... 61 703 Wiles, M. L 672 Wilson, James ■7(lii Willson. - H 704 Wright, Charles.R... 725 . 640|Yoter, William L - r ■% c ^k xii TABLE OF CONTENTS. HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY PAGE 801 809 817 830 858 852 854 861 871 908 901 909 923 928 CHAPTER I. PAGE THE CHANGE 731 i >i-j;alLiznti(ill i>l' tuc County 7-U Location, Toiio^raphv unil ecology 7.Z1 Railroads 734 CHAPTER II. EARLY SETTLEMENT 786 First Settlers 136 First Things 74^ CHAPTER III. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND DAI RYING CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. WINNEBAGO COUNTY IN THE WAR CHAPTER XVI. Indians 751 CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. NATIONAL, STATE AM) nn'N'TV REPRE- SENTATION 760 CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER XVII. CENTER TOWNSHIP Lake Mills CHAPTER XY1II. FOREST CITY AND FOREST TOWNSHIP .... CHAPTER XIX. LINDEN TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XX. LOG \N TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXI. Winu.-lwi.'o I',-.-- 7711 Northern [owa Gazette 778 W """ bi ~oniii.it 779 Tin W,nu. liiii.. i lli.f 781 Wlnm 1 a to V Ij Review 781 CHAPTER VII. JUDICIAL 784 District Court '.si circuit. Court 786 County Court 786 CHAPTER VIII. FINANCIAL AND OTHER MAT TICKS 788 CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER XXII. NEWTON TOWNSHIP CHAPTER XXIII. CHAF1 ER X TABLE OF CONTENTS. BIOGRAPHICAL Aas, DavidC Alexander, Elwood . Ambroson, Ole Ambrose, J. H..T... Anderson, John A .. Anderson, A Anderson, J. E Aulinan, John B. . .. Bahner, R. H Uailev, John Bakke, O. P Blonnerhassett. A. .. Blowers, George K.. Blowers, P. P Boyd. J K Braekey, Mrs. T. Braekey, T. A Braeki'y, Ole 0. Brokko, Sigur Brandstad, Andru E Brones, A. N Burnap, W. A Burgeson, John Butcher, Thomas J Chase, A . H Chapman, W. A ( hristianson, John. Clark, Robert Cole, A. T Couley, J. B Danl, I. M David, J. W Day, Charles H Denzel, John Drogsvold, Ole J — Falken, T.J Fisher, James W Fisher, William H... Foss, John Franklin, W. R Franklin, George A. Gannett, Philip Gibson, D. T Grasley, Oley Gudmanson, Ole Gnlliokson, Eriek.... 91K Halvorson, Erel 870 Halvorsen, John 926 Hanson, Peter 910 Hanson, W. O Hailing, Aaron O Haugland, R. O KW Hayes, DeVVitt C Hernionson, Bendiek. Higinbotham, William, mil Hill. Jonathan B.... Holstead, Michael J. Holtan, Hans 914Nilson, All Honsey, S. G 932 1 Honsey, T. G 932 Odden, Andrew J Howard, J. E 806 Olson, Hans P.... Hull, Justin M 815 Olson, Sandel.... Olson Levoid, G. H. Lun Hans 881 MeUreevey. Edward . Mahoney, J. W Martinson, Christian. Mattoeks, Eli Mei nek, C. Eugene Mikkel-on, Eli N 809 M.ie, H. P "" M l, i He Knudson. Munsoii, NelsM 818 Murphy, Jerry... ' , '"' Nelson, S. T.... Nelson, Mikkel. Nelson, C. L . Nerby, L. B... lush, Harry R . ... Isaaes, Charles — Isaaeson, John — Jenks, Charles F. . Jensen, R. P lohiHon. Peter H . lohnsoii, H. T ... Johnson, George.. Joiee, E. J " ;», P. C Jones William H Land™, Minim K . Larson, William . . I .an imore, J. T.. . Law, John Lepper, Frank M .'.' (ilson, Peter. '.','. i Uson, John S.. -'"Onstab, KnudE S)7 Otis, James J 899 881 921 Paulson, Halvor. 870 Pederson, Bertus Ml Pederson, P. P 917 SKI Person, Andrew 914 M4 Peterson, Harold K1H Phelps, J. A Pincknev, James Kill Plunimer, J. A... KT1 Poulson, Jens ... Price, James 861 Itagan, M. V 806 Ransom, T. C KS-i Rasmuson, Christian. *6? Revlaml. P. K Rowland, Horaee J... 8(H Rusley, T. K 912 Rygmyr, H. H 911 G.0 917 Seeor, Eugene 768 Seeor. David 763 Seil.ert, Peter 921 Severs, O. T 768 Sharp, J.J 927 ::cion, John A 931 Simmons Solomon 898 Skinner, E. D 908 Smith, N. A 865 Smith, CD 855 Sogard, T. A 919 Sogard, Simon 919 Sogar.l, Arne T 919 Sornsen, Ole 869 Strike, Thomas 1) 900 Stvve. N. 864 Sunderland, ole H 926 Syverson, Syver 919 Taylor, William 900 Tenuis, William 929 Tennis, Samuel 788 Thomas, George W 855 Thomson, Thomas Thompson, J. F Thompson, Clement. Thompson, N. B Thompson, John Turvesou, Martin Twito, Jaeob H 804 Ulve, O. 928 Van Duien, William... 814 Wadsworth, S. D 866 Wauibhnim, 1'eder H.. 922 WeNli, Charles E 898 Wilson, J. B 862 Winslow, Henry W.... 863 PORTRAITS. Anderson, J. E. PAGE PAGE Hanson, W. 915 . 859 Hull, J. M 81l|Mahoney, ^ *, s_ ±\£L Certificates of Committees. We the undersigned, committee appointed for the iMnpi.sc ..r examining and cnrrecti if the History of Kossuth County, wi itten and cmnpil. .1 l.y ihol'ui.ui i*ulilisbing Compa Illinois, do hereby c, it 1 1 \ that tin- sai.l manuscript was snlniiittt-d to lis, and that we made i.lduions that wo, in our judgment, deemed necessary, and Ms so run ceded, we approve W. H. Ingham, 1 Ambrose A. Call, I Mrs. ('. A. Ingham, I Mrs. H. E. Stacy, J. E. Stacy, Lewis H. Smith, | B. F. Reed. We the nndoisi._-no Bee and revise the lush Springfield, Illinois, ,!• it committee appointed by the ..Id seniors and prominent men of the county, to over- of Hancock County, written and compiled by the Tnion I'nblisuing Company, of r.l.v certify that the SMid lUHiiu-oript was subl ons, that we, in ouriudgn John Maben, 1 J. M. Elder, | L. B. Bailev. \, Committe John Christie, Jr. I i of the general eoi ity, written and c t we, in our judgm David Secor, J. S. Blowers, J. E. Anderson, A. T. Cole. Solomon Simmons, William Tennis, Peter Hanson. HISTORY OF IOWA. CHAPTER I. THE traveler, in wending his way across the fair State of Iowa, with its evidences of civilization upon every hand; its magnificent churches with spires pointing heavenward; its school-houses almost upon every hill; palatial residences evincing wealth and refinement, cannot realize-that, less than a half century ago, this "beautiful land" was the home only of the red man, who roamed at will over the fair and fertile prairies, hunting in the woods and fishing in its streams. The change would seem too great for him to realize. But it is indeed true. These churches, these school-houses, these pala- tial residences, t)v se railroads, these tele- graph and telephone wires, all have been erected or placed here within the space of a half century. Before the advent of the Red Men, who were found in possession by the Europeans, who inhabited this country, is a subject yet unsolved, and is shrouded in mystery. That there were human beings of a distinct race from the red men of later days, is gen- erally conceded, but scientists fail as yet to agree as to their nature and origin. That this continent is co-existent with the world of the ancients cannot be questioned. Every investigation instituted under the auspices of modern civilization confirms this fact. It is thought by many that the first inhabitants came from Asia, by way of Behring's Strait, and in large numbers. Magnificent cities and monuments were raised at the bidding of tribal leaders, and populous settlements centered with thriv- ing villages sprang up everywhere in man- ifestation of the progress of the people. For the last four hundred years the colo- nizing Caucasian has trodden on the ruins of a civilization whose greatness he could only surmise. Among these ruins are pyramids similar to those which have ren- dered Egypt famous. The pyramid of Chalula is square, each side of its base being 1,335 feet, and its height 172 feet. Another pyramid north of Vera Cruz is formed of large blocks of highly polished porphyry, and bears upon its front hiero- HISTORY OF IOWA. glyphio inscriptions and curious sculpture. iet square, and a flight of 57 steps conducts to its summit, which is 65 feet high. The ruins of Palenque are said to extend 20 miles along the ridge of a moun- t in, ami the remains of an Aztec city, near the hanks of the Gila, are spread over more than a square league. The principal feature of the Aztec civilization which has c >ine down to us was its religion, which we are told was of a dark and gloomy eh iracter. Each new god created by their priesthood, instead of arousing new life in the people, brought death to thousands; and their grotesque idols exposed to drown the senses of the beholders in fear, wrought wretchedness rather than spiritual happi- ness. In fact, fear was the great animating principal, the motive power which sustained this terrible religion. Their altars were sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies in large quantities, and on them thousands of human victims were sacri- ficed in honor of the demons whom they worshipped. The head and heart of every captive taken in war