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Van Buren County lies in the southern tier of counties, the second one from the Mississippi River, and the ninth from the Missouri River. It is south of Jefferson, west of Henry and Lee, and east of Davis counties. Van Buren County is twenty-four miles East and west and twenty to twenty-one miles north and south. It comprises congressional townships 67 (fractional) and 68 to 70 north, ranges 8 to 11 west. The area is 482 square miles.

Van Buren County was created by the third act of the first legislature of the Territory of Wisconsin which met October 25, 1836, at Belmont. This act, approved December 6, 1836, divided the original Des Moines County into Lee, Van Buren, Des Moines, Henry, Louisa, and Muscatine counties. Farmington was named the county seat of Van Buren County. Settlement began as early as 1832. The first permanent settlements were made near the site of the town of Farmington. The settlers were native Americans, mostly from Ohio, Indiana, and other eastern central states.

In 1840 there were sixteen towns recorded in the county with a property valuation assessed at $59,550.50. The names of the places were: Birmingham, Columbus, Des Moines City, Farmington, Harrisburg, Hedvolante, Keosauqua, New Lexington, North Bentonsport, Philadelphia, Rising Sun, Rochester, South Bentonsport, South Keosauqua, Watertown, and Winchester.¹

Van Buren County was named in honor of Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) who at the time of the naming was vice president (1833-1837) of the United States. Later lie became the eighth president (1837-1841).

ALEXANDRA. The early name of the village along the Des Moines River in the northeastern part of section 26 of Village Township. It was later known as Doud's Station, Douds, and Douds Leando, which see.

ASHGROVE. The name of a rural school in district Number 5 at the forks of the highway in the southwest central part of section 3 of Village Township, about a mile and a half north and two miles cast of the village of Selma. It was named for the extensive woods with numerous ash trees (Fraxinus sp.) in the vicinity.

BAKERS CREEK. A small stream rising in the southern part of section 36 of Harrisburg Township, coursing southwest and northwest across sections 1 and 2 of Bonaparte Township, reaching Reeds Creek in the southeastern part of section 34 of Harrisburg Township. The stream was doubtless named for a local, pioneer settler by the name of James Baker. His place of residence was known to the pioneers as Baker's Point.

BEAR CREEK. A small stream rising on the eastern side of sections 6 and 7 of Van Buren or Henry Township, flows eastward across Henry Township, and empties into the Des Moines River in section 1 of the same township. A branch of this stream rises in sections 18, 19, and 20 of Vernon Township, flows northward and unites with the main stream in section 10 of Henry Township. The branches are sometimes given as north branch and south branch of Bear Creek. The creek presumably received its name from the rare occurrence in pioneer days of the animal bear in the woods along the stream.

BEAR CREEK. The name of a school and of a school district Number 1, comprising sections 10, 15, parts of 11 and 14, of Henry Township. The name is for Bear Creek which crosses the northern portion of the district. The schoolhouse site is near the forks of the highway on or near the east side of section 10.

BENJAMIN. The name of a rural school on the west side of section 5 and of the school district Number 2 of Chequest Township. The district comprises sections 5 to 8 except 80 acres in the southeastern part of section 7. The school and district were apparently named for A. Benjamin, an early resident in section 8.

BENTONSPORT. This town was laid out early in 1839 (although settled as early as 1836) by John Bending, president of a company, with Charles 0. Sanford and H. P. Graves as associates. A post office was early established with Seth Richards the first postmaster. The site is on the east and north side of the Des Moines River in sections 35 and 36 of Washington Township, with additions in sections 1 and 2 of Henry Township cut off by the Des Moines River. It was incorporated in 1851. In 1810 there were two villages known respectively as North and South Bentonsport.

As to the history of the founding and naming of Bentonsport there has been some confusion, tradition being somewhat at variance with facts. An early and long time resident, Mr. John E. Seward, of Bentonsport, Iowa, writes: "I can give you the name of the man who laid out the town of Bentonsport; his name was Benton [correct name is Bending as above] and he gave it his name with Port affixed. When I was a small boy it was written Benton's Port. On the north of the river (Des Moines) it was North Bentonsport and on the south side of the river it was South Bentonsport until 1856 [1852] when the south side was named Vernon because the people there wanted a post office. When my father came to Iowa Territory there were only three little log cabins in town, Benton [Bending] occupied one, Sullivan and Ross the other two. All of them were on the Richards Block, he having bought the whole block."

The names Benton and Bending, after a lapse of years, have become confused with reference to the naming of the city. The founder of the city was John Bending but he did not give it his name. John Bending was also a member of the first (or early) board of county commissioners, 1837.² According to the Honorable George G. Wright: "Bentonsport was settled in 1836 or at least Giles Sullivan, Charles O. Sanford, and Ross (who kept the first hotel) settled there that year, coming from St. Francisville, driving their teams in the river, for there were no roads. The place was named for Thomas H. Benton, the great Missouri senator." ³

Bentonsport, Iowa, was doubtless named in honor of Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858), for thirty years United States senator (1820-1850) from Missouri. He was very prominent in public life and widely known. Many places have been named for him. Senator Benton was the father-in-law of General John C. Fremont, the first presidential candidate of the Republican party.

Jesse Williams' map, 1840, gives the name as Benton Port.

The post office of Bentonsport, Iowa, was established in Van Buren County, Wisconsin Territory, October 5, 1838, with the appointment of Seth Richards, postmaster, under whom the office was later changed to Iowa Territory. His successors were: Erastus Pitkin, February 11, 1847; William M. Appleton, December 30, 1850; Robert Cresswell, June 28, 1855; William M. Appleton, July 20, 1855; Lewis J. Mason, February 10, 1863; William M. Appleton, April 2, 1864; Mrs. Ann Appleton, March 24, 1865; A. N. Stevens, March 27, 1882; George L. Moore, January 30, 1883; Andrew Reed, December 15, 1885; William I. Bragg, May 14, 1890; William A. Lippeneott, ⁴ April 21, 1893; Henry Fulton, April 24, 1897; and Minnie Fulton, August 11, 1913, still serving in 1929.

BETHEL The name of a rural, Methodist Episcopal church on the west side of north section 4 of Des Moines Township, about four miles southwest of the town of Keosauqua.

BETHEL. A rural church in the northeastern part of section 4 of Lick Creek Township, a mile and a half north and three miles west of the village of Birmingham. This and the preceding church were dedicated Bethel after the biblical name of a city in central Palestine, meaning in Hebrew "house of God," from beth, house, and el, God.

BIG CEDAR CREEK. See Cedar Creek.

BIG DUCK CREEK. A small and short stream which rises in the southeastern part of section 3 of Farmington Township, runs north east to the Des Moines River in the north central part of section 2 of the same township.

BIG DUCK POND. This is a spring fed lake of about forty acres near the town of Farmington on the opposite side of the Des Moines River and in the Farmington State Park. This pond is conspicuous because over thirty acres are covered with the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea). The name of the pond was suggested by the size and being the habitat of migrating ducks. The vicinity is also known as Big Duck marsh.

BIG FOUR The name of a rural school at the forks of the highway in the north central part of section 6 of Village Township, about two miles north and a mile west of the village of Selma. The school district Number 4 is also named Big Four. The district is quite small, comprising section 6 and irregular portions of sections 5, 7, and 8, in all equaling about two sections. The school and district were apparently ironically named with reference to the extent of the territory served., unless when established the district was much larger and diminished by subsequent divisions. In either case the name is locally descriptive. See ADDENDA.

BIRMINGHAM This village is on the western side of section 7 of Union Township. It was laid out as an inland village in June, 1839, by John Harrison, the proprietor. A post office was early established with Jacob Lawton, postmaster. It was directly or indirectly named for Birmingham, England. Later the village became for a time the terminal of the Fort Madison and Northwestern Railway. The railroad was later extended and became a part of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy system. The village has grown into section 12 of Lick Creek Township.

Fifteen or more places in the United States have the name of Birmingham, the most important ones being Birmingham, county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama; and Birmingham, New Haven County, Connecticut. All were directly or indirectly named for Birmingham, the manufacturing town of Warwickshire in west central part of England.

The word Birmingham is believed to be derived either from the Anglo Saxon Bermaring Beorming, a proper name, and häm home, or from bröm, broom, wych, descent, and häm home, meaning "home on the hill by the heath." Birmingham, England, is situated on the eastern slopes of three undulating hills at the confluence of the Rea and the Tame rivers. It was an old town of the Anglo-Saxons (Beormings Ham).

The post office of Birmingham, Iowa, was established February 10, 1843, with the appointment of Jacob Lawton, postmaster. His successors were: James Steel, November 4, 1847; George W. Newell, January 31, 1851; James Steel, July 14, 1853; George P. Martin, May 29, 1855; Joshua R. D. Bonar, April 18, 1859; Casper Miller, March 19, 1861; William F. Morris, ^4a February 18, 1863; Henry C. Clinton, August 24, 1866; Frederick B. Huffman, March 22, 1869; John S. Ragsdale, ^4b February 10, 1875; John W. Farrell, December 22, 1886; Harrison W. Ogilbee, May 20, 1889; William R. Shott, July 25, 1893; Charles L. Sheward, July 15, 1897; William R. Shott, September 21, 1914; and Gayle A. Goodman, November 9, 1921, still serving in 1931.

BLACK HAWK CITY. A pioneer village was laid out in or near the southwestern corner of section 7 of Village Township, south of the Des Moines River and opposite the village of Iowaville. It was established in 1848 by Andrew J. Davis, ⁵ the propiretor, [sic] who built mills, stores, and shops. The village flourished for many years but became extinct in 1861. It was named for Black Hawk, the celebrated Sauk Indian chief who spent his declining years in the immediate vicinity. The place was also called New Market, a locally descriptive name. As a place-name for minor post offices or townships Black Hawk has been used about fifteen times. The estate on which the Iowa village was located was subsequently owned by Andrew J. Davis. T. J. Davis owned the farm to the east beyond Vesser Creek. Andrew J. Davis became a multi-millionaire of Butte, Montana, where he died in 1890.

