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English Pages 158 [58] Year 1840
GALLAJYD'S
Iowa Emigrant: Containing a map, and General Descriptions of
IOWA TERRITORY.
Chillicothe:
PRINTED BY WM. 1
840.
C.
JONES.
Entered according to Act of Congress, I.
In the Clerk's oHice of
tlie
in llic
year IHIO, by
GALLAND, District
Court oT the District of Ohio.
r bail
GI3l
Historical IntrodiicliorL
This rf.print
of
a rare
volume on
early
the State Historical Society of Iowa in
pioneer
among Iowa
Iowa has been issued by
honor of
a
man who was
a
pioneers. Dr. Isaac Galland, the author of
Galland's Iowa Emigrant, arrived in what
is
now Lee County
in
1829, four years before permanent settlement began in Iowa. Moreover, Galland lived in
Iowa many years before writing
way of contrast, Lieutenant Albert M. Lea spent only
his book.
By
a year in the
Iowa
District before publishing his Notes on Wisconsin Territory in
1836.
John Plumbe,
Jr. lived in the
Dubuque
lead mining area only
three years before compiling his Sketches of Iowa
1839. Dr. Galland, in the
and Wisconsin
in
on the other hand, had sojourned eleven years
most thickly
settled section of
Iowa and had
in addition
lived across the Mississippi in Illinois for several years before writ-
ing and publishing his Iowa Emigrant. Despite little
its
brevity, Galland's
volume has the advantage of closer personal observation and
longer perspective than the work of either Lea or Plumbe.
book stands colorful
as a
monument
to the
memory
The
of one of the most
and dynamic early lowans.
is now known of his boyhood which seems to have been spent in the Old Northwest Territory. When a voung man, Galland traveled to Mexico with some adventurous compan-
Isaac Galland was born about the year 1792 near what
Chillicothe, Ohio. Little
is
ions in search of gold. Imprisoned by the Spanish authorities, he
was released
on the
at the
end of
a
year and
made
his
wav back
to
Ohio
He paused for a few years in Indiana about the time of War of 1812. He dwelt in Edgar County, Illinois, where he is
foot.
said to have engaged in counterfeiting until driven out bv authoriI
(ylGiSG
ties.
!c IS r(jiii(c'cl to li.iNc lors.iLiii (Ins
I
imuli
Around
»)m|ii litioii.
t
()(|na\vk.a. Illinois. In
is
Tract.
During the next in IS.'JH, C.alland
A
at
crossed the Mississi|i|»i into what
lie
(lonnty, Iowa, and lifl|n'd establish Nashville in the Ilalf-
iu)\v Ixc-
lireed
\S29
occupalum hctausc of too
was practicing mcdiiinc
isjf) lie
romantic figure with
pattii
the
III
liir
Madison
thirty years, or until his death at Fort
was intimately a "latal
associateil with the history of Iowa.
toiu h of genius,"
iailand partici-
(
trade, speculated in land. scr\ed lor a time as the
Mormon
personal secretary ol Joseph Smith, the
Prophet, executed
several notable publishin}; ventures, prescribed medicine occasionally for ailing neighbors, a restless
adventurer
\\
and
ith
starteil the first
boundless energy and enterprise could
have had his name associated with so Dr. Galland had a keen, inventive
He was
flare.
attack an
school in Iowa. Only
many
facets of
mind and
\
enemy with
his
sword cane, which he always carried w
medicine while languishing Herryiiian Jennings, a
itetl
history-.
quicL-tempered and quarrelsome, never hesitating
him. Versatile and resourceful, Calland was said his
Iowa
a distinct literary
in jail
to
have learned
He
lor counterfeiting.
young Kentuckian
to ith
in-
living in Illinois, to
school in Iowa in 1830. As
cross the Mississippi to teach the
first
part of his compensation, Jetuiings
was given the privilege of study-
ing GallancPs medical books.
A
replica of this school stands today
on the banks of the Mississippi below Montrose, ment
As is
a fitting
a
land speculator, Galland aj)parently played
a fast
said to have put his early counterfeiting experience to
by forging land warrants. breed Tract.
