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HISTORY of IDA COUNTY, IOWA
(Transcribed from the book
"The History Of Western Iowa"
published 1882)
Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
Ida County is in the fourth tier of counties from the northern boundary of the state, and is
the second east of the Missouri River. It contains 432 square miles or 276,480 acres. The Maple River runs through
the county .from northeast to southwest. Its principal branches are the Odebolt and Elk, flowing in from the east,
and Battle Creek from the west. Soldier River flows westward through the southern tier of townships. There are
many smaller streams draining the county in all parts. The valleys of the streams are unsurpassed in fertility,
and Maple Valley is especially noted for the beauty and fertility of its farming lands. Maple River, in this county,
furnishes several mill sites. The general character of the surface is undulating or rolling prairie, though no
portion is too broken for cultivation. The soil in the valleys is a dark mould, in many places from three to six
feet deep. The uplands contain more clay, and are well adapted to the raising of wheat and all the cereal crops.
This, like other counties in this part of the state, has but a limited supply of timber. We have it on authority
of the county surveyor that this county has only about 1,000 acres of natural timber, about one half of this being
in Ida Grove, which is situated on Maple River in about the center of the county. It is mostly oak, walnut, linn,
elm and hickory. The white or soft maple skirts the borders of the streams in many places.
Among the wild fruits, the plum, grape, gooseberry and strawberry are found.
Stock raising and dairying succeed well in this county, as it is unsurpassed for pasturage or hay. The wild grass
known as the blue-joint predominates in the valleys, and in many places the yield of hay is as high as four tons
per acre. Fine well water is found in almost any locality by digging to a moderate depth, rarely exceeding twenty
five feet. No regularly stratified rock formations appear at the surface. The only rocks obtained in the county
are the boulders. An abundance of material suitable for the manufacture of brick is found in all parts of the county.
The bluff deposit, which overspreads the entire county, has been successfully used for making brick of a good quality.
The principal productions are wheat, oats, corn, rye and potatoes. All kinds of vegetables and root crops common
to the latitude succeed well. The various kinds of small fruits are easily raised, as well as some varieties of
cherries and apples.
The first authentic account of the early settlement of Ida county was that, in 1854, of Robert
Townsley and Edward Smith, who built a cabin and raised a small crop of sod corn. During the same summer Samuel
King settled about a mile further down the valley, and broke up a small farm. These, however, proved to be but
transient settlers.
The county was organized in 1858. The first election was held at Ida Grove
in August of that year, when the following officers were elected: John H. Moorehead, County Judge; J. S. Loveland,
Treasurer and Recorder, and B. Warren, Clerk of the District Court. At this time the population of the county was
only about forty persons. Since that the population has increased very rapidly and in 1880 was 4,382. The county
has settled very fast within the past two years and 5,500 may now be considered a low estimate of population. The
present county officers are: Isaac Bunn, Clerk of the Courts; Wm. Jones, Auditor; F. W. Tibbetta, Treasurer; T.
S. Snell, County Surveyor; E. L. Worcester, Recorder; F. A. Eastman, Sheriff; Dr. A. T. Baker, Coroner; Mrs. A.
H. Smith, Superintendent of Schools; J. G. Freeman, Chairman; John Bunn, James Taylor, Board of Supervisors.
The first permanent settlement of whites in Ida County was made in Ida Grove,
on Maple River, in 1856. The settlers were E. Comstock, from Michigan, and Judge John H. Morehead,whose family
still resides at Ida Grove.
The first child born in Ida County was Ida Grove Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Smith. The
first death was a child of the same family. The remains were taken to Southland, in Woodbury county, for interment.
The first railroad, a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern, crossed into Ida County August 21st, 1877, and
is now extended as far west as Mapleton, in Monona County. Ida County has fair prospects for another road through
to Ida Grove soon, the same one that passes through Sac City and Sac County.
The county seat of Ida county was, previous to arrival of the railroad,
in the fall of 1877, situated on the north side of the railroad track and Odebolt River. After the appearance of
the railroad at this place, anew town sprang up on the south side of the river, which was christened Ida Grove.
This town is now the county seat, and is located on the northeast quarter of section 15, township 87, range 40.
The village commands a fine view of the beautiful valley of Maple River. It is about twenty eight miles from Denison,
Crawford county.
