WIXLIB

TheMakingofOsceolaandAmong emanyvalleysThe glacier left Osceola County in general a flat, elevated plateauwith adrainage systemof smallrivers andcreekssloping gently towardthe south.The Ocheyedan andthe Little Ocheyedan rivers drain the easterntwo-thirds ofthe county, andOtter Creek thewestern third.Both thesestreams finally find their way into the Missouri River.Strange animalsonce roamed these prairies, among themthe mammoth elephant.Its long, curved tusks were sometimesas much as le feet in lengthand its body wascovered withthick, black hair which grew over a dense matting of reddishwool.Thatthe mammothroamedthroughOsceola County isknown, for agiantmammoth tooth was unearthed near Melvinduring the summer of 1923.The Mound Buildersare known to have lived here at onetime, butour knowledgeof themis meager.We onlyknowthey were short of stature, that they had a knowledge of theQeeG Cl tive, sie Usedweapons, of boneand flintand builtmounds in the effigies of birds, fish, and animals.The Indians were the next to occupy the land, but it isquiteunlikelythey everestablishedpermanenthomes inOsceola County, for this region was an open prairie that layentirelyunprotected againstthe rigors of both summer andWinter.There were no forests to break thedrive of winterwinds, noprotectingshelteringvalleys, not eventimberwith which to build fires or razedupon the tall, billowing prairie grass; gophers, badgers andgroundhogsburrowed homes in thesandy knolls; fish teemedthe reedsin the rivers, lakes, and creeks; birds sang fromand marshes wereof streams, and the lakesalong the banksalive with wild ducks and geese.Bands of roving Indians may have come through the county on hunting and fishing expeditions,but they did not stay,danger here.there was gravesummer timein thefor evena greatcaught fire andgrassSometimes the tall. prairieor oying everything in its path.perhaps theThe absence of trees in Osceola County wasThefires.prairiefrequentof theresultmost seriousthealongwillowsingquick-growreeds, the grass, and thebanks of streams could springup anew each year after beingnowere giventreesslower-growingburned over, but thecoming of thetheBeforethemselves.chance to establishoffered little encourpioneer, Osceola Countyfirst whiteagement to the homemaker.

erahyeeF 4i seb:%aesane rf; it:sibs’\ ape ) iy‘ ee. ateeij:%ipUleRaty :ney4 meFerale tkpaaseaklhe.i;«At WaneNG:Ki;vmor:ieeyx tae odhe i bakeBatwij,ae ijJ Ee eyveinne Ae ntPyAyikveg:aeywthplang!i4SP,nie tltJWs5aet3(tyie:*)f pecs LAD CAAApaiSY 6ene 4elyipaveehynef:4}4.eeNya! ‘:.a{b.:;:;bade: 4.by,’;‘reya\:A.iyfi’Pa *,”,:ie »,Ceeies1fiaa1é‘1):4at;bers\ aiyA Dl,Orehaeae,tyioreeFvantDh tee leeibe siptthy7aversmaga b'per.Pc trae Pease: aegtae2ey;Tsae oe:ee(i"aedead‘

ounty,a largewhichunsurveyedcontainedIowa.by an act.of the lows Legislature,on January 15; 1851,all unsurveyed landsin the State were to have their countyboundariesdefinitely established.Thus a group of men wentinto Osceola Countyduring the spring ofthat year to markout and plat the borders, sections, and quarter sections.Due to the absence of trees, thetownship corners weremarked bymounds of earthabout four feetin height.Thesections and quarter sections weremarked in a similar manner by lesser mounds, and still more were built up along theState boundaryto the north.Small posts of red cedar wereset into these mounds with figures cut into them to indicatethe section, township, and range.But settlers did not come,Osceola County was known tothe peopleof Lowa asthe “great Americandesert."Therewere no trees, and there were noroads on whichlumber forhomes could be shipped in.What aboutthe soil?Woulditbe possible toraise cropsthere?Could a mangrow cropswheretrees wouldn't grow?No one wanted to takeuplandthere andthen find outthat crops couldnot be raised onit. Another consideration thatdiscouraged settlement during the next severalyears was the dangerof Indians.Forit happened that the only Indian massacre in all of Iowa hadoccurred a fewmiles east ofOsceola County.This was the‘ SpiritLakechildrenband.wereMassacremurderedin 1857,bythein whichSiouxChief46 men,women,InkpadutaandandhisOsceola County mighthave gone on formany more yearswithout attracting settlers had it not been for the RailroadGrant of 1865,At this time, Congress passed a law grantingthe St. Paul and Sioux City Railroada right-of-way throughthe county.But the State of Iowa would not give a grant ofland to a railroad company from the State of Minnesota,andthe State of Minnesota would not grant land on its territoryto a railroad company from Iowa.This deadlock was finally solved whena company calledthe Sioux City and St. Paul was organized at Sioux City, andanother, the St. Pauland Sioux City, was organizedat St.Paul.In this way, the Sioux Citycompany received a grantof landextending to theMinnesota line, and theSt. Paulcompany received a grant extendingto the Iowa line.Therethey joined.

