Palo Alto County IA Archives History - Books .....Introduction - Westward! 1910
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Book Title: History Of Palo Alto County Iowa

CHAPTER I

Introduction — Westward!

   The " Westward Movement" is one of the most important facts in American
history. Starting with a little fringe of colonies along the Atlantic coast, the
settlements began to spread gradually westward, ever westward, toward the
setting sun. The dangers and hardships of pioneer life on the eastern coast were
met and overcome in each successive stage of the march westward. The same kind
of opportunities and difficulties, colored with local variations, recurred to
make the strong and sturdy growth from frontier simplicity to permanent
development. It is this fact that has given a distinctive quality to American
life — the self-reliance, courage and independence which dominate American
character. [1] A study of the frontier, therefore, will give us the key to our
history.

[1] Frederick J. Turner, "Significance of the Frontier in American History,"
Annual Report American Historical Assn., 1893, 200-201. See also McCarty, "Early
Social and Religious Experiments in Iowa," Iowa Historical Record, January,
1902. McCarty, Territorial Governors of the Old Northwest.


   Moreover, the genesis of any settlement will show the basis and character of
development. Many distinctive characteristics of any community have grown out of
peculiar conditions or incidents in its early history. It is this frontier life,
with its privations, its battles, its pleasures, its government, and its crude
experiments and compromises, together with the effects of natural conditions and
environment, that discloses the very beginnings of social life.  We must study
these frontier beginnings as well as later developments if we would appreciate
our local history.

   Indeed there is a romantic fascination surrounding the early days of every
community. We listen with thrilling interest to the stories of the first
settlers, as they recount the hardships and dangers of home making on the
boundless prairie of a new country. The simple, rugged life of these early
pioneers in itself has a charm that increases with the passing of the frontier
line. We admire the dauntless pioneer with his ax and gun. We admire his
persevering labors in spite of obstacles and discouragement, and we admire his
courage in the face of every danger.

   On through forest and over plain, westward and ever westward pressed the
adventurous and hardy pioneers. And still farther westward, on over the
trackless prairie, where the elk, deer, and other wild animals roamed at will,
and where occasional bands of roving Indians had camped and hunted, and departed
unmolested. Undaunted by the most severe weather, undismayed by the perils and
hardships of a long journey, they pressed forward through the wilderness,
leaving their own trail in the tall grass of the prairie, crossing the turbid
streams as best they could, exploring the woods and prairies, ever on the
lookout for a good location for their new home. The frontier line was gradually
moving toward the west, and these pioneer settlers were the advance guard of the
westward movement. They were willing to undergo all the hardships and privations
of frontier life in order that they might found a home for themselves and their
families. [1]

[1] See the writer's "Early Social and Religious Experiments in Iowa," in the
January, 1902, number of the Iowa Historical Record, for a more complete
description of the westward movement in Iowa, and the experiences of the early
pioneers throughout the state.

   Midway in this westward march was Iowa — the beautiful fertile land of Iowa.
But at the Mississippi progress was delayed for a time, as Iowa soil was owned
by the Indians and title had to be acquired before this territory could be
thrown open to settlement. Prior to this, the mining settlement of Dubuque had
been established1 and several abortive attempts at settlement had been made but
they were not permanent. During these early times trappers and Indian traders
roamed over the vast prairies, camping, hunting and trapping on the banks of
streams and in wooded places; but always moving and always pushing farther
westward ahead of the settlers. They were only skirmishers scouting ahead of the
real army of progress. The few squatters who tried to find homes were driven off
by the United States soldiers until the Indian title was extinguished and the
country finally opened up for settlement, June 1, 1833.

[1] Julian Dubuque in 1788 purchased a tract of land from the Sac and Fox
Indians and began to work the lead mines. Annals of Iowa, April, 1896, 330.
Salter, Iowa, the First Free State in the Louisiana Purchase; Gue, History of
Iowa, vol. i, chap. 10; McCarty, "Early Social and Religious Experiments in Iowa."


   Even then actual title was not given until years later when the land sales
were held, but this fact did not deter actual settlers, who flocked into Iowa
and began to take up the most advantageous locations. The first settlers chose
claims along the rivers. Burlington and Fort Madison were settled in the fall of
1833. Davenport was formally named in 1836, and Keokuk was laid out in 1837. As
settlers increased and pushed westward, other towns were formed. Iowa City was
laid out on the banks of the Iowa River in 1839, and became the capital of the
territory. In the same year the government removed the Pottawattomie Indians to
Southwestern Iowa and erected a fort at Council Bluffs. Two Catholic
missionaries established a mission there, but it was a frontier outpost for some
years before it was reached by actual settlements. In 1843 Fort Des Moines was
built for the United States dragoons for the protection of the frontier from the
Indian depredations.

   As settlers increased and the hostile Indians became more difficult to
control, a fort farther north was established in 1849, called Fort Clarke. The
name was changed a few years later to Fort Dodge. In 1853 the troops were moved
from Fort Dodge north to Fort Ridgely, but the vacated site was purchased and in
the beginning of the year 1854 the town of Fort Dodge was laid out and
thereafter became the distributing center for Northwest Iowa.

   It was not until 1854-5 that the vanguard of settlement spread out into
Northwestern Iowa. Prior to that time there were only two cabins north of Fort
Dodge, that of the adventurous Henry Lott, near the mouth of Lott's Creek in
Humboldt County, and one built by William Miller six miles north of Fort Dodge,
on the east side of the river. These were rival trading posts which did a
flourishing business while the soldiers were at Fort Dodge. Lott was a desperate
character and was continually stirring up trouble with the Indians. The Indians
were inclined to resent the encroachments of the whites, and freely indulged
their natural trickery in attempts at despoiling the settlers. This was of
course resisted and trouble often followed. These frequent clashes, together
with the unscrupulous conduct of such men as Lott, caused a deep-seated
resentment among the redmen. The Indian depredations increased and kept the
settlers, who were coming in, continually alarmed. It was this smoldering
resentment that caused much of the trouble in the years that followed, and
culminated in the Spirit Lake massacre of 1857, and the Indian border troubles
of 1862 and 1863. These periods will be more fully considered in later chapters.

   In the face of such conditions as these the early settlement of Northwest
Iowa began. Traders, locaters, surveyors and stray settlers all carried back to
Fort Dodge tales of the marvelous beauty of the lands along the east and west
forks of the Des Moines Eiver. During the summer of 1854 Ambrose A. Call and Asa
C. Call built the pioneer cabin in Kossuth County, on the east fork of the
river, and that summer and fall a colony of energetic settlers took claims
there. [1]

   At this time the soil of Palo Alto had not been trod by a permanent settler.
History records one incident of the early march across the prairies. The United
States troops, on their removal from Fort Dodge in 1854, marched north to Fort
Ridgely and their course took them along the river. One evening after a hard
day's march, they came to a beautiful little lake and made their camp in an oak
grove upon the shore. A terrible storm raged that night and the detachment were
compelled to stay there several days before they could continue their northern
journey.2 In spite of the inclement weather we cannot but believe that those
gallant soldiers saw the beauties around them, for they were in Palo Alto
County—the first arrivals upon its virgin soil. Its beauties and fertility could
not long remain unknown and the time was soon to arrive for the first settlement
of the county.

[1] Sketches by Ambrose A. Call in Algona Upper Des Moines, "History of Kossuth
County."

[2] William D. Powers, letter to Semi-Centenniai Committee. Gue, History of Iowa.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of Palo Alto County Iowa
BY
DWIGHT G. MCCARTY

THE TORCH PRESS
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
1910


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