History of Linn County Iowa
History
of
Linn County Iowa
From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time
BY
LUTHER A. BREWER
AND
BARTHINIUS L. WICK
Members Historical Society of Linn County, Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS
The Torch Press
1911
Copyright 1911 by
Luther A. Brewer
THE TORCH PRESS
CEDAR RAPIDS
IOWA
TO THE MEMORY OF OUR
HONORED PIONEERS
INTRODUCTION
The history of Linn county is covered by the events of only a fewyears, if compared with the history of communities east of theMississippi. The space of one life-time embraces all that has happenedhere since the first white man looked upon our goodly heritage. True,that life has been prolonged beyond the scriptural three score and tenyears. Robert Ellis, who came to this community more than seventy yearsago, and who was one of the very early settlers, yet lives in a haleand vigorous age on land he "claimed" at that time.
But if the history of the county does not cover many years, it yet is ahistory crowded with happenings of interest, some of the incidentsbeing more or less stirring.
History is defined as a record of the past. It does not concern itselfwith the present. It has been the purpose of the editors of this volumeto treat somewhat at length of the early days in the county. Thoseconversant with events occurring prior to the Civil war are rapidlymoving on, and it is high time that their recollections of beginningshere were gathered and put in permanent form.
This has been attempted—how imperfectly done no one realizes morekeenly than we realize it. But like little Mary Wood of the story, wehave done the best we could in the few months given us to prepare thepages which follow. We have done some things which need not be doneagain by any one who follows us. We have made definite some things inour history as a county that heretofore have been matters ofuncertainty. It is felt that the present volume will make an excellentstarting point for some future chronicler.
The task of the historian has been an arduous one—far more arduousthan can be imagined by any save those who have done similar work.Withal the task has been one of pleasure and of inspiration. Thepursuit of knowledge in this instance has really been a delight.
We have been taught many things by our work that add to the sum of thepleasures of living in a day crowded with all the conveniences of thetwentieth century. Our respect for the courageous pioneer men and theequally courageous and self-sacrificing pioneer women of our county hasbeen place