were offered up as a sacrifice to the god of battles, while the victorious legions feasted on the remaining portions of the bodies. It is said that during the ceremonies attendant i i! i !i«- consecration of two of their tem- ples, the number of prisoners offered up in sacrifice was 12,210, while they them- Qtributed large numbers of volun- tary victims to the terrible belief. The race known as the Mound-Builders next attracts the attention of the ethnolo- gists. Throughout tie- Mississippi Valley, including many portions of Iowa, are found mounde and walls of earth or stone, which can only have a human origin. These mounds vary in size from a few feet to hundreds of feet in diameter. In them are often found stone axes, pestles, arrow- heads, spear-points, pieces of flint, and other articles. Pottery of various de- signs is very common in them, and from the material of which they are made geol- ogists have attempted to assign their age. Some have thought that the Mound- Builders were a race quite distinct from the modern Indians, and that they were in an advanced state of civilization. The best authorities now agree that while the comparatively civilized people called the Aztecs built the cities whose ruins are occasionally found, the Mound-Builders were the immediate ancestors of the In- dians De Soto first saw, and little different from the Indians of to-day. The origin of the Red Men, or Ameri- can Indians, is a subject which interests as well as instructs. It is a favorite topio with the ethnologist, even as it is one of deep concern to the ordinary reader. A review of two works lately published on the origin of the Indians, treats the matter in a peculiarly reasonable light. It- says : "Recently a German writer lias put for- ward one theory on the subject, and an English writer has put forward another and directly opposite theory. The differ- ence in opinion concerning our aboriginals among authors who have made a profound study of races, is at, once curious and in- teresting. Blumenbach treats them in his classifications as a distinct variety of the human family; hut, in the three-fold divi- I >r. Latham, they are ranked among th. Mongolidse. Other writers on races ^]- HISTORY OF IOWA. regard them as a branch of the great Mon- golian family, which at a distant period found its way from Asia to this continent, and remained here for centuries separate from the rest of mankind, passing, mean- while, through divers phases of barbarism and civilization. Morton, our eminent ethnologist, and his followers, Nott and Gliddon, claim for our native Red Men an origin as distinct as the flora and fauna of this continent. Piichard, whose views are apt to differ from Morton's, finds reason to believe, on comparing the American tribes together, that they must have formed a separate department of nations from the earliest period of the world. The era of their existence as a distinct and isolated people must probably be dated back to the time which separated into nations the in- habitants of the Old World, and gave to each its individuality and primitive lan- guage. Dr. Robert Brown, the latest authority, attributes, in his 'Races of Man- kind,' an Asiatic origin to our aboriginals. He says that the Western Indians not only personally resemble their nearest neighbors — ihe Northeastern Asiatics — but they re- semble them in language and tradition. The Esquimaux on the American and the Tohuktcis on the Asiatic side understand one another perfectly. Modern anthro- pologists, indeed, are disposed to think that Japan, the Kuriles, and neighboring regions, may be regarded as the original home of the greater part of the native American race. It is also admitted by them that between the tribes scattered from the Arctic sea to Cape Horn there is more uniformity of physical feature than is seen in any other quarter of the globe. The weight of evidence and au- thority is altogether in favor of the opin- ion that our so-called Indians are a branch of the Mongolian family, and all additional researches strengthen the opinion. The tribes of both North and South America are unquestionably homogeneous, and, in all likelihood, had their origin in Asia, though they have been altered and modi- fied by thousands of years of total separa- tion from the present stock." If the conclusions arrived at by the reviewer is correct, how can one account for the vast difference in manner and form between the Red Man as he is now known, or even as he appeared to Columbus and his successors in the field of discovery, and the comparatively civilized inhabitants of Mexico, as seen in 1521 by Cortez, and of Peru, as witnessed by Pizarro in 1532 ? The subject is worthy of investigation. In the year 1541, Ferdinand DeSoto, a Spaniard, discovered the Mississippi river, at the mouth of the Washita. He, how- ever, penetrated no further north than the 35th parallel of latitude, his death ter- minating the expedition. It was thus left for a later discoverer to first view the "beautiful land." In a grand council of Indians on' the shores of Lake Superior, they told the Frenchmen glowing stories of the "great river" and the countries near it. Mar- quette, a Jesuit father, became inspired with the idea of discovering this noble river. He was delayed in this great un- dertaking, however, and spent the interval in studying the language and habits of the Illinois Indians, among whom he expected to travel. In 16V3 he completed his pre- parations for the journey, in which he was to be accompanied by Joliet, an agent of HISTORY OF IOWA. the French Government. The Indians, who had gathered in large numbers to wit- ness his departure, tried to dissuade him from the undertaking, representing that the Indians of the Mississippi Valley were cruel and blood-thirsty, and would resent the intrusion of strangers upon their do- main. The great river itself, they said, was the abode of terrible monsters, who could swallow both canoes and men. But -Marquette was not diverted from his pur- pose by these reports, and set out on his adventurous trip May 13; he reached, first, an Indian village where once had been a mission, and where he was treated hospit- ably; thence, with the aid of two Miami guides, he proceeded to the Wisconsin, down which he sailed to the great Mi-ssis- 83 j pi, which had so long been anxiously Looked for; floating down its unknown waters, the explorer discovered, on the 25 h of June, traces of Indians on the west bank of the river, and landed a little above the river now known as the Des Moines. For the first time Europeans trod the soil of Iowa. Marquette remained here a short t ni>\ becoming acquainted with the In- dians, and then proceeded on his explora- tions, lie descended the Mississippi to the Illinois, by which and Lake Michigan he returned to French settlements. Nine years later, in 1682, La Salle de- cended the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and, in the name of the king of France, took formal posession of all the immense region watered by the great river and its tributaries from its source to its mouth, and named it Louisiana, in honor of his master, Louis XIV. The river he called " Colbert," in honor of the French Minister, and at its mouth erected a column and a cross bearing the. inscription, in French: ' 'LOUIS THE r.KEAT, KIKO OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE, REIGNING APRIL 9, 1682." France then claimed by right of dis- covery and occupancy the whole valley of the Mississippi and its tributaries, includ- ing Texas. Spain at the same time laid claim to all the region about the Gulf of Mexico, and thus these two great nations were brought into collision. But the country was actually held and occupied by the native Indians, especially the great Miami Confederacy, the Miamis proper (anciently the Twightwees) being the east- ern and most powerful tribe. Spain having failed to make any settle- ment in the newly-discovered country, it was left for France to occupy the land, and that government, soon after the dis- covery of the mouth of the Mississippi by La Salle, in 1682, began to encourage the policy of establishing a line of trading posts and missionary stations, extending through the west from Canada to Louis- iana. In 1762, France, in a time of extreme weakness, ceded all the territory west of the Mississippi, including what is now Iowa, to Spain, which power retained pos- session until October 1, 