A FEW STATISTICS (from Censuses)

pg 407

In 1850 Louisa county had 12.1 persons to the square mile. In 1856, 23.5. In 1870, 31.6. In 1880, 32.2, and it has been practically the same ever since.

In 1850 Louisa county had 850 families and 842 dwellings.

In 1856 there were 1,677 families and 1,571 dwellings.

In 1880 there were 2,607 families and 2,545 dwellings.

pg 408

Population of Louisa County

1838	1,180		1865	10.948
1840	1,927		1867	11,885
1844	3,238		1869	12,219
1846	3,644		1870	12,877
1847	3,648		1873	12,377
1849	4,155		1875	12,499
1850	4,939		1880	13,142
1852	5,476		1885	11,926
1854	7,341		1890	11,873
1856	9,568		1895	12,786
1859	10,805		1900	13,516
1860	10,370		1905	12,893
1863	10,639		1910	12,355

Census of 1856 shown Population of Louisa County 9,599

Farmers	1,391		Shoemakers	18
Blacksmiths	45		Harness makers	7
Carpenters	127		Merchants	54
Wagon makers	20		Speculators	7
Brick layers	16		Druggists	4
Plasterers	10		Physicians	22
Stone cutters	8		Lawyers	7
Machinists	4		Brick makers	4
Millers	16		Coopers	18
Engineers	13		Clerks	22
Painters	8		Ministers	10
Cabinet makers	7		Teachers	20
Milliners	13		Teamsters	31
Tailors	13		Bankers	1

Census of 1856

	Nativity			Nativity.
Iowa	2,243		Indiana	802
Ohio	2,214		New York	381
Pennsylvania	1,062		New England	232
Illinois	271

Southern States, 1,066, chiefly Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina. Maryland and Missouri.

pg 409

County and Township Population

	1850			1860	1870	1880
Columbus City	11,183		Columbus City	1,815	2,344	2,868
Fredonia	369		Concord	577	892	747
Grandview	1,028		Eliot	263	370	414
Jefferson	646		Elm Grove	573	701	651
Florence	776		Grandview	1,360	1,635	1,544
Wapello	937		Jefferson	635	846	678
	4,939		Marshall	728	967	769
			Morning Sun	1,075	1,258	1,734
			Oakland	432	604	508
			Port Louisa	667	774	693
			Union	432	616	608
			Wapello	1,813	1,870	1,928
				1,813	12,877	13,142

Year	Population	Assessed Value	State Taxes	School Taxes	Total Taxes
1873	12,377	……	$7,039.05	$34,900.60	$84,129.36
1875	12,449	……	7,287.64	……	81,314.40
1895	12,786	……	……	40,009.13	96,158.74
1900	11,873	$14,619,068.00	9,502.29	……	119,389.18
1903	……	16,841,068.00	……	53,365.56	114,474.43
1905	……	19,241,996.00	……	60,873.75	148,296.02
1907	……	17,985,144.00	……	55,352.13	146,162.01
1909	……	18,307,224.00	……	60,071.81	168,873.26
1910	……	……	16,064.37	78,102.19	208,000.00

There has always been a strong temperance sentiment in Louisa county, and on every occasion when the people of the county have been permitted to vote upon the question, the temperance or prohibition side has had a majority. The first election was on the subject of license or no license, held April 5, 1847, at which "No license" received 271 votes, while 198 votes were cast "For license." Jefferson township and Fredonia township gave a majority for license, while Wapello, Columbus City, Grandview and Florence were against it. Some account of the meetings held during the liquor campaign in 1854 was given in the newspapers, and they will serve to remind us of some of our early temperance advocates.

The last prohibition election held in Iowa was on the question of the prohibition amendment to the Constitution in 1883. At that time Louisa county cast a large majority in favor of prohibition, and has been numbered among the "Dry" counties ever since.

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