But many of these persecuted people did not cross the Missouri-they remained at divers points in the state of Iowa, attracted by the pleasant climate and beautiful woodlands. Among their stopping places were Kanesvile, (now Council Bluffs) Silver Creek, Traders Point,* Keg Creek, the Missouri bottom, and wherever good soil, water, and timber were found conjoined. Kanesville formed so important a factor in the early history of Mills county, being the metropolis of western Iowa, that a brief sketch of the naming of the place may not be out of order. It was named for Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the celebrated Arctic explorer, and who was, at one time, a resident of that place. Dr. Kane was born in Philadelphia, in February, 1822, and was educated in the medical university of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1843. He entered the American navy as assistant surgeon, and was attached as a physician to the first American embassy to China. While in the east he visited many of the islands, and met with many wild adventures. He returned to the United States in 1846, but was soon after sent to the coast of Africa, where he narrowly escaped death from fever. After his recovery he went to Mexico, as a volunteer in the Mexican war, earning the title of Colonel. He then went to Salt Lake, returning soon after to Council Bluffs. On the Grinnel expedition in search of Dr. Franklin, he was appointed as naturalist, and after his return published the results of the natural history of the voyage in two superb volumes. In October of 1856 he sailed for England, in the hope of regaining lost health, and thence he sailed to Havana, where he died February 16, 1857. On his return eastward from Salt Lake City, he remained, for a long period, at Council Bluffs, suffering greatly from severe sickness. During his residence in that place the only abodes were tents, not even a log house having yet been erected on the site of that present growing city. When the place was founded, and a name desired, what better could be done than give it the name of him who was so prominent a man, and destined to afterward become famous for his voyages to the frozen ocean?

Kanesville was a most important point to the early settlers of Mills county. The general government had, at an early day, erected a flouring mill for the benefit of the Indians on Mosquito creek, and this mill was the main source of supplies for some years. Another feature of value to the early settlers was the gun shop at Kanesville, which the government also kept in operation in behalf of the red men. When supplies were needed, when that necessary of pioneer life-the rifle-required repairs, Kanesville was the objective point, and thither the pioneer farmer went. Previously to the coming of the Mormons there were no pioneers in the

*This place has long since been washed away by the Missouri. The same fate was the lot of Bethlehem, the present east Plattsmouth, the town of the present being situated far to the eastward of its older site. St. Mary's shared a like fate.

county who could properly be called settlers. The first white man, who afterwards became identified with the county's earlier history, was Henry Allis. In 1851 he was missionary in behalf of the American Board of Foreign Missions to the Pawnees in Nebraska, and in 1836 was known to have been in this county at Trader's Point. He found here at that time Colonel Peter A. Sarpy, who was engaged in trading with the Indians at a point on the Missouri river near the site of old St. Mary's. Sarpy had been in the county at least two years prior to this time; he remained for many years, and at length became noted as a ferryman over the Missouri. His was the first steam ferry established on the Missouri north of Nebraska City. He died in January, 1855.

Until 1846 there were no additions to the white population of the county. As has been above narrated, that year witnessed the advent of many persons of the Mormon faith coming originally from Illinois. Among them were Rufus O. Jackson, Franklin Stuart, A. J. Stuart, Otho Wells, James Eldridge, Frank Eastman, Almond Williams, R. K. Hamar, Russell Rogers, Joseph Harker, George Gates and William Britain. These persons all settled along Keg creek, at a point which they named Rushville; William Britain was perhaps the very first man to locate at that point, and may justly be regarded as the oldest and first settler in the county. He is still living, at an advanced age, in Oak township, hale and hearty, and proud to be considered one of the few who helped to redeem Mills county from a wilderness. The town or borough of Rushville had a very short existence. It died almost as soon as it was born, and the place that once knew it will know it no more forever. Later in the same year there came to Lyons township* Messrs. Rix, Whittle, Eggleston, Matthews, McDonald, Burns, Steel, Burdick, Baker, Woth and Rooks, all of whom were Mormons, and the most of whom came from Illinois. Later, a number of the Rushville people went on to Utah, whither the majority of the Nauvoo population had gone. Joseph Harker and George Gates, who have both been previously mentioned, built log cabins in the southwest part of the county, near where Egypt was, and these are supposed to be the oldest houses erected for dwelling purposes next to that of William Britain. The year 1846 was a momentous one for this county. The coming of the Mormons and increase of population brought the usual circumstances of birth and death. The first child born in the county was A. J., son of A. J. and Eunice Stuart, which event occurred in October of this year. So far as known, this the only birth of the year. The peculiar doctrines of the Mormon faith were presented by James Eastman, an elder of that faith and the first preacher in the county, if we except the visit of Henry Allis, the missionary. The place of service was

