History of Lucas County.

INTRODUCTION.

A nation grows, and from its central points, its population spreads itself and forms new civic communities. Whatever may be the incentives or motives that prompt this movement, and the outcome of man's attempt to turn the wild domain to his advantage, they are themes for the fruitful reflection of interested persons-themes which increase in interest the more they are earnestly and carefully examined. These movements of men, as they develop themselves, create the material for history. But history, as such, cannot reproduce the life of a people in all its various details. It must be content with exhibiting the development of that life as a whole. The thoughts, imaginings, dealings and doings of the individuals, however strongly they may reflect the characteristics of the national mind, form no essential part of history. While it may be correctly said, however, that the life of the individual is intimately bound up in that of the state or nation; it may also be said on the other hand, that the state or nation exists only through the unity of their individual membership, that it is not the counterpart of individual views, but the results of an intelligent and harmonious combination of opinions, though which are often conflicting when first advanced. Human thought and action must harmonize when fruitful results are achieved in any civic or other department of state or nation. Change-far-reaching and radical—is written on the face of opposing elements-a change that effects not the individual, nor a class of individuals, merely, but the united whole. Here is where history becomes possible-where it reaches beyond the scope of mere biography, admits of those broader generalizations, which are the very foundation stones of the philosophy of history, and without which there can be no intelligent comprehension of the development and sequence of events, and the results to which they lead.

What is thus true of a state, is equally true of its component parts. Laws are not limited in their application; but are so general in their philo

sophical deduction, that they warrant broad inferences, and specific enough to apply to the minutia of the smallest civic division.

While, it is true, the history of a single county-embracing, as it does, but a limited territory and a meager population-may present none of those grander laws in obedience to which nations exist and flourish, and by which their power is felt, nevertheless, those principles which make history possible, are found in every community, and find a harbor in every heart. Then there is the added fact, that the history of the county comes nearer to the individual life and character of its citizens, than does that of the state, or of the nation of which the state forms a part.

The spread of population merely, the political progress of a people and the military annals, are a part only of our history, and that part which is most easily discerned. The American of the present day wants to know how his ancestors lived, how they looked, what clothes they wore, on what they fed, what were their daily tasks and conversation, and how life dealt with them. This is the most difficult part of history to reproduce accurately; but it is, after all, that which gives us the clearest and most vivid insight into the spirit of the past. This important element should never be overlooked, for in no other manner can the intellectual growth of the people, the amelioration of manners, the changes in habits and customs, the advance in science and art, the progress of invention, the relation of classes, the increase of prosperity, or the want of it, the moral condition of society, and the every-day life of the people, be understood and made to subserve the interests of the present. The events that are recorded, are such as occurred at our very doors, were compassed by men whom we know, and which affect our individual interests for weal or for woe. It is not only while these events are fresh in the memory that one may form accurate estimates of their relative importance, and be impartial and candid in forming his judgments; but he may also, from present circumstances which have an origin in remote times, and which are historical in the largest, fullest, truest sense, freed from myth, or conjecture, or uncertain tradition, read the promise of the future. It is beyond doubt true, that those most closely identified with great or sudden revolutions in opinion or in government, are least competent to decide on their value; they make history; the student of after years decides the correctness of their theories, or the justice of their cause, and decides, too, under circumstances which preclude the bias of partisan feeling. There is that entire originality of work, that subtlety of thought, that carefulness of observation, that catholicity of views, that honest, kind, perhaps keen criticism of events and men, in the work of those who write years after events have transpired, which they who lived at the time, and contributed to them, are unable to exercise.

The history of a county exhibits a much more limited series of facts in

their proper connections, of which, indeed, each individual one is interesting in its proper place-doubly interesting, perhaps, because it marks the progress of thinking, toiling men, in our very presence; men who have. lived in the same moral and social atmosphere, struggled for the same ends for which we have struggled, acquired their experience and reputation in the same manner, and exhibited the same loves and hates, the same proclivities and sympathies. This is the purely biographical element of history-that element which opens to us the sources of human activity, and enables us to read how far and in what manner the views of individuals became impressed on public life and morals. It enables us to know the kind of men who become leaders, to note the conditions and results of their successes or defeats. This is the part of history directly affecting the individual man, because from it does he select his type of character, of thought and of conduct. The remark of Plutarch is most applicable to the realization of individual hopes and wishes, for it depicts the true conditions of success.

He says: "Whenever we begin an enterprise, or take possession of a charge, or experience a calamity, we place before our eyes the example of the greatest men of our own or of by-gone ages, and we ask ourselves how Plato or Epaminondas, Lycurgus or Agesilaus would have acted. Looking into these personages as into a faithful mirror, we can remedy our defects in word or deed. Whenever any perplexity arrives, or any passion disturbs the mind, the student of philosophy pictures to himself some of those who have been celebrated for their virtue, and the recollection sustains his tottering steps and prevents his fall." Such inspiring examples as these are the kind that have given to the world names in every walk of life that will never die.

