Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-21
/" THE BLOTTING CUT
OF AN IOWA Tt WlV"
Interesting Narrative of Fall of One-tne
Flourishing Village, Told by the Late
Capt. S. B. Evans.

In the annals Of Iowa. a histori-
cal volume published by the state,
chronicling the struggles Of the early
pioneers and the more important
events leading up to the establishing
Of Iowa's present high standing in
the country, there appears story,
The Blotting Out Of an Iowa Town."
by the late Captain Samuel B. Evans
of Ottumwa.
The narrative was written with the
hope Of preserving the memory Of this
unfortunate settlement, Iowaville," as
it was known, and also with the ex-
pectancy that the article might excite
sufficient interest to warrant the erec-
ton of shaft marking the site Of this
one-time fourishtng village. Follow
ing is the story as written by Mr..
Evans:
AnnihiIation Of IowavlIIe.
"Aqui fue Grenada" This was the
terribly suggestive legend inscribed
on bulls hides and erected on the
ruins of the city destroyed by the
rough riders of William Walker, the
gray-eyed man of destiny, during the
invasion of Nicaragua by the filibus-
ters Yet there were ruin of Grenada
to mark the spot and to invite the re-
building of another city greater than
the one that had persisted through the
calamities of war. There was an Iowa
town however. that at one time was
OF considerable Importance and now
there is not a vestige Of it remaining.
There is nothing to identify the site
except tradition and tie records that
confine its limits within certain boun-
daries. There are no remains; no
foundation walls: no more to mark
the size than if it hid been but an
Indian villages Of wickiups The town
was known as Iowaville, situated on
the borders of Van Burcn and Davis
counties. If it's location Is to be pro-
served 1t Is well that its site be re-
corded in The Annals, and that there
be set up q tablet or stone on which
may be Inscribed, Here was Iowa
ville!"
Laid Out In 1888.
The village of Iowavllle was laid
out by q company in 1893 The Sac
and Fox Indians Fad sold 100000
acres OF land in this vicinity and re-
served two years time on the land,
after which James Jordan, William
Phelps and John Tolmnn bought the
Indians time for $4,000. Tie sale OF
time was made in the fall of 1897; in
1888 the Indians vacated and in the
spring of that year the place known
as Iowaville was laid off. Black Hawk
and a few Indians remained. Phelps
and Jordan were the earliest settlers.
they having come in the fall of 1887.
Jordan had the first trading.post. The
next settlers to arrive were Joel T.
Avery. John Newport, Job Carter and
Crittenden Forquraen, and their fami-
lies. and Peter Avery. William Avery
and William McMullen, unmarried.
William Avery was the first post
master. the mail being brought in on
horseback. Lanson Smith, who came
later was the first physician. The first
blacksmith was Robert Rathbun. The
first boat up the river as far as this
point was the Pavilion" belonging
to the American Fur, company This
boat arrived in 1888. The death Of
Daniel McMullen was the first inl the
place. Minerva Forquraen was the
first child born. Thomas Gardner and
Sevilda Moody were the first couple
married. William. Avery was the
first justice and William Kirkman the