BONAPARTE. This township is on the east side of Van Buren County, south of Harrisburg, north of Farmington, and east of Washington, Henry, and Vernon townships. It comprises the first 24 sections of the congressional township 68 north, range 8 west. The township was named after the village within its borders. Bonaparte Township was originally included in Farmington Township.

BONAPARTE. This town is on the north side of the Des Moines River, on the south side of section 8 of Bonaparte Township. It was founded in 1837 by William Meek and sons and Dr. Roger N. Cresap (who made additions) and named it in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte (1768-1821), the Corsican, renowned military leader, statesman, and emperor of France.⁶ As this is the only town with this name listed in Lippincott's Gazetteer its use as a place-name is apparently quite unusual or very rare.

An early post office in the vicinity of the village of Bonaparte, known as New Lexington, was moved and renamed under the new appointment of Thomas Charlton, postmaster, January 19, 1842. His successors were: Roger N. Cresap (the locally noted physician), April 2, 1844; R. H. Wyman, June 10, 1847; Lucius R. Beckley, June 22, 1849; Roger N. Cresap, November .5, 1849; Jehial Gregory, June 17, 1853; Thomas Christy, June 5, 1857; Roger N. Cresap, August 19, 1861; Edgar Pickett, June 7, 1866; Thomas Erwine, November 18, 1868; Jacob Detwiler, March 22, 1869; James G. Shipley, November 11, 1872; James P. Davis, June 22, 1877; W. A. Packer, August 27, 1885; James P. Davis, April 8, 1889; Philip Eich, June 19, 1893 James P. Davis, October 5, 1897; Alice M. Davis, November 17, 1903; Albert G. Roberts, May 10, 1908; Lawrence J. Finn, July 16, 1912; E. W. Chapman, August 25, 1916; Coza F. Chapman, September 27, 1919; Charles G. Wiley, June 4, 1920; Levi G. Johns, November 10, 1925; and Carl E. Meek, September 15, 1926, the present postmaster.

"Bonaparte, (formerly Meeks' [sic] Mills,) situated oil the Des Moines, about twelve miles below Keosauqua, is an interesting village, containing several stores, a good hotel, &c. Here, also, is situated one of the finest and most substantial flouring mills in the western country. It is six stories high, designed for six run of stones, and is the property of Judge Meeks & Sons, the original proprietors of the town. Bonaparte is rapidly improving, and presents a good field for mechanics." ⁷ 

"The first settlement where the town [Bonaparte] now stands; was made by Robert Coates, during the summer of 1836. He sold his claim to Robert Maffitt, ⁸ sen., who in turn disposed of the present site of the town to William Meek, sen. He, after clearing the grounds, built a flour and saw mill and laid off the town. R. N. Cresap, who was one of the earliest white settlers, laid off and made additions to the town from time to time." ⁹

BOYER STATION. A station oil the Burlington and Southwestern Railroad on or near the line between sections 33 and 4 of Farmington Township. Formerly there was also a post office. The station was named after a farmer in the vicinity, probably John P. Boyer, whose post office was Boyers Station. A prominent man in the near vicinity was Jacob Boyer, born February 26, 1817, in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He came to Farmington about 1842 and moved to a farm in section 3 of' Henry Township in 1854 where he resided over forty years. His post office was Vernon. Basiel Boyer was a prominent farmer of Farmington Township, owning a section. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio June 20, 1830. He came to Farmington in 1840, residing in the township over forty years. His post office was Farmington.

The post office known as Boyers Station, in Van Buren County, Iowa, was established May 12, 1876, with Laurens Hosmer, the only postmaster. The name of the post office was changed to Boyer on June 18, 1883, and discontinued October 27, 1884. The History of Van Buren County, 1878, page 566, erroneously gives Samuel Coulter as postmaster. He may have been acting, or a deputy.

BRADFORD. A rural school with this name is in the west central part of section 13 of Henry Township, nearly three miles south of the village of Bentonsport and nearly three miles southwest of the village of Bonaparte. It was named for Anthony Bradford, a, nearby resident of the same section, whose successor was Walter Bradford. The school district Number 3, comprising parts or all of sections 11 to 14, 23, and 24, has the same name Bradford.

BRATTAIN'S GROVE. A locality with a grove long known to the pioneers. It was apparently named for Joseph or William Brattain, residents of the vicinity. ¹⁰

BRICK. A rural school on the north side of the northeast quarter of section 21 of Van Buren Township, about two miles northwest of the hamlet of Pittsburg. It was doubtless so named because of the material used in constructing the building.

BROWN COTTAGE. The name, of a rural school at the cross highways on the south side of south section 8 of Jackson Township in district Number 12, two and a half miles south and four and a half miles west of the village of Cantril. The color and style of the building probably suggested the name. A rural, Methodist Episcopal church and cemetery are across the highways to the southeast.

BRUSH COLLEGE. The name of a rural school on the east side of section 30 of Van Buren Township, about two miles northeast of the town of Keosauqua. The name seems to have been suggested by the brushy woods along the creek east of the school site.

BRUSH COLLEGE. The name of a rural school in district Number 8 at the forks of the highway on the east side of section 28 of Village Township. The school was named for the extensive brushy woodlands in the vicinity. The name college was appended in deference to community pride which is also the case with the preceding school. The district in the main comprises sections 27, 28, 33, and 34. See ADDENDA.

BRUSHY FORK. A short run rising in the northeastern part of section 34 of Des Moines Township, courses northeastwardly to South Fork of Indian Creek in the south central part of section 25 of the same township. The name is locally descriptive for the low woods along the lower course of the stream.

BUSINESS CORNERS An inland place at the forks of the highway on the north side of section 24 of Village Township. The nucleus was established in 1846 by Ami Adams and a settlement early clustered about the place. A pioneer post office, known as Business Corner, was established with Charles T. Gardner, postmaster. The name is a locally descriptive one as business is done on corners where three roads meet. On Henn, Williams & Co's. map, 1855, the name is Business Corner.

The fourth class post office known as Business Corner was established August 4, 1849, with the appointment of Charles T. Gardner, postmaster. His successors were: Julius L. Clark, December 29, 1851; William T. Adams, March 11, 1856; Gustavus M. Aldrich, April 12, 1856; Mrs. Mary Drake, February 12, 1859; Samuel Whitten, March 26, 1860; Charles T. Gardner, January 28, 1862; Samuel Whitten, June 10, 1862; Caroline Clark, October 30, 1863, and Margaret A. Johnston, April 5, 1864, who served until the post office was removed and changed to Doud Station, August 9, 1864.

BUSINESS CORNERS. The name of the rural school in district Number 2 in the southwest corner of section 13 of Village Township, one-half mile west of the hamlet of Business Corners, after which it was named. A pioneer schoolhouse was built in this vicinity as early as 1842.

CANFIELD. The name of a rural school near the east side of section 33 of Chequest Township in district Number 6, two miles west and a half mile north of the hamlet of Lebanon. The school was named for H. M. Canfield, an early resident of section 33. ¹¹ The school district, comprising sections 27, 28, 33, and 34, is also named Canfield.

CANTRIL. A village on the Burlington and Southwestern (now the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy) Railroad in section 36 of Jackson Township. It was partially laid out in November, 1871, and finished in the spring of 1872. It was named for Lemuel W. Cantril, the proprietor of the village and its first postmaster, who came to Van Buren county in September, 1839. ¹² Cantril was incorporated April 16, 1874, and the first election was held May 20, 1874. The first mayor was E. E. Cantril. ¹³ This is the only place with the name Cantril.

The post office of Cantril, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established April 9, 1872, with the appointment of Lemuel W. Cantril, postmaster. His successors were: J. M. Swartz, September 25, 1877; John D. Swartz, October 8, 1877; S. N. Norris, October 17, 1881; George L. Norris, March 24, 1884; Wiley A. Jones, November 6, 1885; William P. Drew, May 17, 1889; Wiley A. Jones, June 17, 1893; George B. Creath, June 4, 1897; Sadie B. Creath, October 22, 1914; Carrie A. Jones, March 16, 1917; Earle Miller, November 18, 1921; and Gladys Miller, September 30, 1929, the present postmaster.

CEDAR. This township is in the northeastern corner of Van Buren County, north of Harrisburg and east of Union townships. It comprises congressional township 70 north, range 8 west. The township was created by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841, with the present boundaries. The record reads: "Township 70 North in Range 8 west shall constitute one Township." In the session of the Board held July 5, 1841, the civil township was recreated and named. It was named for Cedar Creek which flows across the township. As a place-name Cedar, used alone or in combination, is very popular; over two hundred have been listed. Lippincott's Gazetteer lists thirty-five places named Cedar, of which a county and sixteen townships are in Iowa; six places as Cedar Bluffs; twenty-seven as Cedar Creek (town or stream) ; eighteen as Cedar Grove; ten as Cedar Hill; eight as Cedar Lake; eighteen as Cedarville; the others are Cedar Bayou, Cedarburg, Cedar Chapel, Cedar City 2, Cedar Cliff, Cedar Crossing, Cedar Dale 2, Cedar Falls 3, Cedar Ford, Cedar Fork 3, Cedar Gap, Cedar Glades, Cedar Hollow, Cedar Island, Cedar Junction, Cedar Key Bay, Cedar Keys, Cedar Lane 2, Cedar Mill, Cedar Mills 4, Cedar Mines, Cedar Mountain 2, Cedar Mountains, Cedar Plains, Cedar Point 3, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Ridge 2, Cedar River 3, Cedar Rock, Cedar Run 5, Cedars, Cedarsburg, Cedar Spring, Cedar Springs 8, Cedar Town, Cedarvale 2, Cedar Valley 6, Cedar View, and Cedar Wood, those unnumbered having one each.

CEDAR CREEK. A small stream crossing Cedar Township, entering in section 5, flows southeastwardly, and leaves the township on the east side of section 1. It receives its name from the red cedar trees (Juniperns virginiana) which grow along its course. On some maps, as the U. S. soil map, 1917, the name is Big Cedar Creek. It is so named in contradistinction to an affluent known as Little Cedar Creek.

CENTENNIAL. The name of a rural school in district Number 10 on the south side of the southeast quarter of section 31 of Jackson Township, about two and a half miles south of the village of Milton. The school was presumably established in 1876, the centennial year of American independence, hence the name.

