|
Home -- Periodicals
-- Books -- Research
service -- Email
"Past 2 Present"
"Past
2 Present"
History of Iowa:
From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century
Volume 1: The Pioneer Period
by Benjamin F. Gue
Chicago: Century History, 1903
Click here for the list
of Illustrations
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I
How Science Reveals the History of the Past - Geology Unfolds the
Mysteries of Earth's Formation - Comparative Antiquity of the Continents
- Animal Life Evolved - Submerged Iowa - Slow Formation of Rocks -
Ancient Rivers, Lakes, Forests and Animals - Once a Tropical Climate -
Coming of the Ice Age - Return of Heat and Life - How Soils Were Formed
- Theories as to the Origin of the Prairies.
CHAPTER II
The First Inhabitants of Iowa - The "Mound Builders" -
Spanish Adventurers in America - Narvaez' Disastrous Expedition -
Fernando De Soto's Army of Freebooters - Attempts to Enslave and Subdue
the Indians - Fierce Resistance - Wanderings of the Army of Invasion -
Retribution Visited Upon the Freebooters - Discovery of the Mississippi
River - Crossing the Prairie Regions of Arkansas and Kansas - Retreat,
Sickness and Death - De Soto Finds a Grave in the Mississippi - Fate of
the Survivors.
CHAPTER III
Father Jacques Marquette, The French Missionary - Louis Joliet,
the French Explorer - Their Expedition to the Far West - Discover the
Upper Mississippi and Iowa - Voyage Down the Unexplored River - Along
the Eastern Boundary of Iowa - Land and Discover the Des Moines River -
Iowa as it Was in 1673 - The Indians of that Period - Exploring the
Lower Mississippi River - The Return Voyage - Records Lost by Wreck.
CHAPTER IV
Cavalier de La Salle - Exploration of the Mississippi Valley -
Louis Hennepin's Voyages in 1679-80 - Names the Country Louisiana - La
Salle's Voyage in 1682 - Naming the River - Fate of the Explorer and his
Colony - De Iberville's Colony in 1699 - Lesueur Expedition - Governor
Bienville Founds the City of New Orleans - Slavery Introduced into the
Colony - English Conquests in America - Early Trappers and Fur Traders -
Founding of St. Louis in 1764 - Colonel George Rogers Clark Expels the
British.
CHAPTER V
Spanish Rule in Louisiana - Free Navigation Act - The Territory
Ceded to France - Louisiana Purchased by the United States - The
Northwest Territory - System of Land Surveying - Provision for School
System - Slavery Prohibited - .
CHAPTER VI
The Indians of North America - Wars Waged Against Them by
Europeans - The Tribes First Found in Iowa - The Illinois Indians Driven
Westward - The Mascoutines in 1670 - Battle with Sacs and Foxes -
Disappearance of the Mascoutines - The Iowa Indians - Meaning of the
Name "Iowa" - Migration of the Iowas - Fate of Mahaska the
Iowa Chief - The Removal from Iowa.
CHAPTER VII
The Fox Indians-Their Early Wars - "Hill of the Dead" -
Union with the Sacs - The United Tribes Move West - Treaties with the
Whites - Found in Iowa in 1805 - Sac Village on Rock River - The
Disputed Treaty of 1804 - Sacs and Foxes in the War of 1812 - Treaties
of 1824 and 1825 - Massacre of Foxes in 1828 - Retaliation - The Black
Hawk War of 1831-2 - "Stillman's Run" - Battle of the
Wisconsin River - Black Hawk's Masterly Retreat - The Massacre of Women
and Children at Bad Axe - Black Hawk a Prisoner - His Rival, Keokuk,
Made Chief - Pathetic Address of the Deposed Chieftain - Death of Black
Hawk.
CHAPTER VIII
Treaties of 1832, 1836 and 1842 - Sacs and Foxes Surrender Their
Iowa Homes - Keokuk, the "Watchful Fox" - The Old Chief
Pashepaho - Poweshiek, the "Roused Bear" - Kishkekosh, Warrior
and Orator - Appanoose, a Sac Chief - The Musquakies - Their Iowa
Reservation - The Winnebagoes, a Dakota Tribe - Fight with the British
in the War of 1812 - Occupy the "Neutral Lands" in Iowa -
Winneshiek and Waukon-Decorah - Winnebago Characteristics.
