HISTORY: Monroe Co., IA From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pat April 2003 ************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************* ________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Monroe County, Iowa Please visit the Monroe County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/monroe/ ________________________________________________________ MONROE COUNTY. Monroe is the fifth county west from the Mississippi River in the second tier of counties from the south line of the state. This tier comprises only three townships in breadth, west of Henry County, hence its counties are, nearly all of them, of smaller size as compared with other Iowa counties. Monroe is one of these, comprising twelve congressional townships equivalent to 432 square miles of 276,480 acres. PHYSICAL FEATURES. The southwest corner of Monroe County rests upon the great watershed, while the northeast corner rests upon the Des Moines River. It, therefore, spans the basin of the principal river of the interior of the state from its center to its southwestern rim or boundary; and its surface features are considerably diversified by the transition from the valley region to the high plain. From a small portion of the southwestern township the water flows off toward the Missouri, but all other portions of the county are drained by the Des Moines River and its affluents, chief of which is Cedar Creek. Creeks and spring brooks are very numerous, traversing nearly every section of land. Many of them run upon beds of gravel or fragmentary rock. Their waters are clear and their currents rapid. The valleys are narrow, and the valley sides are often abrupt and sometimes steep and rocky. These narrow valleys and ravines branch and extend in every direction, but usually only for a short distance before they are headed by the uplands. The county is thus thoroughly drained and has abundance of water for all farming purposes. The larger streams also afford good water power for mills and manufactories. This system of drainage is divided into two principal parts by a divide or branch of the great watershed that enters the county on the south side a little east of the center, passes through Albia and then deflects westward, passing out of the county on the north side a little west of the center. West of this line the county is drained by Cedar Creek and its affluents, and the general direction of the watercourses is nearly north, although the creek mentioned takes its course eastward for eight or nine miles after entering the county and then changes to a northwest course. In the east half of the county the watercourses flow mainly in an easterly direction, and find their way to the Des Moines by six or seven independent channels. The uplands are usually beautiful rolling tracts of prairie, scarcely any of it so rough as to be unsuitable for easy cultivation. These prairies are usually small for Iowa, being separated by the numerous valleys. These upland tracts are bordered by the somewhat broken surfaces of the valley sides. The county is amply compensated, however, for this small proportion of broken lands by the abundant quantity and favorable distribution of timber which generally occupies the valleys and broken lands upon their sides, and in many places encroaches upon the adjacent uplands, and also by the valuable coal beds which are rendered easy of access by the same conformation that protected the growth of timber during the period of prairie fires. RESOURCES. The larger part of Monroe County is embraced within the region which is now considered the most valuable portion of the Iowa coal field. It is all embraced within the area of the lower and middle coal measures, and it lies far enough within the limits of the coal field to develop the formation fully. In the eastern and northern portions of the county, beds of coal belonging to the lower measure, and from four to five feet in thickness, have been developed. These beds are not so thick as those opened in some other counties, but they are rendered highly valuable by the excellent quality of the coal which they yield. In the central portion of the county beds of coal belonging to the middle measure have been opened. The coal is somewhat thinner than the beds previously mentioned, but is of good quality, and from the fact that it lies in close proximity to the lower formation it is inferred with good reason that profitable coal mines may be developed easily in nearly all parts of the county. The soil throughout the county generally has all the elements of the highest fertility, being derived from the drift which deeply overlies the entire upland surface, richly intermingled with the vegetable mold accumulated for ages from the annual decay of herbage upon the surface. This is underlaid by a very deep subsoil derived from the same deposit of drift and the disintegrated shales of the contiguous coal measures. It yields abundant crops of most grains, corn taking the lead; oats and wheat being next in importance. From the ample production of native grasses, this has long been a prominent grazing county, and stock raising has formed a most remunerative and extensive branch of industry. The successful introduction of tame grasses, which thrive admirably, and the convenience of stock water have not in the least tended to diminish or discourage the business of stock raising. The county enjoys the general advantages possessed by this section of Iowa for fruit growing, and good orchards are met with quite frequently. Stone, suitable for ordinary masonry, is obtained in many places, and also suitable stone for the manufacture of quicklime. Clay and sand for making brick are convenient to all parts. RAILROADS. The county has good railroad communications. The B. & M., or as it is commonly called the Chicago Burlington & Quincy, traverses its territory, and the southern terminus of the Central Railroad of Iowa is at present at Albia. The Albia, Knoxville & Des Moines road, now in process of construction, starts from the C. B. & Q. depot at Albia, and proceeds thence up the Des Moines valley. HISTORICAL. Monroe County was included within the territory purchased of the Sac & Fox Indians in1842, and opened for settlement on the first of May, 1843. It was originally named Kishkekosh, in honor of an Indian chief among the Sacs and Foxes, but the name was subsequently changed. The first settlement was made in the northeast part of the county, about two miles west of Eddyville on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 3, township 73, range 16, by John B. Gray, in May, 1843. His son, John S. Gray, born September 15th of that year, was the first white child born in the county. Mr. Gray was from Burlington, Iowa. Among other settlers of that and the succeeding year, were James and Josiah Boggs, James Myers, W. G. and John Clark, James Hilton, William N. Beadle, William Miller, T. and A. Templeton, J. McMullen, G. Gunter, R. Ingham, J. Wells, J. McIntire, Israel Green, W. Buchanan, N. B. Preston, Riley Wescoat, D. and O. Rowles, J. Lower, J. N. Massey, J. Mock, J. Webb, W. H. Clark, P. Barber, S. H. Warden, E. P. Coree