Jefferson County Online
A Statistical Review

The following is a chapter from "The History of Jefferson County, Iowa - A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement", Volume 1, Pages 405-410, published by the S. J. Clarke Publishing Company of Chicago in 1912 (in 1914 according to some citations).

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HISTORY OF
JEFFERSON COUNTY, IOWA

CHAPTER XLIV
A STATISTICAL REVIEW

The statistics of a people and of their work reveal the presence and the absence of changing conditions. In fact, they epitomize growth and decay, ventures, struggles, successes and failures. They measure both strength and effort. They are charged with meaning, but they are interpreted correctly only in the light of the happenings of the time with which they are connected.


Year.
Jefferson
County.
Iowa.
1840 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,780 43,114
1844 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,694 75,152
1846 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 97,588
1847 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,463  116,651
1849 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,835 152,988
1850 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,904 191,982
1851 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,081 204,774
1852 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,225 230,713
1854 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,117 326,013
1856 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,305 519,055
1859 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,478 638,775
1860 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,038 674,913

These figures clearly indicate the rapid influx of settlers. The quick development of the county, in a comparative sense, explains in a measure its large influence in the forming of the characteristics of the state.


TABLE NO II

Population of Jefferson County in various years from 1860 to 1870:

Year. 1860. 1863. 1865. 1867. 1870.
Population . . 15,038 14,649 14,772 16,420 17,839


TABLE NO. III

Population of Jefferson County at intervals of five years from 1875 to 1910:

Year. 1875. 1880. 1885. 1890.
Population . . . . . . . . . . 17,127 17,469 15,995 15,184
         
Year. 1895. 1900. 1905. 1910.
Population . . . . . . . . . . 16,405 17,437 16,493 15,591

The fluctuations downward disclose the inborn desire to improve personal fortunes, to own property and lands, which found expression in the migratory instinct.


TABLE NO. IV

Year. 1854. 1860. 1865. 1870.
Fairfield . . . . . . . . . .  1,013  1,692  1,741  2,226
County . . . . . . . . . . . 10,104 13,346 13,031 15,613
         
Year. 1875. 1880. 1885. 1890.
Fairfield . . . . . . . . . .  2,343  3,086  3,264  3,391
County . . . . . . . . . . . 14,784 14,383 12,731 11,793
         
Year. 1895. 1900. 1905. 1910.
Fairfield . . . . . . . . . .  4,026  4,689  5,009  4,970
County . . . . . . . . . . . 12,379 12,748 11,484 10,981

The noticeable feature in these figures is the steady growth of the city, due to the establishment of industrial enterprises.


TABLE NO. V

Comparison of changing rural and urban population in Jefferson County at intervals of five years from 1895 to 1910:

Year. 1895. 1900. 1905. 1910.
Rural. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,507 11,651 10,417 9,983
Urban . . . . . . . . . . . .  4,898  5,786  6,076 5,968

Improved machinery in part and altered methods in farming in part account for the decrease in rural population. The occupational opportunities of Fairfield, Batavia, Packwood and Pleasant Plain account for the increase in urban population. The difference will be more marked with Abingdon, Libertyville, Glasgow, Lockridge, East Pleasant Plain and Linby are included in the latter.


TABLE NO. VI

Comparison of the population in the several townships of Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1910:

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870.
Blackhawk . . . . . . . . . . . . Not    322    719  1,019
Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . . dis- .......  1,234  1,499
Cedar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trib-    630    866    816
Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . . uted.    986  1,364  1,280
Fairfield (city) . . . . . . . . . . .......    909  1,692  2,226
Fairfield or Center . . . . . . . .......    990  1,137  1,640
Liberty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......  1,209    951  1,082
Lockridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......    981  1,413  1,680
Locust Grove . . . . . . . . . . . .......    904  1,129  1,486
Penn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......    869  1,314  1,616
Polk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......    601 11,130  1,211
Round Prairie . . . . . . . . . . . .......    786  1,049  1,085
Walnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......    717  1,040  1,199
    Total . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2,773  9,904 15,038 17,839
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Blackhawk . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,008    773    722    745
Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,218    952    947    817
Cedar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    740    663    673    566
Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,145    892    962    785
Fairfield (city) . . . . . . . . . .  3,086  3,391  4,689  4,970
Fairfield or Center . . . . . . . .  1,135    912  1,261    866
Liberty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,118    893  1,017  1,058
Lockridge . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,478  1,248  1,229  1,086
Locust Grove . . . . . . . . . . .  1,410  1,266  1,540  1,243
Penn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,727  1,283  1,322  1,152
Polk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,180  1,096  1,265  1,040
Round Prairie . . . . . . . . . . .  1,116    890    887    815
Walnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,108    925    923    808
    Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,469 15,184 17,437 15,951

