EARLY HISTORY.

The first persons who came to Audubon County with the intention of becoming permanent settlers were Nathaniel Hamlin, Wm. P. Hamlin, Arthur Decker and John S. Jenkins, who arrived at "Hamlin's Grove," May 9th, 1851 (the year of the death of the eminent ornithologist, John James Audubon), a day made memorable in eastern Iowa by one of the most terrific tornadoes that ever swept the state. This was before the county survey, except the lines of the east range of townships. Mr. Jenkins took a claim near where Oakfield is now located, and Wm. Hamlin settled across the line in Cass county, but subsequently returned to Audubon county. In the autumn of the same year Dr. S. M. Ballard and B. M. Hyatt took claims in Big Grove (now Ballard Grove) and William Powell located where Exira is now situated. In the spring of 1853 a settlement was commenced near the boundary of Big Grove, by Alvin Herrick and his son, Urbane. The first death in the county was that of the wife of Arthur Decker, in the fall of 1852, while the first marriage was solemnized April 18th, 1856, the parties being George L. Kellogg and Susannah Kinyon, Urbane Herrick, J. P. officiating.

Petitioned by the citizens of Audubon, the Judge of Cass county authorized a separate organization, and officers were elected April 6th, 1855. The county had been attached to Cass county for civil, judicial and election purposes. The election was held in the cabin of John S. Jenkins, at Big Grove. Forty-five votes were cast, electing the following officers: T. S. Lewis, Judge; John W. Beers, Clerk; Miles Beers, Treasurer and Recorder; Benj. M. Hyatt, Sheriff; David Atkins, Prosecuting Attorney; Alvin Herrick, School Fund Commissioner; John W. Beers, Surveyor; Wm. H. H. Bowen, Assessor. At the succeeding election, in August, the officers were nearly all re-elected.

May 22d, 1885, T. N. Johnson, of Adair county, T. Bryan, of Guthrie county, and C. E. Woodard, of Cass county, were appointed commissioners to locate the county seat. The two last named qualified, and on the 20th of June submitted a report, wherein they designated the east half of of the northwest quarter of section 22, township 78, range 35, as the site, and naming it Dayton. The first sale of lots was effected November 22d, D. M. Harris being at that time county judge. But one lot was sold, being transferred to J. L. Frost for fifty cents. The sale was adjourned to June 3d, 1856, when eighty-five lots were sold at from $1.50 to $9.00 each. A proposition to remove the county seat to Viola, now Exira, was defeated at the polls on April 7th of the same year, but at an election held on April, 1861, the same proposition carried.

WALKER HOUSE, AUDUBON.

The first religious service was held in the log school house in Hamlin's Grove, by the Methodists, where, also, the first term of school was conducted by a Miss Northgrove. The first newspaper was the Audubon County Pioneer, established in December, 1860, by John C. Brown, afterwards Captain of Co. I, I. I. V., and who was killed at Milliken's Bend. The first term of court, E. H. Sears presiding, was held at Hamlin's Grove, in the school house, in the fall of 1856.

The center of population remained in the southern townships of the ocunty until 1879, the northern portion remaining quite undeveloped, with the exception of an occasional settler whose venturesome inclinations guided him to the prairie lands in the northern townships. These, however, were rich in fertile lands, and only awaited the coming of the industriious husbandman to bring forth abundant crops. In October, 1878, the town of Audubon was laid out, and the first sale of lots occurred on the 15th day of that month. Population poured into the new town and property sold at fabulous prices; for it was a fact appreciated by every comer that the settlement was destined to become one of the most prosperous in the west. The site being in the near center of the county promised in reason to become the mart thrrough which should flow the commerce of a rich country. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, diverging from its main line at Atlantic, Cass county, laid its iron bands and ran its iron horse into the new town in January, 1879, and with it came thousands of home seekers, from among whom are a majority of the prosperous and thriving farmers and men engaged in commercial pursuits who constitute the populace of today.

The very central location of the new town of Audubon, of its own propriety, again agitated the question of the removal of the county seat, and on authority of the requisite number of petitioners to the board of supervisors, an election was ordered in the fall of 1879, which was carried affirmatively, and on October 15th, of that year, the records and all matters pertaining to the county offices were removed to the new town. Here they will remain during all time of the county organization. Of the town, its progress and development, more will be said in succeeding pages.

Transcribed January, 2023 by Cheryl Siebrass from History of Audubon and Audubon County, Iowa, The Eden of the West., 1887, pp. 5-6.

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