MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS BOOK ONE

Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 463
submitted by Vicki Broughton, December 17, 2007

FIRST BORN IN COUNTRY
FIRST WHITE CHILD WAS BORN IN 1834 AND STILL LIVES

Mrs. Laura L. Patterson, daughter of Benjamin Nye, the first settler of Muscatine county, (at mouth of Pine creek) informed the Journal editor at the old settlers’ meeting yesterday that the first white child born in Muscatine county was born at her father’s house. Its parents were named Motes. They were brought to this country from Ohio by Mr. Nye, who crossed the Mississippi on the 7th of Octobe,r (typo in the original document) 1834. The child, a girl, was born about ten days later. Mrs. Patterson said she obtained this information from Capt. W.L. Clark, of Buffalo, Iowa, who says the woman, who has the honor of being the first white child born in Muscatine county, is still living in the western part of the state. *

* Later information is that the child mentioned was the daughter of David and Nancy Jackson and her name was Sarah Jane. Her mother died six months after her birth and she was adopted by Andrew Motes and wife. She was born Oct. 18, 1834 and now lives at Casey Guthrie’s son and her name is Mrs. Frank ?? Oarley. (This paragraph was handwritten, some parts difficult to read and signed by W.Shultz, Sec., Oct. 21, 1907.)

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