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From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875
Marion is the fifth county from the Mississippi, in the third tier from the south line of the state, and corners with Polk County, lying southeast.
The "New Purchase" made by treaty with the Sacs and Foxes in the Autumn of 1842, at Agency, included the territory of Marion County. The right of occupation of the territory as far west as Red Rock was given to white settlers May 1, 1843 but they were not permitted to occupy the remainder until October 10, 1845. Prior to May 1, 1843, there were, however, several trading posts within the limits of Marion County. One known as "Phelps' Trading House" was near the eastern border, and was kept by William Phelps. Others were established at Red Rock, or in the vicinity, by John Jordan, Gaddis & Nye, Turner, and Shaw. One of these trading posts, near that of Phelps, was probably the first habitation occupied by white people in the county. They were located temporarily, following the Indians as they receded from the advancing settlements.
The last day of April, 1843, found here encamped at different places persons who, having chosen their locations, awaited the day on which they could occupy them and commence improvements; for the garrison, whose duty it was to keep them off the territory until the first day of May, did not exercise much vigilance. Accordingly, the moment the prohibition expired these persons were ready to commence "staking and blazing" their chosen claims, which they were obliged to do to define their boundaries, as the land was not surveyed. The following named persons settled at that time in what is now Lake Prairie Township; John B. Hamilton, Ose Mattheus, Sr., Doctors Reuben and Homer Mattheus, Simpson B. Warren, Ose Mattheus, Jr., George Reynolds, Ray Alfrey, Green T. Clark, Robert Hamilton, Henry McPherson and George Gillaspy. In what is now Red Rock Township were John D. Bedell, Amos Shaw, John H. Mikesell, Joel Worth, David B. Worth, James Scott, Israel Nichols. John W. Alley, Elihu Alley, Claiborn Hall, S. B. Mattheus, Nathan Tallman, Druillard Shoemaker, William Williams and his sons—John, George, Joshua and James.
Among others who also located claims at or about the same time, were Lysander W. Babbitt, Andres Foster, Matthew Ruple, David Durham, Francis A. Barker, Thomas Long, John Wise, James Price, David Tice, Allen Tice, Andrew Metz and the Wilsons.
Lysander W. Babbitt, who afterwards became prominent in the early history of the county, in company with two others, came down the Des Moines River in a canoe, in the Spring of 1843, having been on a trapping expedition to its head waters, where they passed the precious Winter. They reached Coalport on the first day of May, where Mr. Babbitt remained long enough to make a claim upon the present site of the village, and then repaired to Burlington for his wife, returning soon afterwards to his claim.
During the first year about seventy families settled in the county. They came mostly in companies, and settled in neighborhoods, which were usually designated by the name of some leading member, or from their locality, as the English settlement, the Tong, the Bluffington, the White Breast, the Red Rock settlement. The subsequent division of the county into election precincts seems to have been made to accommodate these settlements, which have long since expanded and united with others.
The first improvements were necessarily very limited. The immigrants were usually poor people; and had they been otherwise, lumber and other necessaries were to be found only at almost inaccessible distances. Half faced structures, known as "cat faced" sheds or "wickeups," were frequently met with, while a dwelling fourteen feet square, made of round logs, roofed with bark or clapboards, and floored with puncheons, was a pretentious residence. The single wagon brought, in many cases, besides the family, their entire stock of household furniture, provisions to last until a fresh supply could be obtained, and the few tools indispensable in making the first improvements-generally an ax, auger and plow-so the furnishing was in keeping with the dwelling. The crop of the first year usually comprised only a few acres of corn, planted on newly broken prairie, and hence denominated sod corn, and a few potatoes and turnips. The only man who is known to have raised enough corn in the first year of the settlement of Marion County for his own consumption until another crop, was James Price, who broke and planted nine acres.
During the season of 1844 the population of the county was materially increased in numbers by fresh immigration; but a partial failure of crops that season obliged many to procure the grain necessary for their subsistence nearly a hundred miles eastward, and occasioned considerable privation. At first there were no mills nearer than Brighton and Keosauqua, whither they had to take their grain for grinding, over roads often flooded and extremely difficult of travel. But soon there was a mill erected near Oskaloosa, and then Andrew Foster, who erected a saw mill on English Creek in 1844, added to it an apparatus for grinding corn. Other rudely constructed contrivances, both for sawing and grinding, were erected at various places, and, for the want of better, served a good purpose for the time being.
