Thus it would cost for hauling a barrel of salt from Keokuk the sum of $6, whereas a barrel of salt is sold at the present time in our markets at less than one-fifth of that amount.
It may be worth while to note that the merchants never brought salt in barrels in those days. The charges for hauling a salt barrel would be nearly half a dollar, while the freight on a sack of equal capacity would be but a few cents. The sack therefore had the preference.
On October 24, 1849, John Hart entered from the Government of the United States the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 33 and the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 34 in Town 82 north, of Range 21 west. These lands constitute the 160-acre farm of William Parker, in Collins Township. This was the earliest entry in the county, and was the first land in the county owned by its occupant. This entry does not appear in the name of Mr, Parker, but is said to have been made in his interest, and for his use. If so, it was what was known as a time entry. This was a very common method among the early settlers. Such an entry was always in the interest of two persons, a capitalist and a settler. It was a matter of speculation on the part of both of them. The capitalist bought up land warrants, and placed them in the hands of an agent near the land office. The settler wishing to obtain title to a specified tract would negotiate with the agent, who would locate a warrant on the land, and give the settler a bond for a deed. The usual terms were on a basis which paid the capitalist forty per cent, or more, for his money, paid the agent handsomely, and paid the settler more than both of them. It. often gave the latter a home which he could secure in no other way.. Some men were shrewd enough to engage in the business of locating lands in this way, that is, by securing bonds for deeds from the capitalist on which they managed to make sales at an advance, thus acquiring nice profits on what had really cost them nothing.
If the party who held the bond could not sell at a profit before the bond matured, or pay up his note and get his deed, the capitalist, or his agent, would declare the contract forfeited, "time being of the essence of the contract," and would then sell it to any one else who would buy. If there had been no advance in value the settler simply permitted his rights to lapse, and the capitalist had the title to lands which he may not have wished to own, and found himself burdened with taxes which might cause him great inconvenience. This condition was described as being land poor.
Because of the large number of such transactions, the public records do not always show the actual parties in interest. An examination of the abstract of original entries will, in many cases, show that the title from the Government was in the hands of the person who furnished the capital, who was distant 1,000 miles, while there was a resident on the land who, during several years, was paying him his interest, and finally paid off the principal, and obtained his deed. In many such cases these unrecorded bonds were the silent histories of years of battle with untoward circumstances for a footing among the owners of the soil. These conditions existed for several years, or as long as the United States held any of these lands. It was not until the latter part of 1855 that a rush was Made to absorb all these lands for speculation, and not till about February, 1856, that the last of them were taken. Those which remained unsought until 1856 were such as were farthest from timber. The latest entries of large bodies were made in Warren Township.
Among those residents, or those who afterward became residents, who entered lands at an early period, some dates and names of interest may be mentioned. George Flick entered