Mr. Otis Whittemore, under date of April 3d, writes some interesting
reminiscences of early history on Bowen's Prairie, from which we quote:
This part of the county of Jones, called Bowen's Prairie, has as
early a history as any portion of the county. On the 1st day of May,
1836, Hugh Bowen, in company with Joshua Johnson, came and struck their
tent, being the first white settlers upon this Prairie, and in honor of
Mr. Hugh Bowen it was given his name by the old settlers. In 1838 or
1839 the first meeting was held in the cabin of Barrett Whittemore for
the purpose of orgnizing the county of Jones. The first election that
was held in this county was held in the same cabin and the vote cast was
eleven. This was the sum total of all the votes cast in the county at
their first election for delegates to represent them in the Territorial
legislature. A number of those voters came from the south side of the
Wapsipinicon river.
In 1840 Barrett Whittemore built the first
school house in the county. It was on his premises and he opened school
with some sixteen scholars June 21st, 1841. The first term of this
school was thirty-five weeks, and the series of books used was
McGuffey's.
The township lines were run near this date, and three
or four of the northern townships were included in our precinct for
elections, which were held at the cabin of Joseph Green, about a half
mile west of the present village of Bowen's Prairie. The elections were
held at the same place up to the time Iowa became a state. Forty votes
was about an average at that time in the precinct that now comprises the
townships of Castle Grove, Monticello and Richland.
Mr. David
Graham built the first brick house in the county.
Bowen's
Prairie, in or about the year 1837, was surveyed by the Government and
after the township lines were run, Township 76, north 2 west of the
Principal Meridian took the name of Richland, and included most of the
seettlers of Bowen's Prairie.
In June, 1840, the land sales took
place at Dubuque. Barrett Whittemore was selected to bid off the lands
here for the old settlers. Two sections of land were bid off by him at a
time. No jumping of claims was allowed by the old settlersof this part
of the county.
The first frame barn was erected by Hugh Bowen in
the year 1844. The same year Otis Whittemore and J. H. Eaton put up the
first frame house in this part of the county. The number of heads of
families now comprising Richland township, are as follows, being
residents here before Iowa became a state. They were: Wm. C. Johnston,
Moses Collins, Charles Johnston, Thomas Dennison, Wm. Moore, Thomas
Dixon, John O. Sullivan, John Williamson, Robert Snowden, George
Snowden, William Brazelton, Frank Dawson, Fletcher Burnight, William
Tibbits, Mr. Van Sant, David Graham, Mr. Allaway, William Hines, Samuel
Hines, James Miller, Alexander Laughlin, George White, Otis Whittemore.
The single men were: Hugh Bowen, Barrett Whittemore, Joshua
Johnston, John Taylor, J. H. Eaton, Gillaspie Laughlin, J. P. Tibbits,
James Henderson, William Mickeljohn, Asa Allaway, William Dawson.