CHAPTER IX
The Pottawattamie Indians - Allies of the British in the Wars of
the Revolution and 1812 - Treaties of 1816, 1825, 1829 and 1835 -
Colonel Peter Sarpy - The Old Block House - Pottawattamies Move to
Kansas in 1846 - The Dakota Indians - Their Country in Early Times - The
Sioux in the Seventeenth Century - Come to Iowa in 1804 - Give names to
Iowa Lakes - The Chief Waneta - Battle of the Raccoon River - Battle in
Kossuth County Between Sioux and Musquakies - Sioux Massacres in 1857
and 1862 - Removal to Indian Territory - Fort Established at Raccoon
Forks .
CHAPTER X
First White Settlements in Iowa - Early Discoveries of Lead Ore -
Julien Dubuque's Colony in 1788 - His Grant of Mineral Lands from Fox
Indians - Opens Trade in St. Louis - Secures a Grant from the Spanish
Governor - Death of Dubuque in 1810 - His Colony Driven Out by the
Indians - Litigation Over the Title - Schoolcraft Visits the Mines in
1820 - Grant to Basil Giard in 1795 - Settlement by Louis Honore Tesson
in 1799 - First Orchard in Iowa - American Rule in Louisiana - Exploring
Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5 - Passes Along the Western
Boundary of Iowa - Description of that Region.
CHAPTER XI
Exploring Expedition of Zebulon M. Pike in 1805 - Examines the
Eastern Boundary of Iowa - Conference with Julien Dubuque - Site
Selected for a Fort - Explores the Upper Mississippi Valley -
Missionaries and Fur Traders - Benton's Opinion of the Prairies in 1819
- First Newspaper West of the Mississippi River - The Burr Conspiracy of
1806 - First Fort on Iowa Soil - Encroachment on Indian Lands - Fort
Attacked by Sacs and Foxes and Destroyed - Fort Armstrong Established on
Rock Island in 1816 - Rock Island Becomes a Government Reservation -
Arsenal Established on the Island.
CHAPTER XII
Illinois Territory Established in 1809 - Earthquake of 1811 in the
Mississippi Valley - First Steamboat on Western Rivers - British Attempt
to Alienate the People of the Mississippi Valley - Treaties with Indian
Tribes of the West - First Steamboat on the Upper Mississippi -
Beginning of the Conflict Over Slavery in the West - The "Missouri
Compromise" - The Long Exploring Expedition - First Steamboat
Ascends the Missouri River in 1819 - Winter Camp at Council Bluffs - A
Council Held with Indian Tribes - Return Through Southwestern Iowa.
CHAPTER XIII
A French Nobleman Settles in Iowa in 1812 - An Early Fur Trader at
the Flint Hills - Dr. Muier Settles at Keokuk in 1820 - Pioneer Traders
and Settlers - Dr. Isaac Galland Projects a City - Other Pioneer
Settlements - Naming of Keokuk - Attempts to Settle at the Dubuque Lead
Mines - First Iowa Lawmakers - Settlers Driven Out by the Soldiers - The
Black Hawk Purchase of 1832 - Rush of Settlers into the "Beautiful
Land" - Iowa in its Virgin Wildness - Mines of Spain Reoccupied -
The New City of Dubuque - Fort Madison Laid Out - First Settlers at the
Flint Hills - Burlington Platted - Settlement at the Mouth of Skunk
River - Buffalo, Rockingham and Davenport.
CHAPTER XIV
Captain Nathan Boone Explores the Des Moines and Boone Valleys -
Albert M. Lea Names and Describes the "Iowa District" -
Glowing Predictions for the Future State - Lea's Map of Iowa - How Iowa
was Named - Catlin's Description of Iowa in 1835 - Early Courts of
Claims and Claim Laws - The Half-Breed Lands - History of the
Controversy - Conflicting Legislation and Prolonged Litigation.
CHAPTER XV
Iowa, When a Part of Michigan Territory - First Officers and
Representatives in the Legislature - Later Included in Wisconsin
Territory - First Bank on Iowa Soil - First Railroad Legislation - First
Iowa Newspaper and a Notable Press - More Pioneer Newspapers - How the
Name "Hawkeye" Originated - The Legislature of 1837 - First
Movement for Division of Wisconsin Territory - Action of a Delegate
Convention - Memorial for the Creation of Iowa Territory - First
Legislature Within the limits of Iowa - New Counties Established - More
Territory Acquired from Sac, Fox and Sioux Indians.