TheWagonsRollInThe preliminarysurveyingof theSioux Cityand Sst.Paul land grant was begun during the summer of 1866, and thenews of it spread through all of Iowa and many of the neighboring states.So far, the only people who had set foot up on the soil of the county were travelers,explorers, surveyors, or lone trappers who occasionallycame into the countyduring the winter to trap the fur-bearinganimals that frequented the marshes and streams.The Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company grants included all the even-numberedsections of land for ten mileson both sidesof theproposed railroad, andthis land washeld for sale by the railroad company at a cost varying fromthree to five dollarsan acre.The railroadcompany wouldnot, however, sell landto easternspeculators.They heldit for settlers;settlers along the railroad would mean morebusiness and more shipping.The homestead law was in effect, also.Anyone desiringa homestead in Osceola County could obtain not more than 160acres by proving in writingthat upon a certain date he hadentered upontheland with intentionof occupyingit foractual settlement and cultivation.This affidavit had to beaccompanied by a fee of ten dollars, after which the settlerwas allowed timeto get settledupon his chosenhomesteadand to make improvements on it.Five yearslaterhe could"prove up" on his land and get a clear title of ownership.Strange as it may seem, Osceola Countywasnamedforthe noted Seminole Chief, who brilliantly commanded his warriors in theirstruggleagainst the United States until hewas captured by United States forcesand died a prisoner inFortMoultrie, Florida, in January1838.It is a long wayfrom the evergiades of Florida, Osceéola's home, to northwestfowa, but his memorylived after him and thestoryof hisheroism traveled far.The settlers likedto talk about hisexploits and about the romance that led to his marriage withthe Creek Indian Princess, Ouscaloosa.As theysat abouttheir hearth fireson wintry evenings, the pioneers wove legends about the colorful chief andhisbride.According toone of these stories, thechieftain's bride was named Lucy, and she was said to have been aNegro slave girlwho had worked foran aristocratic familyin theSouth.Upon coming northas the brideof Osceola,She began tofeel the strengthof her position as the wifeof a chief,In her tentbeside a trailnear the site thatwas laterto becomeOskaloosa, Lucy heldafternoon "teas"for whoever would come.She was hailed as the welcoming andentertainment committeefor all weary travelerswho passedher out

ticalLua! vr7‘»‘OM)‘eoame Ssa Mia i\AT 4tosewif\sty!eatPOPPE”Rees lenWee AGG ceed:HOPEbepymeeadssdsiiaTorusakg)ORaveahpeekWY si BrayTOR Aras‘ 2 RiveekAs)OSSAeEN,Cine?ry. NileLeSe areeePay.atna birDENSWeWSputePa, BetisRSiifaeBs4 tae selsaywe .Bp rekRGeeUE' ie4 igs” fins!abt Lag‘“pyListe. “Bakai nar abey3vehaereee2f Ning ny!sr wlay as, 4Trwet‘eyodeyeoo‘becRSPyTapegeetatae, ate.Bee,Pahepaigeraitn,RifaatirySeainaa:ahae,oh24 es hereae;: “af e’cck urea)oepaRIESME, NyPs Parca)wae77 eeAlaser‘BEBFie Fbory)ii agebieSane tekMa Seteetieiy OS; iaeey’ US. bi ba AveoerataTRne ttae*eireohh’iyaedotoe.Aa i one a BARNe,#.“mskheee4ae‘ineadamiVereDee be aPs oeet: ey'eeAehah Tneoaryy4ae4aei Bayeera84aey sitesNahe 3 *at ie,‘ rise ihn Rai obitFi hn Sid MESSER eeeDetieNwyoo ERS4*Ptsey Ledeen) isbbsee ‘hoFine Pears ai §ad hk: ‘beeWebi i OnE Ban. OF. eae setae tet ORE5ie Pesieigaeay PEATca}etoyosFy‘MREebame WateRSMg coreg oeAieat}Nee SipeBy Shei ists. td mahiDeh ys Latte taut gett. anntgb -Sadi een:eaco”i Meeaituee ETE:Mme;%meate eyeaRihe! denPMPs ERE SUED Ewe SEUi:he brachi)feeon ee recateOP AIG.‘ee Simace NL Bik ae aar C6 oeuuARSEa Tee!: ChiathPatanahane); N,'amecr