I
le
Much
may have met
of his activity centered
in lx:e
a
New York company
County.
game.
in the Half-
who was
Rey''s decree, dividing the
disputed in
among one
laiul
one instance
by the United States Supreme (lourt. (lalland was involved
ject,
then an
having extensive land interests
hundred and one claimants, was recognized
(jiiarrels
He
good use
or at least corresponded with Francis
Scott Key, author ol the "Star Spangled Banner,'"
attorney for
in
in
1850
many
over the dis[)Uted claims, wrote volumiiiousK on the sub-
and was himself severely indicted
in his
monu-
to this energetic pioneer.
in lsr>o
by
I).
\\
.
Kilbourne
exceedingly rare 2 1-page booklet, Strittuns, vu Dr. II
l.
Cal-
land's Pamphlet, Fri/Klal, "Villainy F.xfwstd/' willi Sonif A((ounl of
His
ransadions
I
Lee County,
Hut
as a j)ul)lislicr
is
it
Lands
in
cj
Sac and lex
llir
litservntioiis, Etc., in
loiva. lliat
(iailaiul dciiuHistialcd itiiiarkaljlc
enterprise. Arnonj^ the miinerous ventures with
which he was asso-
ciated either direcdv or iiuhrectly, one must mention
and
ern Adiuntnrir
(irst
The West-
raid oj the Upper Mississippi which has the
Ih
distinction of being the second nevvsj)aj)cr j)rintcd in
Montrose
cohunn
in
Lee County on Jmie
|)a|)er
was discontinued
have been preserved. able editor,
Thomas
It
was
Ciregg,
the Western Adventurer
28,
1K,'}7.
in IK.iH
who
Iowa — at
four page, seven
and oidy scattered issues
a readable paj)er,
due
largely to
its
declared in the prospectus that
would be devoted
mineralogy, geology, climate,
The
to the history,
geography, farming,
soil, j)roduction, ])opulation,
conunerce, mechanics, education, improvements, and Indian tradi-
and remains of the West.
tions
Not content with
this venture,
Galland proposed
of the Western Adventurer to print titled
less
a
monthly publication
"Chronicles of the Nortii American Savages."
had
a
hand
in a
proposed magazine
to
columns
in the
He
to
be en-
also doubt-
be called "The Western
Emigrants' Magazine, and Historian of Times in the West,"which
Thomas Gregg planned
to edit
and publish monthly
at the office
of the Western Adventurer. Galland did write a series of
articles,
printed posthumously in the Annals of Iowa (First Series) in 1869,
and
entitled
ligion
"The Indian Tribes of
and Traditions." His
emphasis on the red men
loxoa
the West: Their Language, Re-
Emigrant placed considerable
in Iowa.
Although Indians are discussed too Galland's Iowa Emigrant answered
fully for a
many
book of this kind,
questions which the pros-
pective emigrant might raise regarding the Territory of Iowa.
The
boundaries, history, and general character of the population are treated,
and considerable space
game, and
fruit
of the region.
is
The
devoted soil
to the rivers, lakes,
and climate
wild
are discussed
under these categories. Officers of government, counties, towns, and post offices, land offices and their officers, Indian agencies and military'
posts are enumerated at the end of the volume. Galland's Iowa
Emigrant
is
very individualistic, containing
much
information that
m
was luw
.iiul
ami
a|)|>iaraiuc'
lend
lA' (fiilltniil's
fini^raiils
primiiij;.
Had
tlic
ha\c-
hccn more im|)ressi\e.
ill
was scarcely
i'.mit^rdut
appearance might
iimUli
many
miisi Im\c iiillmiuid
il
towani Iowa.
to liiaii riic-
iiscliil,
a tri-
hook, hccn printed in a larj^tr city, lint
its
iallaml. proh-
(
ablv govcrnetl by scnlimenl, chose William Carey Jones to print the hook in his old in t)!
ofChillicolhe, Ohio. Horn in Maine
home town
ISM. Jones was brought
to ChillictJthe
by his parents
two and apparently acquired considerable
experience before John King met him west to help issue Iowa's
May
in iK.Xi.
liiu/ue Visiter
contract with King in the
iiis
age
at the
and newspaper
and brought him
newspaper— the Du
iirst
Jones broke
11. 1H.'36.
