HISTORY: Plymouth County From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 ************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************* ________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Plymouth County, Iowa Please visit the Plymouth County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/plymouth/ ________________________________________________________ PLYMOUTH COUNTY. Plymouth County is on the western boundary of the state, in the third tier from the north line. Its average length east and west is about thirty-five miles, and its width north and south twenty-four miles. It contains an area of about 840 square miles, or 537,000 acres. The principal streams are Floyd River, West Fork of Little Sioux River, West Branch of Floyd River, and Broken Kettle, Perry and Willow Creeks. Floyd River, the largest stream, crosses the county diagonally from northeast to southwest. It has many important tributaries, affording fine stock water and drainage to a large portion of the county. It also affords some water-power for mills. The West Fork of Little Sioux River crosses the southeast corner, draining and watering two or three townships. The entire county has a thorough system of natural drainage through small streams which course their way through all parts of it. The streams are clear, and never fail to furnish a supply of living water, as most of them are supported by springs. There are no swamps or marshes. The general character of the surface is rolling prairie, with some broken land in the western part of the county. The soil is the productive bluff deposit peculiar to the western part of the state. The valleys along the streams are not excelled in fertility of soil, and are adapted to all kinds of grain and vegetable crops. The uplands are not so well adapted to corn as the valleys, but produce fine crops of wheat and oats. The valleys of Big Sioux and Floyd Rivers present splendid belts of rich farming lands. The county is well adapted to grazing purposes, as there is a never-failing supply of pure, living water for stock, with an abundance of excellent pasturage. The supply of native timber is quite limited, the principal groves being along the Big Sioux River, and a few small groves on Floyd and the West Fork of Little Sioux. Some of the early settlers have fine groves of planted trees, which will soon attain sufficient growth to furnish fuel for their owners. Some stone has been quarried in this county, but it is of little use as a building material. Some of it is burned into a fair article of lime. Material for brick is obtained in sufficient quantity. HISTORICAL. The first settlements by whites in the county were made in the Summer of 1856, and were in the valleys of Big Sioux and Floyd Rivers. The following persons that year located in the valley of Big Sioux River; J. B. Pinckney, David Mills, Isaac T. Martin, Bratton Vidito, J. McGill, John Hipkins, James Dormichy and a Mr. Guilliams. The settlement on Big Sioux River was commenced by Martin, Vidito, McGill and Hipkins, the last-named having a family. They erected two houses, one for Hipkins and his family, and the other for the young men. In July they laid out a town, calling it Westfield. This was the first town laid out in the county, and its proprietors regarded it as the future metropolis of the Big Sioux Valley. They were joined in their enterprise by a man named Moody. These young men seem to have been fond of adventure, for on the last of July, Martin, Vidito, McGill and Moody, with five others, started on an exploring expedition to the Black Hills. When they had proceeded part of the way, Moody accidentally shot himself, causing a serious, but not fatal wound. He was taken by his comrades to Fort Randall, and placed in charge of the surgeons at that post. The party abandoned their expedition and returned home. Moody remained nearly two years, and then returned to his comrades on the Big Sioux River, lame, penniless, and an object of charity; but he was cordially received. In February, 1860, Martin went on a visit to Pennsylvania, leaving Moody in charge of his effect. While he was gone Moody sold his property and invested a part of the proceeds in the purchase of a dark-eyed maiden of the forest, with whom he remained a brief honey-moon, and then started for Pike's Peak. In 1856 the following persons located in the valley of Floyd River; A. C. Sheets, James B. Curry, E. S. Hungerford, Corydon Hall and Joel Phillips. ORGANIZATION. The county was organized October 12, 1858, by William Van O'Linda as organizing sheriff. The election was held at the house of John Hipkins, on the Big Sioux River, and at the house of A. C. Sheets, on Floyd River. The following persons were elected county officers; William Van O'Linda, County Judge; Isaac T. Martin, Treasurer and Recorder; A. C. Sheets, Clerk of the District Court; David Mills, Sheriff; and A. E. Rea, County Superintendent of Schools. The same Fall a township election was held at Westfield, on the Big Sioux, when Isaac T. Martin was elected Township Clerk. There were sixteen votes cast at this election. The county judge held his office on Floyd River, in the middle of the eastern part of the county, while the treasurer and sheriff held theirs in the Big Sioux Valley. The first place recognized as the county seat was called Melbourne, and was more a scattered settlement than a village, in the Floyd Valley. Here the business of the county court was transacted, and here the first district court was held by Judge A. W. Hubbard. Here also the first religious meetings were held by the German Methodists, and the first school taught by William Van O'Linda. Westfield, the rival of Melbourne for the honors of the county seat, was abandoned in the Spring of 1860, on account of large selections or entries of land made in that vicinity by half-breed Indians, which greatly retarded the settlement. The entries of land were made with half-breed script. In the Fall of 1859 an incident transpired which, at the time, created considerable excitement. An Irishman named Barney Roney, with his family, had settled a few miles south of Westfield, and an old sailor named Brookins had taken a claim near him. The latter was assisting Roney to clean some wheat, and both had been drinking freely. When the work was completed a difficulty arose in regard to the division of some wheat. Brookins stabbed Roney, inflicting a wound which resulted in death. The murderer was arrested and taken to Sioux City, where he was confined in jail to await his trial. At the next term of court he was convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years. The authorities of Plymouth County employed one Sherwin to take the prisoner to Fort Madison, for which service he received one hundred dollars in advance. He started with his charge, and the first evening stopped at the house of Mr. Sheets, on Floyd River, when he permitted the prisoner to make his escape. He was not heard of afterward in Plymouth County. Sherwin also resumed his journey next morning, leaving the impression behind that he had planned the escape of his prisoner, after receiving his pay from the county. LE MARS. This place was made the county seat by a vote of 476 against 111, at the general election of 1872. It is situated in the beautiful valley of Floyd River, at the junction of Illinois Central and the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroads, twenty-five miles northeast of Sioux City. The town was located in the Summer of 1869, on land that originally belonged to Jerry Ladd, B. F. Betsworth and Mr. Marvin. Soon after its location the place was visited by John I. Blair and other railroad officials, accompanied by a party of ladies. Upon the latter Mr. Blair conferred the privilege of selecting a name for the prospective city. The initial letters of the Christian names of the ladies were combined so as to form the name Le Mars, and it was agreed that this should be the name of the new town. The first business firm established was that of Blodget & Foster, and very soon after J. W. Young, John Gordon, Orson Bennett and C. H. Bennett established themselves in business. February 3, 1871, the Le Mars Sentinel, the first newspaper in the county, was started by J. C. Buchanan. The place is surrounded by a wide farming region, and is a good shipping point. There is a fine school building, and church organizations as follows; Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal and Methodist. Within a few years several substantial brick business buildings have been erected. There is an elevator, bank, flouring mill, two newspapers, etc. The population of Plymouth County, in 1875, was 5,282, an increase in two years of 1, 398. The Sioux City & Pembina Railroad has been graded along the Big Sioux River in the western part of the county.