CHAPTER XVI
First Census of Wisconsin in 1836 - Iowa Territory Established in
1838 - Provisions of the Territorial Government - Governor and Other
Officers Appointed - First Iowa Legislature - Brilliant Young Members -
First Message of Governor Lucas - Controversy Between the Legislature
and Governor - Attempt to Secure the Governor's Removal - Missouri
Boundary Controversy - Hostile Armies Sent to the Border - The Dispute
Referred to Congress - Location of the Capital at Iowa City - Building a
City in the Wilderness - The Young Pioneers - A famous Supreme Court
Decision.
CHAPTER XVII
Congressional Legislation Concerning Iowa - The Second Legislative
Assembly - William P. Chapman Elected Delegate to Congress - First
Movement for Admission as a State - Hard Times - The Presidential
Election of 1840 - First Democratic Convention - How the Early Settlers
Lived - Third Legislative Assembly - Removal of Governor Lucas by
President Harrison - His Able and Excellent Administration - John
Chambers Appointed Governor - Fourth Legislative Assembly Meets at Iowa
City - Another Movement for State Government Defeated - Indian Treaty of
1842 - Fort Sanford Established - Great Financial Depression and a Hard
Winter - Third Movement for Statehood Defeated - Census of 1844 - First
Constitutional Convention.
CHAPTER XVIII
Congress Changes the State Boundaries - A. C. Dodge Issues an
Address on the Subject - A Bitter Controversy Arises - Protest of Three
Young Democrats - The Constitution Rejected by the People - The Seventh
Legislative Assembly - The Rejected Constitution Again Submitted - Again
Rejected - Governor Chambers Removed by President Polk - James Clarke
Appointed Governor - The Eight Legislative Assembly - Another
Constitutional Convention Called - Newhall's Sketches of Iowa in 1846 -
Iowa in the War with Mexico.
CHAPTER XIX
The Second Constitutional Convention - The Principal Provisions of
the Constitution Framed by it - Accepted by the People - Nominations for
State Officers - Democrats and Whigs Hold Their First State Conventions
- All of the Officers Chosen Were Democrats - Iowa Becomes a State on
the 28th of December, 1846 - The Mormons Driven from Missouri and
Illinois - Exodus Through Iowa - Sufferings on the March - Settlements
at Garden Grove and Grand River - The Mount Pisgah Refuge - Hundreds
Perish on the Prairies - Settlements Along the Missouri Valley - The Des
Moines River Land Grant - First State Legislature - Failure to Elect
United States Senators - Many Important Acts Passed .
CHAPTER XX
The Election of 1847 - Contest over the Election of Superintendent
of Public Instruction - Governor Briggs Calls an Extra Session of the
Legislature - Another Attempt to Elect United States Senators Fails -
Attempt to Locate the Capital on a Wild Prairie - Rise and Fall of
Monroe City - Land Grants and Railroad Projects - Census of 1847 -
Election of 1848 - The Mormon Vote and Congressional Contest - The
Legislature of 1848 - Financial Condition of the State - Attempt to Make
the Des Moines River Navigable.
CHAPTER XXI
Plat of Monroe City Vacated - Affairs in 1848 - The First
Homestead Law - A. C. Dodge Reelected to the Senate - Political
Conventions of 1849 - Success of the Democratic Ticket - Gold
Discoveries in California - Thousands of Iowa People Go to the Gold
Regions - Conflict Over Slavery - Election of 1850 - Governor Hempstead
Inaugurated - Forty-nine New Counties Established - Revision of the Laws
and Code of 1851 - Iowa Teachers in 1850 - Wet Season of 1851 - The
Cholera in Iowa - Establishment of Fort Dodge.
CHAPTER XXII
Election of 1851 - The Fourth General Assembly - Des Moines River
Improvement - Political Conventions and Election of 1852 - George W.
Jones Reelected to the Senate - The First Railroad Approaches Iowa -
Great Increase in Population from 1852 to 1854 - First Defeat of the
Democratic Party in Iowa - James W. Grimes Elected Governor - Governor
Hempstead Defeated for Congress - Fifth General Assembly - Hempstead's
Last Message - Governor Grimes' Inaugural - Contest for United States
Senator - James Harlan Elected by a Union of the Antislavery Members -
Beginning of a Political Revolution - Enactment of the Prohibitory
Liquor Law - Election of 1855 - Disintegration of the Whig Party -
Organization of the Republican Party.