|)rinting
on
fall
of
commenced printing the Galland may have known
1836, and returned to Chillicothe where he
on November
Scictc Gazette
Jones, either at (Chillicothe or for his selecting
Jones
1H3inv or nccfssitv. ill
llicir
taicl\
I'lit-
jjio^icss oI iinj)r()\ tiiKiil
the sparse locations of
a ilin^f li)iist,
absolute exposure to
sa\agc foe,
a
rounding circumstances. Under
contnhnud
all
tiiese
circumstances fannhes
raised, not onlv without the advantages of a school
cation, l)Ul the\ were not
unh e(|ueiillv dej)n\ed e\en and hence contracted
benefits of social intercourse,
and even customs, peculiar
now no
to
now
edu-
of
tiie
habits,
themselves. But these causes
longer in existence, the eflec
great facilities
to
accordnig with the sni-
prt)clnce a peculiarity of cliarac ter,
were
and
llic inlial)i(aii(s.
ts
The
have also ceased.
com-
airorded to enugralion, as well as to
mercial intercourse in general, have been productne of as
obvious changes, in
any other
character of the western pioneer, as
in the
effects
\\
Inch
which the
rapidity with
it
The
has produced in society.
frontier settlements are
now made,
the great facilities afforded to emigrants, of carrying with
them
and most of the conveniencies of life,
their
all
the necessaries
entire security
from danger and the density and j)roximity of
their settlements, at once, conclusively j)rove that the char-
acter of the people of
Iowa has nothing peculiar
in
but
it
what has been derived from other and older sections of the civilized world. Almost every State in the Union and many foreign countries are contributing to States of
among
Ohio, Pennsylvania and
the
first
X'irginia.
in affording the greatest
same
while, at the
Kentuckv. Tennessee,
alc.
The
immber of emigrants;
are also
and
Hence an individual from almost
an\
may
populaUon.
York, are perhaps
time, the Northern States, together with
in furnishing I(;\\a with industrious
States, or in fact
its
New
doing their part
enterj)risingciti/.ens. j)ail
from almost any part of the
find himself as
it
were
at
ONMi State or country, in Iowa.
of
the United
civili/ed world,
home, among natives If,
of his
therefore, any thing of the
"Mobocralic half-horse and half-aligator" character, so ,
quently ascribed to the citizens of bjwa,
the-
western
settlers,
we can onlv
fre-
can be attiibuled
adniiie the
sudden
to
iransi-
In wliicli
tioii,
older States,
ioNcruors, Senators and Representatives, oi
(
most
polite circles of the
metarnoiphosed
h
to
is trills
every class, from the
toj^ellic i\\ nil ji^entleuK-n of
to a clan
jiolished societies, can
of'haH-human
he lej^retted, that the
Iowa has
irj^in soil ol
\
become
westerners.'"
ever heeii deliled hy the tracks oi a jwlilf ntohilc, a Ijoftidar //ihkIiki or a legalized
tliiej,
hut
(juite gratifying that
is
it
neither the soil nor climate agrees with such gentry. Ihey
ha\
found
therefore,
e,
it
corn enient to
make hut
in the country; and, after visiting us, they
up
their
march
a short stay
have generally taken
perhaps to Texas.
to the south,
Rivers. MISSISSIPPI. The pronunciation of this name in the language of tlie Sauk Indians
is,
Mis-se Se-po. Mis-se
is
an adjective, answering to
most splen-
the Knglish words, grandest, noblest, chiefest, or
did,— and Se-po, simply means
river;
name
hence, this
in its
original acceptation signifies, the grandest, the noblest, the chiefest, or the
nounce
most splendid
name with
this
SepouJi, that
is,
river.
The
Indians often pro-
the plural termination, uh, as Misse
Chiefest of Rivers.
This
truly majestic river
rises
between the 48th and 49th degrees of north
after
winding
of about
3038
its
miles, empties into the
29th degree of north latitude.
It
Gulph
found many delightful
its
whose waters abound
which
charges
From
its
source, are in fish
and
fine timber.
in this vicinity, of similar character, are likewise
the sources of the river
lakes,
course, from
its
and whose shores are lined with groves of
Other lakes
and
of Mexico in the
receives in
each side, many beautiful streams. At, and near
fowls,
latitude,
course towards the south, for the distance
Red River
of the North: another noble
rising in this great valley, runs north,
and
dis-
waters into Hudson's Bay.
