$^~^ -^: ■ . -x stfV f THE HISTORY Wapello County, T O ^W J^, CONTAINING % Ifislor^ ctf i\$ §mn\ti, it$ §tlm, Wtmm, &t., A Biographical Directory of Citizens, War Record of its Vol unteers in the late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, His- tory of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Wapello County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &e. iXjr.Tjsa?K,^^TEiD CHICAGO : WESTEEN HISTORICAL COMPANY, 1878. ^ /cf ^f 'Of Entered, according to Act ot Congress, in the year 1878, by THE WESTERN HISTORICAL C O W! P A N Y, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. ^^i ^ \\ \a PREFACE. rriHE history of Wapello County is one which contains many features iden- tical with the history of Iowa, the preservation of which is essential to the truthful record of the State's life. The publishers of this volume have fully appreciated that fact, and have so arranged the order of compilation as to give each prominent characteristic due place. There is no effort herein to reach literary excellence, but rather a decided attempt to capture vagrant items of interest, and weave them together upon the simplest thread of system. Many men will say that their own acts are not sufficiently expatiated upon, or commensurate credit given certain friends of theirs ; but the publishers have not aimed merely to please individuals. The work engaged in by them was of a higher nature. They have concentrated records for the benefit of posterity, rather than for the selfish gratification of the vanity of special patrons. In their labors, they have been aided by Mr. Samuel B. Evans, whose skill and information have given character to the paper on the Mounds of the Des Moines Valley, and whose files of the Ottumwa Democrat have been frequently referred to. They have been helped in many ways by the ready memory of Messrs. R. H. and C. C. Warden, and by the files of the Ottumwa Courier, the pioneer journal of the West, which made its appearance under the manage- ment of Mr. R. H. Warden. These valuable papers were placed at the writer's disposal through the courtesy of Mr. A. H. Hamilton, the present pro- prietor. Mr. W. D. HoRTON, of Agency City, had, fortunately, preserved those copies of the Independent containing the contributions of Major John Beach, and, by that act of forethought, future generations will be permitted to read of the Agency and the life therein. Of Judge Hendershott's able address, nothing further need be said than that we have appropriated it bodily, without even asking the Judge if we might do so. The people will approve of the act. PREFACE. whether the Judge Joes or not. The county oflBcers have given the publishers great aid, and done it, too, in such a cordial manner as to leave with us the most hearty feelings of friendliness. So it has been throughout the county. We can name but a moiety of those who have been kindly disposed, and so we say to one and all, We thank you. If any one feels disposed to be hypercritical of the work, let that individual first realize that we have tried to do our work honestly and well. We leave the permanent verdict confidently to the future. THE PUBLISHERS. December, 1878. CONTENTS. mSTORT NORTHWEST AX» STATE OF IOWA. Page. History Northwest Territory 19 Geographical Position 19 Early Explorations 20 Discovery of the Ohio 33 English Explorations and Set- tlements 35 American Settlements 60 Division of the Northwest Ter- ritory 66 Tecumseh and the War of 1812 70 Black Hawk and the Black Hawk War 74 Other Indian Troubles 79 Present Condition of the Noi-th- west 86 Chicago 95 Hlinois 257 Indiana 259 Iowa 260 Michigan 263 Wisconsin 264 Minnesota 266 Nebraska 267 History of Iowa : Geographical Situation 109 Topography 109 Drainage System 110 Pa SB. History ol Iowa : Rivers Ill Lakes 118 Springs 119 Prairies 120 Geology 120 Climatology 137 Discovery and Occupation 139 Territory 147 Indians 147 Pike's Expedition 151 Indian Wars 152 Black Hawk War 157 Indian Purchase, Reserves and Treaties 159 Spanish Grants 163 Half-Breed Tract.. 164 Early Settlements 166 Territorial History 173 Boundary Question 177 State Organization 181 Growth and Progress 185 Agricultural College and Farm.186 State University 187 State Historical Society 193 Penitentiaries 194 Pase. History of Iowa: Insane Hospitals 195 College for the Blind 197 Deaf and Dumb Institution 199 Soldiers' Orphans' Homes 199 State Normal School 201 Asylum for Feeble Minded Children 201 Reform School 202 Fish Hatching Establishment..203 Public Lands 204 Public Schools 218 Political Record 223 War Record 229 Infantry 233 Cavalry 244 Artillery 247 Miscellaneous 248 Promotions from Iowa Reg- iments 249 Number Casualties — Officers.250 Number Casualties — Enlist- ed Men 252 Number Volunteers 254 Population 255 Agricultural Statistics 328 HISTORY WAPEL.L.O COUNTY. Page. Geology 323 Formation of Limebeds 324 Great Coal-Basin 325 Cretaceous 327 Glacial Period 327 Drift Period 329 Bowlders 331 Origin of the Prairies 331 Descriptive Geography 332 Kesorces 334 Approach of Civilization 334 Unknown Race 336 History of the Aborigines 342 Black Hawk 343 Wapello