History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/3/Counties/Iowa
IOWA COUNTY was created in February, 1847, from territory belonging to Keokuk. It lies in the fourth tier west of the Mississippi River, also in the fourth from the south line of the State and is twenty-four miles square containing an area of five hundred eighty-four square miles. It was named for the Iowa River which flows through the northern part of the county.
The first settler within its limits was Edward Ricord in 1837. Linaeas Niles, John Burget and Mr. Cleveland in 1844 made claims near where Homestead now stands. Soon after Robert Mckee, R. F. Mason, Amos Crocker, Charles Kitchen, Williams Downward and Absalom Washington with their families settled along the Iowa River near where Marengo now stands. Edward Ricard built the first house in the county in 1844 in a grove on Old Man’s Creek in the south part of the county.
In 1843 representatives of a German community selected a large tract of land in Iowa County for the purpose of planting a colony called the Amana Society. The members hold peculiar religious views in some respects similar to the Quakers. They own most of the land in Amana township, which is held in common and the business is conducted by persons chosen for that purpose at annual elections. They are divided into seven settlements where they have stores, shops, mills and factories. Many of their dwellings are large and each occupied by several families. The county was organized in 1847 and the
STEAMBOAT ROCK ON THE MAQUOKETA RIVER
following officers were chosen: Lewis Lansing, treasurer; G. W. Kitchen, recorder; A. D. Stephens, probate judge; A. P. Kitchen, sheriff.
Commissioners selected a site for the county-seat on the banks of the Iowa River and caused a town to be platted which was named Marengo. William Downward built the first house in the new town and, in company with H. H. Hull, opened the first store. Robert Mckee was appointed postmaster and Mr. Kirkpatrick opened a public house. The Methodists organized the first church in 1848. In 1859 the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad was built to Marengo which was the terminus for several years. The town of Victor is on this railroad in the western part of the county. In 1856 Clinton Edwards established a newspaper at the county-seat named Marengo Visitor. The first court was held by Judge J. P. Carlton at the house of H. H. Hill in May, 1847.