North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-06-09

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returned to Dubuque, disheartened and
discouraged. lie had exhausted a liberal
fortune in his efforts to impress tho
national mind with the Importance Of
taking speedy action upon this great oh.
ject +; pecuniury mlarrassments began to
loom up and weave around him their
entertainments. when his mind, yielding to
the throes Of dispondency. reeled from its
once brilliant pathway. and sinking to the
gloomy haunts Of dispair. with bis own
hand he terminated his career among mon,
at the city Of Dubuque, in May, 1857.
Such is our remembrance Of John Plumb,
ono of lowa's earliest pioneers. and while
his name is fast passing away from a
national remembrance, it may live in the
bahblng murmurs Of the Little stream we
have recorded, as long as its ripping
waters shall course their way along tho
windings Of its rocky he'd, canopied in its
forest solitude by the dropping foliage Of
the Elm, the Linden and the Mountain
Ash.
Having given the origin and interpre-
tation Of the names Of those streams which
empty into the Mississippi along the
eastern boundary of the county. we now
approach the tributaries Of Turkey river.
which are moro numerous and which
rermeate larger area Of the county.
About one mile from the mouth Of Tur-
key river a small but beautiful stream
empties into it, after winding its way for
the distance of four miles among the
rugged timbered bills that receda away
towards the South. Upon reaching the
river bottom, its waters become silens.
deep and ola blush color and in wind nc
it's clear. cold and sluggish course through
| the river bottom. it forms almost circle,
from which cirrumstanc it is known hy
the name of Blue Belt" ha ing received
this name from Col. William W. Wayman,
who was the first white man that settled
| in the county. having erected cabin near
the mouth of this stream in the fall of
1883. Col. Wayman. who died number
Of years since. We shall refer to more fully
when we reach the stream that preserves
his name.
About mile further up the river there
is small stream also lowing from the
south and known by the name Of "yoe's
Branch" This stream received it's nams
from Joseph 3. Quigley, who in 1886
made a claim location upon the river
bottom through which it winds. Mr..
Quigey is still resident Of the county,
being numbered among the most prosper.
Gus and af1unnt farmers in Highland
township. on the western boundary of the
county. We have nev.r met with a person
whose mechanical genius was more versa
tile and variable than his. During his
early years rs o resident Of the county, he
was millwright. tailor, cabinet maker,
milliner, shoemaker, carpenter, coo err.
maker, and we have sen him cut and
make Il calico dress for woman. In all
these varied arts he was recognized as =
master workman. Soon after he married
and became n father, he undertook TO
) invent new and more convenient p an
for diaperiny child, and failed since
! then his mind has been almost wholly
given to agricultural and horticu tura!
pursuits. Like the few remaining early
settlers of the county, time hos touched
his locks, and they are fast whitening
under its influence.
short distance farther up the river,
} Little Turkey empties It's waters in.o
the parent stream, after flowing from the
south through timberej Country for the
distance of eight miies-its source being
in the County of Delaware. The towns
of Millville and Jefferson are situpted
upon this stream, together with several
-four and saw mills. 1t received its name
from Arthur Rowen, who erected saw
mill at Millville in 1885, being the first
mill built in the county. Mr.. Rowen,
while exploring the country in search of n
mill site, came upon this stream at time
when it's banks were overfowed by rains,
giving it width and impeSuosity alm' st
equal to the parent stream from which
circumstance he called it Little 1uykey
Rirer."
A mile farther up the river, a small
stream empties into it from the south
known as "Redman's Branch This
stream took its name from Henry Red
man. who settled upon the river bottom
. near it's mouth in 1894. lie was the first
white man who brought his wife and
family into the county; being about forty
years Of age. he VAS the oldest resident of
the county at that time. HIS cabin door
stood always open to the unfortunate and
the stranger, who were greeted with a
8 kindly welcome and liberal hospitality.
lie was a thin wiry man, Of great muscu-
lar powers, and was regarded during his
earlier years as the best Citing man in
the lead mines. The fingers Of bis hands
= were crooked ly massicatioa, wbi'o his
. arm, face and shoulders showed many
scars made by the lacerlting teeth Of his
opponents. In later years he became an
active and jealous tmber Of the Metho-
dist Church, and often at class meetings,
while rccounting the scenes of his early
life with expressions al sorrow and re-
gret, he would straighten up his hei t
form, shake his silvery locks, and conclude
hu slRnt lrnthcr, nrl S;.tars