The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-08-04
Historical Sketches and Reminss-
Cences Of Lee County.



State Historical Society, am preparing some
sketches Of early life in Lee county, while it
was yet unorganised, and formed q part of
the Territory OF Michigan and Wisconsin,
which will hand you for publication, il you
desire.
The first sale OF lots occurred on the 18th
of September, 1886, in the village of West
Point. The town was laid OF in the spring
OF that year, by Abraham Hunsaker, who had
given away few lots, and probably sold q
few, previous to disposing of bis interest In
the plat. 10 May VIM. Patterson, A. H.
Walker, Green Casey and Hawkins Taylor
bought out the town: that is to saw, thew
bought out the right to "squat'' on it and
hold possession until dispossessed by the
United States. AT that time not single
base or township line had been run in the
territory Of what now constitutes the State
of Iowa, but the settlers interest and hon.
esty established law which was effectual
between themselves and against outsiders, so
that oil felt certain Of obtaining their land
government sale, and none were ever disap-
pointed.
Atthe time Patterson, Walker & 90. bought
out the town, there was but ten acres Of
fenced land in sight. The town consisted OF
one log house IA by l6 feet on the ground,
one story high, made of split hickory logs,
with rough boards nailed over the cracks
In this house store was kept, the stock con-
sisting of one barrel of whisky, three bolts
OF calico, one box of candy, and few pounds
OF coffee and sugar. Now there are proba-
bly, not less than $4,000 to 100000 acres in
the same neighborhood, with good brick and
frame dwellings, barns and orchards, and
every thing that makes life desirable and q
people independent and happy.
On the 18th Of September, 1886, Paster-
son, Walker Co. made public sale Of lots.
All OF the proprietors being temperance men,
In place OF providing whisky for the sale they
made barbecue, roasted an OK, with sup
ply OF lambs, and prepared pleasant repast.
There was plenty to eat, and it was well
relished by those who ate IL. At the sale
there were about one hundred and ffty per
sons. Where they came from it was hard 10
tell. They were generally rough, uncouth
mostly dressed in hunting shirts, nearly al
With guns, but true and faithful men. No,
many came to buy lots, but to see who wa,
in the country, swap horses, have few sorut
races II fair chance offered, try each other,
skill as marksnen, tell yarns abou. the earl,
adventures Of the settlement, Indians, "Ele
nois," 6c., and have good time generally
And good time they had. No one wa
drunk. There were no fights, but little pro
Family, with an abundance Of good feeling
The sale was satisfactory to the proprietors
and the dinner 10 the people.
The gross amount Of the sale was owe
$4,000. The following persons were tn
purchasers: Col. VIM. Patterson, Hawkin
Taylor, James Stotts, G. E. Stone. G. w
CLARK, y. D. Ayres, Roland Grant, james d
Shaw. John Creel. Cyrus poase. Wax
or, Green Casey, j. A. Casey. Beniam,
Brastain, $. W. Weaver, John Sparks, WIN
ID. Walker, Nathaniel H. Knapp, Henry u
Davis, and 4. P. Creel. OF this list. Jane
Stotts, Il. d. Ayres, Roland Grant, Job
Creei, Green Casey, S. W. Weaver. Nathan
lei Ii. Knapp and Henry ID. Davis are dead
Dol. Knapp was killed by Hendershott, abou
the year 1888 or %, at Bentonsport, and b
some kind OF lcgerdemain Hendershott az
capped the penalty Of the law and left III
country. Weaver Was hung by "a mob i
Texas, on a charge of which ho was entirel
innocent. The crash Of 1887 to 40 left him
like many others, with more debts ,ha
money, and he concluded to go to Texas /
better bis condition. There he commence
buying horses and driving them TO Louisi