FIRST THINGS

pg 390

First white men to land on Iowa soil, were Marquette and Joliet, in Louisa county.

First white child born in Louisa county was probably Carvalho Killough. son of Thomas D. Killough, born in Port Louisa township in August, 1836. This honor has been claimed for several; first, we believe, for Mrs. John P. Walker, who was born in December, 1836; next it was claimed for "Jack" McCleary, who was born in October, 1836; then came James Higbee. at one time president of the Old Settlers' Society, who was born in Marshall township in September, 1836. But now, on the authority of Mrs. McDill, it seems quite probable that Carvalho Killough is the very first. It has been claimed that one …

Photo over Iowa River at Hogback Near Wapello.

pg 391

... of William Milligan's boys was born in Eliot township on January 7, 1836. We have not been able to get satisfying information as to this.

The first permanent settler in the county was probably Christopher Shuck, early in 1835.

First land plowed in the county was by David Morgan, for Christopher Shuck, in 1835 in Jefferson township.

First Banking House—kept by Bird, Brown & Keach, in the building now used for a jail.

First Whig convention in Iowa was held at Wapello in 1840.

First Agricultural Society was held in Louisa county.

First County Medical Society was in Louisa county.

First Welsh sermon preached in Iowa was by Rev. David Knowles, on Long creek, west of Columbus City.

First mill in Louisa county was probably put up by Wm. Kennedy in Port Louisa township, although the mill of Thomas L. Rose, in section 14, 73, 3, on Honey creek was one of the earliest.

First clerk, Z. C. Inghram.

First sheriff, Samuel Smith.

First court, held by David Irvin, April 22, 1837.

First treasurer, Z. C. Inghram.

First recorder, Z. C. Inghram.

First member Iowa Territorial Council, James M. Clark.

First member Iowa Territorial House, Levi Thornton, Wm. L. Toole.

First postoffice, Black Hawk, May 27, 1837.

First postmaster, Wm. L. Toole.

First county seat. Lower Wapello.

First school taught, in Toolesboro, 1839.

First schoolhouse, built in Toolesboro, 1839 or 1840.

First school teacher, J. W. Ferguson.

First wedding, was of Henry Long and Nancy Layton. Their license was the first issued in the county, and was issued on June 2, 1837. The marriage is claimed for both Jefferson and Grandview townships; the return on the license shows that it was solemnized by Wm. Milligan, J. P., but does not say where. The best opinion is that the marriage was celebrated in Grandview township.

James Erwin, a native of Ireland, was the first person to be naturalized in Louisa county. This was at the June, 1839, term of the district court,—Judge Joseph Williams being the judge.

First resident lawyers,—Francis Springer and E. H. Thomas, settled in Wapello, December 28, 1838.

It is probable that J. W. Brookbank was the first doctor; he was certainly the first doctor in Wapello.

The following article taken from the Columbus Gazette is worthy of preservation, especially because it relates to a part of the county that was first settled. It is written by Mr. O. I. Jamison, and is but one of the many good things which he wrote in his effort to get up a county history:

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