Boone County History Pages

History of Boone County 1914

Indians: A prehistoric race: .

There was at some time in the ages gone by a prehistoric race called the Mound Builders .They were far in advance of the Indian races, which succeed them in occupancy of the county, in the manufacture of tools, vessels and pottery, and the erection of fortifications of their defense is plainly manifest. From the evidence obtained by those who had made excavations in these mounds, they had 4 kinds of mounds. One kind was used for dwelling purposes, one for burial, one for devotional purpose and one for defense.

There is unmistakable evidence of their ancient works in many parts of our state. Some of these have been excavate and human skeletons, pottery and quaint kinds of tools and vessels have been found.

It is this purpose of this article to speak in particular of the traces of the Mound Builders.

The largest mound to be found within the bounds of Boone Co is Pilot Mound, in Pilot Mound Twp. Some scientific men have called this mound the western terms of the Mineral Ridge, but it bears such a close resemblance to the mounds of the prehistoric race, which were found elsewhere, that it should be classed with them. This mound stands out, singly and alone, on the prairie about 3 miles west of the Des Moines river. In the times of the 1st settlers of the county and before any groves were planted near, it presented a majestic appearance and attracted the attention of all persons passing that way. It was rightly named Pilot Mound for it was a prominent landmark in the early days.

South of Moingona, in Marcy township are 9 mounds in a row running north and south all about the same size, but a long distance apart. From the 1st settlement of the county they have attracted that attention of everyone passing near them. They are all small mounds and so far none of them have been opened. they are classed by all as the work of the Mound Builders.

West of Madrid there is a sting of mounds 2 miles in length, which give plain traces of having been the adobe of a colony of this prehistoric race.

On the west side of the Des Moines river a little south of the Elk Rapids bridge are 2 very remarkable mounds. One of them round in shape about 20 rods in circumference and 20 ft high. The probabilities are that originally it was twice that high. The other one is of elongated shape, being about 5 hundred ft long, 250 ft wide, and 50 ft high. The presumption is that these mounds were built as fortifications or defenses. Neither of these mounds has ever been opened. They are in a very public place and a public road runs between them.

One of the most practical demonstrations of the contents of these mounds in central Iowa was furnished by the excavation of the mound near the Boone viaduct. This was opened in the spring of 1910 by the historical department of the state. Persons who saw the contents of this mound could have no doubt of its being a mound of a race of people who preceded the Indians. This was made plain by the bones and pottery found in the mound, as well as by the arrangement of the interior of the mound. The stone floor in the center and the stones which lay in a zigzag manner about 2 ft difficult to solve. The stone floor referred to was about 14 ft. square and was laid with flat stones of various sizes from a ft square to a very small size. They were laid down unskillfully some over lapping and at other places showing large crevices. On top of the floor it appears that a layer of sandy soil was spread and then 4 logs were placed upon this, forming a square about 12 ft each way. Within this square the bodies were laid with many of their personal effects. Then another layer of sandy soil about 2 ft deep was placed over the bodies then the upper stones to which we have already referred were laid in a desultory way. It can't be thought for a moment that the crevices between these upper stones in the excavation represented burial vaults for they certainly did not.

There were no outer walls around the square and some stood up edgewise, the 4 logs mentioned so rotten that they are now gone. This mound was built exclusively for burial purposes and it is this class of mounds which the relics are found. Those classes of mounds which were built for fortifications and those that were built for sacred purposes contain few relics. None of the excavations thus far made has any inscriptions been found to show who the Mound Builders were or in what age they lived. It is probable that these people were overpowered by the Indians who came down from the north. A remnant of the Mound Builders was driven into Mexico and their descendents were found there when Cortes invaded that country and conquered it. Other writers have conveyed the idea that the Sac and Fox never lived in Iowa until Black Hawk and Keokuk were in the prime of life when both of them were chiefs of great influence. Black Hawk was born 1767, 36 years after the date of the battle at the Raccoon Fork. Keokuk was born 1780, 46 yrs after the battle of Raccoon Fork. At the time of the treaty of 1825 the Sac and Fox Indians owned about all of the land in Iowa. While camped 5 miles southwest of the fort in Keokuk in an area for many years called Keokuk's Prairie, many hunting tours in quest for game. The game found was more plentiful in and along the belt of timber skirting the Des Moines river than any other place. It is evident that at least 3 hunting tours were made up the river and into Boone Co during their stay at Fort Des Moines. Tradition has come down from these Indians that a great battle was fought at Pilot Mound, between the Sac and Fox Indians, commanded by Keokuk and a band of Sioux Indians commanded by Wamsapasia a wandering Sioux chief in which Keokuk was victorious. There is no given date on which this battle was fought. When in 1847 Chief Keokuk died. About 200 of the Fox Indians refused to obey the terms of the treaty and refused to go with Keokuk, escaping and going up river to encamp on and around 2 large mounds in the southwest part of Cass township, Boone Co, were they fished and hunted for a living.

Transcribed by Tina Keister for Boone County IAGenWeb-2006