1800, when it retroceded it to France/ This latter power ceded it, to the United States in 1803, for the sum of $15,000,000. On assuming control, the United States organized all that region west of the Mis- sissippi and north of the Territory of Orleans as the District of Louisiana. In 1805 the District of Louisiana was organ- ized into the Territory of Louisiana. HISTORY OF IOWA. This Territory was subsequently divided, iana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, and now forms seven great States — Louis- | Kansas and Nebraska. CHAPTER II. INDIANS ANIl INDIAN WARS. For more than one hundred years after Marquette and Joliet trod the virgin soil of Iowa, and admired its fertile plains, not a single settlement had been made or attempted, nor even a trading post estab- lished. The whole country remained in the undisputed possession of the native tribes, who often poured out their life blood in obstinate contest for supremacy. That this State, so aptly styled "The Beautiful Land," had been the theatre of numerous fierce and bloody struggles be- tween the rival nations for possession of the favored region long before its settle- ment by civilized man, there is no room for doubt. In these savage wars the weaker party, whether aggressive or de- fensive, was either exterminated or driven from its ancient hunting grounds. When Marquette visited this country in 1673, the Illini were a very powerful people, occupying a large portion of the State ; but when the country was again visited by the whites, not a remnant of that once powerful tribe remained on the west side of the Mississippi, and Iowa was principally in the possession of the Sacs and Foxes, a warlike tribe which, originally two distinct nations, residing in New York and on the waters of the St. Lawrence, had gradually fought their way westward, and united, probably after the Foxes had been driven out of the Fox River country in 1846, and crossed the Mississippi. The death of Pontiac, a famous Sac chieftain, was made the pre- text for war against the Illini, and a fierce and bloody struggle ensued, which con- tinued until the Illini were nearly de- stroyed, and their hunting grounds pos- sessed by their victorious foes. The Io w as also occupied a portion of the State, for a time, in common with the Sacs, but they, too, were nearly destroyed by the Sacs and Foxes, and in " The Beautiful Land " these natives met their equally warlike foes, the northern Sioux, with whom tl>e\ maintained a constant warfare for the pos- session of the country for many years. In 1803, when Louisiana was purchased by the United States, the Sacs, Foxes and Iowas possessed the entire State of Iowa, and the two former tribes, also, occupied most of Illinois. 22 HISTORY OF IOWA. The Sacs had four principal villages, where most of them resided. Their largest and most important town — if an Indian village may be called such — and from which emanated most of the ob- stacles encountered by the Government in the extinguishment of Indian titles to land in this region, was on Rock river, near Rock Island ; another was on the east bank of the Mississippi, near the month of Henderson river; the third was at the head of the Des Moines Rap- ids, near the present site of Montrose ; and the fourth was near the mouth of the upper Iowa. The Foxes had three principal villages. One was on the west side of the Missis- sippi, six miles above the rapids of Rock river; another was about twelve miles from the river, in the rear of the Dubuque lead mines ; and the third was on Turkey river. The Iowas, at one time identified with the Sacs of Rock river, had withdrawn from them and become a separate tribe. Their principal village was on the Des Moines river, in Van Buren county,' on the site where Iowaville now stands. Here the last great battle between the Sacs and Foxes and the Iowas was fought, in which Black Hawk, then a young man, corn- led one division of the attacking f rces. The following account of the bat- tle has been given: "Contrary to long established custom of Indian attack, this battle was commenced in the day-time, the attending circum- stances justifying this departure from the well-settled usages of Indian warfare The b ttli field was a level river bottom, about lour miles in length, and two mi i near the middle, narrowing to a point at either end. The main area of this bottom rises perhaps twenty feet above the river, leaving a narrow strip of low bottom along the shore, covered with trees that belted the prairie on the river side with a thick forest, and the immediate bank of the river was fringed with a dense growth of wil- low. Near the lower end of this prairie, near the river bank, was situated the Iowa village. About two miles above it and near the middle of the prairie is a mound, covered at the time with a tuft of small trees and underbrush crowing on its sum- mit. In the rear of this little elevation or mound lay a belt of wet prairie, covered, at that time, with a dense growth of rank, coarse grass. Bordering this wet prairie on the north, the country rises abruptly into elevated broken river bluffs, covered with a heavy forest lor many miles in ex- tent, and in places thickly clustered with undergrowth, affording convenient shelter for the stealthy approach of the foe. "Through this forest the Sac and Fox war party made their way in the night, and secreted themselves in the tall grass spoken of above, intending to remain in ambush during the day and make such observa- tions as this near proximity to their in- tended victims might afford, to aid them in their contemplated attack on the town during the following night. From this situation their spies could take a full sur- vey of the village, and watch every move- ment "f the inhabitants, by which means they were soon convinced that the Iowas had no suspicion of their presence. "At the foot of the mound above men- tioned the Iowas had their race course, where they diverted themselves with the HISTORY OF IOWA. excitement of horse-racing, and schooled their young warriors in cavalry evolutions. In these exercises mock battles were fought, and the Indian tactics of attack and defense carefully inculcated, by which means a skill in horsemanship was acquired that is rarely excelled. Unfortunately for them this day was selected for their equestrian sports, and, wholly unconscious of the proximity of their foes, the warriors re- paired to the race-ground, leaving most of their arms in the village, and their old men, women and children unprotected. u Pash-a-po-po, who was chief in com- mand of the Sacs and Foxes, perceived at once the advantage this state of things afforded for a complete surprise of his now doomed victims, and ordered Black Hawk to file off with his young warriors through the tall grass and gain the cover of the timber along the river bank, and with the utmost speed reach the village and com- mence the battle, while he remained with his division in the ambush to make a sim- ultaneous assault on the unarmed men whose attention was engrossed with the excitement of the races. The plan was skillfully laid and most dexterously exe- cuted. Black Hawk with his forces reached the village undiscovered, and made a furious onslaught upon the de- fenseless inhabitants by firing one general volley into their midst, and completing the slaughter with the tomahawk and scalping- knife, aided by the devouring flames with which they enveloped the village as soon as the fire-brand could be spread from lodge to lodge. "On the instant of the report of fire-arms at the village, the forces under Pash-a-po-po leaped from their couchant position in the grass, and sprang, tiger-like, upon the un- armed Iowas in the midst of their racing sports. The first impulse of the latter natur- ally led them to make the utmost speed to- ward their arms in the village, and protect, if possible, their wives and children from the attack of their merciless assailants. The distance from the place of attack on the prairie was two miles, and a great number fell in their flight by the bullets and tomahawks of their enemies, who pressed them closely with a running fire the whole way, and the survivors only reached their town in time to witness the horrors of its destruction. Their whole village was in flames, and the dearest objects of their lives lay in slaughtered heaps amidst the devouring element, and the agonizing groans of the dying, mingled with