CENTENNIAL. A rural school at the cross highways in the southeastern corner of section 14 of Harrisburg Township, two miles east of Harrisburg Baptist church. It was named in memory of the centennial year, 1876, of American independence. It is situated in school district Number 6, comprising sections 13, 14, 23, and 24.

CENTER CHAPEL. A rural, Methodist Episcopal church and a cemetery at the cross highways on the east side of section 17 of Vernon Township, two and a half miles south and three miles west of the village of Bentonsport. The name appears to be locally descriptive for the neighborhood. See ADDENDA.

CHEQUEST. This township is on the west side of Van Buren County, south of Village, west of Van Buren, and north of Jackson townships. It comprises congressional township 69 north, range 11 west. It was named for Chequest Creek which crosses the township from west to east.

The congressional township 69 north, range 11 west, was constituted a civil township by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841. At the adjourned meeting of the Board held February 9, 1841, the township was named Chequest and it was ordered that the first meeting of the citizens was to be held at the house of Josiah D. Minton.

"The township (Chequest) was, however, first settled, according to my best information, by Samuel Swearenger [Swearingen]--a member of 5th Territorial Assembly, -- Henry Mussetter, and Lorenzo Ellis, in Sept, 1834, at what was afterwards called Green's Mill, on Chequest. In the spring of 1838 Col. Cleaves, David Corse, and Stiles S. Carpenter, made claims on what have since been known as the Goddard and Carpenter farms, and Thomas Ray on the 'old camp meeting ground,' farm now owned by Malachi Vinson. The exterior lines of Chequest Township were run by Uriah Biggs, in the fall of 1840, and it was subdivided by James E. Freeman, in May, 1841." ¹⁴

CHEQUEST CREEK. This stream enters Van Buren County in section 7 of Chequest Township, flows eastwardly and enters the Des Moines River in section 27 of Van Buren Township. An early form of the name was Chegnest Creek, likely a misprint, see laws of the Territory of Iowa, 1841-2, p. 106, (chapter 120). Jesse Williams' map, 1840, gives the name as Chequeste Creek.

As to the origin of the name Chequest there seems to be no certain information. Uriah Biggs, the U. S. Government's surveyor, recorded the name in his survey. Many maps use the name Jake West Creek and even the form Jaquest occurs. One of the local traditions is to the effect that before the region was surveyed a squatter or trapper by the name of Jake West had a rude cabin presumably near the mouth of the stream. It is further stated that the local Fox Indians in trying to pronounce his name uttered it somewhat like Cheq-west'. It is claimed that from this mispronunciation the name Chequest arose. One thing is sure the name was in current use before settlement and apparently it is not of Indian origin unless indirectly as suggested above.

CHICKEN RIDGE. A rural school on the east side of the southeast quarter of section 14 of Jackson Township, about three-fourths mile west and three miles north of the village of Cantril. The school site is on the ridge or watershed between Indian Creek and Fox River. The locality is a prairie, once the habitat of prairie chickens, hence the name of the ridge and the school. The school district Number 6 comprises sections 13, 14, 23, and 24.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH. A former, rural church at the forks of the highway on the east side of section 26 of Union Township. See Plat Book, 1897, page 18.

CHURCH ELM. A locally noted elm tree in the vicinity of the town of Keosauqua, but above Chequest Creek and west of the Des Moines River and north of the village of Pittsburg. Under this tree the pioneers held church services, hence the name.

COATES CREEK. A small stream rising on the eastern side of section 6 of Harrisburg Township, flows southward through Harrisburg Township to the Des Moines River on the south side of section 8 of Bonaparte Township, immediately west of the village of Bonaparte. It was named for Robert Coates who made a claim in the fall of 1834, settling in the summer of 1836, in the vicinity of the site of the village Of Bonaparte ¹⁵ and near the stream which retains his name. ¹⁶ The stream is also sometimes called Honey Creek ¹⁷ because of the honey found in the woods along the stream.

COLUMBUS. This town was founded in 1840 or before by John B. Thompson and John R. Sparks. It failed of permanency. It was probably named after Columbus, Ohio, by emigrants from that state. The site was along the north side of the Des Moines River near Copper Creek, in or near section 27 of Washington Township. The hamlet was the early home of Lieutenant Governor Edwin O. Stanard of Missouri and a rival of the nearby village of Lexington. Jesse Williams' map, 1840, gives the name as Columbia and locates the site near the south side of section 27, a little over a mile northwest of the town of "Benton Port" (Bentonsport), in the vicinity and southeast of the mouth of Copper Creek. According to Newhall ¹⁸ Columbus was then a "posttown." This, however, means that Columbus was a station on the stage line. Apparently no post office was officially established. The nearby post office of Bentonsport, established in 1838, filled every need of the vicinity.

COON BRANCH. A small stream coming from the state of Missouri, runs north, crossing section 12 of Vernon Township, and enters Indian Creek in the south central part of section 1, about one-fourth mile south of Willits Station. The name is presumably for the animal, raccoon, once common in the woods along the stream.

COPPER CREEK. A small run, rising in or near the northern part of section 1 of Washington Township, flows southwardly, and enters the Des Moines River in section 27 of the same township. It was apparently so named because of the native copper nuggets occasionally found in the drift mantle along or near the stream. On some maps, as the U. S. soil map, 1917, the name is given as Copperas Creek, an allusion to copper rust or verdigris, copper carbonate, or to greenish water. The name is also sometimes corrupted to Copras, a shortened form of Copperas. [The residents of the region have called it only Copras Creek since 1876.-E. R. H.]

CRUM. The name of a rural school in the northwestern part of section 10 of Lick Creek Township, about three miles west of the village of Birmingham. It was named for William F. Crum, a resident of the vicinity in section 9.¹⁹

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH The Plat Book, 1897, page 15, indicates this church at the cross highways in the southwestern corner of section 2 of Lick Creek Township, a mile west of the Girard school.

DES MOINES. This township is on the south side of Van Buren County, south of Van Buren, west of Vernon, and east of Jackson townships. It comprises fractional parts of congressional townships 67 and 68 north, range 10 west. It was named for the Des Moines River which forms the northeast boundary of the township.

The congressional township 68 north, range 10 west, and fractional township 67 north, range 10 west, were constituted a civil township by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841, and given the name of Hedvolante. At the adjourned meeting of the Board held February 8, 1841, the following record was made: "Ordered that Township 68 North, Range 10 West, & Fractional Township [67 North, Range 10 West], be named Des Moines Township, and that the place of the first meeting of the electors of said Township shall be held at Charles Stott's house and that the former order made on the 6" day of January A D 1841 naming said Township Hedvolante be and the name is hereby rescinded."

DES MOINES CITY. A pioneer village in the north part of the present town of Keosauqua, founded about 1839. Later along with the village of Van Buren it became a part of Keosauqua. It was named for the nearby Des Moines River.

DES MOINES RIVER. This river enters Van Buren County in section 7 of Village Township, flows southeast, making a horseshoe bend in the central part of the county, continues southeastwardly, and leaves the county in sections 12 and 13 of Farmington Township.

The origin of the name Des Moines has been explained as follows: The Illinois Indians had settlements in the vicinity of the Des Moines River. The Indian name of the settlements was Mouin-gouinas, frequently given as Moingona on old maps. The French explorers adopted the latter name but shortened it to la rivière des Moins (the river of the Moins). Later the name was associated with the Trappist Monks (Moines de la Trappe) who dwelt near. This caused the reading to be rivière des Moines which in English became the Des Moines River. For a fuller account see the ANNALS OF IOWA, Vol. XVII, pp. 23-24, July, 1929. Galland's Iowa Emigrant as well as his map gives the alternative name Ke-o-shaw-qua to the Des Moines River. From this name the modern name of Keosauqua originated.

DOGTOWN. This is the nickname for Mount Sterling which see. "The village is universally known as Dogtown, and the inhabitants relate how it gained its name. They say that shortly before 1840, the first arrivals in the (now) village were Horace and George Wood, who saw in the distance the rapid growth of a town, and they therefore built a saw-mill and corn-cracker near by, and awaited the result. Horace had three hounds that would devour the meal as it came from the buhrs. Nearly every man who came to mill brought two or three dogs with him, and the result was a row. At the height of a dog rumpus one day, before the town had been named, a stranger rode in. 'What do you call this place?' he asked. 'It has no name,' was the reply. 'I think it is dog town,' came the self-answer. And by that name it has gone ever since, although an attempt was once made to name it 'Wood's Mill,' then 'Union Corners,' and later 'Mt. Sterling."' ²⁰

DOUD'S STATION. A station on the Keokuk and Des Moines (later the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific) Railroad in section 26 of Village Township and by the Des Moines River. It was laid out in 1866 by David and Eliab Doud, the proprietors, and after whom the village was named. The name of the village is frequently given as Douds. Eliab Doud was the first justice, first postmaster, and first lawyer; and Mary A. Doud the second postmaster as well as the first school teacher in the village. Later the hamlet was rechristened Douds Leando, in contradistinction to Leando opposite and on the south side of the Des Moines River. An early name was Alexandra.

The name of Eliab Doud is often misspelled Elias Doud. The cause seems to be due to the unusual name. Eliab Doud was a member of the State Senate, Eleventh and Twelfth general assemblies, 1866-1868. David Doud was a member of the House of Representatives, Sixth General Assembly, 1856-1857.

The post office of Doud Station, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established August 9, 1864, with the appointment of Eliab Doud, postmaster. His successors were: Mary A. Doud, September 12, 1865; David Payne, March 8, 1870; Mrs. Ida C. Payne, with whose appointment the name of the office was changed to Doud's Station, January 22, 1874; George F. Carson, September 23, 1902, under whom the name of the office was changed to Douds Leando, March 23, 1903, with his reappointment; William A. Carson, April 27, 1905; Ernest E. Greenfield, December 27, 1907; Augustus J. Oberg, February 12, 1914; Mark R. Doud, April 13, 1917, under whom the name of the post office was changed to Douds, September 11, 1917, with his reappointment, and under whom the office was made presidential January 1, 1921; and Ernest T. Greenfield, August 23, 1921, the present postmaster, 1931. See ADDENDA.