*In this and all other mention of townships their area as at present defined is meant. The townships were not so named at the date of first settlement.

a log cabin at Rushville. It is interesting to note in this connection that the settlers did not await the erection of houses consecrated to divine worship, but gathered at one another's homes to listen to the tenets of their various faiths. Gathered from every land and speaking many tongues, the earliest people of Mills county entered heartily into the exercises imposed by the new departure. The quaint and curious but interesting services of the Mormon church were the very first ever held in this county. This year of 1846 should also be remembered as the one in which the first ferry over the Missouri was established. Its eastern terminus was at Trader's Point, and the owner was Colonel Peter A. Sarpy. He seized upon the necessities of the newly arrived Mormons as a means to enrich his purse, and carried over all who came through this portion of Iowa on their way to the Promised Land.

The year 1847 was marked by two features deserving of mention. First, a large number of those who settled at Rushville and its vicinity recommenced their weary march to Utah. Second, those who remained scattered to various parts of the county, and were further strengthened in numbers by many of their brethren from Kanesville and vicinity. In April of this year, W. H. Shepperson located in Silver Creek township, and broke the first sod that plow ever touched in that neighborhood. There came to Indian Creek township in the same year H. Abel, Joseph Fletcher, and Lewis Dalrymple, from the eastern portion of the state. Mr. Abel located on what is now known as the Betts farm; the others located on Silver Creek, but the precise point cannot be determined. Mr. Abel came from Hancock county, Illinois. The only settlement of moment in this year, was Cutler's Camp, on the farm of Daniel Hews, along Indian Creek. A number of persons under Alpheus Cutler there located, but a permanent settlement was not contemplated. Many of them under the same leader subsequently moved within the borders of Fremont county, and founded the old village of Manti. The first settler within the present limits of Rawles township came also in the year 1847. His name was Joseph Rawles, and from him the township was called. He came from St. Joseph, Missouri, and laying out his claim on section six, made the first farm in that township. Subsequently he went to California, where he died. William Bickmore also settled in Rawles township, but finally removed to Salt Lake City. Whether he improved any land is not known. In the present limits of Center township a farm was commenced by Sterling Davis, who was probably the first white settler in that township. The second birth in the county, and that of the first female child was the daughter of William and Mary Britain, Caroline L., now Mrs. Dewell. She was born in a log house at or near Rushville, January 12. Among other incidents of a notable character connected with this year is that of the first death in the county. Rev. James Eastman died and was buried

at Rushville on Keg Creek. The monument or headstone erected to his memory is almost the sole relic of a town of which few of the living residents of the county ever heard, and that fewer still have ever seen. On this first monument ever placed at the grave of any person in the county of Mills, is simply inscribed "J. Eastman, died April 10th, 1847, aged 60 years." The headstone is native limestone, and was probably obtained at the exposure of native rock along the Missouri bluffs. There were two schools started in this year, but which has priority in point of time, it is impossible to determine. A man named McCarthy taught one of them, and his compensation was some fifteen dollars a month, most of which was paid in provisions, from which we may reasonably infer the school was a private enterprise and conducted on the subscription plan. No locality is assigned for its position. Mrs. Spencer, whose husband was then absent in the Mexican war, taught the very first school in Silver Creek township in this same year. The school was in her own dwelling. That of McCarthy was held in the first school-house, erected this same year, and was, perhaps, at or near Rushville. The number of pupils whom he instructed was some twenty-five. Another, and the second death of the year, was that of Mrs. Freeman, who died on section thirty of Lyons township. The first physician in the county came in 1847, and was Libeus T. Coons, who afterwards became the founder of Coonville, and finally went to Utah. He came from the vicinity of Council Bluffs to this county, and to that locality from Nauvoo.

