Jasper Co. IAGenWeb
Atlas Table of Contents

Standard Historical Atlas of Jasper County, Iowa

The Huebenger Survey and Map Publishing Co.,
Davenport, Iowa, 1901.

Descriptive Sketch of Jasper County, Iowa

Jasper County, Iowa, includes the Government Townships 78, 79, 80 and 81 North, and Ranges 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, West of the Fifth Principal Meridian.

Owing to the main correction line on the north of Township 78, the acreage of the adjoining Sections very much exceeds the usual number of acres, some Sections running considerable over 900 acres.

The general drainage is from Northwest to Southeast, but in a portion of Washington and Mound Prairie Townships the drainage is Northward.

The main stream is the South Skunk River, which enters the County on the west line of Poweshiek Township, and flows Southeast through and along Poweshiek, Washington, Sherman, Mound Prairie, Palo Alto, Fairview and Elk Creek Townships. It is quite a stream, and after heavy rains or spring thaws, overflows quite a portion of the adjacent country. The roads through the bottom lands, in the early days, were in a very bad condition. Many of the 49rs remember the Skunk Bottoms. They have been considerably improved in late years by filling and draining. The North Skunk River rises in Marshall County and flows Southeasterly through Malaka, Kellogg, Rock Creek and Lynn Grove Townships.

Other streams of importance are Sugar Creek, Rock Creek, Coon Creek, Burr, Halloway, Indian, Cherry, Elk, Squaw, Watkins, Calhoun, and Warren Creeks, and numerous smaller ones.

A strip of country in the Southwestern portion of the County is comparatively level, while nearly all the other parts are more or less hilly, and some even very rough. There is quite a quantity of timber land, with a growth of hardwood of various kinds, and a portion of the timber cut is sawed into lumber, portable saw mills being used and moved from place to place as needed.

An act, approved January 13, 1846, established the boundaries of Jasper County, but as there was an error in the description, a supplementary act was passed, January 17, the same year, fixing the boundaries as given above.

FIRST ELECTION.

The first County election was held in April, 1846, and the result certified to the Territorial government in Iowa City. The following were the officers elected: Joab Bennett, John R. Sparks and Manly Gifford, County Commissioners; John H. Franklin, Clerk; J. W. Swan, Treasurer; David Edmondson, Sheriff; Seth Hammer, Recorder, and Washington Fleenor, Probate Judge.

The first official seal of the County was the eagle side of a dime. Thomas Henderson and Richard Fisher were chosen to locate the county seat, and on May 14, 1846, reported in favor of the present site, Newton. The County Commissioners divided the County into four Precincts, Des Moines, Fairview, Elk Creek, and Lynn Grove. The boundaries were at that time, Des Moines, all that part of Jasper County lying west of the Indian boundary line and south of the Territorial road leading from Oskaloosa to Des Moines.

Fairview was bounded on the north and east by the Skunk River, South by the County line, southwesterly by Des Moines Township and Territorial road, and west by the County line north to Skunk River.

Elk Creek was bounded north by the County line, west by County line to Skunk River, south by river, and east by a line dividing Ranges 17 and 18.

Lynn Grove embraced all the territory east of the Range line between 17 and 18.

Since then the precincts or townships have been repeatedly divided so that at present there are nineteen townships, viz: Hickory Grove, Mariposa, Malaka, Independence, Clear Creek, Poweshiek, Sherman, Newton, Kellogg, Rock Creek, Richland, Buena Vista, Palo Alto, Mound Prairie, Washington, Des Moines, Fairview, Elk Creek, and Lynn Grove.

The last four townships are the ones mentioned on the correction line, which have such a variation of acreage on Sections from 1 to 6.

Surveys of Jasper County were completed in 1847, and settlers hastened to secure land. From December 4, 1846, to July 9, 1849, 38 entries were made, aggregating 4,460 acres. The total amount of taxable property in 1849 was $94,336, and 176 persons were liable to poll tax. At present the total taxable value of the County, exclusive of railroad and telephone valuations, is $7,196,281. This latter value is less than one-fourth the actual value of the property, whereas in the early days the assessment was based on nearly one-half of the actual value.

NEWTON.

Newton was laid out and platted as the county seat by order of the Commissioners. The original plat shows 29 blocks of eight lots each, and 29 out-lots, the location being on the Northwest quarter of Section 34, Township 80, North, and Range 19, West, and was filed for record June 25, 1846. On August 17 and 18, of the same year, lots in the town were sold at auction, and 15 different parties bought a total of 24 lots for $426.12.

