History of Fayette
County Iowa
(From
the 1910 History of Fayette County)
Fayette County had a nominal organization on the
21st of December, 1837, when its boundaries included an area of about one
hundred and forty thousand square miles. It included within its limits all
of the present state of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River, except a
small tract in the southeast corner. Clayton county was constituted on the
same date, and both were partly organized from territory then embraced in
Dubuque county. Clayton at that time included a portion of Allamakee
county, and the county seat was established at Prarie La Porte (now
Guttenberg). Nearly all the counties in northeastern Iowa, and some
others, were formed, in whole or in part, from territory originally
embraced in Fayette county. But this was only a "paper county"
having no organization in fact until reduced to its present boundaries in
1847, and finally organized in 1850. Previously the county had been
attached to Clayton for judicial, revenue and election purposes, and an
election had been held April 27, 1841, as ordered by the commissioners of
Clayton county. The election was held at "the New Mission," and
was designated as precinct No. 9, the bounds of which shall be designated
by the bounds of the neutral grounds. It would seem, therefore, that the
Clayton county commissioners exercised jurisdiction over the Winnebago
Reserve. An election was ordered on the 7th of April, 1851, for the
purpose of locating the county seat. The contestants were "Centerville",
Lightville (afterwards Lima), at Light's Mill on the Volga river, West
Union, Auburn and Claremont, now Clermont, and once called "Norway."
West Union won.
During the next years, three distinct uproars ocurred over the location of the county seat. Through all these, West Union prevailed.
Having now the county organized, a county seat
established, and the first officers elected, it is proper to proceed with
the chronological history:
Soon after the first settlers began to locate in Fayette county territory, the United States government established a military post about west-northwest of the old Clayton mission, on the Turkey river, near the southwest corner of Winneshiek county. This was called Camp Atkinson, or Fort Atkinson, in honor of General ATKINSON, of the United States Army. There a fort and barracks were erected, and a new mision was established about four miles south of the fort, with Rev. David LOWRY, a Cumberland Presbyterian clergyman, in charge. The mission buildings were located just north of the Fayette county line, but some of the lands included were located in what is now Auburn township, in this county. Several hundred acres of land was broken up and rendered fit for farming purposes. The Winnebago Indians, then occupying the northern portions of Fayette county and adjacent territory, were placed upon this reservation, first, with an idea to Christianize them, and secondly, to protect them from the incursions of unfriendly tribes of other nations. There were about two thousand nine hundred Winnebagoes thus provided for at the expense of the government. They were generally a peaceful band who obtained their living by hunting in the forests of Fayette, Clayton, and Delaware counties, and seldom had any trouble with the white settlers. In the adjustment of affairs, a small farm was allotted to each head of an Indian family, and all the inducements within the power of the government were extended to induce the Indians to abandon their former mode of living and settle down to civilized life. Schools were established for the benefit of the children, but their attendance was governed, in a measure, by the condition of the home larder and, if well supplied with the fruits of the chase, they would neither work nor go to school. Neither did they take kindly to the religious instructions imparted, and after an expensive experiment covering a period of about eight years, the effort so generously put forth had to be abandoned, and the Indians were removed to Minnesota in 1848.
The trail along which the first white settlements were made in Fayette County ran between Camp Atkinson to Clayton, Delaware and Dubuque Counties, and in that portion of Fayette county which was included in the Black Hawk Purchase. The trail entered Fayette county near the northeast corner of Putnam Township, assuming a northwesterly course until it crossed the Volga river, about four miles above Fayette, thence north through Center, Windsor and Auburn townships, crossing Little Turkey river in section 29, Auburn township, thence north to the "Fort." It constituted the main thoroughfare then open to the pioneers, and a visit to the fort was considered an outing not to be despised. But the fort also afforded quite a local market, and many of those who visited the place did so with an eye to business.
The territory now embraced within Fayette county comprised three subdivisions of Indian lands, and was opened to settlement at different times, this being in accordance with the terms of a treaty entered into on the first day of June, 1833. What subsequently became the northern half of the county was included in the neutral grounds, or Winnebago reserve; the southeastern portion was included in the Black Hawk purchase, and the southwest corner, including the lands now embraced in Oran and Fremont townships, and a portion of Jefferson, remained in possession of the Sac and Fox Indians until ceded by them to the United States under provisions of a treaty ratified on the 21st of October, 1837. At that time there were but four full townships surveyed in the county, these being Putnam, Fairfield, Smithfield and Scott. But with the cession of territory in 1837, irregular boundaries (though for the most part imaginary) were straightened, and the outlines of the county established as at present. More than one-fourth the area of the county was originally covered with timber, much of which was of excellent quality. The varieties most common were the various species of oak, maple, elm, hickory, walnut, cherry, basswood or linden, cottonwood, iron wood, some scraggy pine and cedar, willow, etc.
About the southwest half of Fayette county was originally termed prairie land, and but little natural timber grew in that section. It was also the more level, and though well watered with small streams and many springs, the larger streams, and consequently the heavier belts of timber were located in the northeastern half of the county. Along the Turkey River, through Eden, Auburn, Dover, Clermont, Pleasant Valley and Illyria townships were the heaviest belts of natural timber, the most rugged bluffs, and the most rough and hilly land to be found in the county. But there, also, were found some of the most valuable farms in the county, and some of the most picturesque valleys to be found anywhere.
There are numerous streams which flow into the Turkey, the most important of which are the Little Turkey, Crane Creek and Otter Creek, in the northern part, each of which drains a large area of country. The Volga and its numerous tributaries drain the southcentral portion of the county from northwest to southeast, passing through Bethel, the northeast corners of Banks and Harlan, and easterly through Center, Westfield and Illyria, leaving the county at section 25, Illyria. This river is next in size to the Turkey.
The Little Wapsipinnicon traverses the southwestern portion of the county, flowing southeasterly through Fremont and Oran townships. There are also numerous creeks, all flowing south, among which may be mentioned Buffalo Creek, Pine, and Otter Creeks, thus affording excellent drainage through a level prairie country. Other streams worthy of mention are the Maquoketa, Brush Creek, Bell Creek, and Prairie Creek, all of which, except Bell Creek, flow through the southeastern part of the county and empty into the Volga. There is an Otter Creek in the northeastern part of the county and another stream bearing the same name flows south through Jefferson Township. There are many fine springs of pure water.
The pioneers, in seeking sites for their cabin homes, sought a location near some good spring if possible, regardless of prospective roads or farm boundaries; and in later years it often became necessary to relocate the homesite in order to be established on some highway.