Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-02-18
The Counties Of Iowa.


To the Editor Of The DuJuqne Ttn,es.
The State of Iowa has ninety nine
counties, fifsy y-ninc OF which have names
OF distinguished American born men,
ten of which have been President -ot
the United States; twenty eight were
statesmen; eighteen were generals IN
the army; one Commodore in the
navy; one pioneer and hunter, and
one an orderly sergeant in theGrmy.
Ten counties have the names of distin-
guished Indian Chiefs, and nine the
names of Indian nationalities, three
counties have the names of distin. .ush-
ell Frenchmen- one Of which was a
general, one miner, AMI one an orni-
biologist Four counties have the
names OF distinguished Irishmen, three
being statesmen and one generals
One has the name Of an English phi-
lanthropist one the nanre Vt q German
philosopher; one the name Of an HIM
galian statesman. -Four counties have
the names of women; one Swedish
woman, distinguished as an authoress;
one an American woman, distinguished
for shooting man who had killed her
brother; one an Indian woman who
committed suicide ON account of her
lover; one an Indian woman who saved
the life of white man. Three coun-
ties have the names OF distinguished
battle fields, two have the names O!
ancient towns in England; two. the
n M Of . Io, q frf.
enc the name of classic mountain,
and one is named for an Indian word
OF doubtful meaning. The persons
whose names are above referred TO are
al dead but four. Senator Jones, OF
Iowa; Louisa Madden, Of Dubuque;
Gov HossRth, Of Hungary, and Gen
Fremont, arc believed to be living All
who have died have left an honorable
record, except Floyd, who was Secre-
tary of War during the closing term
Of Mr. Buchanan's administration.
\ detailed account of the origin
and definition Of the names of the dit
ferent counties in Iowa would be a
subject of much interest and ought to
be compiled by some person at the
Capitol of-the State while information
concerning the same is still within liv-
ing reach AS evidence of this, we will
give the origin OF the names of two
counties, one upon the east and the
other upon the west border of the
State. The county Of Clayton receiv-
ed It's name from the Hon. NJ. Clayton,
OF Delaware, who was chairman OF the
Committee on Territories in the Senate
Of the United States. and reported the
bill tor the organization OF the Terrific
~ Of Iowa. The origin Of the name
Of the county of Monona is as follows:
About the year 1910, the Hon. r. z.
Olmstead laid off town III the north
ern part of the county of Clayton, now
a prosperous town through which the
McGregor Railroad passes, and while
endeayoring to select a name tor his
town, from among the many suggeste /
by those who were present, the Hon
Thomas Rogers, then an active demo
cratic politician OF Dubuque, who was
one obseyed-"why not name it after
this Indian girl that leaped from the
high rocks above here into the Alissis-
sippi when separated from her Tower
by her father What was her name
was the immediate inquiry? Tom. who
! had heard the tradition but once, had
forgotten the name; but after reyoly,
ing the matter over III his mind, deter.
mined upon the word Xoaoaa: which
was adopted as the name OF the town.
Il was afterwards discovered that the
name OF the girl was tyRoaa which is
the name of 4 town in Minnesota on
the Mississippi river. near the precipiee
called the lovers leap"
In the winter OF 1850 and 1851,
while we We're a member of the Lesis,
lature OF Iowa; bill was introduced
defining the boundaries and determin-
ing the names OF fifty two counties in
the State, when we suggested as a sub
stltute for some name in the bill the
name OF Monona, in honor OF the town
| have referred to, and it was adopted,
as the name OF the county on the west
ern border OF the State. E. PRICE.