Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-10-15
STATISTICS, &c, Of VAN BUREN,
COUNTY,.


IRENE Southwest corner Of the present
organized part OF the Territory.
The eastern boundary is about 90
miles from the Mississippi river, its
southern boundary adjoins the State Of
Missouri. and it extends west to the lndi.
an boundary line. This county is "a
miles in length from East to West by
QO4 miles in width from North to South,
md contains an area Of about 496 square
miles. or 31o,764 acres. The land is a.
bout equally divided into prairie and tim
ber. and is we'll watered by the Des
Moines river (which passes diagonally
tn rough the county from the northwest
to the southeast corner) and its tribnta-
rics. All Of the land, with the exception
Of three townships, has been offered at
public sale by the Government, and OF
that offered, about four tifihs has been
purchased. The amount Of school land
is about G,953 acres.
The population Of this county in May
1893, was 3, ia, and in June 1910, 6, LAG,
being about one person to-e,ery SO acres
Of land in the county, or IS persons to a
square mile. The number Of votes poll
ed at the election in August last was up
wards Of 1000.
By. the census returns Of June 1910,
there were l,505 persons engaged in Ag.
r:cultural pursuits, ~ in commerce, Isl
in mans(acturea and trades, and 10 in
the learned professions. Tire number Q!
primary schools was 6, at which we're
taught 1873 scholars, and the number Of
persons who.could not read and write was
600. The number Of horses and mules
in this county at that time was TIA, the
number Of nca, cattle s ,364,-of sheep e.
667, Of swine 1881; and the value Of
poultry was $l,6Ol. The number Of
bushels Of wheat was 1888, Of barley 8,
Of oats 1914, Of rye 40, Of buckwI.eat
1,O4G, Of corn--15l,48l. The. number
Of pounds Of wool produced was 2,6lO,
Of hops IL, and Of wax SIG. The number
Of. bushels Of potatoes raised was is, so,
the number Of tons Of hay was 1,O42, Of
flax "A tons. Thequantity oltobacco pro-
duced was 1909 pounds, and quantity Of
sugar made was 6,869 pounds. TIE val
NC of home made goods was $l,748.
The number Of dry goods, grocery and
other stores was Is, with an invested
capital Of S24, 200. The value Of skins
and furs was $e42. The value Of hme
and brick manufactured was 5000.
There were 800 sides Of leather manu-
featured, and $3.50 worth Of earthern
ware. There we're 10 grist mills and IL
saw mills in operation, with an invested
capital Of $4,000; and the total capital
invested in manufactures was So 1886.
The value Of improved farms in this
county is from 5 to Sis per acre-thc
land on the Des Moines river being the
most valuable, and in the greatest de-
mand. The farms in Van Buren, county
are generally Of smaller size than
those in the other counties, particularly
those lying on the riycr,) and consequent
" are better cultivated.
This county has the advantage Of be-
ing accessible to market, by means OF
the Des Moines river, which in the
spring and fall seasons will admit Of be-
ing nayigatcd by steam boats and other
craft, on which the farmer can ship his
surplus produce to St. Louis or New Or
leans.
There arc several 1ourishing towns on
the Des Moins river, at all Of which
there is good water power and IN most Of
them there are grist and saw mills in
operation. The following are the names
OF the principal towns: Pennington, Bo-
napart, New Lexington, Bentonsport,
Columbus, keosau1ua, he seat OF Justice
Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Iowaville.
Coal has been found in different parts
Of the county. and in some PAGES III con
siderable quantities. It has in a great
measure already superseded the use Of
charcoal and will, without doubt, some
day become all article OF export from that
county.
Van Buren, has The largest population
Of any county in the Territory, and also
possesses as great agricultural advantages
as those Of any other county.
The following is a list Of the members
Of the Legislature from that county, and
Of the County Officers Tor the year l84as
John ID Gilbert and Jas. II. Jenkins,
members Of the Council; and Samue!
Swearingen, Hickey D. Barton and Isaac
N. Lewis, members Of the House. Aired
NJ. Lyon, Sheriff; Elisha Cutler, jr.,
Clerk ofthe Court; Jacob Lane. Recorder
Of Deeds; Philip Har,zcll, Treasurer;
| Andrew Leach, Assessor; Washington
Mcknight, Coroner; Jesse Wright, David
Ferguson and VIM. S. Whitaker, County
Commissioners; and Ezra NJ. Jones,
Clerk OF tho Board Of County Co minis
sioners.
CID. G. Garnsey, Receiver Of Public
Moneys at Dixon, Ills. has stopped the
upper Mississippian" paper priated
i NJ that ,,lncos Enr h. yin ~oynnsci' HE n,,h