Pioneers of Marion County

(On CD)

A look at the pioneer life of people in Marion County, Iowa.  This book published in 1872 talks of the people and the time they lived in.  This book is more then a boring facts History book.  This book tells stories of a people, how they lived and played. Some stories will keep you laughing.  Written 135 years ago, I have this marked as a must read. It does not matter if you are from the area or not, you are sure to enjoy the book.

This book is on CD.  You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer to read it. (pdf)

PART I. Chapters 1 through 14 (120 pages)

Describes the general history of the County

Subjects covered include:

Dragoons—Trading Houses—Indian Payments- Character of the Traders-The Indians-Language of the Sacs and Foxes-Black Hawk Beheaded- Installation of Keokuk as Chief—Indian Tragedy near Red Rock.

Poverty — Settlements — Marking off Claims — Primitive

Houses and their Furniture—First Crop—Grating Corn

for Meal—Hominy—Going to Mill—Tally's Ford—Origin of Roads—First Roads Located—Returning from Mill.

An unpropitious Season—Primitive Mode of Cleaning

Wheat-Dirty Bread — Wolves and other Beasts of Prey—

Failure of Crops- Better Times in Prospect—Erection

of First Mill in the County.

Claim Law, and Club Law- The Majors' War- First Election—First Political Convention—Name Proposed for the County—Organizing Act-County Officers—First Session of Commissioners—First Business Transacted—Changing the Name of the County Seat—The Rose Ann McGregor Case.

County Revenue — Warrants — Stationery —First County

Seal—Buying the County Seat —Building Court Houses —The First Court House—Precluding the County—Road Districts—First Juries—First District Court—Boarding Houses—Sleeping in the Court Room

List of County Commissioners—Probate Judges—County

Judges—County Supervisors and County Treasurers—

The Stanfield Defalcation—Robbery of the Treasury in

1867.

A Legal Mistake—First Post Office at Knoxville-Inconvenience of Mail Facilities—A Historical Incident —First Land Entered—Des Moines River Land—Fowler Lands.

History of the Press in Marion County—Pella Gazette—

Knoxville Journal—Democratic Standard——Marion County Republican—Pella Blade—Marion County Democrat— Pella Gazette—Iowa Voter—Copperhead.

Iowa Central University—Marion County Agricultural

Society—County Poor House.

PART II. Chapters 1 through 32 (220 pages)

Part 2 of the book covers the individual histories of the following Townships:

Clay

Lake Prairie

Red Hock

Summit

Polk

Knoxville

Union

Liberty

Indiana

Swan

Pleasant Grove

Washington

Franklin

Dallas