St.
Anthony's Falls
sissippi, the
countiy
is
only
to the
head sources of the Mis-
now beginning
to
5
be correctlv
c'xaiiiiiud, I
1)V
i
lation of
tinij)tlcnt
cn;j,iiucis
it
stiNuc of ii
ol)Mi\ ations inadc tins sumiiRT shall
llic
out, the (icj)ailmtiit will possess to c-iiahlc
tl\i'
iii
riic Sciri'turvof \\ ar, say.s:''\N Ik
iiitcci Si.ilcs.
to coiistnic
all
iiiatci lals
tlic
lali. il-
l>f \\(tikctl
iictcssary
and topographical map
a j)hysicai
t
the
the
portion of our countrv, wliich, added to that already
of
tliis
in
our j)ossession.
the
fioiii
same hand,
ol the
sources
ol the
and North Red River, will present at one view countrv comprehended between the Syth and looth
Mississij)pi
the vast
ilegree of longitiule,
and the
4i)th
and 4yth degree of north
latitude."'
MISSOURI. This
own is,
river
is
Fox Indians
called by the Sauks and
in their
language, Pc-ka-ton-oke Scpv; which literally translated
"River of Vortexes," or whirlpools.
most
It
constitutes the al-
boundary of the Iowa Termor) and the one of its tributaries, completes the whole
entire western
White Earth western
river,
;
from the north boundarv of the State of Mis-
line,
souri to the Canadian line, on the parallel of the 49lh degree
of north latitude. The Missouri rises in the
Rocky Mountains,
and passing along the west side of the Iowa Territory receives many fine rivers from each side, and after leaving the Territory of Iowa,
it
continues
its
course through the most
fertile
and interesting portion of the Slate of Missouri, and empties itself into the
Louis.
The appearance
muddy and current, the
banks,
Mississippi about 20 miles above the city of St.
all
filthy
of this river
appearance of
immense numbers
its
is
very rejnilsive; the
water, the torrent-like
of snags, sand-bars and hilling
mind of the beholder,
contribute to produce in the
feelings of an unpleasant character. Steamboats have navi-
gated
waters for
its
some which
Yellow Stone
river,
Earth
seems
ment
ri\er. It ol
within
to
distance above the
mouth
of the
advance
ol the
White
is still
the United States, to
its
in
be the present j)olicv of the govern-
remo\e
all
(he Indian tribes
jurisdiction, to the south-west side of the Missouri
river;
many upon
and
to sctllc tluin
tlicic,
under
llit
the aits ol civilization, as tliey
ol
influence of as
may be
jnevailed
to adopt.
JACQUES, Or James
about 47 degrees of North latitude, and running south, empties itself into the Missouri, in latitude 43.
river, rises in
This
river
is
said to afford an extensive
and de-
between the high table lands and
lightful valley, situated
the Missouri river.
RED PIPE STONE, Or Calumet its
river,
sometimes called the Sioux
source also in the Beautiful
separate
from the
it
Meadows
river,
or table lands
has
which
His Excellency Gov. Lucas,
St. Peters.
recommends as the northern boundary of the contemplated new State of Iowa, the St. Peters river from the mouth up to the mouth of the Blue Earth river; thence up
of Iowa,
and west
the same,
Red Pipe
with the Missouri
country
to the Cactus,
Stone; thence
is
down
an eastern branch of the
the
same
to its
confluence
river. It is said, that a great part of the
not surpassed by any lands in the United States
as to fertility of soil.
Being also well watered, and interspersed
with groves of timber. ST.
This
is
PETERS. been already
a beautiful river, rising, as has
re-
marked, in some small but delightful lakes, in the vicinity of the south-eastern slope of the Beautiful
Meadows, and sweep-
ing round in a south-easterly direction, to
bend about the Swan Lakes, east direction,
Snelling.
