Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-02-04
Rivers and Creeks

Rivers and Creeks
consist principally of the East Nishna
Rotna. traversing the central portion
of HE County from north to south
and its tributaries, and some tributal'-
les of the West Nishna Botna. The
northeast part of the County is
|drained by tributaries of the Coon III
Yer system, which discharges into
the Des Moines river,
Nishna Botna. This river probably
received its name lower down on its
course. The earliest mention of the
name that have seen is i'm the diary
of Lewis and Clark, kept on their ex-
petition from near st. Louis TO the
Pacific Ocean in ls045. 1t is as fol-
lows: son the l4th MAY 1884, elk
were seen for the first time They
passed the Nishnahbatona and Little
Nemahaw rivers and found the for
mer to be only three hundred yards
from the Missouri at the distance of
| twelve miles from its mouth" which
| indicates that the name was previous
/ ly known. am unable to recognize
| the language. Perhaps it is an Indian
! word: or it may be from the Patos
OF the old French trapperS and voy-
ayers, who traversed the Missouri III
yer and its tributaries before the
time of the Expedition mentioned
DR.. Ballard once told me that the
|signitication of the name was: ''To
cross in a boat" When or how he
learned it | do not remember. if he
told me. | do not remember to have
seen any other account Of the origin
of the name, or to have heard amy dis
lcussion of the subject. 1T would be
an interesting topic for investigation
by our school people.
Troublesome. 1t has been said that
the government surveyors gave this
name to the river, which rises near
the east line of the County and flows
southwest through Extra and Oak
field Townships into Cass county and
enters the Botna near Atlantic. AT
the time OF surveying the townships
through which the river flows. the
5 water was high and being without IA
icilitieS for crossing, it caused them
trouble; and hence the name. | do
not remember to have heard at what
place on places on the river this Incl
dent occurred.
1T should be remembered that the
rivers in early times carried much
more water than at present.
Crooked Creek A tributary of
Troublesome in Audubon Township,
undoubtedly received its name on ac-
count of the form of its channel.
Sifford Greek. A tributary of the
Botna in Extra township, received its
name from John sitlord, an early set
tier, who lived on its bank near where
r. j. Essington now resides.
q Buck Creek. The name is said to
4 have been suggested from the large
! number of deer found in that vicinity
in early times. Dr. Ballard once told
, me so.
4 Anderson Creek is south OF Extra
! and flows into David's Creek at West
Extra. 1t was named for David l..
!, Anderson, who settled on its bank
, Davd's Creek, which intersects the
Botna at West Extra, was named for
: David Edgerton the first settler at
Extra.
= -Four Mile Creek. a tributary of
a Troublesome in Audubon Township,
! took its name from road survey; it
. being four miles east of Extra.
q Unexpected Greek. A tributary OF
o Troublesome, unites with that rivel
# at the Old Hamlin place in Extra
township. The Government survey
: ors came upon it unexpectedly and
gave it that name.
Honey Creek. A tributary Of David's
Creek, in Greeley Township, received
= its name by one William Bice, who
r. formerly lived there on Section 81.
Blue Grass Creek The first settlers
It discovered small patch of blue grass
y in the little grove on the present poo
a farm in this County, supposed to have
If been brought by the Mormons Will,
l. travelling westward. 1T was the firs1
= tame grass seen in the county and tn,
place was called Blue Grass Grove
ls and the creek near it received tn,
Al same name.
!. East Branch. A tributary of the Bot
ma in the north part of Melville town
ship was 50 called in early times on ac
count of its direction from the princi
pal river.
Little Indian and Big Indian, il
Sharon Township are forks of Indian
Greek, which flows into the Botn;
near Lewis, Iowa. 1t probably re
ceived it's name lower down tn