History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/3/Counties/Adair
ADAIR COUNTY was created by act of the Legislature of 1851 from territory embraced in the original county of Des Moines. It lies in the third tier north of Missouri and in the third tier east of the Missouri River. The county is twenty-four miles square and embraces an area of five hundred seventy-six square miles. The north tier of townships was from December 31st, 1837, to July 30, 1840, embraced in the old county of Keokuk as first established. The county was named for General John Adair a distinguished officer of the War of 1812 and afterwards the sixth Governor of Kentucky.
Thomas N. Johnson is the first white man known to have made a home within the limits of the county. He made a claim and built a log cabin in 1849 on section four in Washington township where, in 1850, he built a mill on a stream running through his farm. In 1850 William Alcorn made a claim on Middle river at a point known as “the upper crossing.” During the same year a Mr. Lyon took a claim and built a cabin near a large spring in a grove in what became Jefferson township. In 1851 J. J. Vawter purchased the claim and the grove took his name. Among the early settlers were William McDonald, who settled at the lower crossing of Middle River, Alfred Jones in Jackson township, Robert Wilson in Grand River, George M. Holiday in Jefferson, Joshua Chapman in Richland and Jacob Bruce in Grove.
In April, 1854, the first election was held in Alfred Jones’ cabin at which George M. Holiday was chosen county judge and John Gibson, clerk. The first court was held in the cabin of the judge on the 6th of May following. On the 24th of April, 1855, the county-seat was located at Summerset, a town laid out by G. M. Holiday, D. M. Valentine[1] and Abram Ruth, and six miles south of the center of the county. In 1856 by act of the Legislature the name was changed to Fontanelle.
The first house in Summerset was a double log cabin built in June, 1855, by James C. Gibbs for a tavern and post-office. Mr. Gibbs was the first postmaster in the town and county. A store was opened in 1856 by Calvin Ballard.
At the time the county was organized the population was about one hundred fifty. The town of Greenfield, laid out in September, 1856, by Milton C. Munger is about six miles northeast of Fontanelle and in 1875 became the county-seat. Matthew Clark built the first house the same year which was used as a store by A. D. Littleton as well as a station of the Western Stage Company. The first school in the county was taught by Miss Huldah Lee in 1857 in the court-house at Fontanelle. The Congregationalists organized the first church in 1856 at the same place.
The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad was built through the extreme northern limits of the county in 1868 upon which the towns of Adair and Casey were laid out. The first newspaper was established by James C. Gibbs in 1863 and named the Adair County Register. After a long and bitter contest extending from 1865 to 1875 the county-seat was removed from Fontanelle to Greenfield.
- ↑ D. M. Valentine moved to Kansas in 1859 where he has been a member of both branches of the Legislature, District Judge and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.