This
water power.
and empties
it
changes
itself into
its
its
the Mississippi at Fort
river, as well as its tributaries,
And
at
southermost
course to a north-
abounds with
no very remote period of time will river Des Moines by a canal.
doubdess be connected with the
DES MOINES. This name was given
to this
stream by the French traders, 7
and
however, count tors
'"
iiilciprctccl
is
w
cxj)lorccl
It:
couutrv,
tliis
li
thcv ac-
wluii tiuii aiiecs-
iitv say, tliat
1
iKimc,
Iiuluiii
"Kc-()-sliaN\-(|u.i:" die origin of uIik
is
foi. as follows, to
first
MoiiLs" Ri\cr." IIk-
I'lic
on
tlicv fouiul, rcsidinji;
llic
man without family or human comname was Ke-o-sliaw-(|ua; hence tliey
of this river, an ohi
l)ank.
panion, and called
it
iuiil a
N
Ids
lliat
K.eoshawc|ua's n\er. '\\\v irencli seem also to lia\e
when regarding; this named it (La riviere Des
iew to the same circumstance, thev
loiielv iidial)itant as a recluse,
Moines,) or "I'he river of the Monks.'" in length,
waters interlock
course
it
uh blanches of
it
Raccoon
continues
district of country, of
be formed.
Its
and shallow; are in
in
tiie St.
Its
head
and
ni its
width.
Peters,
passes diagonally through the neutral ground, and
receiving the
streams,
\\
about 400 nnles
It is
and averages about 300 yards
many
it
river
its
and many other
which the new
State of
waters are transparent, and
abounds
fine tributary
course through the centre
in fish,
Iowa must soon its
current swift
and springs of excellent water
places found in great profusion along
The bottom
that
cjf
shores.
its
some
lands are not very extensive, except in
places, but they are of a rich alluvial soil, covered generally
with a heavy growth of forest walnut, hackberrv, sugar nut,
some buckeye, and
the banks of
tills
trees,
such
as black
tree, cherry, locust, all
and white
mulberry, coflee
the varieties of oak, &c.
Upon
river are already situated the flourishing
towns of St. Francisville,in Missouri, Farmington,\'aii Huren, R(jchester, Ix'xington, Bentonsport and
rapidly improving.
Its
many others,
all
now
shores are also lined with beautiful
farms as high up as to the Indian Agency, above which the
while peoj)le are not vet
j)iiniilti(l
lo settle. Iron
ore and
stone coal have been found in abundance in every part of is
no
that lead ore will be discoxered ni great (jiiantities
on
this countrv'
doubt
w here they ha\ e been searched
the neutral ground, as soon as that disti
jected to
a pio|)(i exaiiim.itioii.
ic
t
(»f
for.
c
Ihere
oiinliy
is
sub-
The Des Moines, IVom its
confluence with
hne between the and between
the .p).].\'
tlie Missis,sij)j)i.
State of Missouri
this section of the
situated that tract of huid
breed reservation. This
of)" ol nortli latitude, to
constitutes the hounclary
and the territory
same and the
known
as the
of
Iowa;
Mississijjpi,
Sauk and
is
I'Ox half
the southern extremity of Iowa
is
Territory, and occupying the lower rapids of the Mississippi,
where water power
to
any extent can be obtained:
to
which
might be enumerated many other local advantages, which cannot
fail
to
make
on the Mississippi
up
In passing
Agency, we are
this
one of the most promising situations
river.
Des Moines, above the Indian country which still belongs to
the river
in a district of
and Foxes but which
the Sauks States will
it
is
presumed
soon purchase from them. This
with the neutral ground, water power and
its
of the centrahty of
a
is
not only on account of the
plated boundaries of a
of the
soil,
the timber, the also
on account
location, in reference to the
new
together
most desirable section of Iowa,
fertility
mmeral productions, but its
the United
tract,
contem-
State.
SHECAQUA, OR SKUNK RIVER. This
river
in length;
is
it is
about 150 yards wide and probably 200 miles
already thickly setded with an industrious and
improving population. There are also several flourishing
on its banks, together with some fine mills. and the timber in many places is both abundant and of a good quality. This river empties into the towns and
The
villages
soil is fertile,
Mississippi about 8 miles below Burlington, and 12 above
Fort Madison.
FLINT CREEK, Is a
valuable
little
water powers which
it
stream, on account of the excellent aflibrds. It
sissippi, a short distance
empties
LOWER IOWA This stream
is
itself into
the Mis-
above Burlington.