the exulting shouts of the victorious foe, filled their hearts with maddening despair. Their wives and children who had been spared the general massacre were prisoners, and together with their arms in the hands of their victors; and all that could now be done was to draw off their shattered and defenseless forces, and save as many lives as possible by a retreat across the Des Moines river, which they effected in the best possible manner, and took a position among the Soap Creek Previous to the settlement of their vil- lage on Rock river, the Sacs and Foxes had a fierce conflict with the Winnebagos, subdued them and took possession of their lands. At one time this village contained upward of 60 lodges, and was among the largest Indian villages on the continent. The number of Sacs and Foxes in 1825 was estimated by the Secretary of "War to HISTORY OF IOWA. be 4,600. Their village was situated in the immediate vicinity of the upper rapids of the Micsissippi, where the flourishing towns of Rock Island and Davenport are now situated. The extensive prairies dotted over with groves, the beautiful scenery, the picturesque bluffs along the river banks, the rich and fertile soil pro- ducing large crops of corn, squash and other vegetables with little labor, the abundance of wild fruit, game, fish, and almost every- thing calculated to make it a delightful spot for an Indian village, which was found there, had made this place a favorite home of the Sacs, and secured for it the strong attachment and veneration of the whole nation. The Sioux located their hunting grounds north of the Sacs and Foxes. They were a fierce and warlike nation, who often dis- puted possessions with their rivals in savage and bloody warfare. The possessions of these tribes were mostly located in Minne- sota, but extended over a portion of Northern and Western Iowa to the Mis- souri river. Their descent from the north upon the hunting grounds of Iowa fre- quently brought them into collision with the Sacs and Foxes, and after many a con- flict and bloody struggle, a boundary line was established between them by the Government of the United States, in a treaty held at Prairie du (hien in 1825. Instead of settling the difficulties, this caused them to quarrel all the more, in con sequence of alleged trespasses upon each other's side of the line. So bitter and unre'enting became these contests, that,in 1830, the Government purchased of the respective tribesof the Sacs and Foxes, and the Sioux, a strip of land twenty miles wide on both sides of the line, thus throw- ing them forty miles apart by creating a "neutral ground," and commanded them to cease their hostilities. They were, however, allowed to fish and hunt on the ground unmolested, provided they did not interfere with each other on United States territory. Soon after the acquisition of Louisiana, the United States Government adopted measures for the exploration of the new Territory, having in view the conciliation of the numerous tribes of Indians by whom it was possessed, and also the se- lection of proper sites for the establish- ment of military posts and trading sta- tions. The Army of the West, Gen. Wil- kinson commanding, had its headquarters at St. Louis. From this post Captains Lewis and Clarke, with a sufficient force, were detailed to explore the unknown sources of the Missouri, and Lieut. Zebu- Ion M. Pike to ascend to the head waters of the Mississippi. Lieut. Pike, with one sergeant, two corporals and seven- teen privates, left the military camp, near St. Louis, in a keel boat, with four months' rations, August Oih, 1805. On the 20th of the same month the expedition arrived within the present limits of Iowa, at the foot of the Des Moines Rapids, where Pike met William Ewing, who had just been appointed Indian Agent at this point, a French interpreter, tour chiefs, fifteen Sacs and Fox warriors. At the head of the rapids, where Montrose is now situated, Pike held a council with the Indians, in which he addressed them sub- stantially as follows: "Your great father, the President of the United States, wishes to be moreintim nely A HISTORY OF IOWA. acquainted with the situation and wants of the different nations of Red people in our newly acquired Territory of Louis- iana, and has ordered the General to send a number of his warriors in different directions to take them by the hand and make such inquiries as might afford the satisfaction required." At the close of the council he presented the Red Men with some knives, tobaoco and whisky. On the 23d of August he arrived at what is supposed, from his de- scription, to be the site of the present city of Burlington, which he selected as the location of a military post. He describes the place as "being on a hill, about forty miles above the River de Moyne Rapids, on the west side of the river, in latitude about 40 deg. 21 min. north. The channel ef the river runs on that shore. The hill in front is about 60 feet perpendicular, and nearly level at the top. About 400 yards in the rear is a small prairie, fit for gardening, and immediately under the hill is a limestone spring, sufficient for the consumption of a whole regiment." In addition to this description, which corres- ponds to Burlington, the spot is laid down on his map at a bend in the river a short distance below the mouth of the Hender- son, which p uirs its waters into the Mis- sissippi from Illinois. The fort was built at Fort Madisou, but from the distance, latitude, description and map furnished by Pike, it could not have been the place se- lected by him, while all the circumstances corroborate the opinion that the place he selected was the spot where Burlington is now located, called by the early voyagers on the Mississippi " Flint Hills " In C' m- pany with one of his men, Pike went on shore on a hunting expedition, and follow- ing a stream which they supposed to bo a part of the Mississippi, they were led away from their course. Owing to the intense heat and tall grass, his two favorite dogs, which be had taken with him, became ex- hausted, and he left them on the prairie, supposing that they would follow him as soon as they should get rested, and went on to overtake his boat. After reaching the river he waited some time for his canine friends, but they did not come, and as he deemed it inexpedient to detain the boat longer, two of his men volunteered to go in pursuit of them, and he continued on his way up the river, expecting that the two men would soon overtake him They lost their way, however, and for six days were without food, except a few morsels gathered from the stream, and might have perished had they not accidentally met a trader from St. Louis, who induced two Indians to take them up the river, and they overtook the boat at Dubuque. At he latter place Pike was cordially received by Julien Dubuque, a Frenchman, who held a mining claim under a grant from Spain. He had an old field piece, aud fired a salute in honor of the advent of the first Am sr- ican who had visited that part of the Ter- ritory. He was not, however, dsposed to publish the wealth of his mines, and ihe young and evidently inquisitive officer obtained but little information from him. Upon leaving this place, Pike pursued his way up the river, but as he pax-ed beyond the limits of the present State of Iowa, a detailed history of his explora- tions does not properly belong to this vol- ume. It is sufficient to say that, on the site of Fort Snelling, Minnes ita, he hi 1 I a y=r HISTORY OF IOWA. council with the Sioux, Sept. 23, and ob- tained from them a grant of 100,000 acres of land. Jan. 8, 1806, he arrived at a trad- ing post belonging to the Northwest Com- pany, on Lake De Sable, in latitude 47 ° . This company at that time carried on their immense operations from Hudson's Bay to the St. Lawrence ; up that river, on both sides along the great lakes, to the head of Lake Superior, thence to the sources of the Red River of the North, and west to the Rocky Mountains, embracing within the scope of their operations what was subse- quently the State of Iowa. After suc- cessfully accomplishing his mission and performing a valuable service to the whole Northwest, Pike returned to St. Louis, ar- riving there April 30, 1806. Before the Territory of Iowa could be open to settlement by the whites, it was necessary that the Indian title should be extinguished and the original owners re- moved. The Territory