CHAPTER XXIII
Land Grants for Iowa Railroads - Extra Session of 1856 - State and
Presidential Elections - Census of 1856 - Convention to Frame a New
Constitution - The Sixth General Assembly - The Eads Defalcation - James
Harlan Reelected to the Senate - Sioux Indians in Northwestern Iowa -
Massacre of the Chief Sidominadotah by Henry Lott - Flight, Pursuit and
Escape of Lott - Inkpadutah, a Brother of the Murdered Chief - His
Secret Plans for Vengeance - Isolated Settlements in Northwestern Iowa -
Severe Winter of 1856-7 - Inkpadutah Invades the Little Sioux Valley -
Outrages Perpetrated Upon the Settlers.
CHAPTER XXIV
The Home of Rowland Gardner - Massacre of the Family by the Sioux
- Abbie Alone Spared - Heroic Defense at the Mattocks Cabin - Major
Williams' Report of the Hand to Hand Fight - Massacre of the Howe Family
- Luce and Clark, Noble, Ryan and the Children the Next Victims - Two
More Women Captives - William Marble Slain and his Wife Spared - Morris
Markham Discovers the Fate of His Neighbors - Warns the Springfield
Settlement - Heroic Defense at the Thomas House - Mrs. Church Shoots an
Indian - Criminal Folly and Fate of the Wood Brothers - Refugees Escape
from the Thomas House - Conduct of Dr. Strong - Unparalleled Sufferings
of the Refugees - Heroice Endurance and Final Rescue. 295 - 310
CHAPTER XXV
Tidings of the Massacre Reach Fort Dodge - A Relief
Expedition Organized - Three Companies Under Command of Major Williams -
A March Through Deep Snow, Piercing Gales and Severe Cold - Nine Men
Turn Back - Expedition Reaches the Irish Colony - A Scouting Party Sent
Forward - Finds the Refugees - Detachment Sent to Bury the Dead - Return
March - Caught in a Fearful Blizzard - Intense Suffering and Struggle
for Life - Captain Johnson and W. E. Burkholder Perish - Main Body Reach
Cylinder Creek - Vain Attempts to Cross the Flood - In the Snow Without
Fire or Shelter, 34 Degrees Below Zero - They Struggle Home Freezing and
Starving.
CHAPTER XXVI
Four Young Women Captives - Sufferings of Mrs.
Thatcher - Pursuit of the Indians - Lieutenant Murray Deceived by
Treacherous Guides - Cruel Fate of Elizabeth Thatcher - Major
Flandreau's Expedition for the Rescue of the Captives - Release of
Margaret A. Marble - Murder of Lydia Noble - Despair of Abbie Gardner -
She is Rescued Through Major Flandreau's Untiring Efforts - The Murderer
of Mrs. Noble Slain - Two Families of Settlers Warned of the Danger
Escape - Inkpadutah Never Captured - Major Williams' Report - Governor
Grimes' Message.
CHAPTER XXVII
The Banditti of the Mississippi Valley - Brown's
Michigan Colony at Bellevue - The Beginning of Their Depredations -
Battle at the Headquarters Where Their Leader is Slain - Capture and
Death of Outlaws and Summary Punishment of Prisoners - Murder of Colonel
Davenport, Capture and Execution of Murderers - John Ingle Murdered,
Lynching of the Assassins - Murder of Mrs. Barger, Lynching of the
Murderer - Proclamation of Vigilance Committee - Seven Hundred Members
Bound by Secret Oaths - Young Man and Wife Murdered - Summary Fate of
the Assassin - "Regulators" Organize at Big Rock - Killing of
Alonzo Page in Cedar County - Peter Conklin of Johnson County Slain -
Lynching of Charles Clute - Hanging of Bennett Warren of Clinton County
- Crimes and Lynching of Alonzo Gleason and Edward Soper in Cedar County
- Lynching of Hiram Roberts in Jones County - Citizens Condemn Lawless
Acts of Regulators - Brave Canada McCollough Defies the Regulators -
Their Lawless Acast Cease.
CHAPTER XXVIII
Failure of Des Moines River Improvements - Removal of
State Officers to Des Moines - Election in 1857 - The New Constitution
Adopted - Great Financial Depression - Legislature of 1858 - Financial
Condition of the State - Acts for State Banking System and State
Agricultural College - Des Moines River Land Grant Diverted to Aid a
Railroad - The Code Commission - Lathrop's Estimate of the Seventh
General Assembly - Governor Grimes Elected United States Senator - Crop
Failure and Financial Distress in 1858 - Indian Troubles in the
Northwest - Growing Conflict Over American Slavery - Political
Conventions of 1859 - Samuel J. Kirkwood Elected Governor.