and H. Smith. The county was organized in the Summer of 1845, by Joseph Hayne, Sheriff of Wapello County. The first election ever held in the county was at Clark's Point, two miles north of the present town of Albia, in 1844, when W. G. Clark was elected justice of the peace. The first county officers were elected in August, 1845, and were as follows; W. G. Clark, Probate Judge; James Hilton, Clerk of the District Court; J. Miller, Commissioners' Clerk; T. Templeton, Treasurer; J. Clark, Sheriff; and J. McMullen, M. H. Clark, and J. S. Bradley, County Commissioners. The first entry in the county commissioners' record is headed as follows; "Kishkekosh Co., Territory of Iowa." In 1845, a town was laid out at Clark's Point, to which the name of Clarksville was given, and at that time aspired to the honors of the county seat. The first district court was held at this place in 1845, Charles Mason, of Burlington, presiding as judge. In 1845, James A. Gallaher, of Jefferson County, and Israel Kister, of David County, two of the commissioners appointed to locate the permanent county seat, made selection of the place where the town of Albia is now situated, and a town was laid out there called Princeton. The name was subsequently changed to Albia. One of the earliest (perhaps the first) deaths which occurred in the county was that of the wife of Riley Wescoat, in 1844. At that time there were neither saw mills nor undertakers in the county. In preparing for the burial of the deceased the question of providing a coffin became an important one. The trees in the forest were all they had, and to them they resorted. Out of them they hewed puncheons, such as are used for cabin floors, and with the aid of S. H. Warden, a cabinetmaker, they succeeded in making a very respectable coffin for her who had so soon left their small circle. The first religious meeting held in the county was at the house of Israel Green, by Rev. Mr. Post, a Baptist preacher from Davis County, in 1844. ALBIA This town is laid out like many other county towns in this section of Iowa where the ground was selected before any improvements were made, and the site surveyed into lots under the supervision of the county commissioners. As they could shape the new town according to their own pleasure in any form which they should deem best adapted to the purpose for which it was intended, they usually laid out and reserved the best ground near the center in the form of a square for public uses. In due time a court house reared its stately walls exactly in the center of these public grounds. It was usually the most expensive and important building in the town, and the business rows ranged themselves as near as they could get on the adjacent streets all looking toward the central structure apparently in admiration, but really because the situation afforded the best business locations. Albia is thus laid out, and a substantial brick court house stands upon the central square. The streets are regularly laid out, wide and handsome. Many good business blocks and buildings of two and three stories surround the court house square and extend along some of the principal streets. Handsome residences and tastily ornamented grounds are an attractive feature of the place. Upon one side is the depot of the Central Railroad of Iowa, and just beyond handsome fair grounds and trotting park. Along the side of the town nearly opposite runs the track of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad and the Albia, Knoxville & Des Moines Railroad, now in process of construction, extends from its depot. There are good flouring mills, warehouses, etc. There are unmistakable indications of business activity and progress observable in its numerous stores, shops, hotels, banks, and other business establishments conducted by enterprising men of experience and capital. The professions are equally well represented. The education of the youth of the city is well provided for by excellent graded schools maintained at a very liberal outlay of public funds. Several fine church buildings adorn its precincts, and show that its citizens are not unmindful of their spiritual welfare. The site of this young city is beautifully situated upon a high, gently undulating tract of prairie about two and a half miles east of the geographical center of the county, and affords a fine view of the handsome surrounding country. It has many advantages of location, a large fertile and well improved tract of country contributes to its mercantile trade, and the surplus products of the county are likewise drawn to its market by the excellent shipping facilities and means of transportation afforded by its railroads. The town is situated within convenient distance of excellent tracts of timber. An abundance of coal is furnished by the adjacent mines. Excellent brick is manufactured here, and good stone for building purposes and quicklime is obtained near by. The town may be said to have just entered upon its era of growth and progress, and with these numerous advantages it evidently has a bright and promising future before it. It is now incorporated as a city under the general incorporation laws of Iowa, its council consisting of a mayor, recorder and five trustees. NEWSPAPERS. A.C. Barnes started the first paper in the county at Albia in 1854. It was a free soil paper, called the Albia Independent Press. W. W. Barnes took charge of it in 1856, and changed the name to Albia Weekly Republican. Shortly afterwards his brother, A. R. Barnes, took charge of it and ran it till 1859, when the paper was suspended. January 1, 1860, young & Gray bought the press and started a paper called the Monroe County Sentinel, in the interest of Douglass. In the Fall of 1861 the paper was suspended for a short time, after which Young & Melick commenced the Albia Weekly Gazette, which had little to do with politics. The paper stopped in April, 1862. Young went to the war in the Summer of that year, and Melick went to Eddyville to publish the Star. The press was sold to M. A. Rogg, who started the Albia Union. He afterwards went into the army as lieutenant and was killed in front of Vicksburg. G. W. & B. F. Yocum took charge of the paper, and when Rogg was killed, purchased it and ran it till October 24, 1864, when the present proprietor, V. Mendel, bought it. He has made it an excellent paper fully deserving the gratifying success which it has attained. It is Republican in politics, and is published every Wednesday. The Reporter is an attractive and newsy sheet, published weekly. FREDERIC. – This is an important railroad station in the east part of the county. Considerable produce and stock are shipped at this point. TYRONE. – This is a station southeast of Albia on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, and an important shipping point. MELROSE. – This place is in the west part of the county, and is also a shipping station on the railroad. The post office is called East Melrose. The other villages and post offices are Avery, Cedar Mines, Coalfield, Coalton, Georgetown, Half Way Prairie, Hummaconna, Lovilia, Urbana City, and Weller.