had been pur- chased by the United States, but was .still occupied by the Indians, who claimed title to the soil by right of possession. • In order to accomplish this purpose, 1 irge sums of money were expended, besides the frontier being disturbed by Indian wars, terminated repeatedly by treaty, only to be renewed by some act of oppression on the part of the whites, or some violation of treaty stipulation. When the United States assumed con- trol of the country, by virtue of the Louis- iana purchase, nearly the whole State was in possession of the Sacs and Fixes, a powerful and warlike nation, who were not disposed to submit without a Stl to what they c msidered the encroachment of the pale faces. Among the most noted chiefs, and one whose restlessness and hatred of the Americans occasioned more trouble to the Government than any other of his tribe, was Black Hawk, who was born at the Sac Village, on Rock river, in 1767. He was simply the chief of his own band of Sac warriors; but by his energy and ambition he became the leading spirit of the united nation of Sacs and Foxes, and one of the prominent figures in the history of the country from 1804 till his death. In early manhood he attained distinc- tion as a fighting chief, having led cam- paigns against the Ooages and other neigh- boring tribes. About the beg lining of the present century he began to appear prominent in affairs on the Mississippi. His life was a marvel. He is said by some to have been the victim of a narrow prejudice and bitter ill-will against the Americans. Upon the cession of Spain to Fiance, in 1801, it did not give up possession of the country, but retained it, and by the au- thority of France transferred it to the United States in 180-1. At that time Black Hawk and his band were in St. Louis, and were invited to be present and witness the transfer; but he refused the invitation, and it is but just to say that this refusal was caused probably more from regret that the Indians wire to be transferred from the jurisdiction of the Spanish authorities than from any special hatred toward the Americans. In his life he says: "I found many sad and gloomy faces because the United States were ab ut to take possession of the town and country. Soon alter the Americans came 1 took my b ind and went to take leave of my Spanish HISTORY OF IOWA. father. The Americans came to see him also. Seeing them approach, we passed out of one door as they entered an- other, and immediately started in our canoes for our village on Rock river, not liking the change any better than our friends appeared to at St. Louis. On arriving at our village, we gave the news that strange people had arrived at St. Louis, and that we should never see our Spanish father again. The information made all our people sorry." November 3, 1804, a treaty was con- cluded between William Henry Harrison, then Governor of Indiana Territory, on behalf of the United States, and five chiefs of the Sac and Fox nation, by which the latter, in consideration of $2,234 worth of goods then delivered, and a yearly annuity of $1,000 to be paid in goods at just cost, ceded to the United States all that land on the east side of the Mississippi, extending from a point opposite the Jefferson, in Missouri, to the Wisconsin river, embra- cing an area of over 51,000,000 of acres. To this treaty Black Hawk always objected, and always refused to consider it binding upon his people. He asserted that the chiefs or braves who made it had no au- thority to relinquish the title of the nation to any of the lands they held or occu- pied, and, moreover, that they had been sent to St. Louis on quite a different errand, namely: to get one of their people released, who had been imprisoned at St. Louis for killing a white man. In 1805 Lieutenant Pike came up the river for the purpose of holding friendly councils with the Indians and selecting sites for forts within the territory recently acquired from France by the United States. Lieut. Pike seems to have been the first American whom Black Hawk ever met or had a personal interview with, and he seemed very much prepossessed in his favor. He gives the following account of his visit to Rock Island: "A boat came up the river with a young American chief and a small parly of soldiers. We heard of them soon after we passed Salt river. Some of our young braves watched them every day to see what sort of people he had on board. The boat at length arrived at Rock river, and the young chief came on shore with his interpreter, made a speech and gave us some presents We in turn presented him with meat and such other provisions as we had to spare. We were well pleased with the young chief; he gave us good advice, and said our American father would treat us well." Fort Edwards was erected soon after Pike's expedition, at what is now Warsaw, Illinois, also Fort Madison, on the site of the present town of that name, the latter being the first fort erected in Iowa. These movements occasioned great u;. easiness among the Indians. When work was commenced on Fort Edwards, a delegation from their nation, headed by some of their chiefs, went down to see what the Am, ri- cans were doing, and had an iuterview with the commander, after which they returned home and were apparently satis- fied. In like manner, when Fort Madi.-on was being erected, they sent down another delegation from a council of the nation held at Rock river. According to Black Hawk's account, the American chief told them that he was building a house for a trader, who was coming to sell them goods cheap, and that the soldiers were cominu' HISTORY OF IOWA. to keep him company — a statement which Black Hawk says they distrusted at the time, believing that the fort was an en- croachment upon their rights, and designed to aid it getting their lands away from them. It is claimed, by good authority, that the building of Fort Madison was a violation of the treaty of 1804. By the 11th article of that treaty, the United States had a right to build a fort near the mouth of the Wisconsin river, and by article 6 they had bound themselves "that if any citizen of the United States or any other white persons should form a settle- ment upon their lands, such intruders should forthwith be removed." Probably the authorities of the United States did not regard the establishment of military posts as coming properly within the meaning of the term "settlement" as used in the treaty. At all events, they erected Fort Madison within the territory reserved to the Indi- ans, who became very indignant. Very soon after the fort was built, a party led by Black Hawk attempted its destruction. They sent spies to watch the movements of the garrison, who ascer- tained that the soldiers were in the habit of marching out of the fort every morning and evening for parade, and the plan of the party was to conceal themselves near the fort, and attack and surprise them when they were outside. On the morning of the proposed day of the attiek, five soldiers came out and were fired upon by the Indians, two of them being killed. The Indians were too hasty in their move- ment, for the parade had not commenced. However, they kept up the attack several days, attempting the old Fox strategy of setting tire to the fort with blazing arrows; but finding their efforts unavailing, they soon gave up and returned to Rock river. In 1812, when war was declared between this country and Great Britain, Black Hawk and his band allied themselves with the British, partly because he was dazzled by their specious promises, but more prob- ably because they were deceived by the Americans. Black Hawk himself declared that they were forced into war by being deceived. He narrates the circumstances as follows: "Several of the head men and chiefs of the Sacs and Foxes were called upon to go to Washingt -n to see their Great Father. On their return they re- lated what had been said and done. They said the Great Father wished them, in the event of a war taking place with England, not to interfere on either side, but to re- main neutral. He did not want our help, but wished us to bunt and suppott our families, and live in peace. He said that British traders would not be permitted to come on the Mississippi to furnish us with goods, but that we should be supplied with an American trader. Our chiefs then told him that the British traders always gave them credit in the fall for guns, powder and goods, to