History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/3/Counties/Decatur
DECATUR COUNTY lies on the south line of the State and in the fifth tier east of the Missouri River. It embraces an area of five hundred thirty-four square miles, was taken from the original county of Demoine and in January, 1846, established with present boundaries. The county was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur a distinguished naval officer in the War of 1812.
The first settlers were William Hamilton, Reuben and James Hatfield, Alfred Stanley, John McDaniel, John E. Logan and Allen Scott who came from 1838 to 1840, supposing they were settling in Missouri. A number of them brought slaves which were held by them until it was decided that they could not hold them as such in Iowa.
The county was organized on the 1st of April, 1850, by the election of the following officers: Josiah Morgan, William Hamilton and Asa Burrill, commissioners; Henry B. Norton, clerk; J. J. Stanley, sheriff. On the 21st of July, 1851, the county-seat was located by commissioners chosen for that purpose at a place which was named Decatur. W. Westcoat was employed to survey and plat the town and a sale of lots was held in August, 1851. A log court-house was built in October. The first session of court was held in the log cabin of Daniel Moat in May, 1851, at which Judge McKay presided. In 1853 the county-seat was ordered by vote of the people to a more central location, where a town was laid out and named Independence. A new court-house was built of brick; and, by act of the Legislature in 1854, the name of the new county-seat was changed to Leon. A claim had been made by Thomas East and a log cabin built on the ground where Leon stands before it was chosen for the county-seat. The next house was built by Judge S. C. Thompson soon after the town was platted. I. N. Clark opened the first store in September, 1853. The first newspaper in the county was the Leon Pioneer, established in 1855 by P. H. and George Binkley.