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The Louisiana Purchase, which included Benton County, was made in 1803. During this time, the Sac and Fox Indians roamed the country sides at will. During the War of 1812, Blackhawk, the chief of the Sac and Fox, joined the British but at the close of the war was forced to make peace. He felt he was tricked into signing his village away to the U. S. Government, and later the Blackhawk war broke out. At the close of the war in 1832, several treaties were established. The last one, on October 11, 1842, was ratified March 23, 1843. The Sac and the Fox were to relinquish their land west of the Mississippi and be removed from the country at the end of three years.
A large part of Benton County was in the possession of Sac and Fox Indians until May, 1843, but a small portion of the territory now included in the county was 250,000 acres purchased from the Indians in 1837. Township 86 (Polk), Range 9 was in this purchase, so the earliest settlers were very near the Indian line.
The settlers came streaming into the ceded territory in covered wagons. Samuel Lockhart, with his family, settled in Benton County in 1839 on what is now Section 24 of Polk Township. These first settlers must have been here by the sufferage of the Indians, for only six years before Indians were on the warpath taking white scalps.
Lockharts had no neighbors for some months. The only playmates of the children were Indian boys and girls. Mr. Lockhart made such improvements which enables him to raise corn and vegetables the first season. They were considered the first Benton County "Stayers".
Shortly after the Lockharts in 1840-41 James Downs, Thomas Way, Thomas Kendrick, and Price Kendrick settled near Lockharts. The little pioneer hamlet was soon called "Hoosier’s Point", so named until 1847 when a town was laid out and called Marysville. The town lay on 20 acres, N of W ½ of NE ¼ of section 34, Township 86, Range 9. It was surveyed by F. T. Regaud (county surveyor); Joseph Remington, proprietor.
The first post office was established in 1848 with John S. Forsyth as postmaster.
The first birth in Marysville is believed to be that of Sam Brody in 1844. The first death, that of Mary Forsyth, buried in the Marysville Cemetery October 5, 1850.
Whenever a group of people like the settlers start a village, the first thing shortly after is some kind of law and order. So it was with all the settlers. A pioneer of this area, Thomas Way, had become a popular figure and most hospitable. His ambition was to have the county court house located on his farm which he later bought near Vinton. The first District Court was held at his cabin in 1846. It was located in a timber thicket. Samuel Lockhart was the first foreman of the jury and many other Marysville residents were jurors. The jurors retired to the timber for their verdict.
It is hard to say when the first religious services were held, but it is known that Elijah Evans held services in his some about 1847 near Marysville. The first church was built of logs east of town, surrounded by the cemetery.
The "Dark Ages" was a span in our history from 1848 - 1851. There was no District Court system so thieves and robbers had the people of this vicinity living in constant fear and dread. Gangs were coming and going and had many hiding places in the area. About this time the Iowa Protection Company was formed to help get rid of the thieves. They did help restore law and order. John Forsyth was outstanding in his attempt to get the district court started again.
It is interesting to note here that the County Commissioners in 1846 - 1848, leading Marysville citizens, Samuel Lockhart, Thomas Way, and Loyal North along with the surveyor, Irwin Simison, did lay out plot and record Newport and then changed its name to Vinton after the Honorable P. Vinton, a congressman.
Few land entries were made outside of Polk, Benton, and Taylor townships, few land entries were made until 1852-55. As a matter of fact, there was no market for farmers and livestock except to immigrants. Schools and churches could not exist much before the fifties as the settlers were so few and scattered.
First land entries made in 1845-46 were made by the Lockharts, Joseph Reminton, Caleb Hendrys, Jacob Remington, Barney Springer, and William Mitchel.
Marysville’s first school was known as the "Johnson School". It was completed in 1846 with James Regaud as teacher. A dozen or so children began school in the log house school sitting at writing benches and seats made of wide planks. It is said that one of the first schools was a subscription school, where a teacher went door to door enrolling pupils.
In 1857 the government changed the name of Marysville to Urbanna because of other towns by the same name. William Bartholomew was postmaster. The spelling of Urbanna was used until 1880 when one "n" was dropped and it became Urbana.