enable us to hunt and clothe our families. He repeated that the traders at Fort Madison would have; plenty of goods; that we should go there in the fall and he would supply us on credit, as the British traders had done." Black Hawk seems to have accepted the proposition, and he and his people were very much pleased. Act- ing in good faith, they fitted out for their winter's hunt, and went, to Fort Madison in high spirits to receive from the trader their outfit of supplies; but after waiting some time, they were told by the trader HISTORY OF IOWA. that he would not trust them. In vain they plea led the promise of their Great Father at Washington; the trader was inexorable. Disappointed and crest fallen, the Indians turned sadly to their own vil- lage. Says Black Hawk: "Few of us slept that night. All was gloom and discon- tent. In the morning a canoe was seen ascending the river; it soon arrived bear- ing an express, who brought intelligence that a British trader had landed at Rock Island with two boats filled with goods, and requested us to come up immediately, be- cause he had good news for us, and a variety of presents. The express presented us with tobacco, pipes and wampum. The news ran through our camp like fire on a prairie. Our lodges were soon taken down and all started for Rock Island. Here ended all our hopes of remaining at peace, having been forced into the war by being cKceived." He joined the British, who flattered him, and styled him "Gen. Black Hawk," decked him with medals, excited his jealousy against the Americans, and aimed his band; but he met with defeat ami disappointment, and soon abandoned the service and came home. There was a portion of the Sacs and Foxes, whom Black Hawk, with all his skill and cunning, could not lead into hos- tilities to the United States. With Keokuk ("The Watchful Fox") at their head, they were disposed to abide by the treaty of 1804, and to cultivate friendly relations with the American people. So, when Black Hawk and his band joined the fortunes of Great Britain, the rest of the nation remained neutral, and, for protec- tion, orgauized with Keokuk for their chief. Thus, the nation was divided into the "War and Peace party." Black Hawk says he was informed, after he had gone to the war, that the nation, which had been reduced to so small a body of fighting men, were unable to defend themselves in case the Americans should attack them, and, having all the old men, women and children belonging to the warriors who had joined the British, on their hands to provide for, a council was held, and it was agreed that Quash-qua-me (The Lance) and other chiefs, together with the old men, women and children, and such others as chose to accompany them, should go to St. Louis and place themselves und< r the American Chief stationed there. Accord- ingly they went down, and were received as the "friendly band" of Sacs and Foxes, and were provided for and sent up the Missouri river. On Black Hawk's return from the British army, he says Keokuk was intro- duced to him as the war chief of the braves then in the village. He inquired how he had become chief; and was in- formed that their spies had seen a large armed force going toward Peoria, and fears were entertained of an attack upon the village; whereupon a council was held, which concluded to leave the village, and cross over to the other side of the Mis- sissippi. Keokuk had been standing at the door of the lodge when the council was held, not being allowed to enter on account of never having killed an enemy, where he remained until Wa-co-me came out. Keokuk asked permission to speak to the council, which Wa-co-me obtained for him. He then addressed the chiefs. He remonstrated against the desertion of their village, their own homes, and the HISTORY OF IOWA. graves of their fathers, and offered to defend the village. The council consented that he should be their war chief. He marshaled his braves, sent out spies, and advanced on the lead- ing trail to Peoria, but returned without seeing the enemy. The Americans did not disturb the village, and all were satis- fied with the appontment of Keokuk. Like Black Hawk, he was a descendant of the Sac branch of the nation, and was born on Rock river in 1780. lie was of a pacific disposition, but possessed the elements of i rue courage, and could fi;:ht when occa- sion required with cool judgment and heroic energy. In his first ba'lle he en- countered and killed a Sioux, which placed him in the rank of warriors, and he was honored with a public feast by his tribe in commemoration of the event. In person, Keokuk was tall and of portly bearing. In his public speeches he dis- played a commanding attitude and grace- ful gestures. lie has been described as an orator, entitled to rank with the most gifted of his race. He spoke rapidly, but his enunciation was clear, distinct and forcible; he culled his figures from tin- stores of nature, and based his arguments on skillful logic. Unfortunately for his reputation as an oratoramong white people, he was never able to obtain an interpreter who could claim even a slight acquaint- ance with philosophy. . Willi one excep- tion only, his interpreters were unac- quainted with the elements of their mother tongue. Of this serious hindrance to his fame he was well aware, and re- tained Frank Labershure, who had re- ceived a rudiment il education in the French and English languages, until the latter broke down by dissipation and died. Keokuk was thus compelled to submit his speeches for translation to uneducated men, whose range of thought fell far below the flights of a gifted mind, and the fine imagery drawn from nature was be- yond their power of reproduction. Keokuk had sufficient knowledge of the English language to make hir.i sensible of this bad rendering of his thoughts, ami often a feeling of mortification at the bungling efforts was depicted on his coun- tenance while speaking. The proper [dace to form a correct estimate of his ability as an orator -was in the Indian council, where he addressed himself ex- clusively to those who understood his lan- guage, and witnessed the electrical effect of his eloquence upon his council. He seems to have p s^-essed a more sober judgment, and to have had a more intelli- gent view of the great strength and re- sources of the United States, than his noted and restless cotemporary, Black Hawk. He knew from the first that the reckless war which Black Hawk and his band had determined to carry on could result in nothing but disaster and defeat, and he used every argument against it. The large number of warriors whom he had dissuaded from following Black Hawk Incline, however, greatly excited with the war spirit after Stillman's defeat, and but for the signal tact displayed by Keokuk on that occasion, would have forced him to submit to their wishes in joining the rest of the warriors in the field. A war dance was held, and Keokuk took part in it, seeming to be moved with the current of the rising storm. When the dance was over, he called the council together to pre- HISTORY OF IOWA. pare for war. He made a speech, in which he admitted the justice of their complaints against the Americans. To seek redress was a noble aspiration of their nature. The blood of their brethren had been shed by the white man, and the spirits of their braves, slain in battle, called loudly for vengeance. " I am your chief," said he, " and it is my duty to lead you to battle, if after fully considering the matteryou are determined to go; but before you decide to take this important step, it is wise to inquire into the chances of success." He then portrayed to them the great power of the United States, against whom they would have to contend, and thought their chances of success was utterly hope- less. "But," said he, "if you do deter- mine to go upon the warpath, I will agree to lead you on one condition — that before we go we kill our old men and our wives auck Island, was sur- prised by a party of seventy Indians, and was on the point of being thrown into dis- order, when Gen. Whiteside, then > as a private, shouted out that he woul ! shoot the tirst man who turned his back on the enemy. Order being restored, the bat- tle began. At its very outset Gen. White- side shot the leader of the Indians, who thereupon commenced a hasty retreat. In June, 1832, Black Hawk, with a band of one hundred and fifty warriors, attacked the Apple River