and other Chiefs .345 Pashepaho 350 Maj. Beach's History of the Agency 351 Wapello's Death 369 First White Child born in County..369 First Death 370 First Marriage 370 First Grist-Mill .370 First Post Office 370 Iowa as it was 370 First Settlers 373 Judge Hendershott's Address 377 How Pioneers Lived 391 Organization of the County 396 Legislative Enactments 398 First Probate Business 398 Marriage Record 401 District Court 402 List of First Grand Jury 402 Circuit Court 403 Official Roster of the County 403 Material Growth and Prosperity ...407 Abstract Assessment, 1878 409 Social Statistics 409 Population, 1875 410 Dairy Business 410 Swine Culture 415 Sheep Culture 415 Page. Fruit Culture 410 Eclipse, 1869 417 Educational 419 Early Newspaper Items 421 Coal Interests 427 Dahlonega War 429 The Miller-Thompson Contested Election 429 Des Moines River Improvement Schemes 435 Origin of the Name Des Moines 445 Criminal Record 446 Laura Harvey Murder and Ex- ecution of McComb 446 Willis Murder^Lynching of Kephart 452 Shooting of Albert M. Logan and Lynching of his Mur- derer, John Smith 453 Agricultural Society 456 Speculative and Prophetic 456 Ottumwa 461 Appanoose Rapids Company ...462 First Mill 465 County Seat 465 First Court House 466 Name 466 Location of Post Office 467 Original Plat 467 Indian Camp Grounds 468 Ottumwa in 1844 468 Independence-Day Celebration .408 First Public Buildings 468 Primitive Justice 469 Ottumwa House 470 First Ferry 470 First Jail 471 Samantha Shaffer 471 A Glance in 1845 471 First Court House 471 First Mill Built 472 First Settlers in Ottumwa 472 Land Sales 472 Page. Ottumwa : Mail Contracts 473 Ottumwa in 1849 473 Marine 473 Lyceum 474. Plankroad Fever 474 Staging in 1850 474 Ottumwa in 1853 475 Fall of a Landmark 475 Postmasters 475 Governmental Organization ...475 Police Department 479 Fire Department 480 Large Fires 480 County Buildings 482 City Hall 482 City Finances 483 Bridge Company 483 Press 483 Seci'et Societies 485 Public Schools 487 Business College 494 Public Library 494 Churches 495 Railroads 506 Water-Power Company 507 Water Works 511 Manufacturing 513 Gas-Light Company 516 Post Offices in Wapello County .516 County Poor Farm 516 Commercial Interests 51 Loan & Building Association ..516 Missing Book Found 517 Eddyville 519 Eldon 529 Agency City 533 Chillicothe 537 Kirkville 538 Blakesburg 538 Dahlonega 5.39 Vote, 1876-78 540 War Record 541 CONTENTS. ILiLiUSTRATIOPTS. Page, i Mouth of the Mississippi 21 1 Source of the Mississippi 21 i Wild Prairie 23 | La Salle Landing on the Shore of j Green Bay 25 Bufifalo Hunt 27 Trapping 29 Hunting 32 [ Iroquois Chief 34 Pontlac, the Ottawa Chieftain 43 I Indians Attacking Frontiersmen.. 56 1 A Prairie Storm 59 | Page. A Pioneer Dwelling 61 Breaking Prairie 63 Tecuraseh, the Shawanoe Chieftain 69 Indians Attaclcing a Stockade 72 Black Hawk, the Sac Chieftain 75 Big Eagle 80 Captain Jack, the Modoc Chieftain 83 Kinzie House 85 A Representative Pioneer 86 Lincoln Monument 87 A Pioneer School House 88 Page. Pioneers' First Winter 94 Great Iron Bridge of C, R. I. & P. E. R., Crossing the Mississippi at Davenport, Iowa 91 Chicago in 1833 95 Old Fort Dearborn, 1830 98 Present Site Lake Street Bridge, Chicago, 1833 98 Ruins of Chicago 104 View of the City of Chicago 106 Hunting Prairie Wolves 268 WAPEIiLiO COUXTT VOL.1TMTEERS. Infantry: Page. Second 541 Seventh 542 Fifteenth 544 Seventeenth 545 Eighteenth 546 Twenty-second 546 Infantry : Page. Thirty-sixth 547 Thirty-seventh 550 Forty-seventh 551 Cavalry: First 551 Third 552 Cavalry : Page Fourth 552 Seventh 553 Eighth 554 Ninth 555 Miscellaneous 556 BIOGRAPHICAL TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY. Page. Agency 609 Adams 652 Cass 643 Center 603 Columbia . Page. Competine 660 Dahlonega 631 Green 662 Highland 640 .633 I Keokuk 655 , Page. Ottumwa City .'.;.. ..457 Pleasant 657 Polk 647 Richland 622 Washington 616 L.ITHOORAPHI€ PORTRAITS. Page. I Page. Blake, Charles F 457 Fisher, John C 491 Burton, E. L 355 1 Hendershott, H. B 321 t, William 423 ' Hedrick, J. M 227 Hutchison, J. G 525 Stiles, Edward H 279 Wilson, Harvey.. 389 ABSTRACT OF IOWA STATE liAWS. Page. Adoption of Children 303 Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes 293 Commercial Terms 305 Capital Punishment 298 Charitable, Scientific and Religious Associations 316 Descent 293 Damages from Trespass 300 Exemptions from Execution 298 Estrays 299 Forms : Articles of Agreement 3('7 Bills of Sale 3u8 Bond for Deed 315 Bills of Purchase 306 Page. Forms : Chattel Mortgage 314 Confession of Judgment 306 Lease 312 Mortgages 310 Notice to Quit 309 Notes 306,313 Orders .306 Quit Claim Deed 315 Receipts 306 Wills and Codicils 3U9 Warranty Deed 314 Fences 300 Interest 293 Intoxicating Liquors 317 Jurisdiction of Courts 297 Page. Jurors 297 Limitation of Actions 297 Landlord and Tenant 304 Married Women 298 Marks and Brands 300 Mechanics' Liens. 301 Koads and Bridges 302 Surveyors and Surveys 303 Suggestions to Persons Purchasing Books by Subscription 319 Support of Poor 303 Taxes 295 Wills and Estates 293 Weights and Measures 305 Wolf Scalps 300 MIS€£I