CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII. GERMANY'S CONTRIBUTION. From "Der Faderland" came many to Muscatine County-Their impress upon social and commercial affairs-Founder of the button industry a GermanChurches, schools, societies of their founding-Patriotic, a host of brave sons fought for the Union-The German Press-Bands and breweries. .265 CHAPTER XIV. THE COUNTY SEAT. Muscatine incorporated as a town in 1839-Receives new charter in 1851One of the most beautiful cities on the Mississippi-Its first settlersTrading cabin-"Casey's Landing"-Now a city of over sixteen thousand inhabitants-What some of them have accomplished-City government and public utilities.. .282 CHAPTER XV. CHURCHES AND PARISHES. The pioneer settlers' thoughts early turned toward the church-First devotional exercises held in a cabin-Trinity church first Masonic building in Iowa-Muscatine a city of Christian people and many beautiful church edifices-History of the various religious bodies.. CHAPTER XVI. EDUCATIONAL. ..309 Schools in Muscatine County of a high order-First one taught in "Wapsi” in 1839 Interesting sketch of early schools by the late Professor Witter -Professor Chevalier compiles data to complete history-No. I school in olden days as remembered by Alice Walton Beatty. CHAPTER XVII. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. The first physicians endured hardships and were poorly paid-Pills and quinine composed the pioneer doctor's pharmacoepia-Placed great reliance on the lancet and bled his patient with or without provocationSome of the first physicians practicing in the county.. CHAPTER XVIII. BENCH AND BAR. The profession of the law-Diverting incidents relating to certain of the early lawyers-Many of them men of great ability—T. S. Parvin first applicant admitted to the bar in Iowa-First member of congress from Iowa was of this bar-Present member in congress also a Muscatine lawyerPioneer bench and bar-A fashionable quadrille and an Indian war dance 342 .353 .363 CHAPTER XIX. JOURNALISM. This community ably served by the press-In the front rank of present day equipment, make-up and quantity and quality of news-Editorial writers of statewide reputation-The Journal "older than the state of Iowa"The News-Tribune.... CHAPTER XX. BANKS AND BANKERS. Financial concerns of Muscatine County-Early banks and bankers-In the "Forties" currency chiefly consisted of county orders-Deposits in Muscatine banks over five million-Recollections of a pioneer banker... CHAPTER XXI. TRANSPORTATION. Building of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad-Of the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad-First train into Muscatine and grand celebration of the event-Other railroads-The street railway... CHAPTER XXII. ASSOCIATIONS. Old Settlers' Association organized in 1856–Sketches of the fifteen original members-Fraternal orders-Masons build first temple in Iowa-City of many fraternal orders and societies-The women have theirs, too....... CHAPTER XXIII. LOOKING UPWARD. Public and semi-public institutions for religious advancement and uplift of the community-P. M. Musser public library-Young Men's Christian Association-Young Women's Christian Association-Hershey Memorial Hospital-Bellevue Hospital-Old Ladies' Home-German Lutheran Orphans' and Old People's Home... 383 .400 .409 .420 .436 CHAPTER XXIV. CHRONOLOGY. Record of events from 1834 to 1910-Some things may be missing but that's to be expected-This is a chapter of concentrates put up for the time saver ..446 History of Muscatine County CHAPTER I. HISTORIC IOWA. FOUR SCORE YEARS AGO-THE RED MAN, WILD GAME AND VIRGIN PRAIRIE—ADVENT OF THE WHITE MAN AND HIS WAYS INDIAN CONFLICTS AND INDIAN TREATIES IOWA TERRITORY BECOMES A STATE-ITS TOPOGRAPHY AND PUBLIC INSTI TUTIONS. Four score years ago all that part of the great and beautiful state of Iowa, of which the county of Muscatine is a part, was practically terra incognita, a vast wilderness, given over by the Almighty to wild beasts, birds of the air and their masters, the Indians, who roamed the plains and forests at will, claiming and securing an existence from the bounteous hand of nature. Here the deer, buffalo and other fur bearing animals found a habitat, and the main streams gave generously of the palatable fish. The red man had no care for the morrow. No thought came to him that his possessions would ever be disturbed by the pale face. So he continued his dreams. The hunt was his daily avocation, broken in upon at intervals by a set-to with a hostile tribe of aborigines, that was always cruel and bloody in its results and added spoils to the victor and captives for torture. He knew not of the future and cared less. But the time was coming, was upon him, when he was called upon to make way for a stronger and a progressive race of men; when the fair land, that was his birthright, and his hunting grounds, resplendent with the gorgeous flower and emerald sod, must yield to the husbandman. The time had come for the buffalo, deer and elk to seek pastures new, that the alluvial soil might be turned to the sun and fed with grain, to yield in their seasons the richest of harvests. It is hard for the present generation to realize the rapid pace of civilization on the western continent in the past one hundred years; and when one confines his attention to the advancement of the state of Iowa in the past seventy-five years, his amazement is all the more intense. Evidences of progress are on every hand as one wends one's way across the beautiful state. Manufacturing plants are springing up hither and yon; magnificent edifices for religious worship point their spires heavenward; schoolhouses, colleges, and other places of learning and instruction make the state stand out prominently among her sis 5 |