The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-30
i q cooney, the Old Settler Who
lives Il Montross Has Writ. \
ten an interesting
Story
ABOUT CHIEF KE0KUK
Il. saw the Mormon Temple Burn at
Nauyoo and Remembers Many
Other Pioneer IN.
cIdences.

j. K. Cooney Or Montrose, who has
been around IN Lee county for about
q long as anybody, writes the follow
iug interesting article about early
tines In this section:
ii the spring Of 1887 crossed the
4 Mississippi at Fort Madison In fla
boat, rowed across by four men. At
int time there were but few houses
III Fort Madison. There was small
settlement about four miles west OF
Fort Madison Wilson's and Billiards.
The next settlement. was just east Of
Franklin Haffners. Wiegners, Ju-
\ avs, John Dukes. DR.. Cooney APP
pIegates and Schemes. A little later
the McMillans formed settlement
vest OF Franklin. There were no
buildings In Franklin when 1t was
I laid out Later on John Holderfer
settled there and started black
smith shop and little later others
settled there. At that time there
Was not a newspaper printed In the
county. 1t cost IL IL cents to send
letter and there were no envelopes.
We had to seal the letters with seal
ing wax or waters. Later on there
was a mail route from Fort Madison
to Franklin once week. John Brown
was the postmaster and kept the mail
in q stove pipe hat standing on the
bureau.
The early settlers built their cab
ms ii the timber near some small
water course. Some of them did not
have q single nail In them, having
puncheon floors. clapboard roofs,
clapboard doors with wooden handles,
wooden latches and leather strings
! outside
When the country began to settle
up the Indians moved west. have
seen q great many Of them together
when they were having their dog
feast and war dances. A great many
Of their wigwams were left stand
Ing IN the timber along the water
courses, All of them were built fac
u ng the south. They were thorough
" matched with long grass so as to
turn water. The cooking was done
just outside.
All the bottom lands were covered
with heavy timber and there were
large sugar orchards growing along
the water courses from which the In
dams made large quantity OF sugar.
Black Hawk was located in the vi.
cinity Of Burlington, while Chief Keo-
kuk had his stamping grounds in the
vicinity near Keokuk. Black Hawk
was more on the war path while Keo-
kuk was more friendly and consid-
cred a good chief
Ihave seen several comments IN the
newspapers regarding whether or not
there were buffalo In Iowa. Thers
= no doubt but that there were
plenty Of them here before the white
men came. from the fact that we can
sun see the signs Of their wallows
where they were herded together on
the edge Of the prairies along the
small streams to fight the flies in the
spring Of the year. killing out the
grass and CARRYING out the dust, leav-
lrg depressions or basins that can be
readily discovered today by the close
observer There are plenty Of them
I IN the vicinity of Montrose.
There was an abundance OF game
mere IN the early times Of Lee county
ana am positive got my share.
] saw the fire when the Mormon
temple was burned at Nauvoo after
sonn and Hiram Smith were killed
y Carthage. also saw the exodus
q me Mormons going west in every
conceivable kind OF a rig. from the
* wagon to the hand cart.