CHAPTER XXIX
The "Underground Railroad" in Iowa - John
Brown in the Kansas War - Young Men of Iowa Become His Followers -
Pardee Butler of Iowa Assailed by "Border Ruffians" - Iowa
"Free State" Men Imprisoned in Kansas - John Brown at
Springdale - There Plans His Assault upon Slavery - Headquarters at
Springdale - Remarkable Young Men who Enlisted in the Expedition -
Winter Drill Among the Quakers - A Desperate Undertaking - The Canada
Conference - Brown Liberates Missouri Slaves - Conducts Them Through
Iowa - Eludes the Slave Catchers - Reaches party in Canada.
CHAPTER XXX
Closing Years of the Pioneer Period - The Causes
Which Brought Many West - Pioneer Life from 1832 to 1860 - Choosing
Homes in Unsettled Regions - Hard Life of Pioneer Women - Compensations
and Entertainments - The Bleak Northwestern Prairies - Sod Houses and
Muskrats - Perilous Winter Journeys - Dangers from Prairie Fires - Corn
and Hay for Fuel - The Early School System - How it was Supported -
Statistics of 1859 - Gradual Improvement of Conditions - Pike's Peak
Gold Discoveries.
Mouth of the Wisconsin River
Bowlder in Buchanan County
Galacial Marking on Rocks, Des Moines County
Mound on the Iowa River
Mound near Davenport
Mound on Cook Farm
Map of Mounds in Eastern Iowa
Father Marquette Discovers Iowa
A Typical Iowa Prairie
Map Showing Extent of Louisiana Purchase
Mahaska, Chief of the Iowa Indians
Black Hawk, Sac Chief
Keokuk, Sac Chief
Wapello, Fox Chief
Kishkekosh, A Chief of the Fox Indians
Appanoose, Sac Chief
Fort Atkinson, erected in 1840
Block House at Council Bluffs, erected in 1838
Pilot Rock, in Cherokee County
Wanata, A Sioux Indian Chief
First Log Cabin at Fort Des Moines
Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike
Old Fort Madison, built in 1808
Old Fort Armstrong, on Rock Island
A Missouri River Steamer Snagged
First Iowa School House
Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien
Waters Lead Furnace, near Dubuque
Prairie Chickens
Miners' Bank Bills
Capitol at Belmont, Wis
Robert Lucas, First Governor
Old Zion Church
Charles Mason, First Chief Justice
The Sod House of Northwestern Iowa
John Chambers, Governor of Iowa Territory
Building at Iowa City
Fort Sanford, established in 1842
Old State Capitol at Iowa City
Map of Iowa, 1844
Theodore S. Parvin
Enoch W. Eastman
James Clarke, Last Territorial Governor
Emigrants Coming to Iowa
Mormon Hand-Cart Train
Ansel Briggs, First Governor of the State
George W. Jones, United States Senator
Augustus C. Dodge, United States Senator
Stephen Hempstead, Governor of Iowa
Flood at Fort Des Moines in 1851
Fort Dodge, established in 1850
James W. Grimes, Governor of Iowa
George G. Wright, Chief Justice
James Harlan, United States Senator
Elijah Sells
James Thorington
Francis Springer
Sidominadota
Pillsbury Point, West Okobji Lake
East Okoboji Lake
Massacre at the Gardner House
Dr. Isaac H. Herriott; William Burkholder
Sioux Indian Scalp Dance
Maj. Wm. Williams, Capt. C. B. Richards, Capt. J. F. Duncombe
Killing of Mrs. Thatcher
Abbie Gardner Sharp
Headquarters of Brown's Banditti
The Old Capitol at Des Moines
Oran Faville, First Lieutenant-Governor
Specimen of Wildcat Currency
Ralph P. Lowe, Governor of Iowa
Bill of the Old State Bank of Iowa
Mill on the Iowa River
John Brown in 1855
The Maxson House, near Springdale
Wild Turkeys were Fine Game
Buffalo Hunt on Iowa Prairies in 1834
The Pioneer Log Cabin
Caught in a Blizzard
Stage Coach Encounters a Prairie Fire
Pioneer Women Spinning
Pioneer Women of Iowa
Home -- Periodicals
-- Books -- Research
service -- Email
"Past 2 Present" |