Jasper County at one time hoped to secure the location of the State Capitol, a site having been selected by commissioners appointed by the State Legislature. A town named Monroe City was platted out, but not recorded. Lots were sold to the amount of $7,189.72, but when the Legislature selected Des Moines, the money paid for the lots was refunded to the purchasers. Jasper County did not have as much trouble with claim jumpers and land sharks as other counties east of them, probably owing to the fact that these had been taught some lessons before reaching Jasper, which prevented them from trying their old methods here. However, the residents found it necessary, in 1846-47, to organize societies to protect those who had occupied claims but were without means to legally enter them. As far as known only two cases necessitated the interference of the independent protective society, and both of these were amicably settled.

By act of Congress, dated August 8, 1846, the United States granted to the State of Iowa, for the improvement of the Des Moines River, a large tract of land. This act was very loosely drawn, and gave rise to a great deal of controversy, the mooted question being whether or not the grant extended to the north State line or only to the junction of the Des Moines and Coon Rivers. After many divergent decisions of United States Attorney Generals and heads of the Treasury Department, the United States Supreme Court, in 1859, decided that the grant extended only to Des Moines. As the State had sold and granted lands above Des Moines, Congress, on July 12, 1862, passed an act by which the Government relinquished all rights to said land so that the State could give a clear title.

The State originally ceded a large portion of these lands to the Des Moines River Improvement Company, who had undertaken to make the Des Moines River navigable, which, however, they failed to accomplish. They did but very little work, just enough to obtain control of the lands, and then transferred their franchise to the Keokuk, Des Moines & Minnesota Railway Company, now the Keokuk & Des Moines, owned and controlled by the C., R. I. & P. Railway. This was the first railroad to enter Jasper County. It was finished to Monroe in 1865, reached Prairie City in the spring of 1866, entering Des Moines in August of the same year.

The C., R. I. & P. Company had built as far as Iowa City in 1855, reaching there Christmas Eve. It received assistance in the shape of bond issues from towns and counties along its road, but failed to secure such support in Jasper County, although the question of granting assistance had several times been voted upon during the years 1853-58, but it invariably failed to carry.

For this reason they were spared a long drawn out litigation as to the validity of bonds voted for railroads, which cost counties east of them large amounts of money and a great deal of anxiety. In fact, a number of counties and towns of this state still owe large debts incurred on behalf of these railroad schemes.

As a consequence, the C., R. I. & P. did not reach Newton until the spring of 1867, and Des Moines in the latter part of the same year. A road which received assistance from several townships in the usual way, was built south from Newton, and connects with Monroe with the Keokuk & Des Moines Valley Railroad, and is also controlled by the C., H. I. & P. Railway.

A road was built to the coal mines northwest of Colfax, which are now worked out, and since they have been abandoned, the road has been extended to Valeria, and there makes connection with the Chicago & Great Western. Although but seven miles in length, it has considerable traffic. It is called the Colfax & Northern Railway.

There is a short line of railroad, about six miles in length, running south and southeast to the Jasper County and Colfax Coal Company's mines. All these roads are doing a paying business, coal being an important item in their freight traffic. The Iowa Central has an independent line from Newton southeast, with a short plug to Lynnville, and connects with the main line at New Sharon, Mahaska county.

COAL MINING.

Coal mining is quite an industry in Jasper County. Besides the large mines developed by the companies, there are quite a number of smaller ones worked by the owners themselves, or by parties leasing coal privileges.

The following list shows population and the assessed value of property in the county, by townships, and also the assessed valuation of railroads, telegraph and telephone lines and express companies. It will be understood that the figures in the list show approximately one-fourth the actual value, the total valuation of all property being $8,142,476.62.

Township/Town Valuation Population
Buena Vista $ 304,278 960
Clear Creek $ 240,523 891
Des Moines $ 392,673 1,317
Elk Creek $ 278,095 1,064
Fairview $ 440,077 1,409
Hickory Grove $ 302,004 743
Independence $ 275,612 995
Kellogg $ 288,214 700
Lynn Grove $ 360,298 1,125
Malaka $ 266,773 630
Mariposa $ 272,904 684
Mound Prairie $ 232,660 885
Newton $ 377,155 1,162
Poweshiek $ 303,256 1,423
Palo Alto $ 335,636 1,209
Richland $ 282,219 803
Rock Creek $ 213,150 613
Sherman $ 263,849 645
Washington $ 310,849 1,038
Baxter $ 66,456 427
Colfax $ 223,371 347
Kellogg $ 86,219 2,053
Lynnville $ 36,386 347
Monroe $ 147,533 917
Newton City $ 760,009 3,475
Prairie City $ 135,749 808
Total $ 7,196,281  

Their are eight incorporated towns and fourteen villages in the County.