EAST UNION. The name of a rural, Methodist Episcopal church in the central part of section 10 of Union Township, three and one-half miles east of the village of Birmingham. A rural school is across the highway to the north. The name is locally descriptive as the church is toward the east side of Union Township. The rural school has the same name, East Union, as the church.

EGYPT. A rural school on the highway in the east central part of section 28 of Jackson Township in district Number 3, about two miles southeast of the village of Milton, has this name. The school gets its name from the biblical country, "the land of oppression," the Hebrew term being Mizr or Mizraim, the Latin Ægyp'tus, the Coptic Cham or Khem. About fifteen small places in the United States have the name Egypt. The name is often applied to southern Illinois, implying the lower country.

ELLIS. The name of a rural school on the north side of section 23 of Chequest Township in district Number 4. It was probably named for a local resident. The school district also has the name Ellis.

ELM. The name of a rural school at the cross roads of the highway in the west central part of section 35 in district Number 11 of Jackson Township over a mile west of the village of Cantril. It was so named because the framework of the original schoolhouse, built in 1861, was sawed from elm trees, doubtless Ulmus americana, the white elm.

ELM GROVE. The name of a rural school on the east side of the southeast quarter of section 13 of Lick Creek Township about a mile south of the village of Birmingham. The school derives its name from the grove of white elm (Ulmus americana) trees in the vicinity. The school district Number 6 is also named Elm Grove. It comprises sections 13, 24, eastern three-fourths of 14 and 23 of Lick Creek Township and portions of 18 and 19 of Union Township.

ELY'S CREEK. A small stream, rising oil the east side of section 5 of Des Moines Township, in the vicinity of Bethel Church, flows southeast and northeast and empties into the Des Moines River on the east side of section 3 of the same township, about a mile and a half southwest of the town of Keosauqua. It was named for David Ely, a pioneer resident of the vicinity.

ELY'S FORD. A passage on the Des Moines River, about a mile and a half southwest of Keosauqua, near the line between sections 2 and 3 of Van Buren Township, in the vicinity of the mouth of Ely's Creek. It was named for David Ely who lived nearby in 1836 or before. Tumuli in the vicinity on the southwest side of the Des Moines River are known as the Ely Ford mounds. The bridge across the Des Moines River, one and one-half miles northeast of the site of Ely's Ford, was erected in 1873.

ENTERPRISE. The name of a rural school on the south side of section 5 of Henry Township, about a mile and a half south and two miles cast of the town of Keosauqua. It was so named as an ideal of the progressive spirit of the community. The Plat Book, 1897, page 14, and the Standard Atlas, 1918, page 23, indicate the schoolhouse site on the north side of section 8. The school district Number 2, comprising sections 4, 5, 8, 9, eastern halves of 6 and 7, has the same name, Enterprise, as the school.

EUREKA. The name of a rural school in district Number 9 on the north side of the northwest quarter of south section 14 of Jackson Township, two and a half miles south and about one and a half miles west of the village of Cantril. The name is Greek and means "I have found it." The word is frequently used for a local place-names. Of these forty are important enough to be included in Lippincott's Gazetteer.

FAIRVIEW. The name of a rural school in the southwest corner of section 1 of Bonaparte Township, over three miles east and a mile north of the town of Bonaparte. The schoolhouse site is out of the woods, on the open prairie, and commands an extensive view, hence the name. This is the location given by the U. S. soil map, 1917. The Plat Book of Van Buren County, 1897, pages 3, 4, represent the schoolhouse site as being in the southeast corner of section 2.

Fairview is a very popular name for minor, local places. There are probably hundreds of them in the United States, fifty-seven of which are important enough to be included in Lippincott's Gazetteer.

FARMINGTON. This township is in the southeast corner of Van Buren County, south of Bonaparte and east of Vernon townships. It comprises fractional parts of congressional townships 67 and 68 north, range 8 west. It was named after Farmington, the pioneer village of the township. Settlement began as early as 1833.

The congressional township 68 north, range 8 west, and fractional township 67 north, range 8 west, were constituted a civil township by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841. At the adjourned meeting of the Board held February 9, 1841, the township was named Farmington and it was ordered that the first meeting of the citizens was to be held at the house of Joseph Robb. Later the northern sections 1 to 24 inclusive were made the new township of Bonaparte.

FARMINGTON. This town is on the east side of the Des Moines River, mostly in sections 35 and 2 of Farmington Township. It was laid out in 1839 by Henry Bateman, the first justice of the peace. Near here the first permanent settlements in the county were made. Here the county seat of Van Buren County was first located. The town was incorporated by an act of the First General Assembly of Iowa, approved February 22, 1847. Dr. R. D. Barton was the reputed first postmaster, but only as an unofficial one. The Farmington Academy and High School was incorporated by an act of the legislature of the Territory of Iowa approved January 27, 1844. A number of places, fifty or more, in the United States are named Farmington, among them a city and a township in Fulton County, Illinois, a town in Ontario County, New York, a town and a township in Franklin County, Maine, and a town and a river in Hartford County, Connecticut. It is probable that Farmington, Iowa, was directly or indirectly named for Farmington, Connecticut, which in turn, according to Gannett, received its name from a place in England.

The post office of Farmington was established in Van Buren County, Wisconsin Territory, September 20, 1837, with the appointment of Henry Bateman, postmaster, under whom the office was later changed to Iowa Territory. His successors were: Henry G. Stuart, February 19, 1842; Lawrence Scott, December 20, 1844; Russell Smith, April 28, 1849; Louis Teuscher, April 14, 1853; Walter W. Grubb, December 14, 1853; Rhodes Wescott, May 6, 1861; Moses H. Cooley, December 4, 1863; Daniel Merritt, April 1, 1870; Moses H. Cooley, February 10, 1871; Bunyan Turton, December 17, 1885; Leon L. Therme, August 14, 1889; William Thero, December 14, 1892; Charles H. Scott, April 17, 1894; William F. Thero, May 5, 1898; William Goodin, June 2, 1902; Frank D. Carr, January 10, 1906; J. C. Schee, April 15, 1910; Jacob S. Forgrave, June 26, 1913; and James E. Carr, November 22, 1921, who was still serving in 1931.

FARMINGTON STATE PARK. A rural park on the west side of the Des Moines River opposite the town of Farmington. It was the third state park established by Iowa. The park comprises 102.4 acres and includes Big Duck Pond of about forty acres. The name of the park is locally descriptive.

FLAT ROCK. The name of a rural school in district Number 3 at the forks of the highway on the south side of section 5 of Farmington Township. The name of the school is due to a very large ledge of flat rock which forms the bed of a nearby stream. The school district is also named Flat Rock, after the school.

FOX. A pioneer post office in Van Buren County, mentioned in joint resolution Number 8 of the territorial legislature of Iowa, 1844. The post office of Fox, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established December 15, 1842, with the appointment of Samuel A. Evans, postmaster. His successor was Moses J. Post, August 26, 1844, who served until January 28, 1846, when the post office was transferred to Davis County, Iowa, under a new appointment. The name of the post office was for the nearby Fox River.

FOX ISLAND. A small tract of land in the Des Moines River, much used in hunting and fishing. It was probably named for the Fox tribe of Indians because of their encampments.

FOX RIVER. This river enters Van Buren County on the west side in section 6 of Jackson Township, flows southeastward across Jackson, Des Moines, and the southwestern corner of Vernon townships, entering the state of Missouri in section 17. Fox River was named for the Fox tribe of Indians that formerly dwelt along its course.

FRANKLIN. A rural school of district Number 7 at the forks of the highway in the southeastern corner of section 26 of Harrisburg Township, over three miles east and three miles north of the village of Bonaparte. The district comprises sections 25, 26, 35, and 36. The schoolhouse site is in the southeastern corner of "Cherry Vale" poultry farm of Henry Wallingford.

FRANKLIN. The name of a rural school at the cross highways in the northeastern corner of section 31 of Union Township, two miles east and nearly two miles north of the village of Kilbourne. Andreas' Atlas, 1875, locates the school about a half mile farther north in section 29.

The above two schools were so named by admirers of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), the philosopher and American statesman.

FROG POND. The name of a rural school on the east side of the southeast quarter of section 28 of Cedar Township in district Number 7. The name is more or less locally descriptive, presumably a small pond, the habitat of frogs, was in the vicinity of the school.

GAINSBOROUGH. This name is also variously spelled Gainsboro, Gainesboro, Gainsborough, and Gainesborough. Gainsborugh is the spelling reported to the writer by the U. S. Post Office Department. It was an early, inland post office and its location as indicated by Colton's Sectional Map of Iowa, 1868, was in or near the northeastern part of section 15 of Harrisburg Township. This office was established on April 4, 1854, with the appointment of Isaac Nixon, postmaster, who served until the office was discontinued on April 8, 1864. The name is directly or indirectly for Gainsborough, on the west side of the county of Lincoln, England, sixteen miles northwest of the city of Lincoln, on the river Trent.

GARFIELD. A rural school in district Number 3 on the east side of the northeast quarter of section 16 of Village Township, one and one-half miles east and one-fourth mile south of the village of Selma. It was probably named for James A. Garfield (1831-1881), twentieth president (1881) of the United States.

GIRARD. The name of a rural school in the southwestern corner of section 1 of Lick Creek Township, a half mile north and a mile west of the village of Birmingham. The Plat Book, 1897, page 15, also the Standard Atlas, 1918, page 27, indicate the schoolhouse site in the southeastern corner of section 2. The school was doubtless so named by admirers of Stephen Girard (1750-1831), the noted philanthropist of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

GRAY. The name of a rural school on the highway in the north central part of north section 5 of Des Moines Township, about four miles west and nearly a mile south of the town of Keosauqua. It was named for an early local resident, probably Frank Gray (possibly P. A. ). ²¹

GUTHRIE. The name of a rural school in district Number 2 in the north central part of section 18 of Jackson Township, about a mile and a half northwest of the village of Milton. It was probably named for William Guthrie who resided nearby in section 7.²²

HARMONY. A rural school at the forks of the highway in the southwestern corner of section 27 of Farmington Township, about two miles northwest of the village of Farmington. The name is apparently for an ideal of the neighborhood. ²³

HARRISBURG. A pioneer hamlet in existence in 1840 in Harrisburg Township. As the community was settled by emigrants from Pennsylvania the village in all probability was named for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The village has long since disappeared but its name is still carried by the township in which the hamlet existed and to which it gave its name. The site was probably at the geographic center of the township where the rural school and Baptist church still exist and are known as Harrisburg. Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was named for John Harris, the original proprietor.