During this time bands of Indians still roamed the country side, as late as 1854. They had a favorite camping place on the east side of the Cedar River near the Thomas Way cabin. This place, chosen, perhaps, because Mr. Way, known as "Uncle Tom", always had a good supply of fire water. They came every year and spent several days in celebrating some of their mystic rites, religious dances, etc. One occasion James Rice gave them a fine puppy which they sacrificed to the "Great Spirit" with much ceremony, holding a war dance as part of the exercises. The Indians were many times accused of committing crimes of witch they were not guilty, convenient scapegoats for horse thieves. For instance, Thomas Way’s son, Berry, used to steal and run off their ponies during their annual encampment near his father’s house. Stealing them in the night, Berry would always be home the next morning. When the Indians entered a complaint he was always on hand to assist in finding the horses. He always sent them on the wrong trail on a wild goose chase.
In 1856 four steam saw mills were in the immediate vicinity of Marysville. There were several business concerns in the village, which was then considered the "most thriving community in the county".
In 1857, the townspeople offered $1000.00 as a bonus to anyone who would erect a steam flour mill in the vicinity, but no one accepted.
A plat was recorded May 10, 1847 at 8:00 a.m. This settlement was known as Manatheka, an Indian name meaning "a place to trade". It included parts of Sections 26 and 25. It was surveyed by Wesley Whipple March 31, 1857. Proprietors were William Remington, Nancy Ferguson, Theodore Stevens, and Lucy Stevens. Plat filed for record April 4, 1857.
Stage coaches and a River Ferry license taken out in 1852 by William Bristol to ferry across the Cedar River at Vinton. There was even a big steam boat first called the Export, later the Blackhawk. In 1858 it made its first trip on the Cedar River from Cedar Rapids to Waterloo. It was one hundred fifty feet long and carried heavy loads of freight. Men with brooms swept back the water to keep the boat from swamping. It would whistle for the Remington place. It was used only two years. There was a great deal more water them so it was possible to run such a boat. As the farmers began to till the soil, the Cedar Channel began to fill and has continued to do so ever since. Vinton had a toll bridge during this time, but it was done away with in 1862.
Hard times hit in 1857. The wheat crop failed, being drowned by excessive rains. This was their main crop for selling. They raised a little soft corn so there was no bread, bust johny cake for a full, never to be forgotten, year. To make matters worse, a financial panic had hit the country the same year. Gold was the only money you could be sure of. Many people found their paper money worthless. Then on top of that people were sick with chills and fever, called "Ague", from drinking surface water from shallow wells and sloughs. The settlers had not had time to dig deep wells. The "squatters" had cattle and horses and let them feed on settlers crops; so much time was devoted to making fences. Sometimes whole families were sick in bed with the ague and couldn’t tend their stock. After deep wells were dug and a lot of quinine used, they got rid of the ague. Squatters didn’t often get the ague and it was unheard of among the Indians.
In those days, the newspaper "The Vinton Eagle" sold for $3.50 per year, a good cow cost $8.00, and a man worked for a month for $8.00. It took one man three days to take 25 bushels of wheat to Iowa City. He got forty-one cents a bushel for it.
Winters were hard. Frost bitten toes and fingers were not uncommon. The springs were difficult because of so much mud from winter thaws and deep sloughs made it difficult to travel.
Shortly after the hard times the Civil War broke out. In 1861 there were about 11,245 citizens in Benton County. When President Lincoln called for men to fight 1,000 went from Benton County, including many of the Urbana men.
As Cedar Rapids was the nearest road point, a thriving teamster business sprang up, with no less then 25 or 30 teams hauling freight and supplies from Cedar Rapids, a distance of 25 miles, making three trips each week. Many thrilling tales have been handed down of the hardships and dangers these teamsters encountered. They faced the blinding blizzards in the winter, fording of the streams in the spring floods as there were no bridges. Many times they lost parts or all of their loads. In 1873 the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad was built connecting Decorah and Cedar Rapids going through Center Point, 6 miles east of Urbana. From then on freight was hauled from Center Point. A daily stage was set up carrying passengers and mail to and from Center Point and meeting mail trains each evening. This was operated by F. F. and John Burrell.
Around 1883 the telephone came to Urbana. The first one, in Mr. Moore’s store, created much excitement for the Urbana citizens. Mrs. Mary Moore was the first telephone operator.
Urbana, a thriving town, had a bright future. But in 1887 the railroads being build within a few miles had retarded her growth. It still did a good business, however, and had two hundred citizens living here. In 1895, the town of Urbana was incorporated.
During these early days husking, quilting bees, and spelling matches often brought the town together.