RIVER.
called by the Indians in the
Sauk language, 9
p
.\u/iu-tc-s(tk'a-H(i\, wliicli is
about
clianiiil
ami
luiitiit:
sttoiijj;
tlic luoiitli
arc not cxccllctl in iK'aiUy, l)v
it
'200 vartis wide, arul |)crlia|»s 'joo miles long, a iltc
nally j)rairic fnnn
crv
vm/7///^ linjjdlo hull:
si;j;iulics a
its
Ixiitoms.
up
loi
tlit-
of
i'lrtilily
wlmh
arc-
io miles,
ilistancc ol
soil
and romantic sccn-
The
anv other juut of the western country.
principal
Red Cedar and
tributaries to this beautilul river, are the
English rivers: the former from the north-east, and
from the south-west
sides.
several llourishiii}; towns,
On
|)I1iki-
the banks of
among w Inch
are situated
it
Wapalaw
is
the
the latter
,
the seal
of justice of Louisa County, situate about 15 miles from
its
higher up. j)eiha|)s 100 miles Irom the
inoulii: and still mouth, Iowa City has been located by authority as the permanent Territorial seat of Government. The several coimties
through which
this river
improving; Cedar County
and is
branches pass are rapidly
its
especially a delightful district.
WA-PE-SK-PIN-E-KA,
Or
}V/ii((
Mimrt/l
abounding
river, is also a line stream,
with water power and a good
soil.
This
regarded as the
is
of the mineral region, in ascending the Mis-
commencement sissippi.
MACOQUETA. This stream mill privileges,
ing land and
is
j)rincipally celebrated for
though
it
also afiords
some valuable mineral
of this district of the countr)'
its
much
deposits.
cascades and
excellent farm-
The
settlement
also rapidly progressing.
is
Tl'RKEY RIVER, Or
l\ii-f-ah,
is
a
very pleasant
with gooti timber and rather sparse.
vet
is
we
first
From
meet with ^'ellow
a part of the
this,
10
Paint Creek,
stream, abounding
white population as
following
river, a
Winnebago Indians
some fai ms. TheiK e passing
little
a rich soil; the
uj)
the Mississi|)|)i,
small stream
reside,
we
upon w Inch
having a school and
arrive at the
IOWA
IIF'TRR rius
IS
a C()n.si(ltial)lc sdc-iiiii.
white people; coiiHiieiices
the
Red
on the west hank thence
in
riol
l)iit
hv
yet iriliiihittd
neutral
llie
j;^roiiricJ
of the Mississippi; thence to
Des Moines; thence
to the
Pipe Stone, and ihcnce
country 40 miles
VKK.
jjoitit at wliicli
tlie
is
it
(leclar;
this ri\er,
KI
to the Reel
the Missouri river; heing a hell of
l(j
width.
A
few miles ahove the mouth of
and on the opposite hank of the
Mississij)j)i
is
the
mouth of the "liad-A\e Creek," noted mainly on account of the inhuman hutchery of a large nuinher of Indian women, children and helpless old men of the Sauk nation, at the conclusion of the
Root
non
celehiated ''Black
Hawk
and many
war,"
Wolf
River of the Mountains, White
river,
river,
late
or Can-
other smaller streams empty themselves
The River of mounds or tumuli and the White Wolf or Can-
into the Mississippi from the western shore.
the Mountains
which
are
is
celebrated for
found uj)on
its
ancient
its
banks;
its
water power. This
non
river
still
an uninhabited wilderness, except a settlement of prin-
is
noted for
is all,
however,
cipally half breeds of the Sioux nation of Indians,
who
are
located on a valuable reser\'ation of land, situated on the
may be added, a few Missiondifferent points. It is now in contem-
shore of Lake Pepin; to which ary establishments at
plation to purchase from the natives, the entire district of
countiy south of the to
St. Peters,
out of which
it is
proposed
form the new State of Iowa.
The Beautiful Meadozcs. This
is
that extensive elevation of rich
land which separates the the
Red
try of
\
alleys of the
river of the North. ''This
surpassing
fertility
is
and
fertile table
Jacques or James, and
represented to be a coun-
and beauty. The slope
fine table land,
about nineteen hundred
of the sea, and
is
fish, that, after
swelling two small lakes, form
feet
rises to a
above the surface
watered by frequent streams abounding at their
11
in
conflu-
CIRC
llic
sui)i)i)il a
of
soil
mmicrous pojuilatum, one
tages