First Settlers of Jackson County

BLANCHARD, ARMSTRONG, JONES, DYAS, REED, BELL, CLARK, BURNETT, SUBLETTE, MOSS, KINKAID, REILING, WARREN, POTTER, TAYLOR

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/1/2011 at 20:12:39

Written by T. E. Blanchard for the Sabula Gazette and copied from that paper by the Maquoketa Excelsior-Record by permission on December 1, 1920.

First Settlers in Jackson County-

It is believed that James Armstrong was the first settler in Jackson county, locating immediately south of the site of Bellevue, and that he built the first cabin in 1833. William Jones and William Dyas settled immediately north of said site in 1843. Alexander Reed settled a little farther south in what became Washington township about the same time; he always claimed that he was the first settler. John D. Bell, after whom the town of Bellevue was named, arrived soon after. The first sermon in the county is supposed to have been preached in Bellevue by Rev. Simon Clark, a Methodist preacher, in a saloon, amid card playing, whiskey bottles and whiskey drinking, He opened religious services, but to the credit of the crowd, it is said the cards and the bottles were laid aside during the services and an attentive hearing was given. The first political speech was made in Bellevue by T. P. Burnett from Wisconsin in 1838. The first post office was established in Bellevue with James D. Bell as Postmaster. The first saw mill was built in Bellevue in 1836 by James D. Bell and J. T. Sublette. J. K. Moss opened the first store in 1836. The first gristmill was erected in 1836 by Mr. Kinkaid, containing a pair of millstones made from so called “nigger heads.” The first transfer of land known to exist was made in May, 1836. In these early days settlers staked off their claims and occupied them, buying and selling same, a number of years prior to the date of sale by the Government at which time the occupant had a preference in paying the government price of a dollar and quarter per acre, and woe be to the man who undertook to jump a claim. A Reiling settled in Bellevue in 1838. He was the owner of Steamer “A Reiling.” He figured largely in city and county affairs. Capt. E. G. Potter came in 1842, carried on a large farm and built a large flouring mill, was also member of the Board of Supervisors. Capt. W. A. Warren, one of the most prominent characters in the early history of the county, came about 1833. He had been in the Black Hawk War, as Sheriff he executed the first man who was legally hung in the Iowa Territory. He was Justice of the Peace twenty-seven years; member of the constitutional convention in 1827-8; served in the Civil War three years as Quartermaster. I will have more to say about him under the head of the Bellevue War. J. L. Taylor was one of the early settlers in Jackson township, was a Justice of the Peace for many years; before him I tried and won my first case in court. At his house during the trial his wife served the best buckwheat cakes I thought I had ever eaten.

W. A. Warren Grave
 

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