Buchanan and Des Moines townships, without towns, have suffered the heaviest loss of inhabitants. That the number engaged in agricultural pursuits and directly supported by them has lessened about one-third since 1870 is perfectly obvious.


TABLE NO. VII

The number of acres in improved farm lands in Jefferson County in various years from 1850 to 1910:

Year. 1850. 1856. 1860. 1870.
Acres . . . . . . . . . . 54,499 69,776 99,357 163,276
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Acres . . . . . . . . . . . 203,609 209,267 211,089 213,747

It will be noted that by 1880 the arable lands were practically all under fence and tillable. The completion of this work connects closely with the departure of farm laborers.


TABLE NO. VIII

The number of draft-oxen in Jefferson County in intervals of ten years from 1850 to 1880:

Year. 1850. 1860. 1870. 1880.
Oxen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,417 1,512 149 6

These oxen drew the big plows long used in breaking the tough prairie sod. As the plows fell into disuse, they disappeared.


TABLE NO. IX

The number of horses in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1890:

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860.
Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . 825 24,441 5,908
       
Year. 1870. 1880. 1890.
Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,150 9,520 13,231

It is probable that up to 1880 there were many more horses in the county than were required to supply local needs. Since then they have been rasied to some extent for the general market.


TABLE NO. X

The number of cattle in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1890:

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860.
Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,075 8,915 16,647
       
Year. 1870. 1880. 1890.
Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,695 26,652 39,617

Cattle raising in Jefferson County was given an impetus by the building, in 1870, of the Southwestern Railroad and, subsequently, by the bridging of the Mississippi River at Burlington. The reason for this lies in the fact that these things established "winter communication" over two lines with Chicago.


TABLE NO. XI

The number of swine in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1910:

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870.
Swine . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,172 25,332 31,085 32,845
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Swine . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,917 51,824 71,065 54,910

A large increase in the number of swine raised in Jefferson County followed the opening of the way in the winter season to the packing establishments of Chicago.


TABLE NO. XII

The number of sheep in Jefferson County in various years from 1840 to 1880:

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1863.
Sheep . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,118 13,851 9,902 13,511
         
Year. 1865. 1867. 1870. 1880.
Sheep . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,764 47,678 29,300 16,142

In 1867, there were more sheep than swine in Jefferson County. For a few years, sheep raising had been most promising and profitable.


TABLE NO. XIII

The wool clip of Jefferson County in pounds for various years from 1840 to 1880.

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1863.
Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,238 33,726 27,069 62,897
         
Year. 1865. 1867. 1870. 1880.
Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.274 191,491 107,394 100,494

In 1867, a woolen mill was started in Fairfield. After 1880 the production of wool in Jefferson County rapidly declined.


TABLE NO. XIV

Bushels of wheat grown in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1910.

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,223 59,359 72,910 234,779
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 242,137 60,278 4,220 117,206

The bulk of the large yields of 1870 and 1880 was spring wheat, which has been discarded. The yields of 1900 and 1910 are winter wheat, which has been restored to favor among growers.


TABLE NO. XV

Bushels of oats grown in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1910.

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,795 132,864 36,929 242,364
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 555,308 1,005,879 866,620 685,178

The supply of labor and the character of the season materially affect the acreage and yield of this cereal.


TABLE NO. XVI

Bushels of corn grown in Jefferson County at intervals of ten years from 1840 to 1910.

Year. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 89,675 705,296 1,171,985 1,100,500
         
Year. 1880. 1890. 1900. 1910.
Bushels . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,782,128 1,805,175 2,348,660 1,888,458

Corn has always been a staple crop of the county. It is not shipped away, but is used locally to fatten hogs and cattle.

The compilations are sufficient to illustrate the settlement, growth, and progressive development of the county's resources. They also may serve to suggest similar comparisons along special lines.


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