The pioneers were at first beyond the administration and jurisdiction of civil law, but they found it necessary to adopt some regulations among themselves to avoid disputes and settle difficulties in relation to the area and location of their claims, but more particularly to defend their possessions against the rapacity of sharpers unscrupulous enough to enter their lands as soon as they should be brought into market. This was done by means of associations known as claim associations, each governed by a written constitution and by-laws. These associations, which were really the first form of civil law and order established among the pioneers, have sometimes been represented as inimical or hostile to the civil law, but this opinion arises from ignorance of the real position which they occupied. They were designed to exist only until the protection of ordinary law could be extended to the country, and then passed away without any conflict whatever with, or show of resistance to, lawful authority, except in very rare cases, when the arm of the law was invoked, for some technical reason, in behalf of injustice. Such an exception was that of the disturbance created by Jacob H. Majors, who, although himself a member of an association, in 1847, when the land was brought into market, having money at his disposal, first entered his own claim, and afterwards several tracts claimed by others, in defiance of the rules of the club. Several clubs convened and compelled him to make restitution. Majors, highly incensed, procured indictments against several of the parties for this coercion, but a coat of tar and feathers, administered by colored persons, led him to desist in the prosecution.
Prior to its organization Marion was attached to Washington, and subsequently to Mahaska County. In 1843 several election precincts were formed by Washington County in the sparsely settled district attached to it. One of them, called Lake Precinct, included a large portion of Marion, and an election was held in the Fall. In 1844,on the occasion of the organization of Mahaska County, several precincts were formed within the limits of Marion, and Stephen Druillard, who lived on White Breast prairie, was chosen one of the commissioners of Mahaska, at the April election of that year. At the same election each precinct chose justices and constables. The last election held in connection with Mahaska County was in August, 1845.
The first movement to secure a separate county organization was made in the Spring of 1845. A meeting was held at the house of Nathan Bass, on Lake Prairie (in nw. cor. Sec. 19, tp, 76, rang 18,) by prominent citizens of the county, who, after considerable debate, selected the name of MARION and recommended Joseph Druillard for organizing sheriff. An act for the organization of the county was accordingly passed by the Territorial Legislature and received the approval of the Governor June 10, 1845. The act provided for an election of county officers on the first Monday in September following, assigned the Sheriff of Mahaska County—Mr. Edmonson-the duties of organizing officer to give the proper notices of election, and appointed Ezra M. Jones, of Van Buren County; Joseph Robinson, of Scott; and James Montgomery, of Wapello, commissioners to locate the seat of justice, and assigned the county to the second judicial district.
Two of the commissioners—Robinson and Montgomery—met and selected the northwest quarter of section seven, township seventy-five, range nineteen, as their location of the seat of justice, and suggested the name of Knoxville, in honor of Gen. Knox, of Revolutionary fame. Their report is dated August 25, 1845.
At the election in September about two hundred votes were cast. Choice was made of Conrad Walters, Wm. Welch, and David Durham, as County Commissioners; Sanford Doud, Commissioners' Clerk; Francis A. Barker, probate Judge; James Walters, Sheriff; James T. Durham, Treasurer; Reuben Lowry, Recorder; Isaac B. Power, Surveyor; Green T. Clark, Assessor; Wellington Nassaman, Coroner.
The Board of Commissioners met on the 12th day of September, at the place designated as the county seat. The room in which they met is described as a "claim pen made of linn poles, about twelve by sixteen feet square, chinked and daubed, covered with clapboards, and a hole cut in the side wall for a window." The clerk elect being absent, Lysander W. Babbitt was appointed in his stead and the first records of the county are in his handwriting. The commissioners had their session duly opened as a court by Deputy Sheriff L. C. Conray. The name of Knoxville was duly adopted for the county seat, and the county surveyor was directed to survey and plat it into lots.