NAME AND LOCATION.

Lucas county was named in honor of Robert Lucas, the first territorial governor of Iowa; who had twice been governor of the state of Ohio. On the 12th of June, 1838; congress passed an act, separating that part of the then territory of Wisconsin lying west of the Mississippi river, and designated it as the "Territory of Iowa;" whereupon President Van Buren appointed Governor Lucas its organic governor; whose term began July 4, 1838; the day the organic act of congress took effect, and the day from which Iowa dates its existence. He held the office for three years -until the close of Van Buren's administration in 1841, when he was succeeded by John Chambers, a whig, appointed by President Harrison.

After a brief stay at Burlington, then temporarily the seat of government, Gov. Lucas moved to Iowa City early in 1844, where he had established his permanent home, in anticipation of the early removal of the capital to that point, which had already been selected by the commissioners, and preparations made for a state building. His official career closed in 1841, at an advanced age, Gov. Lucas was a man of sterling integrity, whose public and private life was worthy of emulation. He was a devout christian, whose every day life and charities adorned his profession. He died at his home in Iowa City, at a ripe old age, surrounded by his wife and a family of five children, two sons and three daughters, who still remain on the old farm joining the city on the south, except the widow, one daughter and one son, Robert, junior, who died not long since. A marble monument marks the spot where the remains of Governor Lucas were entombed, in the Iowa City cemetery; and which bears upon its face masonic emblems, and the official positions he had filled.

Lucas county is situated about mid-way between the two great rivers of the continent Mississippi and Missouri-it being the middle county of the second tier east and west from the south line of the state; and embraces twelve congressional townships, with an area of 276,480 acres. This county lies within the Sac and Fox Indian purchase by the treaties of 1837 and 1842; which included all the land in the torritory west of the "Black Hawk Purchase" of 1832-west of the Iowa river. As soon as this treaty was fully consummated, and the land surrendered to the United States, the territorial legislature of 1845, by an act approved July 11, of that year, organized the county of "Kishkekosh," which is the present county of Monroe, to which name it was changed by act of the territorial legislature, approved June 11, 1845; the organization to date from July 1, following. Section 16 of this act provides: "That the territory west of said county be, and the same is hereby attached to the county of Kishkekosh, for election, revenue, and judicial purposes." Thus it will be observed that Lucas county, prior to its organization, was a part of "Kishkekosh" county, for the purposes aforesaid. However, by an act of the legislature, approved January 19, 1846, the name of "Kishkekosh" was changed to "Monroe" county, taking effect August 1, 1846.

By an act of the same legislature, approved January 13, 1846, entitled, "An act to establish new counties, and defines their boundries," the county of Lucas was organized, the boundries of which are thus defined: "That the following shall be the boundaries of a new county which shall be called 'Lucas,' to-wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Kishkekosh county; thence west to the northwest corner of township sevcnty-three, north of range twenty-four west; thence south to the southwest corner of township seventy-one, north of range twenty-four west; thence east to

the southwest corner of Kishkekosh county; thence north to the place of beginning." Thus Lucas county assamed its civic relation to the State, in its wild, untamed condition, as nature transmitted it to us.

PHYSICAL CHARACTER.

The physical features of Lucas county are somewhat irregular, caused by its natural and ample drainage system. It is traversed by the great watershed of the State, extending from Dickinson county in the north part thereof, in a southeasterly. direction to Clarke county, thence through Lucas to the south line of the State in Appanoose county; which gives this county a peculiar surface feature, through which its course lies along the line between the two southern tiers of townships, though in an irregular course as shown by the Chariton river, which rises in Clarke county, and entering Lucas near its southwest corner, and coursing northeast to near the center of the county, or to within about a mile south of Chariton, then turning in a southeastern direction, it leaves the county near its southeast corner, coursing its way along the southern base of the watershed. On the northern slope of the watershed, the east and west branches of the White Breast Creek rises-one coursing in a northwest, and the other in a northeast direction, until the two form a junction near the north line of the county, and then flow on as one, until it empties in the Des Moines river. Streams traversing more than half of the county, join the two branches of the White Breast creek. Besides these, Otter creek rises in Jackson township, on the west side of the county, and flows northward into Warren county, and empties into South river, and thus finds its way into the Des Moines. The next two streams of any importance are the Cedar and English; the former rising in Cedar township on the east side of the county, and running northeast into Monroe and Marion counties, thus also, finding its way to the Des Moines, as does the English, running in an almost parallel direction on the south of the Cedar. Wolf creek rises in section thirty-four in Union township, near the southwest corner of the county, and coursing eastward through Warren township into Benton township, emptying into the Chariton river in section fifteen. The Chariton river forms a sharp angle in its approach to Chariton, from the southwest to the southeast, making the watershed thus irregular in its general course. The natural drainage of the county is thus so complete, that every township is traversed by one or more streams of the system into which its surface-water flows. The general elevation of Lucas county is high-over one thousand feet above tide water. The surface of the great watershed through this county is comparatively level, while the