HARRISBURG. This township is on the east side of Van Buren County, south of Cedar, east of Washington, and north of Bonaparte townships. It comprises congressional township 69 north, range 8 west. It was no doubt directly named for the pioneer village in the township and indirectly after Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Many of the settlers of the township were emigrants from Pennsylvania.

The civil township of Harrisburg was created by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841. In the adjourned meeting of the Board held February 9, 1841, the township was named Harrisburg and it was ordered that the first meeting of the citizens was to be held at the house of Ezra M. Jones.

HARRISBURG. An abortive, pioneer hamlet, located near the mouth of Indian Creek, on the west side of the Des Moines River, opposite the village of Farmington. The projected place was evidently named for Stephen Harris, one of the proprietors. Concerning this hamlet, George G. Wright, in his Address, page 16, says: "Stephen Harris and John W. Davidson settled below the mouth of Indian, and started a town called Harrisburg."

HARRISBURG. The name of a rural Baptist church at the cross highways in the southeastern corner of section 16 of Harrisburg Township, the geographic center of the township. The rural school for the neighborhood is south across the highway in the northeastern corner of section 21. The name is doubtless directly for the pioneer village of Harrisburg and indirectly for the township in which the school and church are situated. The school district Number 5 comprises sections 15, 16, 21, and 22. The township ball is east across the highway in the southwest corner of section 15.

HARTFORD. See ADDENDA.

HAWKEYE. The name of a rural school at the forks of the highway in the northwest central part of section 10 of Chequest Township in district Number 9. Andreas' Atlas, 1875, gives the location of the site about a mile to the east in the north central part of section 11. The name is the sobriquet or nickname of the state of Iowa and was given to this school in honor of the state. The school district, comprising sections 3, 4, 9, and 10, has the same name as the school.

HEDVOLANTE. A pioneer hamlet in existence in 1840, in Des Moines Township, probably in or near section 22. It failed of permanency. The name appears nowhere else and apparently it is unique. [It was the invention of Aaron Word Harlan, first settler and claimant of the land.-E. R. H.] See ADDENDA.

HEDVOLANTE. This was the name of a township created by the Board of County Commissioners and was so named by them, in the organizing session held January 6, 1841. This township comprised congressional township 68 north, range 10 west, and fractional township 67 north, range 10 west. The Board further ordered that the first meeting of the citizens of the newly created township was to be held at A. W. Harlan's house in Hedvolante. The township was thus named after a hamlet within its borders. At an adjourned meeting of the Board held February 8, 1841, the township was recreated and the name changed to Des Moines, the former order and name being officially rescinded. See Des Moines Township.

The word Hedvolante appears to come from the Greek word hedos, meaning a seat, abode, or dwelling place, and the French word volante, Latin, volito, volo, meaning flying, movable; that is Hedvolante means no place in particular. Such places the pioneers frequently called Stringtown, meaning diffusely scattered over the neighborhood. This explanation has merit in that it approximates the actual conditions. Occasionally the name is spelled Hedvolant as in The History of Van Buren County, 1878, p. 373.

HENRY. This township is in the southeast central part of Van Buren County, south of the Des Moines River, south of Washington, west of Bonaparte, north of Vernon, and east of Des Moines townships. Henry Township was probably named for General James Daugherty Henry, a popular officer of the Black Hawk War, as was Henry County, just east of Van Buren, named for him. See ADDENDA.

HICKORY. The former name of the post office at Independent. In some publications, as Hair's Iowa Gazetteer, 1865, pages 86, 361, the name appears as Hickey, doubtless locally used as a shortened form or nickname. It is very probable that the office was named Hickory after General Andrew Jackson, whose nickname was Old Hickory. Nearly fifty places in the United States have had this name in some form and many of them were named for General Jackson. The post office is now named Selma. The sobriquet of Old Hickory was conferred upon General Jackson in 1813 by his soldiers because of the unusual hardiness he displayed in the campaign against the Creek Indians. It became an endearing term of appreciation. For a history of the post office see Selma.

HICKORY. A rural school in the northeastern part of section 21 of Bonaparte Township, about two miles southeast of the village of Bonaparte. It is apparently so named after a former grove of hickory trees (Hicoria alba and H. sulcata) in the vicinity.

HICKORY GROVE. The name of a Quaker rural church and cemetery at the forks of the highway on the south side of section 2 of Cedar Township in district Number 5, near Big Cedar Creek. It receives its name from the grove of hickory trees in the vicinity.

HICKORY GROVE. The name of a rural school in the east central part of section 11 of Cedar Township, over half a mile southeast of Hickory Grove Church. It was so named because of the prevalence of hickory trees in the vicinity.

HOLCOMB CREEK. This stream rises on the west side of Village Township in section 30, flows eastward and enters the Des Moines River on the east side of section 26 of the same township. It was doubtless named for a local resident, likely for Samuel Holcomb, one of the founders of the village of Portland which was laid out along the Des Moines River near the mouth of Holcomb Creek.

HOME. A former rural post office on the east side of the southeast quarter of section 20 of Des Moines Township. As the office was in a farm home the name is locally descriptive. On Henn, Williams & Co's. map, 1855, Home, Oak Point, and Mechanicsburg are represented as being on the ridge road from Alexandria, Missouri, to Drakeville, Davis County, Iowa.

The post office of Home, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established November 19, 1849, with the appointment of Edmund Hilles, postmaster.

His successors were: Charles Hilles, May 1, 1851; Alexander Linn, May 20, 1865; and Levi Potter, March 21, 1871, under whom the office was discontinued November 16, 1882.

HOME PRAIRIE. The name of a rural, Methodist Episcopal church in the southwestern part of section 21 of Des Moines Township. The church is near the early Home post office which was on section 23 and is also on the prairie, hence the name Home Prairie, a locally descriptive one. The rural school for the neighborhood is just east of the church and has the same name.

HONEY CREEK. See Coates Creek.

HOPEWELL. A rural school in district Number 7 on the south side of the southwest quarter of the north section 5 of Jackson Township, about two and a half miles north of the village of Milton. Over forty minor places in the United States have this name which is said to be from the Puritan system of nomenclature.

HORN. The name of a rural school in district Number 1 on the west side of the southwest quarter of section 1 of Harrisburg Township. It was named for Hugh N. Horn, a resident of the vicinity and owner of the "Sunny Side" fruit farm. He was a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, born November 17, 1830. He came to Van Buren County in 1837.²⁴

INDEPENDENT. The site of this village was on sections 8 and 17 of Village Township, east of the Des Moines River. It was laid out in the fall of 1851 by George Stump, the proprietor, and was commonly known as Stumptown, after its founder. George Stump was also the first surveyor and the second postmaster. The village flourished for many years and it became a station on the old Keokuk and Des Moines (later the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific) Railroad. It was apparently so named Independent because it was a separate or independent village from Iowaville, about a mile to the west. It is now known as Selma. A post office was established in an early day and named Hickory which was its name as late as 1882. For the history of the post office see Selma.

INDIAN CREEK. This stream rises on the east side of section 3 of Jackson Township, flows southeastwardly across Des Moines, Vernon, and Farmington townships, entering the Des Moines River in section 35 of the last named township, opposite the town of Farmington. It bisects the divide between the Des Moines and Fox rivers. It was so named because of the former camps of Fox Indians along its course.

INDIAN CREEK. The name of a rural school in district Number 3 on the south side of section 29 of Vernon Township, one-half mile east and two and one-fourth miles north of the village of Mount Sterling. It received its name from the nearby Indian Creek. The school district, comprising in the main sections 28 to 33, is also known as Indian Creek.

INDIAN PRAIRIE. A more or less locally descriptive name for the region roundabout where Lebanon now is. In pioneer days Fox Indians and prairie were here very evident, hence the name. The first post office in the vicinity was named Indian Prairie, a locally associative name, which name after a lapse of three years was changed to Lebanon, which see.

IOWA CITY. The first town site in Iowa to receive this name was located in Van Buren County. By an act of the Territory of Iowa, approved December 14, 1838, a territorial road was ordered, "commencing at Keokuck, in Lee county, on the Mississippi river, thence to horse tail reach, on the Des Moines river, thence up said river as near as practicable to Iowa city, on said river, passing through Farmington, New Lexington, Bentonsport, Columbus, and Philadelphia, in the county of Van Buren." ²⁵ By another act approved January 25, 1839, section 9 (page 433), a road was ordered from Fort Madison in Lee County, through West Point, Parkersburg, thence to Iowa City. By the same act, section 12 (page 434), a road was ordered "from Mount Pleasant to Rome, in Henry county, from thence to Lockridge, thence to Smith's Crossing, on Big Cedar, in Jefferson county, from thence to Iowa City, in Van Buren county." This Iowa City is apparently the place soon after known as Iowaville, which see. The place was presumably directly named for the Territory of Iowa and indirectly after the Iowa tribe of Indians.

IOWAVILLE. The site of the village is on the western side of section 7 of Village Township and on the north side of the Des Moines River. Settlement began in 1837 and the village was laid out in the spring of 1838. A post office was early established with John D. Baker, postmaster, though usually remembered as William Avery, the second one. For many years the village flourished; steamboats came up the Des Moines River to it; and then decline followed. Iowaville was named for the Iowa tribe of Indians that for a long time had their principal seat on the village site and here also had met defeat in battle with the Sauks and Foxes.

The post office of Iowaville, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established January 11, 1840, with John D. Baker, postmaster. His successors were: William Avery, June 19, 1840; Davis Hoover, July 17, 1843; Seth Baker, June 8, 1846; Solomon D. Baker, January 29, 1847; John Park, May 30, 1849; William Baker, September 23, 1850; Jacob K. Starr, October 30, 1850; William T. Starr, March 20, 1854; John D. Baker, July 5, 1859; and Aaron Park, February 13, 1867, who served until the office was discontinued September 26, 1871.