On the second Monday in October the Board again met and directed a sale of lots, which took place on the 21st of the month. A second sale was held in April, 1846. The proceeds of these sales were absorbed by the expenses of location and survey, and some necessary conveniences for the offices, and as no taxes were collected until the Winter of 1846-7, the county finances were very low. L. C. Conray held the site of the county seat prior to its location, but gratuitously yielded it to the county. It was supposed that enough revenue could be spared from the sale of lots to purchase the land of the government as soon as it should be subject to entry, but such was the prevailing poverty that two hundred dollars could not be raised. In January, 1847, Thos. Pollock was appointed agent to borrow the money, but failed to obtain it. In this emergency Dr. Weir, of Fairfield, entered it, giving the county time to raise the money.
In the Spring of 1846 was begun the erection of a two-story frame building, 24x30 feet, for a court house. Lewis M. Pearce was the contractor. The building was not finished until some time in 1848. A substantial court house was erected in 1858. It is a commodious brick building 48x70. The ground floor is divided into offices. The upper story is devoted to court and jury rooms. The cost of the building was $19,000; it stands in the center of a well enclosed square, surrounded by a fine growth of forest trees.
On the 12th of March, 1846, Judge Williams arrived for the purpose of holding court. The court was held in a small log building temporarily provided for the purpose, the jury occupying an adjacent lumber pile, where they retired to deliberate. Edward H. Thomas was prosecuting attorney. The first case was one which came up on an appeal from a justice court. It was entitled "United States vs. Henry Hall." The complaint was assault and battery. The case was dismissed and defendant discharged. "United States vs. F. M. Clipton," and "Edward H. Thomas vs. Mahaska County," appear of record at this term, which lasted three days.
On the second day of March, 1846, the county was divided into eight election precincts, as follows; Lake, Red Rock, Gopher Prairie, Pleasant Grove, Knoxville, English, Round Grove, and Cedar. Judges were appointed for each precinct.
The first assessment was made in the Spring of 1846, by George Gillaspy. As all the land still belonged to the government of course none but personal property was assessed. The first taxes were collected the following Winter.
The township and range lines had been run prior to the organization of the county, but the survey of the townships into section and quarters was not commenced until the Winter of 1846-7, and was not completed until some time thereafter. The south side of the county was assigned to the Fairfield Land District, and the north half to the Iowa City Land District. The first entry was made by Josiah Brobst, in May, 1847, but it was not until 1848 that any great amount was entered. The greater part of the land was taken up between the years 1850 and 1855. In 1860 there was no government land remaining.
A weekly mail route was established between Oskaloosa and Knoxville July 1, 1846. David T. Durham was the carrier, and gratuitously performed two trips in the month of June before the commencement of his contract. About the time this contract was let a post office was established at Knoxville, of which Lysander W. Babbitt was post master until 1849. The office was at his house, where the first mail arrived in June. A post office had been previously established on Jake Prairie by that name, and Augustus Blair was appointed post master, but failing to qualify, William Stanley was appointed. The last appointment, however, was after the one at Knoxville. Mr. Stanley was succeeded by A. B. Miller, who took charge of the office until its removal to Pella in the Winter of 1847-8. Prior to the location of these offices the nearest post office was Oskaloosa.
In 1846 John Conrey, of Knoxville, was chosen delegate to the convention which met at Iowa City to frame a state constitution, representing besides Marion the Counties of Jasper, Iowa, Poweshiek, Warren, Polk, and all the territory attached to them within the bounds of the "New Purchase." Mr. Conrey was the candidate of the Democratic Party.
In August, 1846, Hugh Glen and Samuel Tibbett were elected in place of Walters and Welch on the board of commissioners, and prior to 1851, when the office was abolished and that of county judge substituted, the following persons were elected; Thomas Pollock, in 1847; Martin Neel, 1848; Miles Jordan, 1849; James M. Brous, 1850. Joseph Probst was first county judge. He was elected in 1851, and re-elected in 1853. F. M. Frush was elected as his successor in 1855, and held the office by re-election until January 1, 1861, when the functions of the office were transferred to a board of supervisors by a second change in the law.
