HISTORY: Pocahontas County, Iowa
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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POCAHONTAS COUNTY.

	Pocahontas County is the fourth from the west, and the third from the 
north line of the state. It is twenty-four miles square, and containing five 
hundred and seventy-six square miles, or 368,640 acres.
	The west fork of the Des Moines River passes through the northeast 
portion of the county. The eastern part of the county is well watered and drained 
by this stream and its tributaries, the most important of these being Pilot Creek, 
Lizard River and south fork of the Lizard River. The western part of the county 
is watered and drained by Cedar and Little Cedar Creeks, the latter being an 
affluent of Cedar Creek. This stream has its source in Swan Lake, situated near 
the center of the northwest corner township of the county, and flows nearly 
south across the county, receiving its affluent, Little Cedar, in the southwest 
corner township. There are several small lakes, the two largest being Swan 
Lake, in the northwest corner township, and Clear Lake, about nine miles further 
south. 
	The supply of timber is quite limited, being chiefly confined to the 
groves on the Des Moines and Lizard Rives. Many of the early settlers have fine 
groves of planted trees. There is a total of about three thousand acres of native 
timber.
	The surface of the county is gently undulating, and the soil very fertile. 
Pure well water is everywhere easily obtained a few feet below the surface, even 
on the most elevated prairies, and the numerous small creeks and rivulets supply 
water for stock. The soil is a rich black loam, from two to six feet in depth. Fine 
crops of corn, wheat oats and potatoes are raised. The northern part is peculiarly 
adapted to stock-raising. Among the wild fruits found along the streams and 
about the groves, are plums, grapes and crab apples. 
	Limestone of the subcarboniferous formation, is found in township 
ninety-two, range thirty-one, about four miles south of Rolfe. It is a valuable 
building stone, and is manufactured into lime of excellent quality. This is the 
most northwesterly point in the state at which lime-producing rock is obtained, 
except in the bluffs of the Big Sioux River, a hundred miles further west. These 
quarries must therefore become exceedingly valuable. They extend for a 
distance of nearly two miles along a ravine, or low tract of land. Peat has also 
been discovered on Beaver Creek. Clay suitable for brick is obtained.

HISTORICAL.

	It is scarcely necessary to inform the reader that this county was named 
in honor of the Indian maiden rendered famous by her heroic intercession to 
save the life of Captain John Smith, in the early history of Virginia. To preserve 
the historical connection, the county seat was named Rolfe, in honor of the 
young English planter who became the husband of the Indian girl, and one of the 
townships Powhatan, perpetuating in the same connection the memory of the 
father of the historic maiden, whose blood, it is claimed, flows in the veins of 
some of the "first families" of the "Old Dominion."
	Among the earliest white settlers of the county were David Slosson, 
Henry Jarvis, A. H. Malcolm, William H. Hart, Robert Struthers, William D. 
McEwen and William Hart. A county organization took place in 1859, at which 
time the population was about eighty persons. The first election was held at the 
house of Henry Jarvis, on the 15th day of March, 1859, when the following 
county officers were elected; David Slosson, County Judge; A. H. Malcom, 
Clerk of the District Court; William H. Hart, Treasurer and Recorder; Oscar 
Slosson, Sheriff; and Guernsey Smith, Surveyor. At this election only seventeen 
votes were cast.
	The first school was taught by William D. McEwan, and the first 
newspaper published by Bruce, McEwen & McVey. It was called the 
"Pocahontas Journal."

ROLFE.

	This place is situated on section twenty-six, township ninety-three, 
range thirty-one, and is west of the Des Moines River, on a pleasant elevation. It 
was the first town laid out in the county, and is the county seat. The court house 
is a substantial two story brick building, 36x50 feet. There is also a good brick 
school house. The town is convenient to groves of timber on the Des Moines 
River, and within four miles of extensive quarries of limestone.

FONDA.

	This is a station on the line of the Iowa Division of the Illinois Central 
Railroad, in the southwest corner township of the county. It is a thriving 
business and shipping point, surrounded by a good agricultural region. The place 
was formerly called Marvin. The first settlement was made by Jacob Sillar, in 
1869; in July, 1870, the place was laid out by F. Hess, and now contains over 
two hundred inhabitants.
	POCAHONTAS CENTER. —This is a small village near the 
geographical center of the county, on the road leading from Rolfe to Fonda.
	The other post office in the county is called BUDA.