"Iowaville is in the northwest corner of the county, on the Des Moines Valley Railroad, sixteen miles from Keosauqua. It contains two churches, Methodist Episcopal and -Methodist Protestant; also Iowaville Lodge No. 28, 1. 0. 0. F., five general stores, one flouring mill and one distillery. The village is situated on the bank of the Des Moines River, and on the old battle ground of the Sacs, Foxes, and Iowa Indians, and near the home and grave of Black Hawk. The ruins of their old council house still remain. Population 200." ²⁶

IRISH BEND. The local name for a settlement in Van Buren Township on the west side of the Des Moines River, opposite the village of Kilbourne. Settlement began in 1836, probably with John G. McCutchen. Later a number of Irish families lived in the vicinity, whence the name. ²⁷

JACKSON. This township lies in the southwestern corner of Van Buren County, south of Chequest and west of Des Moines townships. It comprises congressional township 68 north and all of 67 that is north of the state line, range 11 west. The township was named for General Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), seventh president (1829-1837) of the United States.

The congressional township 68 north, range 11 west, and fractional township 67 north, range 11 west, were constituted a civil township by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1841. At the adjourned meeting of the Board held February 9, 1841, the township was named Jackson and it was ordered that the first meeting of the citizens was to be held at the house of John Hale.

JONES. The name of a rural, pioneer school built about 1842. It was situated about four miles southeast of Portland, in the near vicinity of Zion Church. The school was named for a pioneer resident of the vicinity. ²⁸

KEOSAUQUA. This town, the county seat of Van Buren County, lies mostly in section 36 of Van Buren Township. "Some Frenchmen, in an early day, inhabited the land of the river Des Moines, in the pocket of which lies the village of Keosauqua. Around the bend dwelt a number of monks. The Indians, discovering these places of habitation, named the section where now lies the city, Keosauqua, the meaning of which is in Indian parlance, 'the river of monks.' [The Musquakie or Fox word or utterance most nearly approximating our word Keosauqua, means "soft ice" or "slushy ice."-E. R. H.] Keosauqua was laid off in April, 1839, by John Carnes, James Hall, James and Edwin Manning, John J. Fairman and Robert Taylor, these composing the 'Van Buren Company.' Two triangular pieces of ground, or, more properly, fractions, first composed the town; the south fraction or triangle being known as Van Buren and the north triangle as Des Moines. Later, a diamond-shaped piece of land was entered (one-fourth section lying obliquely between the triangles) and together with the Van Buren triangle assumed the name Keosauqua. Des Moines refused to come under the yoke or in any way affiliate with its neighbor. Both began contending for the county seat. In time, the settlers assembled (it was one Sunday night) and talked over a name under which both the triangles and diamond might be known. John Carnes suggested Port Oro (a Spanish name, meaning 'Port' or 'Land of Gold'). There was some objection to this, as being a too high-sounding title for the place. Finally, Judge Irwin asked how they would like to have their three towns known under the name of Keosauqua. All agreed to it, and the matter was settled then and there." ²⁹

It is also stated that the approximate Fox Indian word for the Des Moines River is "Ke o shaw qua" or "Ke ish shaw que," and from this Indian word the town of Keosauqua took its name. Keosauqua was incorporated as a city by an act of the legislature approved February 17, 1842, and by an amended act approved January 19, 1846. Some of the early maps of Iowa, as Jesse Williams', 1840; Colton's, 1844, 1852; Wells, 1857; spell the name Keosauque, a common early spelling. The Iowa village appears to be the only place with the name, hence unique.

The post office at Keosauqua, Iowa, was established under the name of Portoro, Wisconsin Territory, on January 24, 1838, with the appointment of John I. Fairman, postmaster, under whom the post office was later changed to Iowa Territory. His successor was William Steele, appointed August 16, 1842. The name of the post office was changed to Keosauqua on December 30, 1846, with the appointment of James H. Jackson, postmaster. His successors were: Samuel E. Julian, May 12, 1849; Leonard J. Rose, April 14, 1853; Seth Millington, March 3, 1855; James S. Shepherd, September 24, 1856; Seth St. John, December 6, 1860; John S. Stidger, April 2, 1861; Henry H. Moore, September 19, 1863; Melville C. Davis, March 22, 1869; Henry H. Moore, January 13, 1871; A. Wilkin, November 19, 1883; Charles Baldwin, September 15, 1885; George J. McKibben, June 7, 1888; Washington E. Davis, March 23, 1889; James M. Elerick, March 1, 1895; Abraham Wilkin, January 27, 1899; John W. Burns, December 3, 1906; Oscar McCrary, February 14, 1911; George F. Smith, March 26, 1915; and Jesse O. Parker, August 23, 1921, the present postmaster, 1931. See ADDENDA.

KILBOURNE. A village site in the southeast part of section 2 of Lick Creek Township, in the vicinity (west) of the mouth of Lick Creek, by the Des Moines River and on the old Keokuk and Des Moines (later the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific) Railway. It was laid out in July, 1839, by John Patchett, and named Philadelphia, obviously after the city in Pennsylvania. Later the name was changed to Kilbourne. The U. S. soil map, 1917, gives the name as Kilbourn. The name Kilbourne is doubtless for David W. Kilbourne of Keokuk, Iowa. He was born April 13, 1803, at Marlborough, Connecticut. He emigrated to Iowa in 1836. He platted Montrose about 1837, established a store and became postmaster in 1839, moved to Fort Madison late in 1843, and removed to Keokuk in 1852. In 1854 he helped organize the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines, and Minnesota Railroad Company, the name of which in 1864 was changed to the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company, becoming its financial agent in 1857 and president in 1868; resigned in 1873; died April 24, 1876. The railroad was later known as the Keokuk and Des Moines Railroad and is now a part of the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific system. His son George Erskine Kilbourne was a director and for some time purchasing agent for the railroad company; born May 26, 1832, died February 26, 1889. ³⁰

The post office of Kilbourn, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established under the name of Philadelphia, January 11, 1840, with the appointment of Montgomery Perry, postmaster. His successors were: Seth St. John, July 28, 1843; T. E. Robbins, July 31, 1845; Humphrey B. Perry, January 30, 1846; Charles Porter, July 27, 1847, under whom the name of the office was changed to Lick Creek (after the nearby creek) June 19, 1819; Michael Nedrow, October 11, 1854; and John W. Ryan, April 2, 1855, under whom the office was discontinued August 13, 1855. The office was reestablished under the name of Philadelphia, November 8, 1849, with the appointment of John Patchett, postmaster, under whom the office was discontinued February 6, 1850. The office was again re-established as Philadelphia, November 1, 1859, with the appointment of Cyrus Bartow, postmaster. His successors were: Wells Edgerton, April 29, 1853; Titus J. Towne, May 11, 1857, under whom the name of the office was changed to Kilbourn (spelled without the final e), December 28, 1858; Alfred H. Medus, February 2, 1864; Samuel I. Taylor, March 30, 1866; Miss Agnes Porter, March 27, 1871; William S. Gathin, January 15, 1872; William H. H. Thatcher, August 7, 1872; Edwin Towne, April 24, 1873; George Platt, December 29, 1873; Daniel Crawford, December 15, 1882; Edwin Towne, April 9, 1883; Jacob Stong, December 31, 1885; Edwin Towne, May 14, 1889; Jacob Stong, January 12, 1894; Jesse F. Stong, April 4, 1896; Oscar A. Hootman, September 29, 1896; and Richard Skinner, June 15, 1897, who was still serving in 1929.

Kilbourn school district Number 7, Lick Creek Township, comprises sections 35, 36, parts of 25, 34, and south 3, fractional 1, 2, and 12 north of the Des Moines River.

LACEY-KEOSAUQUA STATE PARK. This park has an area of over twelve hundred acres and is situated immediately southwest of the town of Keosauqua on the south side of the Des Moines River and on both sides of Thatcher's and Ely's creeks and along Ely's Ford. The park was dedicated October 26-27, 1920. It is the fourth state park established. The park includes a prehistoric Indian village site and several tumuli known as the Ely Ford mounds. The park was in part named for Major John F. Lacey (1841-1913) of Oskaloosa, Iowa, a veteran of the Civil War, congressman, and a noted conservationist. The remainder of the name of the park is locally descriptive.

LANESVILLE. The early name of a post office established March 14, 1882. Later the name was changed to McVeigh, which see. See ADDENDA.

LEANDO. This village is in section 26 of Village Township and on the south side of the Des Moines River. Its previous name was Portland, which see.

LEANDO. The name of the rural and village school in district Number 9 on the east side of the southeast quarter of section 26 of Village Township. The school was named after the nearby village of Leando. The district in the main comprises sections 35 and 36 and fractional 25 and 26 south of the Des Moines River.

LEBANON. An inland hamlet at the crossroads or common corner of sections 1 and 2 of Jackson Township and 35 and 36 of Chequest Township, built on the farms of William Brooks 30a and others. In 1878 the place contained a post office, two churches, a school, store, and blacksmith shop, but had not been platted. It was probably directly or indirectly named after the mountain in Palestine or possibly from the cedar trees in the near vicinity.

The post office of Lebanon, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established under the name of Indian Prairie, July 16, 1850, with the appointment of Allen T. Brook, postmaster. His successors were: John W. Osborn, January 15, 1853, under whom the name of the office was changed to Lebanon, on August 22, 1853; David A. Humphreys, May 26, 1854; Giles K. Teneyck, November 27, 1855; Cynthia Burton, May 11, 1857; David P. Spence, January 21, 1859; Peter B. Walls, June 25, 1861; Rufus D. Smith, December 4, 1863; James P. Bingaman, October 28, 1864; Samuel R. Bergen, January 10, 1865; Rufus S. Smith, November 2, 1866; Samuel E. Vincent, April 2, 1873; Thomas Rosebough, March 3, 1882, Samuel E. Vincent, December 31, 1885; Miss Mary McComb, April 29, 1899; Eddie W. Peacock, March 20, 1900; and Glen Wilson, February 12, 1902, under whom the office was discontinued on March 4, 1903.

LEECH. The name of a rural school at the cross highways on the northern side of the northwest quarter of section 14 of Van Buren Township, about a mile west and three and a half miles north of the town of Keosauqua and about a mile and a half southwest of the hamlet of Kilbourne. It was named for William Leech who resided across the highway in section 11.

