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The Fort Madison Democrat has col lected much that is interesting about the old times and the now in Leo coun ty, some of which we can change here. In 1840 Leo county had a population of 6,093; in 1850, 14,861; in 1860,20, 282; in 1870, 88,210; in 1880, 84,859. Isaac R. Campbell, of St. Francis ville, Mo. (father of Capt. J. W. Camp bell, of Fort Madison), visited this sec tion of the country in 1821, sixty-one years ago. Mr. C. is now 84 years of age. a . The first school in Town, was taneht where is now the village of Nashville, Leo county, in 1890, Benjamin Fanning, a late Oregon millionaire, teichar. ‘The second school’ was’ organized at the “Point,” now Keokuk, in 1884, Fosse Creighton, shoemaker, tonclisy. Mr. J. Bridgman, of Muscdtino, an old settler, writes an interesting letter to the Leo County Old Settlers’ Commit tee about the growth of towa.. He gives no incidents, however, . Messrs. Willians and Isham Burton, of Washington township, this county, made the brick to build the flat Dras byterian church in Town, and perhaps the first brick church built in the site. It was built in West Point, and Col. Wm. Patterson, of Keokuk, superin tended the work. Tn the little durch Hon. A. OG. Dodge, of Burlington, deliv ered his fist speech as a candidate for Congress, , The 1st house built where Keokuk now stands was erected in 1820. . The town of Keokuk was planted in 1857, Alexanders Gruckshink landed at Fort Matison at the 4th day of March 1834, and has been a resident of Tee county evers since, most of the time in Franklin township, “Mr. Q's first visit to Lee county was in the fall of 1882, Qld gettlers’ privas from 1889 to 1845: . Birloinstonk, 24@3.cents per pound. Saddle of venison, weighing thirty to 40 pounds, 76, cents,. Butter, 6 cents per pound. One dozen chickens $1.00. One barrel of flour, $2.50. Laborer's wages per dry, 60 cents. Corn anents, 10 cents per lashes. Tavern fare for man and horse, for supper, lodging and breakfast, 75 cents. ‘ The first settlement at Fort Madison was in 1892... Rev. Chatiney Hobart, writes that in 1836 he found that Methodist meetings had been held and a class formed in 1835, by Rev. Collin D. James, of the Rock Taland Circuit, among the settlers across the river on the Iowa side. Mr. Hobart continued the work among these settlers in 1836. In the spring of 1887 he and Rev. Danial G. Cartwright (not the famous Peter) started from Masca tine—then Bloomington—and visited all the settlements along Cedar river. Lieut. Zaebulon M. Pike built Fort Madison in 1805, Hon. Daniel J. Miller says that the finest natural orators thatdw had known in Iowa were Judge Johnstone, of Keo kuk, and, the late Judge Viele, of Fort Madison. In the spring of 1843 David W. Kil bourne on behalf of the Gentiles, and Joseph Smith on behalf of the Mor mons, in a meeting at Montrose, spread that the Mormons and the Gentiles should stop the almost war that was, continually waging between them in reciprocal acts of violence. Hon. Dan iel J. Miller was called as a witness to the treaty. After the compact was, made Joseph Smith turned to Ma. Mil ler and anid: Mr. Miler, T now summon: you,as witness to the great day of judgment, and, if either party to this’ treaty violates its terms, you will be there to testify to the truth.” The pa triarch and his two Bishop comrades then shook farewell hands with Messrs. Miller and Kilbourne and departed without saying anything more. There never was in Iowa a match for Gen. J.D. Brown, Captain of dragoons, who retired from the army ‘and ‘settled in Fort Madison in 1886. A giant phys ically and mentally, there’ is no one’ of the men of early ,times of whom so many incidents are told. He died in Kentucky during the Rebellion. In the winter of 1841 a’‘noted' land speculator named Bratten, with several ofhers, was sitting one afternoon in Bullard’s Hotel, which stood in front of where you stand the Morrison plow works, talking, of fu ture land, speculation in Iowa,. In the midst of their conversation, Gen. Brown being on one of his usual sprees, walked into the room, and, passing behind the chair of Bratten, pulled a large pin from the lapel of his coat, and pushed it through Bratten’s ear to its head, Brat ten sprang up in a great rage and pre pared for a fight, but Brown quieted him by pledging his word that it ‘was all a joke, saying it was a —— singular thing that Bratten would get angry be ene jie had taken a lithic’ privilege with him, and that he thought it aw small thing to fall owe about, Brown, when about to do any devilment, would stretch himself to his full height and shout: “Iami the tall cedar of Leb anon.” In Newhall’s sketches of Iowa the city of Keokuk is described thus in 1840 , Keokuk,“Keokuk is situated” near the foot of the lower rapids on the Mis sissippi,and derives itsihief import ance from the necessity of changing freight and storage of merchandise at low -stage of the Mississippi. Under such circumstances steamboats are com pelled to discharge much of their freight, and tow it over with lighters. A town site a mile square has been laid off at Keokuk. Government is about remov ing those obstructions which have proved so detrimental to the increasing trade of the Upper Mississippi. The population of Keokuk is about 150. In August, 1640, Keokuk and twenty of his braves came to Fort Madison and stopped at the hotel. After eating din ner the old chief (Keokuk) went down to the river bank and sat there a long time looking up and down the river in silent reverie. After awhile, two of his braves went to him and held an um brella over him to shelter him from the burning sun, Notsword was spoken. At length Keokuk arose, wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, walked straight to his pony, and he and his braves galloped away. Keokuk was looking for the last time on the home of his childhood.
Newspaper Details
Le Mars Sentinel
Le Mars, Iowa, US
Thu, Oct 05, 1882
Page 8
Full Page
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