NEWTON.

Newton, the largest, having a population according to the last United States census, of 3,475. The town of Newton was platted and selected as the county seat in 1846, and in 1850 its population did not exceed 50 inhabitants. It was incorporated in 1857. The town officers were elected on May 4, and a total of 155 votes were cast, indicating a population of 620. The C., H. I. & P. road was built through Newton in 1867. The town now has a large number of substantial buildings, most of the business blocks being of brick. The most of them are located on the streets surrounding the Court House Square, and nearly all classes of business are represented. It has two good hotels, the Lambert and Churchill. The latter has a high reputation among the traveling public all over the state. Newton has lately done a great deal of paving, and the streets are in very fine condition. It has an excellent system of public schools, having three large brick school buildings located in different parts of the city; also a private normal school and public library. It has twelve churches, several of them very fine structures; an opera house, water works, and a good volunteer fire department; and one of the finest bands in the state, and its services are in great demand. The city is lighted by electricity, has five banks, and five weekly newspapers; a large number of important manufactures, the most important of which is the Parsons Band Cutter and Self Feeder Company, who own the patents and manufacture an excellent self-feeder, which is shipped to nearly all parts of the. United States. They employ over 100 men.

The railroads entering Newton give very good freight and passenger accommodations. As a consequence, the numerous manufacturing enterprises are extending their business over a very large territory, and the enterprising citizens of Newton are largely instrumental in developing the city, and it is showing a substantial growth. The present city officers are: Frank Long, Mayor; A. C. Gates, Clerk; William Bergman, Geo. D. Parsons, B. J. Miles, David Tripp, A. K. Emerson, L. A. Gates, Aldermen; A. F. Brown, City Attorney: Dr. C. C. Smead.

MONROE, a town of 917 inhabitants, located in Fairview township, on the Keokuk & Des Moines Railway, and the terminus of the Monroe branch of the C., R. I. & P. Railway. Was platted in 1851, then called Tool's Point. A few years later the name was changed to Monroe. The town grew slowly; in 1857 its population had increased to 400. The Des Moines Valley Railway was completed to Monroe in 1865, and since then the improvement of the town has been uniform and satisfactory. It has five churches, a graded school, a good hotel, two banks, one lumber and one brick yard, an elevator and a newspaper, the Mirror.

The town had a serious set-back in 1871, on account of the losses sustained through paper issued by the Iowa, Minnesota & North Pacific Railroad Company, which was largely purchased by the business men of Monroe or taken in payment for goods. This paper afterwards proved worthless.

KELLOGG is a station on the C., R. I. & P. Railway, in the eastern part of Jasper County, and has 658 inhabitants. It was laid out in 1865 before the railroad reached this point. It was the terminus of the railroad for about a year, and as a consequence secured considerable trade at that time, the road pushing through to Des Moines in 1867. The town was incorporated in 1874, and a council organized the same year. It has five churches, one graded school, one bank, an opera house, two newspapers, and express, telegraph and telephone connections.

LYNNVILLE is a town in the southeastern part of the county, and connected by a short road from Lynnville Junction with the Newton branch of the Iowa Central Railway. It has a population of 347. It has two churches, one bank, a newspaper, one lumber yard, and a brick and tile works.

VANDALIA is a town in Des Moines Township, near the Polk county line, and was settled in 1845, John Q. Deakin being the founder. About 1861 it was a larger place than Monroe, holding this position until 1865. Monroe has far outstripped it, owing largely to its railway facilities. Some of the finest farming country in the state is found near Vandalia. It is not incorporated. It has a population of 89, and is located seven miles southwest of Prairie City, its nearest banking point.

COLFAX is the newest of the Jasper County towns along the C., R. I. & P. Railway, but is one of the best. It has a population of 2,053. The town was laid out by A. Kimball in 1866, a year before the C. R. I. & P. was finished to that point. In the fall of 1875 a mineral spring was discovered, and since then several others have been located, and Colfax today is one of the best known places in the country to which invalids from all parts of the United States come to recover from various ailments, for which the waters of the springs are a very effective remedy. There are now seven hotels, which are nearly always crowded with people afflicted with rheumatism, dyspepsia, Bright's disease, and other disorders of the kidneys or digestive organs. All of these ailments are very materially benefited. Immense quantities of the water are shipped to all parts of the United States in bottles, jars and casks. There are three bottling establishments which carbonate the water and ship it everywhere. Parties who have visited Colfax usually continue the use of the water after they return to their homes. The presence of so many strangers in the town makes business quite lively the year round. Two large coal companies, the Colfax and the Jasper County, have their headquarters here, and all their employees are paid off in the town.