TheWagonsRollInIowaeTravelerswould givedirectionsto reach a certainplace by saying, "Take the right forkof the trail when youCome 40 Csceoia’sandLucy'stent.”Or, “It isa day'sjourney south of Oskey's and Lucy's."Later, many actually believedthe Indianand his wifehad come northand that the city of Oskaloosa got itsnameby the combinationof Oskey and Lucy.In reality, however,the city was named directlyfor the wife of Osceola, thoughthe warrior had never set foot on Iowa soil.andBy the beginning of 1870, Osceola County hadsurveyed, the railroad that was soon to crosshad been carefully planned, a landSioux City, and the homestead lawno one had drivenhis wagonintosearch for a home,been namedthe countyoffice had been set up atwas in effect.But stillthe countyin the actualin thefall of 1870a-lonewagon came slowly acrossthe grassy plain.t wasdriven by Captain HE. Huff, a soldier who hadfought with theNorthern armiesin the CivilWar.He had heard of the great stretches of land in OsceolaCounty, and had heard of the railroad that was soon to crossthis territory.Here, perhaps, he couldfind the home thathe wanted.Captain Huff brought with him,from Sioux City, food supplies and enough lumber to build himself a shelter,He camein from the. south, and followedthe general course of OtterCreek tothe northwest.Oncehe passedthe sodhut of alone trapper who had come in for the winter in quest of furbearing animals.That lone trapper was the only man CaptainHuff saw.A few miles up the streamfrom the trapper's hut, Captain Huff came to a place where the right-of-way of the proposed railroad came near to the banksof Otter Creek.Herethe ground wasblack andrich, with a sandysubsoilthatwould make the spotideal forthe growing of smallgrain.There was abundant water and forage for the horses.CaptainHuffing the dayslumber he hadneither floorthe ODur-that followed, he builthis shelterfrom thebroughtalong.Itwasa crudeshack, withnor windows, but itmarkedthe beginning ofattemptto tame the wilderness of which Osceapart.After having finished his crude house, Captain Huff didnot waste time on the banks of Otter Creek.Winter was coming on, there wasno fuel to be had, and theflimsy structure he had put up would offer but slight protection againstthe bitter cold for which the county was noted.Hitching up

a ccaaesii eaarii%-iG7yedaeieeeaoe dbusre3 eeesRE:}eeBERENS « serine?yhhens ta OR elidel 4tathe ‘4eK}f FERF)‘etas‘Me:i"ny ,5 4Poy!;Am. rsDey Ds% yf;JieneiAa2ieen;haaitpal yipn:onyee)ral5ters,o:;,;:nal4yates 1ataeogwef7y/iopecsmeie utvalBK4iPa m aeri—aCeBALLET 4iho ono CI Acaivi2‘,ssVadis1Iiosoata? AP "geea:\ ; ce PiesRAWe ogeselsSUATP osPt445 gle Satin Vaal éshe.-.SEfe es ba aT4 oleiebe AA shy pikefTerePy ’}en Dates 1sBean)N:arvoASToiefind ,7aesFsner‘ }atTsgf2cseeLe;‘."popFain;a.?‘Pusa abt)4 he4 Cae ttae ee cMretaadBeti ‘iiz2) beaf eexyde hsydele:JePyebahrast;ay"estfreilyR,byDavie SOREN:&:r: baht ec PuyakF Pretaenteie ua a% a4 fny1Si 5Th; heew otaregyCea ‘TuesytSMihai.hi ee8 aepBUgetrehinMvjek;‘zShag:.6]rere ht * Rung meee 'yyaeotsooo4t,eealsy aleeCThsitohaHe Ss anyote;,Nid tieacaPby"H.!poma“ - ent Cowatat tnee vsala‘otENyeci). ok) Mean pinee:ey: RaRe4IeetaS ‘Bis,ah eesyey, ry3 stea "eres ratesee hy. hicnnf:pineaos NaaTa ope aoe Saigex,fi,REeee; ii a-flei ay Mi,:yeiar imgr i oyi ia& ip e% a)Ss naseFieay EyPsher eeUDhe'6427RDinSs oe ete, wes‘ 5fae cy" be moorid'1as2 ‘*,