Fort, near Galena, de- fended by twenty-five men. This fort, a mere palisade of logs, was erected to afford protection to the miners. For fifteen con- secutive hours the garrison had to sustain the assault of the savage enemy; but, knowing very well that no quarter would be given them, they fought with such fury and desperation that the Indians, after losing many of their warriors, were com- pelled to retreat. Another party of eleven Indians mur- dered two men near Fort Hamilton. They were afterward overtaken by a company of twenty men, and every one of them killed. A new regime: t, under the command of Gen. Atkinson, assembled on the banksof the Illinois, in the latter part of June. Major Dement, with a small party, was sent out to reconnoiter the movements of a large body of Indians, whose endeavors to surround him made it advisable for him to retire. Upon hearing of this engage- ment, Gen Atkinson sent a detachment to intercept the Indians, while he with the main body of his army, moved north to meet the Indians under B'ack Hawk. They moved slowly and cautiously through the country, pissed through Turtle Vil- lage, and marched up along Rock river. On their arrival news was brought of the ' discovery of the main trail of the Indians. Considerable search was made, but they were unable to discover any vestige of In- dians, save two, who had shot two soldiers the day previous. Hearing that Black Hawk was encamped on Ro k River, at the Manitou village, they resolved at once to advance upon the enemy, but in the execution of their de- sign they met with opposition from their officers and men. The officers of Gen. Henry handed to him a written protest; but he, a man equal to any emergency, ordered the officers to be arrested and escorted to Gen Atkinson. Within a few minutes after the stern order was given, the officers all collected around the Gen- eral's quarters, many of them with tears in their eyes, pledging themselves that if for- given they would return to duty and never do the like again. The General rescinded the order, and they at once resumed duty. THE BATTLE OP BAD-AXB. Gen. Henry marched, on the 15th of July, in pursuit of the Indians, reaching Rock river after three days' journey, where he learned Black Hawk was encamped further up the river. On July 19 the tro j s were ordered to commence their march. After having made 50 miles, they Y HISTORY OF IOWA. were overtaken by a terrible tbunder storm, which lasted all night. Nothing e oled, however, in their courage and zeal, i y marched again :>0 miles the, next day, encamping near the place where the In- dians encamped the night before Hurrying along as fast as they could, the infantry keeping up an equal pace with the mounted force, the. troops, on the morning of the crossed the river connecting two of the four lakes, by which the Indians had been endeavoring to escape. The;, on their way, the ground strewn with ket- tles and articles of baggage, which, in the In te of retreat, the Indians wire obliged to throw away. The troops, inspired with new ardor, advanced so rapidly that at noon they fell in with the rear guard of the Indians. Those who closely pursued them were saluted by a sudden fire of musketry from a body of Indians who had concealed them elves in the high grass of the prairie. A most desperate charge was made upon the Indians, who, unable to resist, retreated obliquely in order to out- flank the volunteers on the right; but the charged the Indians in their ambush and expelled them from their thickets at int of the bayonet, and dig] I them. Nighl set in and the battle ended, having cost the Indians sixty-eight of their bravest men, while the loss of the Illinois- ans amounted to but one killed and eight wounded. □ after this battle, Gens. Atkinson and Henry joined tlieirfore.es and pursued tii'' Indians. Gen. Henry struck the main trail, left his horses behimi advance guard of eight men, and m forward upon their trail. When these men came within sight of the river, they were suddenly fired upon, and five of them killed, thu remaining three maintain- ir ground till Gen. Henry came up. Then the Indians, charged upon with the bayonet, fell back upon their main force; the battle now became general; the In- dians fought with desperate valor, but were furiously assailed by the volunteers with their bayonets, culling many of the Indians to pieces and driving the rest into the river. Those who escaped from being drowned found refuge on an island. On hearing the frequent discharge of mus- ketry, indicating a general engagement, Gen. Atkinson abandoned the pursuit of the twenty Indians under Black Hawk himself, and hurried to the scene of action, where he arrived too late to take part in the battle. He immi : rd- ance with article second. Here, then, we have, in 1830, a primitive Legislature elected by the people, the law drafted by it being submitted to the people for ap- proval.and underit Dr. Jarote was eli cted first Governor. And the laws thus enacted were as promptly obeyed as any have been since. After this, the miners, who had thus erected an independent government of their own on the west side of the Missis- sippi river, continued to work successfully for a long time, and the new settlement attracted considerable attention. But the west side of the Mississippi belonged to the Sac and Fox Indians, and the Govern- ment, in order to preserve peace on the frontier, as well as to protect the Indians in their rights under the treaty, ordered the settlers not only to stop mining, but to remove from the Indian Territory. They were simply intruders. The execution of this order was intrusted to Col. Zachary Taylor, then in command of the military post at Prairie du Chien, who, early in July, sent an officer to the miners to forbid settlement, and to command the miners to remove, within ten days, to the east side of the Mississippi, or they would be driven off by armed force. The miners, how- ever, were reluctant about leaving the rich "leads" they had already discovered and opened, and were not disposed to obey the order to remove with any considerable degree of alacrity. In due time Colonel Taylor dispatched a detachment of troops to enforce his order. The miners, anticipating their arrival, had, excepting three, recrossed the HISTORY OF -IOWA. river, and from the east bank saw the troops land on the western shore. The three who had lingered a little too long were, however, permitted to make their escape unmolested. From this time a mil- itary force was stationed at Dubuque to prevent the settlers from returning, until June, 1832. The Indians returned, and were encouraged to operate the rich mines opened by the late white occupants In June, 1832, the troops were ordered to the east side of the Mississippi to assist in the annihilation of the very Indians whose rights they had been protecting on the west side. Immediately after the close of the Black Hawk war, and the n tions of the tieaty in September, 1832. by which the Sacs and Foxes ceded the tract known as the "Black Hawk Purchase," the settlers, supposing that now they had a right to re-enter the territory, returned and took possession of their claims, built cab- ins, erected furnaces and prepared large quantities of lead for market. But the prospects of the hardy and enterprising settlers and miners were again ruthlessly interferred with by the Government, on the ground that the treaty with the Indians would not go into force until June 1st, 1833, although they had withdrawn from the vicinity of the settlement. Col. Taylor was again ordered by the War Department to remove the miners, and, in January, 1833, troops were again sent from Prairie du Chien to Dubuque, for that purpose. This was a serious and perhaps unneces- sary hardship imposed upon the miners. They were compelled to abandon their cabins and homes in mid-winter. This, too, was only out of respect for forms, for the purchase had been made, and the In- dians had retired. After the lapse of fifty years, no very satisfactory reason for this rigorous action of the Government can be given. But the orders had been given, and there was no alternative but to obey. Many of the settlers re-crossed the river, and did not return; a few, however, re- moved to an island near the east baiik of the river, built rude cabins of poles, in which to store their lead until spring, when they could float the fruits of their labor-: to St. Louis for