Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-01
WHEN GOOD LAND
WAS SOLD CHEAP
BOOKS oF.THE COUNTY SCHOOL
FUND REVEAL STRANGE
STORY or PRICES,
SOLD FOR SLIPS.

Township Had Best Price
When $3.50 Was Paid Per Acre;
Land Near ottumwa Sold
at Lowest Price.
While it is not news to many citi-
zens Of Wapello county to be told that
some of the best land In the county
once sold for prices that ranged from
$1.25 to $3.50 per acre, there are many
who find it hard to realize that some
Of the land that now would be con-
sidered cheap for 100 times that price,
was sold gladly at the smaller figure
, mentioned. While it is true that this
took place in the days when land was
homesteaded in this county, there
was even then land in the county that
does not equal many, if a few Of these
acres sold for $1.25 sixty years ago.
The land is that which belonged to
the school fund created by the gift in
the early days of section of land in
each congressional township of the
county, by the federal government.
The purpose was to aid the public
Wapello county there are twelve con-
gressional townships. which meant the
gift of $40 acres to each of the con-
tgressional townships, or a total OF
1850 acres of land throughout the
county. The earnings from the sale OF
this land by the county and the In
vestment of the money since the sale,
has grown until there lis in the fund
at present the sum Of $58, alps be-
longing to the school fund created by
this means. .
Land Sold by Commissioned.
The state was free to sell this land
to whom it chose, and at whatever
price it could get for it. 1ke sales
were made through an officer known
as the school fund commissioners, who
held Office in each county, and who ne
gotiated the sales Of school land in
his county.
The money that has been accumu-
lated in the school fund finds more
applications for loans than can be
supplied, and the money is loaned out
in small amounts of $500 to $500 to
thrifty persons who have first class
real estate mortgages to give as Sc
curity at rate Of 5 per cent per an
mum interest. The county never
touches the principal, which is known
as the school fund. The demand for
loans of this money usually exceeds
| the supply, and there is seldom time
when every dollar of 1t is not work
ing. 1sfas 1
From $1.25 to $3.50.
It seems strange to think that land
lin Center. Columbia, Washington,
Dahlonega and Adams townships sold
at s1.25, $3.50, $1.75, $500, $2,25, $3.50,
s2.75, $500 and $3.50 per acre, when
Hand in the same townships need not
stoop to the same figures in the one
hundreds today. Still the evidence is
! to be had for the looking and a peru
sal Of the books Of the school fund
that carry away back to 1847, reveals
! this to anyone curious enough to ask
| Auditor James Stevens for look at
( the old books.
Begin in 1e47.
The first record dealing with the
school land fund shows Joseph
Myers as the original school fund
commissioner, and the first sale OF
school land sold by the commissioner
bears the date of October IA, -1847,
when william G. Ropp purchased 247
acres Of section 16 in Columbia town
ship, paying the price of 81 per acre,
the price being fixed by two apprais-
ers, James G. Toleman and N. W.
Gates. One-fourth of the sum, $8l.75,
was paid down, and the balance,
$24525, was made payable January
each year thereafter for ten years,
in notes bearing 10 per cent interest.
| November s, 1847, Bird Pritchett
bought eighty acres in the same
neighborhood for $1.50 per acre and
four days previous to this sale Geo.
Dashiell bought 100 acres of the same
section for SITS per acre.
Varies in Washington.
The values seemed higher in Wash.
ington township, where William
Stricklin bought forty acres at $3.50
per acre March 3, 1848. March z the
| same year, Samuel M. Wright bought
eighty acres for SO per acre and in
|! the same section March 9, 1848, W.
McIntire paid the school fund $3.50
per acre for, a farm. AS a contrast it
will be. found that in the same section
and township. D. Grigsby bought 80
acres for S1.25 per acre March 9, 1913,
and Daniel McIntire paid $2.75 for
forty acres.
Appraise Land.
An instance is shown in one OF the
old records where in order to make a
loan Of the school land fund, the COM
missioner appointed appraisers to
value land in Adams township near
Blakesburg, and valuation of 5000
was placed on 100 acres OF section 8.
The loan was made April 4, 1850.
Two sales of land in Qahlonega
township were shown that brought
the princely sum of s1.25 per acre,
and the land was sold to William
Giltner, who bought 120 acres, and to
Samuel Pickins, who took 80 acres.
This land was bought in July, 1S4S.
~ Land Near OttumWa.
Coming nearer to Ottumwa, one
will find where Joseph Hayne and
Thomas Devin each bought eighty
acres in section 20 of Center town