LEFFLER. A rural school of district Number 4 at the cross highways in the southeast corner of section 18 of Harrisburg Township, about two miles east and three miles north of the village of Bentonsport. It was named for Mansuet Leffler, a prominent farmer residing on the west side of section 17 in the vicinity of the school.

Mansuet Leffler was a native of Baden, Germany, born in 1803, grew to manhood in that country, served six years in the German army. He came to America in 1833 and to Van Buren County in 1837. He was still living in 1890 at 87 years of age. He married Irene Cavin, a native of Tennessee; she died in 1880; mother of eleven children. The fifth, James, was a long time resident of the same section 18. ³¹

LEXINGTON. A pioneer village near the mouth of Rock Creek in section 21 of Washington Township. In early days it was a well known gathering place for land seekers and rovers. In this place was born on September 27, 1838, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the eighteenth governor (1887-1891) of Texas. The birthplace is usually given as Bentonsport, the nearest extant town. The Sul Ross State Teachers College at Alpine, Texas, was named in his honor. The village of Lexington has long since been extinct. The name derives from the battle of Lexington of the American Revolution. The name is locally retained by the not distant Lexington Creek.

LEXINGTON CREEK. A small run, rising in the southeastern part of section 24 of Washington Township, courses southwest, southeast, and south to the Des Moines River in section 7 of Bonaparte Township, about a mile west of the village of Bonaparte. The pioneer village of New Lexington was near the mouth of this stream, after which the creek was apparently named.

LICK CREEK. A small stream, one branch rising in section 1 of Village Township, another in Jefferson County or near section 6 of Lick Creek Township, both branches unite in section 16 of Lick Creek Township, flow southeastwardly and the creek enters the Des Moines River in the southwestern part of south section 1 of Lick Creek Township and in the vicinity (east) of the village of Kilbourne. The stream was doubtless named for the saline soil or deer licks occasionally found along its course.

LICK CREEK. This township is on the north side of Van Buren County, west of Union, north of Van Buren, and east of Village townships. It approximately comprises congressional township 70 north, range 10 west, and extending to the Des Moines River oil the south side. The township was named for Lick Creek which crosses it from northwest to southeast.

Lick Creek Township was created by order of the Board of County Commissioners in the organizing session held January 6, 1811. The original civil township comprised congressional township 70 north, range 10 west, also township 70 north, range It west. The original order reads: "Also Township 70 North Range 10 West, Also Township 70 North Range 11 West and Fractional Townships lying West is hereby constituted an organized Township." This latter congressional township was eliminated by all order entered the following day, January 7, 1841: "Ordered that Township 70 North, Range 10 West be named Lick Creek, and the first meeting of the Citizens of said Township shall be held at the house of John G. McCutsmon [McCutchen] in said Township."

LICK CREEK. A pioneer post office sometimes erroneously located in or near section 21 or 27 of Lick Creek Township, obviously named for the township or the nearby creek. ³² For the history of the post office of Lick Creek see Kilbourne.

LITTLE CREEK. The name of a small run which rises on the north side of section 2 of Lick Creek Township, courses south to Lick Creek in the southwestern part of section 23 of the same township. The name is apparently locally descriptive, referring to size.

LITTLE CEDAR CREEK. This stream rises in or near the north side of section 30 of Cedar Township, with branches from other sections, flows southeast and leaves the county on the east side in section 12 of Harrisburg Township. The name is locally descriptive in contradistinction to Cedar Creek of which it is an affluent.

LITTLE FOX RIVER. This stream crosses Jackson Township and the southwestern corner of Des Moines Township. It enters Jackson Township in section 30, flows southeastwardly, leaving the township in section 12, and crossing sections 7 and 18 of Des Moines Township, thence into Missouri. It is a branch of the Fox River and in contradistinction was named for it, thus a locally descriptive name. On some maps, as Plat Book, 1897, the name is Little Fox Creek.

LITTLE LICK CREEK. A small stream with many branches, some of which rise in sections 24, 13, 14, 15, 18 of Union Township, running southwestwardly to Lick Creek in the west central part of section 36 of Lick Creek Township. The name is in contradistinction to Lick Creek, hence locally descriptive.

LONGVIEW. A switch station with stock yards on the Fort Madison and Northwestern (now a part of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy) Railroad, near the western side of section 14 of Union Township. As the site is on the divide or watershed the name appears to be locally descriptive.

MCSURLEY. The name of a rural school at the cross highways in the northwestern part of section 10 of Washington Township. This is the way the name is spelled on the U. S. soil map, 1917. The school was named for Miles McSurley (sometimes misspelled McSurely), a prominent farmer of the vicinity, a long time resident of Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He was born February 9 [or 1], 1809, in Mason County, Kentucky; his parents moved to Ohio in the fall of 1809. He married in Ohio Miss Catherine McCann, January 24, 1833; had ten children. He settled in Van Buren County in the spring of 1837 (March). His farm was in section 9. Two of his sons, Benjamin and Anderson, enlisted in Company G, Third Iowa Cavalry. According to Andre's Atlas, 1875, the school was formerly one-half mile farther north, on the west side of section 3, where Millers Chapel now is. This account mainly follows Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, 1890, pages 246-247, which is believed to be essentially correct, the record given in History of Van Buren County, 1878, page 544, apparently is somewhat erroneous.

MCVEIGH. This is a station on the Fort Madison and Northwestern Railroad (now a part of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy system), near the southwestern corner of section 21 of Cedar Township. It was named for J. H. McVeigh, a resident of the vicinity, on whose farm the site was located.

The post office known as McVeigh, in Van Buren County, Iowa, was established as Lanesville, March 14, 1882, with Martin T. Cuddy, post master. His successors were: Walter T. Dow, September 11, 1882, under whom the name of the post office was changed to McVeigh, November 14, 1882; James D. McVeigh, December 31, 1890; Alfred McVeigh, March 27, 1896; Fred P. McCready, April 18, 1896; Fred W. Anderson, November 20, 1897; and Fred P. McCready, March 9, 1901, who served until the office was discontinued June 29, 1901.

MATHIAS. The name of a rural school at the forks of the highway on the east side of section 18 of Van Buren Township, about two and a half miles west and two miles north of the hamlet of Pittsburg. It was named for a resident of the neighborhood, either T. or James J. Mathias.

MECHANICSBURG. An inland place represented on Henn's map, 1855, as being in the southwestern part of Chequest Township in or near section 31 or 32. About ten minor places in the United States have this name, the most important ones being in Champaign County, Ohio, and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Other places are in Illinois, Indiana, and Virginia. The Iowa place was probably named by emigrants after their old home in Ohio or Pennsylvania, more probably the latter, or because of a local blacksmith shop. The Ohio village was so named because of the large number of resident mechanics. The Iowa place eventually lapsed into a farming community.

MEEKS MILLS. The original name for Bonaparte, which see. The name was for William Meek and sons, pioneer residents and proprietors.

MILES BRANCH. The name of a small stream, rising near the west side of section 19 of Village Township, runs east and northeast to the Des Moines River in the south central part of section 17. The stream was doubtless named for a local resident. On some maps it is given as Miles Creek.

MILLER. The name of a rural school at the forks of the highway on the west side of the southwest quarter of the south section 3 of Jackson Township in district Number 4, a mile south and three miles west of the village of Cantril. It was named for a local resident, probably E. Miller, who was succeeded by J. W. Miller, while Robert Miller owned land to the south of the school.

MILLERS CHAPEL. A church on the west side of section 3 of Washington Township, one-half mile north of McSurley school.

MILTON. This town is a station on the Burlington and Southwestern, (now the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy) Railroad and the site is in the eastern half of section 19 of Jackson Township. The land was entered by K. B. Atkins of Milton, Delaware, in 1845, after whose native place the subsequent village was named. The place was settled by Dr. Logan Wallis in 1847 and the site was surveyed in 1851. It was only a hamlet until 1865 when growth began and the arrival of the railroad in 1872 gave another impetus. A post office was early established with Robert Russell, first postmaster. The History of Van Buren County, 1878, page 499, erroneously gives the honor to H. D. Wallace [Wallis] who, however, was the third postmaster. Milton was incorporated in the summer of 1878.

Over fifty places, mostly minor ones, in the United States have the name Milton. Many were directly or indirectly named for John Milton, the poet; occasionally for local residents or for a local mill site.

K. B. Atkins was born, October 18, 1820, at Milton, Sussex County, Delaware. Hence it is that Milton, Iowa, was directly named for the village in Delaware, the early home of the Iowa settler. ³³

The Holland family also came from Milton, Delaware, in 1843. A son, E. C. Holland, was born at Milton, Iowa, March 1, 1844, and lived on the Holland farm until his death, February 22, 1930. He was a member of the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly, 1892-1893.

The post office of Milton, in Van Buren County, Iowa, was established December 19, 1851, with the appointment of Robert Russell, postmaster. His successors were: Thomas H. Hollingsworth, January 6, 1852; Henry D. Wallis, May 22, 1854; Jacob Yeager, March 23, 1855; James J. Cassady, September 6, 1855; Logan Wallis, October 5, 1858; Jackson Smart, January 22, 1861; George H. Swartz, June 20, 1861; Robert Russell, July 28, 1863; John W. Carr, June 10, 1867; Martin Hays, April 12,1869; H. M. Dysart, May 11, 1872; Mortimor D. Baxter, December 3, 1873; Henry M. Dysart, May 6, 1878; W. F. Edmonson, January 5, 1886; Clara Edmonson, March 27, 1889; Samuel L. McLean, April 14, 1893; Elmer B. Cassady, December 18, 1894; Henry C. Hill, September 10, 1897; J. E. Spence, February 20, 1915; William D. Kennedy, March 22, 1920; Henry C. Hill, April 1, 1922; Arthur P. Hoskins, December 13, 1922; and Maurice E. Atkins, January 28, 1927, the present postmaster, 1931.

MOUNT MORIAH. The name of a rural church on the south side of the southeastern quarter of section 11 of Village Township, three and a half miles east of the village of Selma. The church was so dedicated in memory of the biblical name of one of the hills of Jerusalem, Palestine, on which the temple was built by Solomon. The church was built of brick.