On the night of February 9, 1867, the safe in the treasurer's office was broken open and robbed of $32,471.81 public funds. No important clue to the robbers was ever discovered, although suspicion attached for a time to the treasurer, whose name was Cunningham, and also to a man by the name of D'Armond, but legal proceedings were futile for want of evidence. The loss was severely felt by the county for a time.
In December, 1865, the county purchased a tract of 120 acres, two and a half miles southwest of Knoxville, for a poor farm, for the sum of $1,200, and commenced improvements. A large three-story frame house was erected thereon in 1866 at a cost of $4,450. Stables, out-buildings, and other improvements have since been added.
KNOXVILLE - The first settlers here were Luther C. Conrey, Lysander W. Babbitt, Lewis Pierce, and George Gillaspy. Dr. L. C. Conrey erected the first dwelling house.The citizens began early to display taste and care in planting trees and ornamenting their grounds. The town therefore presents a cheerful and attractive appearance often wanting in western cities and villages. It has many and great natural advantages, being located very near the geographical center of the county, in the midst of a densely populated and rapidly improving agricultural district unsurpassed in beauty and fertility, convenient to coal, timber, and building material of every description. Its inhabitants as a class are moral and enterprising, and promote good order, temperance and education. This now promises to be speedily overcome by a railroad in process of construction between Albia and Des Moines, making excellent connections with all the important north and south, east and west lines, in this part of the state.
PELLA - In 1846 an association was formed in Holland for the purpose of seeking homes in the new world for a colony made up from the middle and poorer classes of that country. The enterprise originated in the mind of Mr. Henry P. Scholte, and educated gentleman of liberal opinions and benevolent impulses, and a seceder from the established church of that country, born at Amsterdam in 1805. It was designed for the purpose of bettering the condition of those who might choose to avail themselves of the opportunity by emigration, as well as to secure greater social equality and religious freedom. The organization was arranged by meetings at Leersdam in July, and at Ulricht in December, 1846, consisting of Mr. Scholte as President; A. J. Betten, Vice President; Isaac Overcamp, Secretary; and a Board or Committee of Arrangements, composed of G. H. Overcamp, G. F. Lecoque, John Reedfeldt, and A. Wigny. No profane, immoral or intemperate person, nor any avowed atheist, skeptic or Roman Catholic could become a member of the colony; and all members with sufficient means were required to take charge of one or more poor persons or families. In the Spring of 1847, the association embarked in sailing vessels and landed at Baltimore in June, whence they proceeded to St. Louis by rail and steamer. From this point Messrs. Scholte, Reedfeldt, and Isaac Overcamp were sent forward to select a location. At Fairfield, Iowa, these gentlemen were met by Rev. J. M. Post, who being well acquainted with the country guided them to Lake Prairie, Marion County, where they decided to locate. There were some sixty settlers on the tract, and it required some tact to secure all these claims without paying an extravagant price, but the agents succeeded in a few days in buying them all out, when they entered all the land in Jefferson and Grandview Townships on the "divide" between the Des Moines and Skunk Rivers. About 13,000 acres of this land were divided among the settlers, and as they did not take the rest off Mr. Scholte's hands it remained with him. A large temporary shed was put up for shelter until other dwelling places could be provided. A majority of the dwellings first made were constructed of prairie sod covered with thatching of long grass. A town was laid out by Mr. Scholte and others near the place where their first shed was erected, in the Spring of 1848, and named Pella, the City of Refuge. Others continued to follow the first company, and the colonists have scattered over the country more and more, while Americans have gone in until the population is quite mixed. The colonists are an honest and industrious class of people and they have been rewarded with abundant prosperity. Mr. Scholte, their honored patron, died August 25, 1868.
Marion County Courthouse
 Marion County was organized in 1845, but it would be a little over a year before the first courthouse was built. In 1846 a wood frame building was constructed for about $700 in Knoxville. It was used as a courthouse, school, and church for twelve years and was then sold for $928.
The second courthouse to be built in Knoxville cost approximately $20,000. It was a 48 by 70 foot brick building of two stories on a stone foundation. This courthouse stood for about 40 years until it was vacated because of its dangerous conditions.
The present courthouse was completed in 1896 at a cost of $80,000. Made of stone, it is a three-story structure with a tower containing a clock which at one time, could be heard to strike the hour through the entire city.
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