In 1898 came the Spanish American War. Again the effects were felt. But in 1899 several incendiary fires occurred. On November 11, a day still talked about, the "Monitor" newspaper office was wrecked and burned. Two explosions by dynamite in the J. D. Burrell store resulted in the death of their son, Clarence. It is said that a beam, during the second explosion, penetrated his body and hurled him half way across the street. Fire completely destroyed the building.
Between 1905 - 1908, Art Rollingston bought the first, or at least one of the first, cars in Urbana. It was a one or two-cylinder "Brush" car. The Brush car must have turned many eyes in it’s direction and caused much excitement.
In 1905 another big fire destroyed thirteen buildings in town, the worst the town ever had. The townspeople had a big task to rebuild their city, but rebuild they did.
Not long after, more excitement happened. The railroad came to town in 1913. A large crowd gathered, probably nearly everyone in town. This meant direct service between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.
Mrs. P. C. Cumberland was the first person between Urbana and Center Point to sign the papers giving the Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Northern the right of way.
1915 was known as the "Boom year" for Urbana. Twenty five new homes were built in an eight block area known as Clover Heights. The Farmers Grain Co. was organized but several more small factories failed to materialize. Clover Heights was made an addition to he town on November 19, 1913. The electric lights were brought to Urbana by means of the railroad. The first electric lights were not very bright, blinked, and were 25 cycle. Today, from Iowa Electric Light and Power Co., we get 60 cycle.
The WCF&N Interurban was run by electricity which also furnished the electricity for Urbana.
In 1917, another war. World War I broke out and Urbana boys marched off to war. "Johnny comes marching home" in 1918. It was not a long war, but a difficult one.
More and more cars were being bought, so car sales, gas stations, and garages had begun to spring up; soon taking the place of the blacksmith shops. Powered machinery and electric motors, plus easier access to larger towns, was the undoing of the once thriving business district in Urbana.
With skirts getting shorter and shorter, the "Roaring Twenties" rolled in. The new dance was the Charleston, danced by many of Urbana’s young people. The Prohibition Era, with moonshine stills, resulted in many arrests. It is not known if any arrests were made here, but moonshine was no doubt made.
In 1923, the Cedar Rapids Gazette described Urbana as a "Garden spot in Benton County". Urbana had a large number of homes; many of the latest designs had replace the older mansions. Lawns were well graded and well kept, had many shade trees and wide streets. Very attractive to visitors coming to town.
The census figure at this time was about 400. The business section boasted at least nine modern brick buildings, with the exception of a few that looked new. This was, of course, due to the fire in 1905 that had burned so many buildings. Urbana had it’s own water system at that time and an ample fire department. Many homes had modern sewage systems. The town had two churches; Christian and Methodist, both good looking buildings. The school house, of course, was brick and still comparatively new looking. Streets, stores, and homes were electrically lighted and electrollers in the business district gave the tone of the larger towns.
Many automobiles were in the country by this time. In the evening, many cares lines the streets. At this time Urbana had solved the parking problem by passing an ordinance that the cars on main street of town between certain blocks were to be parked in the center of the street. It was easy to abide, as it seemed more convenient and safer and accommodated a large number of cars.
Fourth of July was celebrated in a big way then. In July, 1923, there was an especially big celebration because of no other towns nearby celebrating. The Legion took charge of arranging the two- day celebration with an open air vaudeville act, usual street attractions, programs, and races. Big ball games, first day Center Point and Urbana, second day Vinton and Urbana. Airplane stunts by Dan Hunter and parachute drops by Helen Barger were big attractions. Of course, there was a fireworks display.
In those days the town buzzed with activity on Wednesday and Saturday nights. The baseball games were a Sunday afternoon "special", played by the town teams. Band concerts were held and there were movies in the opera house every Saturday night.
The "Thirties" brought the Depression. Like so many of the country, Urbana citizens were out of work. Some lost their property and "mighty slim picken’s" were on the tables. Beans were cheap and plentiful, making bean soup a specialty. Money was scarce, people worked anywhere they could find work for a few dollars a month. Many worked for fifty cents a day. Corn was worth ten cents a bushel and many people used it for fuel. Many banks went broke, but Urbana Savings survived. Hogs fell to rock bottom, $1.50 a hundred.
While not completely recovered from the Depression, in December, 1941, President Roosevelt declared war. Many boys enlisted, but most were drafted, about 160 from this area. A billboard was erected with all the boys names. A star was placed by the men who died in service. In 1945, the boys were coming home.
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