Upon one of the high ridges near the village there was formerly an extensive Indian encampment,
where the remains of buffalo, elk, deer, and other game are still scattered over the surface, or half embedded
in the soil. The course of a deeply worn Indian trail is said to have been a great highway for the natives, who
only a few years ago occupied this portion of the State.
The first post office established in the county was located at Ida, and for
years this was the only one. The old town of Ida was laid out in 1871 by S. W. Hobbs. The new town was laid out
by the Blair Town and Lot Company in 1877, and is situated on the left bank of the Maple River, about five miles
from the geographical center of the county. Isaac Bunn built the first house in Ida Grove. Selling that almost
immediately, he erected the second, and still later the third house iil the town. The first brick building was
erected by Chaffee & Williams, in 1880, and is the one in which the Pioneer office is now located. Since then
a number of massive brick structures have been erected, and the town is fast building up with large and substantial
brick buildings.
The first child born in the town was Sarah, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H.
Macomber.
The first store was opened by Engstrom & Smith as a hardware store.
The town was incorporated April 26th, 1878. H. A. Miller was elected the
first Mayor, and J. W. Reed. Recorder. The first Trustees were: T. S. Snell, W. P. Evans, J. O. Engstrom, Calvin
Bailey, and L. Tinkle. The present town officers are: Frank Burns, Mayor; Frank W. Shearer, Recorder; A. L. Houser.
J. E. Jurgenson, J. H. Stough, Trustees, and R. Johnston, Assessor.
The Ida County
Pioneer was the first paper published in Ida Grove. During the winter of 1872,
Robert Wilkinson, Frank Burns, C. P. Lund, C. C. Brown. Geo. E. Johnson, H. H. Lund, M. G. Aldrich, R. H. Campbell,
W. J. Wagoner, W. P. Evans, W. Wilkinson, James F. Wilkinson, C. Hathaway. Isaac Bunn and E. B. West, formed themselves
into a stock company for the purpose of purchasing material and publishing a newspaper at Ida, the necessary money
was raised, and W. P. Evans took charge of the publishing. The first number, then as now, was called the First County Pioneer, and
the first issue was on Thursday, March 3d, 1872, from the upper story of the Court House. The paper was a six column
folio. Republican in politics and began with a circulation of 150. It was printed in long primer type, upon an
old poster press, known among older Iowa journalists as "Old Muley,' the press upon which J. N. Dixon, the
"blind editor," published his first paper, the
Indianola Journal. It had also done service in the early days of Des Moines journalism
on the Iowa Statesman
and State Register.
Immediately after the first sheet of the Pioneer was printed, it was taken by E. B. West, the County Auditor, down stairs and presented to the Board
of Supervisors, who were then in session, and was made by them the official paper of the county. Within two or
three months after the first issue of the paper. W. P. Evans purchased the shares of all the stockholders
and became sole proprietor. On the 27th day of August, 1874, Evans sold the Pioneer to C. B. Chaffee and George
T. Williams, who enlarged the paper to a seven column folio. In the spring of 1876 Chaffee & Williams sold
an "Amateur" press and purchased a large stock of job type and a new quarto medium "Star" jobber,
and in 1877 purchased a new Washington press. April 4th, 1878, the Pioneer was enlarged to an eight column folio.
In the spring of 1881, Chaffee & Williams sold the
Pioneer to
Theron Akin, who suppressed the paper. About the 1st of April, 1881, W. P. Evans re-established
the Pioneer, purchasing
a large office with four presses. The present proprietor continued the publication until December, 1881, when he
leased it to Suiter & Simpson, two practical printers, who are the present editors. It is one of the official
papers of the county, is a seven column quarto and has a circulation of 1,200.
J. H. Moorehead was the first postmaster in Ida Grove, he having received his appointment in
1860. He was succeeded by W. P. Evans, who was appointed late in the year 1872. C. N. Clark is the present incumbent.
It is a money order office.
The Maple Valley Era is a Republican paper, and was started by L. Stanfield and C. N. Clark, August 22d, 1877. This paper
was started as a five column quarto, but October 18th. 1877, it was enlarged to an eight column folio. March 22d,
1879, L. Stanfield sold his interest to the junior partner, C. N. Clark, who changed the day of publication from
Wednesday to Friday. Mr. Clark then added to the office a quarto medium Gordon jobber, and a new invoice of type.
