Year: 1876

July 4th, 1876.


That this sketch may be read and
heard on such an occasion, without
WEAKNESS beyond endurance, it is
necessary to study brevity rather
than rhetorical effect. With scant
space for facts, there is still less for
fancy, and many interesting incidents
and individual experiences must of
necessity be omitted.


Beginning with the advent of the
first permanent settlement in the
county, we are carried back about
one-third of a century; for the pion-
eer was one VIM. Bennett, who set
tied where now is the thriving village
of Quasqueton in the early spring of
1912. Mr.. Bennett is said to have
been the first settler in the county of
Delaware also, and had probably
CHANGED upon the site OF Quasqueton
in some hunting expedition. The
beauty of the locality captivated his
fancy, and the rapid stream showed
that its power could be utilized. He
at once laid claim to the place, and
proceeded to make his claim good by
erecting log cabin on the east bank
of the river, and occupying it with
his family.


1t is almost as difficult for us to
conceive the appearance which the
country then presented to its first
citizen, as it would have been for him
to paint, by aid of fancy, that which
it now presents to us. Approaching
his new home from the east, he had
crossed many miles Of prairie, stretch
ing away to the north beyond the
limits Of vision; looking across the
stream to the southwest, still the
same undulating prairie; and if he
passed the river q little to the west,
he beheld still the same gently swell
ing sea of treeless green extending
toward the northwest, to all appear
ance boundless.


He might have caught some float
ing canoe, drifted from its moorings
far up the stream, and following the
timber-skirted river through the en-
tire extent of the county, no other
trace Of art OR industry would have
met his gaze, save perhaps the lodge
poles of some deserted Indian camp.
But though he would have found the
country wilderness, it was not q
solitude. From every thicket on the
rivers bank, the dip of his paddles
would have startled the deer, and its
splash been echoed by the sudden.
plunge of the beaver and otter, while
wild fowls,-ducks, geese and the
majestic swan, rose at his approach
in countless thousands, and mingled
their screams with the cry of innum-
cradle cranes wheeling their flight far
up in the blue ether. The whole
country was as if just completed
fresh and new and perfect from the
hand of the Creators an unpeopled
paradise. Hardly had Bennett taken
possession of his cabin before he was
joined by one Evans, and by Ezra
Allen, who settled about one and
half miles north of Quasqueton, and
in April the settlement was increased
by the arrival of Frederick Kessler
and wife, Rufus B. Clark and family,
S. G. and H. II. Sanford, Mr.. Dag
gett and Simmons and Lambert and
Edward Brewer; the latter who was
then unmarried, made his home with
Kesslcr. Clark and Kessler each
made claims and built cabins about
one and one-half miles west of Quas-
queton and near together, and as soon
as possible commenced breaking
prairie, so that in June they had ten
acres broken, which they planted to
corn and beans; but though frost did
not appear that fall till October 10th,
there was not sufficient time for the
crop to ripen. They all, men and
women, went to work the day after
the frost and gathered the crop so as
to secure it in the best condition pos
slblc, tor corn and beans were import
ant articles. For provisions during
| the summer of 1912 it was necessary
to go to Maquoketa-a distance of
sixty miles. One person was sent
with an OK team and brought sup
plies for the whole community. The
land was yet unsurveyed, and of
course not in market. The govern
ment surveyors were engaged that
summer in making the subdivisions,
and were in camp for some time near
Kessler's. The sight of these and an
occasional squad Of cavalry galloping
across the prairie and fording the
river at the rapids, served to remind
the settlers that they we're not alone
in the world.


During that summer man named
Stiles settled at Quasqueton; and to
him belongs. the honor of keeping
the first whisky shop III the county.
He called his place a "tavern" and
Grocery" Some addition was made
to the settlement aside from emigra-
ton, for in May, 1912, was born
Charles Kessler, the first white child
born in this county. In the autumn
of 1912 there arrived Nathaniel Hatch
and family and Henry b. Hatch with
out family. Nathaniel built himself
a house and Henry B. made his home
at Kessler's. Mr.. Bennett built a
log dam across the river and raised
the frame of saw mill that fall
There were several young men in his
employ who never became permanent
settlers. This same season also one
Johnson made his appearance and To-
lated on the east side of the river,
about half way between Quasqueton
and Independence. He asserted that
he was the notorious "Canadian Pat
riot" and that young woman who
accompanied him as his sole compan-
ion was his daughter Kate, and the
veritable "Queen of the Thousand
Isles" His language and conduct
excited the suspicion and hatred of
the settlers, and party of them seiz-
ed Johnson, administered severe
whipping and an admonition to leave
the settlement, which he soon did
This episode was long referred to by
the settlers as the "Patriot War"


The winter of 1923 proved a
very severe one, and the settlers en-
dured many privations. On the 18th
of November a terrible snow storm