The Epworth League owns a park near the eastern city limits and hold a two weeks' Chautauqua each year, which is very largely attended. They are now raising funds to improve the grounds and preparing for a much larger attendance at their future meetings.

Colfax has two banks, two newspapers, a fine school, library, six churches, volunteer fire department, electric light plant and water works. The present city officers are J. B. Weaver, Mayor; W. B. Wells, Clerk, and A. M. Wright, Marshal; Aldermen, J. M. Topper, E. E. Irwin, W. H. Ball, James Comer and D. W. Evans.

PRAIRIE CITY.

Prairie City, a town of 808 inhabitants, in Des Moines township, six miles due south of Colfax. The town was laid out and called Elliott in 1856, but the name was afterwards changed to Prairie City. After 1865 the town grew rapidly, the railroad being completed in 1866. It has some fine business blocks and several factories. Farmers in the vicinity raise large quantities of potatoes and cabbage, and several firms in the township this produce by the carload to the larger cities. There are three churches, two banks, one newspaper, water works, and electric light plant. There is a fine farming country surrounding the town. Its present officers are: Mayor, C. B. Baird; Clerk, C. H. Dowden; Treasurer, C. W. Bryan; Aldermen, J. C. Bisbee and B. W. Brown, J. W. Furney and A. J. Hixson.

GREENCASTLE is a town of 92 inhabitants, located in Poweshiek township, on the C. & G. W. Railway, six miles northwest from Colfax. Mingo is its nearest banking point.

CLYDE lies in Clear Creek township, three miles south of the north line of the county and 21 miles northwest from Newton.

REASNOR, a station on the Monroe branch of the C. H. I. & P. Railway, in Elk Creek township, has 89 inhabitants. The town was laid out in 1877. Coal is found in the vicinity. It has several good business firms, a small bank and a comfortable hotel.

GALESBURG is a village in Elk Creek township, five miles east of Reasnor, its nearest railway station. It has a hotel, general store, and two churches. Monroe is its nearest banking point.

BAXTER, an incorporated town in Independence township, on the C. & G. W. Railway; population, 427. Baxter is a new town, and has. shown a good growth. It has two churches, graded school, bank, newspaper, and is the trading center of the northwestern part of the county.

FAIRMOUNT, a village in Fairview township, 13 miles southwest from Newton, is five miles from Monroe, its nearest banking point. Population, 40.

METZ is a small station on the C., R. I. & P. Railway, between Newton and Colfax. It has a general store and post office. Population, 50.

TURNER is a small station on the C., H. I. & P. Railway, 14 miles east of Newton. Kellogg and Grinnell are its nearest banking points. Has post office and two general stores.

MINGO, a station on the C. & G. W. Railway, in Poweshiek township, 16 miles northwest of Newton, has a bank, two churches, post office, hotel, livery barn, and a number of stores.

IRA, a village of 130 population, in Independence township, is a station on the C. & G. W., has two churches, two hotels, one bank and one brick yard, a creamery, and several stores.

NEWBURG is a station on the Iowa Central Railway, in Hickory Grove township, 20 miles northeast of Newton. Gilman is the nearest banking point. Population, 100.

SULLY, a town on the Iowa Central, in Lynn Grove township, four miles west of Lynnville, has a population of 150. It has a good bank, a first class lumber yard, a large general store operated in connection with the Sully Implement Company, a live newspaper, and a branch of Bergman Bros'. Implement House.

KILLDUFF, a town on the Iowa Central, in Buena Vista township, 10 miles southeast of Newton. Population, 70. Four miles from Sully, its nearest banking point. Has two stores, post office, blacksmith shop, and a good lumber yard.

MURPHY, a station on the Iowa Central, in Buena Vista township, five miles from Newton, the nearest banking point. One store and post office.

OSWALT, a station on the Colfax Northern Railway, was at one time a post office, but it has been discontinued. It formerly had considerable trade with the coal miners, but the mines being abandoned the town will probably soon cease to exist.

VALERIA is a town in Poweshiek township, at the junction of the Colfax Northern and the C. & G. W. Railways; five miles from Mingo; is coming to the front. Population, 150. A bank was established here in 1901.

Atlas property of Wayne Shannon; transcribed and formatted by Barbara Hug
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