In March, 1880, the paper was again enlarged, this time to a nine column folio. July 1st, 1881, the publisher purchased
a new power press, and enlarged the paper to a seven column quarto. L. T. Chapin purchased a one half interest
in the Era January
1st, 1882, and it is now run under the firm name of Clark & Chapin. It is a Republican paper, and one of the
official papers of the county. It has a circulation of 1,000 copies.
The first Court House of Ida County was built in the town of Ida in 1871, and was nearly completed
before another building was begun on the town site. January 12th, 1877, the Court House was burned, together with
most of the county records, and for three years afterwards the county offices were kept in small buildings rented
by the county. During the latter part of the year 1879, the present Court House was built on a contract by which
the county had the privilege of renting or buying at certain figures. The Clerk removed to the new building in
December, 1879, and the other officers followed in January. The upper story is used for court purposes, and the
lower part for various county offices. The county purchased the building in l880. The population
of the town may now be estimated to be from 1,200 to 1,500, and it is fast increasing.
The business of Ida Grove may be classified as follows: Six general stores,
three grocery stores, one clothing store, one boot and shoe store, two restaurants, three drug stores, two banks,
two furniture stores, three hardware stores, four millinery stores, three moat markets, two jewelry stores, three
elevators, one grist mill, four saloons, three hotels, three lumber yards, four agricultural implement depots,
five livery stables, four harness shops, two barber shops, four blacksmith shops and four wagon shops, one plow
factory.
The Ida Creamery was established in the spring of 1882, and is operated by Mauer Bros. They
have a commodious brick building 20x32 feet, with a wing 14x30, which is frame.
This creamery has a capacity of 1,000 pounds per day. It is situated one half mile from the
town and is operated on the cream gathering plan. Its internal arrangements are of the most modern plan.
Battle Creek, which is situated on the Maple Valley Branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, about forty
five miles from the junction, is located in the centre of the beautiful Maple Valley, and was laid out by the Blair
Town and Lot Company, in 1877, on lands purchased by the company from W. J. Wagoner, of Denison. Located as it
is, it presents a fair appearance from all points on each side of the valley. The soil is fertile and productive,
and the town is located in a rich farming country. The depot was built in 1877.
Frank E. Beckwith moved the first house into the town in 1879, which building was used as a
boarding-house. Charles Havens built the first house constructed in the town and used it as a saloon.
The first store was opened by John Nott in the spring of 1880. William Warner soon after opened
a store. Sam. Warnock was the first to engage in the lumber business. John Nott was appointed the first postmaster
and has held the position ever since. John Holcomb was among the earliest settlers and was the first to engage
in the hotel business.
The town was incorporated in December, 1880, and A. Bassett was elected the first Mayor; W.
Jones, Recorder, and J. M. Boles, John Nott, William Warner, W. H. James, Sam. Warnock, and Peter Amerman, Councilmen.
The population of the town is now estimated to be between 400 and 500 people. The present town officers are: A.
Bassett, Mayor; J. C. Walter, Recorder; A. V. McKown. Sam. Warnock, W.' E. Churchill, John Nott, B. C. Bowman and
Hugh Smith, Councilmen. Battle Creek is situated in the heart of an excellent farming
country, and is undoubtedly destined, if one may judge the future
The business of Battle Creek may be classified thus: Three general stores, two drug stores,
one harness shop, two meat markets, three hotels, one bank, one furniture store, two saloons, three lumber yards,
three agricultural implement depots, two millinery stores, one elevator, one barber shop, two blacksmith shops,
one wagon shop, one livery stable, one restaurant. by the past, to become one of the most important business points
in Western Iowa. Its growth has been rapid and vigorous, and still continues, and all fair minded people who have
given the subject consideration, will coincide with us in the view given.
The Battle Creek Times, a neat seven column folio weekly paper, was started by Hugh Brannan, April 23d, 1880. Mr. B. ran
the paper but three months, when the material was bought by S. Warnock and W. E. Roberts, who hired John Jones
to run it. It was afterwards leased to J. L. Kroesen, now of the Wall Lake Journal. S. W. Young purchased the paper
in the fall of 1881, and is now editor and proprietor. It is Republican is politics, and has a circulation of 550
copies.
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