It would doubtless be a matter of extreme interest to trace the emotions and thoughts of these early residents were such a thing possible. They came, many of them, from the older and more populous east; left behind them all the advantages of a high civilization, the comforts of pleasant homes, friends and associations made doubly dear by long and constant intercourse. They came to what? Hardships and toil, but for these they cared little. There were hopes to be realized, plans to be developed, farms to make and homes to build. Whatever of romance we may wish to attach to their lives, there was little in reality. Their coming, it should be remembered, was not always a matter of election. They did not come to a land then a wilderness altogether from choice, but because stern necessity made it imperative. Some of them were driven from pleasant homes for religion's sake. Others came because the population of the eastern states was rapidly increasing through imigration, and the stern law of increase made removal necessary. They came hither because the west offered more extended opportunities and contained the promise and potency of success in life. V

In the year 1848, the population of the county was subject to the same increase as in the year next preceding. There was no great influx of population, such as had occurred in 1846, but it was more slow and des

tined to be come permanent. There came to Silver Creek in this year Greenberry Jones, Daniel Moody, William Wolf, Jonathan Kerns, Noah Cotton, and Benjamin F. Merritt. The last named came from the state of North Carolina. Among the inhabitants of Silver Creek there had been up to this time no physician. But now came a Doctor Spurgeon, from Missouri, who was the first to care for the sick and sore distressed. In the same year Washington Lewis located in Indian Creek township, and is thus entitled to be called one of its earliest settlers. The first gentile preacher in the county dates his advent from 1848, and was the Rev. Martindale, who held services in Lyons township in the interests of the Methodist Episcopal faith. In the neighboring township of Rawles, matters of very great interest were transpiring. The first school had been opened on section seven by Eli Withrow, who came from Fremont county; the weaknesses to which flesh is heir had been treated by the first resident physician, Dr. John Scott, who was also the postmaster at Wahbonsie P. O., instituted that year but now extinct. Among the newcomers, as settlers, to Rawles in 1848, were A.'H. Berger, James Woodland, and Samuel Berger, the last named coming from Cedar county, Missouri. The only event of note in Silver Creek township was the building of the first school house, a log structure erected by the citizens and at no cost whatever except that of the labor necessary. In Anderson occurred the first male birth in the township, that of Charles, son of William and Maria Matthews. In Platteville township there had located the first settler, a man named O'Neal, who came from Hocking county, Ohio. The first cloth known to have been woven in the county was this year made by Mrs. Holman, who resided about two miles southwest of Glenwood. The foundations of Coonville were laid in this year, by Libeus T. Coon, Silas Hilman, Ira Hilman, William Britain, G. N. Clark, and a number of others, who were attracted by the beautiful site of the town. J. W. Coolidge had come in the earlier part of the year, from near the present city of Council Bluffs, and had found a suitable location near Keg creek, southeast of old Coonville.* While many other facts of minor importance occurred, evidencing the substantial growth in prosperity and population, none of them are worthy of especial mention. All had more or less influence in shaping the after destiny of the county, but they were the usual experiences of life.

The year 1849 was ushered in when spring opened by the coming of James Berger and Mrs. Nancy Berger, to Rawles township. The first school of that year opened at the house of Dr. Scott, and he taught the pupils gathered under his charge in the interval of his more strictly professional duties. The school was conducted on the subscription plan, for

*All other facts pertaining to the early settlement and growth of Coonville will be found in the history of Glenwood.