This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Early Iowa Settler Recalls Grindstone War and Frontier Life
Memoir style account recounts first settlers in northern Iowa around Mason City in 1855 56. May Henderson from Illinois describes building the first sawmill near Lime Creek, pioneer hardships prairie storms and Indian threats. He later joins the 14th Town Infantry and details 1856 Republican convention and Spirit Lake events.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Towa
Mississippi River
Mason City
Masonic Grove
Lime Creek
Iowa
A. B. Miller
Martha
Randall
KE. Randall
Rockford
Missippi
14Th Town Infantry
Iowa City
Michigan
Republican ‘Party
Kirkwood
Harlan
Clarkson
Grinnell
J. S. Kirkwood
U. S. Congress
North
Horace Boies
Towas
Meniace
Clear Lake
Dickins
Dickinson
Hardy Young
McPease
Seth Stevens
Blue Earth
Mankato
Wattonwon River
Chain Lakes
Clear ‘Lake
Spirit Lake
Stevens
Okoboji
Des Moines
Gardner
Luce
Spirit ‘Lake
Abby Gardner
Luke
Des ‘Moines
Cerro ‘Gordo County