In all walks of life, whether as farmer, artisan, merchant, professional man or public official, the sons of Lee County have, as a rule, given to their calling their best endeavors and have left behind. them reputations for character and ability that reflect credit upon themselves and the county in which they lived.

CHAPTER XXV

STATISTICAL REVIEW

POPULATION AND WEALTH-CHRONOLOGY-A SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY-POSTSCRIPT.

More than a century has passed since Louis Honore Tesson, in 1796, established the first white man's domicile within the confines of what is now Lee County, and more than three-quarters of a century since the county was organized by the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin in 1836. The growth in population, as shown by the United States since 1840, the first official census after the county was organized, is shown in the following table:

From this table it will be seen that the greatest proportionate growth during any decade was from 1840 to 1850, when the increase in population was over two hundred per cent. Twice in the history of the county there has been a decline between the years of the censusonce from 1870 to 1880 and again from 1900 to 1910. The decrease in population during these periods is due chiefly to the opening of new lands in other parts of the country, which offered inducements to men of moderate means to acquire homes. This change has effected all parts of the county about alike, as may be seen by a comparison of the last three official census reports relating to the population, given by townships, to wit:

In the above table the cities of Keokuk and Fort Madison, and the incorporated towns, are included in the townships in which they are situated. Notwithstanding the decrease in population, the wealth of the county has not fallen off, but statistics concerning the various industries indicate a steady and substantial increase in the amount of capital invested and the value of the output of farms and factories, and more money was expended for schools and road buildings in 1913 than in any preceding year of the county's history.

CHRONOLOGY

In the foregoing chapters a conscientious effort has been made to show the progress of Lee County along industrial, educational, professional and religious lines, as well as her part in the military and political affairs of the state and nation. As a fitting conclusion to this work, the following list of the principal events leading up to the settlement and organization of the county, or having some bearing upon its more recent history, has been compiled for ready reference. At first glance, some of these events may seem remotely connected with the county's story, but each one wielded an influence in shaping its destiny.

June 21, 1673. Marquette and Joliet landed near Montrose, on their voyage down the Mississippi, and were the first white men to set foot upon Iowa soil.

1796. Louis Honore Tesson settled where the Town of Montrose now stands, on a grant of land given him by the Spanish Government of Louisiana.

April 30, 1803. Treaty of Paris, by which Napoleon transferred the French Province of Louisiana to the United States. The present State of Iowa was included in the territory thus acquired.

October 31, 1803. Congress passed an act authorizing the President to take possession of the region purchased from France and establish a temporary government therein.

October 1, 1804. Louisiana divided into the Territory of Orleans and District of Louisiana. That part of the new purchase now comprising the State of Iowa was by this act made subject to the Territory of Indiana.

January 11, 1805. Territory of Michigan established by act of Congress. Later in the year Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike passed up the Mississippi River, on an exploring expedition to its headwaters, and on August 21st held a council with the Indians about where Montrose is now situated.

Illinois.

1807.

September, 1808.

Kingsley.

Iowa made a part of the Territory of

Fort Madison established by Lieutenant

1812. Territory of Missouri established and Iowa included in the new territory. September 3, 1813. Fort Madison evacuated and burned. September 13, 1815. Treaty of peace with the Sac and Fox

Indians of Iowa concluded at Portage des Sioux.

1820. Dr. Samuel C. Muir built the first house in Keokuk. In this year Lemoliese and Blondeau, French traders, established posts on the Mississippi River in Lee County.

August 4, 1824. The Half-Breed Tract, embracing the southern half of the present County of Lee, established by treaty with the Sacs and Foxes.

July 15, 1830.

Treaty establishing the "Neutral Ground" between the Sacs and Foxes on the south and the Sioux Indians on the north.

-, 1832. Capt. James White made a claim and built a house on the site of the present Town of Montrose.

August 2, 1832. Last battle of the Black Hawk war, in which the Indians were defeated.

September 21, 1832. A treaty concluded at Davenport, Iowa, by which the Sacs and Foxes ceded to the United States the strip

forty miles wide across Eastern Iowa known as the "Black Hawk Purchase."

June 1, 1833. Title to the lands of the Black Hawk Purchase becomes fully vested in the United States. In this year the first postoffice in Iowa was established at Dubuque.

June 28, 1834. President Jackson approved the act attaching Iowa to the Territory of Michigan.

September, 1834. The Legislature of Michigan created two counties Dubuque and Des Moines-in what is now the State of Iowa. Lee County was a part of Des Moines.

1834. In this year Fort Des Moines was established by Lieutenant Crosman, where the Town of Montrose is now situated. April 20, 1836. President Jackson approved the act of Congress creating the Territory of Wisconsin, which included all the present State of Iowa, the act to take effect on July 4, 1836.

May 11, 1836. The Dubuque Visitor, the first newspaper ever published in Iowa, made its appearance, with John King as editor. December 7, 1836. Lee County established by an act of the Wisconsin Legislature.

March 27, 1837. First term of the District Court in Lee County began, with Judge David Irvin presiding.

April 3, 1837.

April 17, 1837.

First election for county officers in Lee County.

First meeting of the board of county supervisors held in Fort Madison.

January 19, 1838. Special act passed by the Wisconsin Legislature for the incorporation of the Town of Fort Madison.

May 7, 1838. First election for president and board of trustees of Fort Madison-Philip Viele elected president.

October 3, 1838. Chief Black Hawk died.

November, 1838. First sale of Government lands in the Black Hawk Purchase conducted at Burlington. A large number of Lee County settlers attended the sale.

January 25, 1839. Governor Lucas approved the act of the Iowa Legislature locating the penitentiary at Fort Madison.

March 9, 1840. The commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the permanent seat of justice of Lee County reported in favor of Franklin.

February 12, 1842. The Legislature of Iowa passed an act granting the Town of Fort Madison a new charter.

April 4, 1842. Isaac R. Atlee elected the first mayor of Fort Madison.