sale, and where they could remain until the treaty went into force, when they could return. Among these were the Langworthy brothers, who had ou hand about 300,000 pounds of lead. No sooner had the miners left than Lieu- tenant Covington, who had been placed in command at Dubuque, by Colonel Taylor, ordered some of the cabins of the settlers to be torn down, and wagons and other property to be destroyed. This wanton and inexcusable action on the pan of a subordinate, clothed with a little brief authority, was sternly rebuked by Col. Taylor, and Covington was superseded by Lieut. George Wilson, who pursued a just and friendly course with the p oneers, -., ho were only waiting for the time when they could repossess their claims. The treaty went formally into effecl June, 1833; the troops were withdrawn, and the Langworthy brothers and a few others at once returned and resumed pos- session of their homes and claims. From this time must date the first permanent set- tlement of this portion of Iowa. Mr. John P. Sheldou was appointed superintendent of the mines, by the Government, and a system of permits to miners and licenses to smelters was adopted, similar to that HISTORY OF IOWA. 47 which had been in operation at Galena since 1825, under Lieut. Martin Thomas and Capt. Thomas C. Legate. Substan- tially the primitive law enacted by the miners assembled around that old cotton- wood drift login 1830, was adopted and enforced by the United States Govern- ment, except that miners were required to sell their mineral to licensed smelters, and the smelter was required to give bonds for the payment of six per cent, of all lead manufactured, to the Government. The rule in the United States mines, on Fever river, in Illinois, had been, until 1830, that the miners must pay a ten per cent. tax. This tax upon the miners created much dissatisfaction among the miners on the west side, as it had on the east side of the Mississippi. They ihought they had suffered hardships and privations enough in opening the way for civilization, without being subjected to the imposition of an odious Government tax upon their means of subsistence, when the Federal Government could better afford to aid than to extort from them. The measure soon became very unpopular. It was difficult to collect the taxes, and the whole system was abolished in about ten years. About five hundred people arrived in the mining district in 1833, after the In- dian title was fully extinguished, of whom one hundred and fifty were from Galena. In the same year Mr. Langworthy assisted in building the first school-house in Iowa, and thus was formed the nucleus of the populous and thriving city of Dubuque. Mr. Langworthy lived to see the naked prairie on which he first settled become the site of a city of 15,000 inhabitants; the small school-house which he aided in con- structing replaced by three substantial ed- ifices, wherein 2,000 children were being trained; churches erected in every part of the city, and railroads connecting the wil- derness, which he first explored, with all the cistern world. He died suddenly, on the 13th of March, 1865, while on a trip over the Dubuque & Southern railroad, at Monticello, and the evening train brought the news of his death, and his remains. Lucius H. Langworthy, his brother, was one of the most worthy, gifted and influ- ential of the old settlers of this section of Iowa. He died greatly lamented by many friends, in June, 1865. The name "Dubuque" was given to the settlement by the miners, at a meeting held in 1834. Soon after the close of the Black Hawk war, in 1832, Zachariah Hawkins, Benja- min Jennings, Aaron White, Augustine Horton, Samuel Gooch, Daniel Thompson and Peter Williams made claims at Fort Madison. In 1833, Gen. John 11 Knapp and Col. Nathaniel Knapp purchased these claims, and, in the summer of 1835, they laid out the town of "Fort Madison," and lots were exposed for sale early in 1836. The town was subsequently re-surveyed and platted by the United States Govern- ment. The population rapidly increased, and in less than two years the beautiful location was covered by a flourishing town containing nearly 600 inhabitants, with a large proportion of enterprising merchants, mechanics and manufacturers. In the fall of 1832, Simpson S. White erected a cabin on the site of Burlington, 79 miles below Rock Island During the war, parties had looked longingly upon the "Flint Hills" from the opposite side of the ^k HISTORY OF IOWA. river, and White was soon followed by others. David Tothers made a claim on the prairie, about three miles back from the river, at a place since known as the farm of Judge Morgan. The following winter the settlers were driven off by the military from Rock Island, as intruders upon the rights of the Indians. White's cabin was burned by the soldiers. He returned to Illinois, where he remained during the winter, and, in the following summer, as soon as the Indian title was extinguished, returned and re-built his cabin. White was joined by his brother- in-law, Doolittle, and they laid out the town of Burlington in 1834, on a beautiful area of sloping eminences and gentle de- clevities, enclosed within a natural amphi- theater formed by the surrounding hills, which were covered with luxuriant forest-, and presented the most picturesque scenery. The same autumn witnessed the opening of the first dry goods stores, by Dr. W. R. Ross and Major Jeremiah Smith, each well supplied with Western merchandise. Such was the beginning of Burlington, which, in less than four years, became the seat of government for the territory of Wisconsin, and, in three years more, contained a pop- ulation of 1,400 persons. Immediately after the treaty with the Sacs and Foxes, in September, 1832, Col. George Davenport male the first claim on the site of the present thriving city of Davenport. As early as 1827, Col. Daven- port had established a flat-boat ferry, which ran between the island and the main shore of Iowa, by which he carried on a trade with the Indians west of the Mississippi. In 1833 Capt. Benj irain VV. Clark moved from Illinois, and laid the foundation of the town of Buffalo, in Scott county, which was the first actual settlement within the limits of that county. The first settlers of Davenport were Antoine LeClaire, Col. George Davenport, Major Thomas Smith, Major Win. Gordon, Philip Hambough, Alex. W. McGregor, Levi S. Colton, Captain James May, and others. A settlement was made in Clayton county in the spring of 1832, on Turkey river, by Robert Hatfield and Win. W. Wayman. No further settlement was made in this part of the State until 183G The first settlers of Muscatine county were Benjamin Nye, John Vanater and G. W. K;sey, all of whom came in 1834. E. E. Fay, Win. St. John, N. Fullington, II. Reece, Jona Pettibone, R. P. Lowe, Stephen Whicher, Abijah Whitney, J. E Fletcher, W. D. Abernethy and Alexis Smith were also early settlers of Muscatine. As early as 1824 a French trader named Hart had established a trading post, and built a cabin on the bluffs above the large spring now known as "Mynster Spring," within the limits of the present city of Council Bluffs, and had probably been there some time, as the post was known to the employes of the American Fur Com- pany as li La Cote de Hart," or "Hart's Bluff." In 1827 an agent of the American Fur Company, Francis Guitar, with others, en- camped in the timber at the foot of the bluffs, about on the present location of Broadway, and afterward settled there. In 1839 a block house was built on the bluff in the east part of the city. The Pottawatomie Indians occupied this part of the State until 1846 7, when they re- ^=fk HISTORY OF IOWA. linqnished the territory and removed to Kansas. Billy Caldwell was then princi- pal chief. There were no white settlers in that part of the State except Indian traders, until the arrival of the Mormons under the lead of Brigham Young. These people, on their way westward, halted for the win- ter of 1840-7 on the west bank of the Mis- souri river, about five miles above Omaha, at a place now called Florence. Some of them had reached the eastern bank of the river the spring before, in season to plant a crop. In the spring of 1847 Young and a portion of the colony pursued their jour- ney to Salt Lake, but a large portion of them returned to the Iowa side and settled mainly within the present limits of Potta- watomie county. The principal s