Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-08-19
EARLY DAYS OF
AUDUBON COUNTY

tier was the rainiest ever known in
the state but Matte Hamlin did
not stop for rain. After he had
erected a half hewn log cabin he
proceeded to break up some of his
land and plant fora crop. He broke
out AZ acres and planted it to sod
corn. Seven acres he sewed to buck
wheat in the corn and several acres
to turnips, also in the corn. On
July lst he had the crop in and
went back to Mahaska county after
his family.
Upon his return September 18th
he found everything flourishing.
The excessive rains had ceased and
there was promise of a bountiful
crop. In the autumn he cut the sod
corn and carried it from the field,
then cut his buckwheat which was
an excellent crop after which he
pulled an abundant crop of the
finest turnips ever grown in Iowa,
all on the same ground.
The corn cut made excellent food
for his oxen, fed without being
husked. The rest Of the field, about
thlrty-hve acres, was left to ripen.
He had planted potatoes, too, which
yielded so well that they had an
I abundance for use.
In 1852, the year after their ar
rival, the mail route from Fort
Des MONIES to Council Bluffs was
established. 1t ran by the way Of
Hamlins' Grove, and all the Pixies
Peak and Pacific coast travel passed
i through Matte Hamlin's dooryard
1 A post office was established and he
was made postmaster.
The new mail route opened the
! way for would be settlers, many of
whom came to look the country
over. Two men named Gage and
Il Wilkinson settled in Greeley town
ship.
Others who came in 1852 are
Ruben Carpenter and family, Will.
lam, Elijah, George, John, Henry
Carpenter who settled in the vicin.
ity of Hamlins Grove. John Coun.
tryman settled on Troublesome anc
David Edgerton located on the
! bank Of David's creek where ENirs
now stands. David's creek wa
named for him. Mark Heath an(
family, Milton Heath and family
! Hiram Heath I'd, Benjamin M
Hyatt and family and William II
Hyatt located in the vicinity o
Oak6eld, forming a little settle
ment.
The next year, 1853, few NOR
families came, William HI. II. Bo
wen and family, John and Hugh [
Bowen, j. Lyman Frost and Carlo
D. Frost and family settled at Ham
Inns Grove and Mr.. Gage settled
near David Edgerton's claim a
Extra, Alvin Herrick and family an
Urbane Herrick and family, Waite
j. Jardine and family, Lyman jan
dine, John Seiford and William E
Stone located at Big Grove, Samue
B. Hopkins and family joined til
little settlement at Oakfield and I
|. Whitfield settled at Hhmlin
Grove.
+ The year 1854 witnessed quit
an increase in the number Of settler
Miles Beers and family, John "
and David B. Beers, William Shi
ley, Samuel Smith and family, vii
lam F., James S., John and Samu
Smith Jr. joined the little settl
ment at Oakfield, George and job
Calder, James B. and James
Donnel, Richard Gault, Daniel n
Harris and family, William ar
Daniel w. Harris, Mrs. Sarah {
Lewis, Richard M. Lewis and far
lily, Thomas S. Lewis and famil
Isaac V. d. Lewis and family ar
Robert A. Oliphant at Hamlin
Grove. Several Herricks, Edso
Augusta, Corl, Curtis, Elisha, Ell
erson and Judson Herrick, Robe
stansber1 and family and Dwig
West at Rio CIr0ve Dapnie por,,