IOWA'S SOUTHERN BOUNDARY

HENDERSHOTT, MINER

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 1/3/2002 at 17:32:54

Leon Reporter
February 2l, l895

The present newspaper talk about the boundary
dispute between Iowa and
Missouri is a striking reminder of an episode
in the early history of
those states, which has been summarized as
follows by a Keokuk
correspondent of the Hawkeye: When Iowa was
organized into a territory
in l838, she inherited through the territory
of Wisconsin from the
territory of Michigan, a family quarrel as to
the boundary between her
domain and Missouri. The question was
whether the eastern terminus
defined as "The Des Moines Rapids" was the
rapids of the Des moines
river below Keosauqua, county seat of Van
Buren County, Iowa, or "The
Des Moines Rapids" of the Mississippi River
just above and running to
Keokuk.

The eastern border counties of Missouri
assessed taxes upon the settlers
on the "disputed strip". Their Sheriffs
attempted to collect these
taxes, and in many cases levied upon the
property of delinquents.
In the performance of these duties the
Missouri officials were in some
cases arrested by Iowa officers. The
appearance of the collector of
taxes on the "Dispute" never failed for the
two or three years after its
settlement to produce trouble, as not more
than one-tenth of the
citizens in the locality would willingly pay
one cent toward the support
of either Iowa or Missouri. The fever grew
warm and the feeling became
intense. The Governors of Missouri and Iowa
called out their militia to
support their respective claims. Five
hundred Iowa militia camped on
the border of Van Buren County ready for
bloody hostilities. Finely
negotiations were opened and it was agreed to
send the matter to the
courts. By an Act of Congress, the case was
at last submitted to the
Supreme Court of the United States and
decided in favor of Iowa. H.B.
Hendershott, on the part of Iowa and W.G.
Miner on the part of Missouri
were appointed Commissioners to survey and
establish the boundary. The
line was marked by iron posts ten miles
apart.

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Copied 'FYI'
January 3, 2002