HISTORY: 1865 Gazetteer, Monroe Co., IA
 
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Annette Lucas ClintonRoots@aol.com
April 2003

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NOTE:  For more information on Monroe County, Iowa 
       Please visit the Monroe County, IAGenWeb page  
       at http://iagenweb.org/monroe/
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Source: Hair, James T. Iowa State Gazetteer. Chicago: Bailey & Hair, 1865. 

MONROE COUNTY
Is situated in the third tier of counties north from Missouri, and the fifth west
of the Mississippi River.  It is bounded on the north by Marion and Mahaska
Counties, on the east by Wapello, on the south by Appanoose, and on the west by 
Lucas.  It is one of the smaller counties, being eighteen miles from north to south,
and twenty-four from east to west.  It was organized in 1843, and Albia, the 
county seat laid off in 1844.
The Des Moines River touches the northeast corner of the county, which is as well
watered as any county in the State, by the numerous streams flowing in an easterly
direction, and emptying in the Des Moines.  The principal of these are Cedar,
White's, Gray's, Miller's and Soap Creeks.  These, with numerous other smaller
streams, are skirted with timber, averaging nearly a mile in width.  The soil is
good throughout the county, and the prairies are small, high and fertile.  An
abundance of coal and limestone is found in most parts of the county.
The Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, now completed to Ottumwa, is surveyed, 
and will eventually pass through the centre of this county.  The principal shipping
points are Eddyville and Ottumwa, the former fifteen, and the latter twenty miles
from Albia.
ALBIA, the county seat, is three miles east of the centre of the county, and fifteen
miles from Eddyville, on the Des Moines Valley Railroad.  It is laid off with a 
square in the centre, in which stands a substantial court house.  It has a population
of about 1,000, and contains Methodist, Presbyterian, and other church organizations.
There are here twelve general stores, six groceries, four drug stores, one bank
and one flour mill.
LOVILIA is in the northern portion of the county, sixteen miles west of Eddyville,
a station on the Des Moines Valley Railroad.  It is near Cedar Creek, and has a 
heavy body of timber on the west, northwest and southwest.  There is an abundance
of stone coal in the township, and the soil is good.  The village contains Baptist
and Methodist Church organizations; also one general store, one grocery, one 
clothing store and one saw mill.  Population, 150.
OSPREY is a post office in the southwestern part of the county, twenty miles from
Albia.
COALTON is in Cedar township, eleven miles northwest of Albia.  Population of 
township, 400.
The remaining post offices in the county are Cuba, Georgetown, Thompsonville and
Weller.