MOUNT STERLING. A station on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad, formerly along but now near the Fox River, in the northeastern part of section 7 of Vernon Township. The village was founded by Horace and George W. Wood shortly before 1840, George being the first postmaster. It was early nicknamed Dogtown, because there were more dogs than citizens, then Wood's Mills as the Woods brothers built a sawmill and gristmill, later Union Corners, and finally Mount Sterling. The name of the town appears to be locally descriptive; Mount, because on the high ground or divide, and Sterling, because the founders thought it a valuable location for a town and believed it would grow rapidly. A township and a town in Brown County, IlIlinois, have the same name for essentially the same reason. A city in Montgomery County, Kentucky, is also named Mount Sterling, after the mounds in the vicinity and the city of Stirling in Scotland.

The post office of Mount Sterling, Van Buren County, Iowa, was established under the name of Union Corners on November 11, 1847, with the appointment of George W. Wood, postmaster. His successor was James W. Kirk appointed June 21, 1852, who served until the name of the office was changed to Mount Sterling, February 22, 1854, with the reappointment of James W. Kirk, postmaster. His successors were: Hafford E. Bradford, March 17, 1855; James A. Alcorn, August 21, 1858; Hafford E. Bradford, April 25, 1861; Aaron H. Thatcher, February 20, 1882; Charles J. Sample, March 1, 1887; Miss Lora V. Gabbert, April 6, 1889; Mrs. Lora V. Buckle, November 17, 1890; Curtis Blackledge, May 1, 1891; John Harness, August 4, 1893; Philarmon Reynolds, September 10, 1897; Charles Verback, December 22, 1898; Theron L. Parish, September 27, 1907; Alvah L. Roberts, September 19, 1914; and Isabel Gwinnup, June 5, 1919, who was still serving in 1929.

MOUNT STERLING. The name of the school district Number 4 of Vernon Township. The district comprises south sections 6, 7, and west halves of 5 and 8, with the village of Mount Sterling, after which the district was named.

ADDENDA

BIG FOUR. "The so-called Big Four school district was in fact the school district of Iowaville. I assume it was organized when Iowaville was still a thriving community, and included land in four different counties, namely, Van Buren, Jefferson, Wapello, and Davis. I think more of this district lay in Davis County than in any other. Van Buren was second and had the largest number of pupils as a rule and Jefferson third. Wapello, contributed only a small part of the territory. There were times when more of the pupils lived in Davis County. My idea is that the name Big Four comes from the fact that the school district was an independent one lying in four different counties. The entire district of Iowaville, including additional land in Jefferson and Davis counties, is now a part of the consolidated school district of Selma."-A. L. Heminger in letter.

The above account gives much additional information and does not .in fact contradict any statement made by the author. On consulting one of the early atlases of Van Buren County it will be observed that there was a time when the Big Four schoolhouse was in the north central part of section 6 of Village Township and the school district comprised section 6 and portions of sections 5, 7, and 8. But this time was long after the organization of the original district and some time before the creation of the present consolidated school district of Selma.

BRUSH COLLEGE. There was another rural school with this name in the western part of Union Township, so named for the same reason as the others were.

CENTER CHAPEL. For many years this church was known as Brush Chapel, a locally descriptive name.

DOUD'S STATION. "This has always been the name of the town since it was laid off by Eliab Doud and his brother. The name of the post office has been changed from time to time. When Portland, which is just across the river, made application for a post office, the department did not care to constitute a new post office under that name. So the name Leander was submitted to the department which name was later contracted to Leando. After the bridge was constructed the post office department united the two under the name of Douds-Leando and then later, in order to shorten the name, reduced it to Douds. The names of the two villages still remain, the one as Doud's Station, the other Leando. Both are in the same consolidated school district and the name of the school district is Douds-Leando." -- A. L. Heminger in letter.

HARTFORD. A projected townsite with this name was platted in north section 5 of Des Moines Township, in the vicinity where the Gray schoolhouse now is.

HEDVOLANTE. Mr. A. L. Heminger writes: "The village apparently was located about where the township hall is now, in the section [28 of Des Moines Township] south of the Home Prairie church."

HENRY. It is well known that Henry County, Iowa, was named in honor of General James Daugherty Henry. Henry Township in Van Buren County however, was probably not so named. Mr. A. L. Heminger comments as follows: "Henry Township, according to the best of my information, was named for Sylvester Henry, who was a member of the County Board of Supervisors from Vernon Township when the township was divided into two townships, Henry and Vernon. Sylvester Henry lived in the north part of the township which was given that name [Henry] after the division."

In the History of Van Buren County, 1878, page 367, the name is given as S. S. Henry. He was a member of the County Board of Super- visors from the old Vernon Township for the years 1868-1870.

KEOSAUQUA. The entire first paragraph on this town in this contribution was, with the exception of the first sentence and a later one in brackets, a quotation from the History of Van Buren County, 1878, pages 467-468. The quotation was indicated and the reference given. The account was included in this article for whatever it might be worth. So far as the literature is concerned the account has remained unchallenged. Mr. A. L. Heminger, attorney, of Keosauqua, Iowa, comments on this paragraph as follows:

"It is hardly correct to say that the town was laid off in 1839, though it was resurveyed at that time, so as to include the major portion, as it is referred to as a diamond-shaped piece of land, which in fact was rectangular, and was the northwest one-fourth of section 36. Van Buren was laid off in that part of the southwest one-fourth of section 36 which is northwest of the Des Moines river. Des Moines was laid off in that part of the northeast one-fourth of section 36 which lies northwest of the river and the southeast corner of the northwest one-fourth touches the river just about the center of the section, and of course the direction of the river made an acute angle at the points of these river lots where they come together."

"On August 6, 1838, it appears of record that Des Moines and Van Buren united under one name, Keosauqua. The plat of Van Buren was filed May 17, 1837, and appears of record in Deed Record A, page 14. It does not appear from the records here that Robert Taylor was one of the proprietors, though he and Meshach Sigler and James Manning seemed to have been associated with the enterprise at one time."

"On the 10th day of September, 1836, the question of the location of a county seat was submitted to the voters and two towns were con- tending for the same, Bentonsport and Keosauqua, and Keosauqua received the majority of the vote. Keosauqua having been determined as the county seat, by resolution of the board of supervisors, the county entered the northwest one-fourth of section 36, and under the authority of John Carnes, Charles Davis, and John Saylor, county commissioners, Van Buren was resurveyed, including a large part of the county quarter, under the name of Keosauqua. The town plat of Des Moines has never been changed but of course it is included within the limits of Keosauqua, and the plat was filed at about the same time."

ZANESVILLE. The word Lanesville was used on the authority of the U. S. Post Office Department, manifestly a clerical error. The old records are in longhand and one form of the old fashioned capital Z is easily mistaken for a capital L, hence the error. Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio, was named for Ebenezer Zane, who, with John McIntire, ^founded the city.


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FOOTNOTES July, 1931 Segment

1 History of Van Buren County, 1878, p. 373. (p 12)

2 Ibid., p. 366. (p 14)

3 G. G. Wright, An Address, 1873, p. 14. (p 14)

4 Probably Lippincott. (p 14)

4a This name is as given by the postal authorities. However it is doubtless Norris. The name William P. Norris occurs in The History of Van Buren County, 1878, page 596, the probable correct one. He and his father were practicing physicians at Birmingham. (p 15)

4b Erroneously given as T. N. Ragsdale in The History of Van Buren County, 187 8 He Was a member and lieutenant of Company 1, Nineteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. See Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers, vol. 3, page 313.

5 The History of Van, Buren County, 1878, p. 505, erroneously gives the name as H. A. Davis.

6 History of Van Buren County, 1878, pp. 484, 570,

7 Newhall, .1 Glimpse of Iowa in 1846 pp. 36-37.

8 Apparently a typographical error for Moffett. The name is also spelled Moffitt. Moffat, and Moffit. Robert Moffett was the second postmaster of New Lexington and the name is spelled Moffett by the U. S. Post Office Department.

9 Charles Baldwin in Hair's Iowa State, 1865, p. 360.

10 G. G. Wright, An Address, 1873, pp. 8, 31.

11 History Van Buren Co., 1878, p. 555.

12 Ibid., p. 587.

13 Ibid., pp. 500-01.

14 G. G. Wright, An Address, 1873, p. 14.

15 Hair, Iowa State Gazetteer, 1863, p. 360.

16 Hist. Van Buren, Co., 1878, p. 572.

17 Ia. Geol. Surv. IV, IL 205.

18 Newhall Sketches, 1841, P. 109.

19 Hist. of Van Buren Co., 1878, P. 551.

20 Ibid., P. 497.

21 Andreas' Atlas of Iowa, 1875, p. 246.

22 Hist. of Van Buren Co., 1878, p. 588,

23 It is a fair inference that Harmony, Indiana, being of socialistic origin and one of many movements of its type, was well known to Abner Kneeland and his associates who established Salubria on the north bank of the Des Moines River west of the Lee County line in 1839. The Salubrian settlement scattered soon after the death of Mr. Kneeland in 1844. Many of the early families of Farmington Township were of this settlement and were patrons of most of the schools at the organization of school districts. Harmony thus may have filtered through and become fixed in the nomenclature of the period. -E. R. H.

24 Hist. of Van Buren Co., 1878, p. 603; Van Buren Co. Plat Book, 1897, p. 11.

25 Laws of Territory of Iowa, 1838-39, p. 427.

26 Charles Baldwin in Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer, 1865, p. 361.

27 G. G. Wright, An Address, 1873, p. 12.

28 Ibid, P. 10.

29 Hist. of Van Buren Co., 1878, pp. 467-68.

30 ANNALS OF IOWA, Series 3, XV, pp. 310-313.

30a The name is given as Brooks by the History of Van Buren County, 1878, pa ge 509. The U. S. Post Office Department reports the name as Brook.

31 Portrait and Biog. A1bum of Jefferson and Van Buren Cos., 1890, pp. 425-26.

32 See Henn, Williams & Co.'s map, 1855.

33 Hist. of Davis Co., 1882, p. 701, where the name is misspelled Adidas.

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