TheWagonsRollIn/histheteam again,winter withhe went westwardfriends.intoLyonCountytospendThe followingspringhe wentsouth toSioux City tofile his claim at the land office.While there he met C. M.Brooks, whowas planningto go into Nebraskain search ofland,Brooks, however, onhearingCaptain Huff'sglowingaccount of Osceola County, gave up the ideaof the Nebraskaventure and decided instead to go into Osceola County.Several of Brookts friendswere depending upon his report concerningNebraska soil, and he wrote letters to themexplainingthechange inhis plans, and at thesame timeinviting them tomeet him in Osceola Countythat spring assoonastheycouldgetpackedandgetaway.When Huff returnedto his claim thatspring, he foundthat another man had moved into the vicinity.This was A.Lyman, wholaterbecameknown to thesettlersas "WindyJake" because of his lengthy conversation.A. H. Lyman made the trip into the countyfrom WisconSin early in Marchbefore the frostwas out of the ground.He broughtno lumber with him, and was thereforeforced tobuild a shelter fromwhat material thesurrounding countryoffered.He set to work with histeam, cutting long stripsof the tough sod from the earth."Snakine thewidestandheaviest of them tothe spot he had . selected for his residence, he madea square“Foundation” of the thick.strips.ONG etteranother, he piledotherstrips of sod upon thisfoundation until he had the walls of his home builtup to aSuitable height.Then he brought back the sturdiest willowpoleshe couldfindalongthe banks ofOtterCreek andOTisscrossedthem across the topof the walls.Over thesepoles he piled great quantities of slough hayto serve as athatch roof.When the housewas finallycompleted, it was far frombeautiful.There was anopen square holein the east wallwhich servedas a window, anda largerhole inthe southwall to be used as a door.The walls themselves were dirty,grassy, anduneven, and the thatched roofresembled a lowcrowned haystack.W. W. Webb,C. Le McCausland,and M. J. Campbellfresponded to theletter theyreceived fromC.M. Brooks andwere among the first of the new arrivals in thecounty thatSpring.Webb and McCausland made the trip in a covered wagon drawnby oxen.M. J. Campbellcame withBrooks.Theybrought their equipment by rail to LeMars, wheretheypurchased a team and a wagonfor the rest of the journey.Thefour men met at Captain Huff's shack beside Otter Creek, andwentfrom thereto section 8, township 99, range 41, a few

patiesieatiY 6 eyadeOTWaarBduene:rive LaaeBieOarseelea—* cay. hee* hadPy :erate theih 4 ayPYbik

TheWagonsmilestionRollInnorth of Huff's.8, each man filingThere they laid claimupon a quarter of theto all ofsection.sec-During the earlypart of May, many white-topped wagonsrolledacrossthe wideprairie.These prairieschoonerswere built for the most partin easternmanufacturing centers.They were very large and deep for those who could af ford the best of equipment,and approximately four feet wideacross the base of the wagon box.To see one ofthese wagons at a distanceas it rolledacross theprairie was indeed aninspiring sight.At somepoints the tall, wind-rippled grass shut the oxen completelyfrom viewand thewhite-topped wagon scemedtorollandpitchalong the verytop of the wavinggrass likea tinyship on a wind-swept sea.Whenthe wagonreached a streamit actuallybecame a scow, for thewater-tight boxof thewagon permitted it to be floated upon the water.These early settlers brought with them as many of theirfamily possessions as possible.One man brought with him inone wagon, besides his wife and eight children,three trunks,two- sets ofwork harness, severalbushels of potatoes, twodoen“engl a -sucet-1ron stove, Manyironpots, . humerouskettles, and enough feed to last the team for theextent ofthe journey.Wheneverthe travelerssighted alone hutor shack,they stoppedto visitand toinguire aboutthe new land.Ae ts tymen'’s.2ittie god hut was the scene of many of thesestop-overs,and on some nightsthe entire floorof the sodhouse was covered by sleeping people.Therewasanearlyspringthatfirst year.Thousandseranes Ted.along thewere rifewith catand. tiger lilies.Fliovers andmeadowfrom the tall grass upon the hills.Or Danis,Gueks, eeese,and sandhillsmall streamsand lakes.The marshestails,.water lilies,larks sent out callsH. Ge Doolittle and James Richardsonfrom Floyd Countydrove intoOsceola Countyand stoppedone day .atCaptainHuff'sshack, wherethey spentthe night.Thefollowingmorning they took their leave, and, following Captain Huff'sdirections, fineliyland in section 24,laid olaim totwo quartertownship 99, range 41.sectionsofJohn H. Douglass brought his family and all his belongings

dif Aah (a Ve radats ri 5 sihi4 6 He ; 4 of seh 80 , Nal Aa i : ' : Py Vo a MMII se ) Ie LRN AUIS pve nai ey Py eh vi iii it ih PERK HAR A Hy ff) 48 He i} , He iad fi ah Aaa h