Iowa,
A State of the north-
central United States, separated on the east by the
Mississippi River from
Wisconsin and
Illinois.
Minnesota bounds it on the north,
South Dakota and
Nebraska on the west —the
Missouri River forming the boundary-line of the latter State—and
Missouri on the south.
It is limited in lat. by 40° 36′ to 43° 30′ N., and in long.
by 89° 5′ to 96° 31′
W. Area, 56,025 square miles in ninety-nine counties.
Population, 1890, 1,911,896; 1900, 2,231,853.
Capital,
Des Moines.
Father Marquette and
Louis Joliet descend the
Wisconsin River, reaching its mouth June 17, 1673; 100 miles below, on the western shore of the
Mississippi, they discover an Indian trail, which they follow to an Indian village, where
Marquette “publishes to them the one true God” ......June, 1673
Father Louis Hennepin,
M. Dugay, and
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six other Frenchmen ascend the
Mississippi from the mouth of the
Illinois to the falls of
St. Anthony, leaving
Fort Crevecoeur, Ill......Feb. 28, 1680
Wife of
Peosta, a Fox warrior, discovers lead in
Iowa, on the west bank of the
Mississippi......1780
At a council at
Prairie du Chien,
Julien Dubuque, a French-Canadian trader, obtains from Indians permission to work lead-mines at the place now bearing his name and a grant of 140,000 acres of land......1788
Land grant to
Julien Dubuque by Indians is confirmed by
Baron Carondelet, and a
King's title issued......1796
Lands on both sides of the
Mississippi, including a large part of
Iowa, ceded to
United States by Sac and
Fox Indians, by treaty at
St. Louis......Nov. 3, 1804
Territory of Louisiana, including
Iowa, framed by law of......March 3, 1805
Iowa included in
Territory of Missouri, erected by act......June 4, 1812
Fort Madison, built in 1808, on the site selected by
Lieutenant Pike in 1805, is abandoned by the garrison and burned to prevent its falling into the hands of Indians and British......1813
Sioux annihilate Sac and
Fox tribes near
Dubuque; whites occupy deserted villages, but are driven out by United States troops under
Lieut. Jefferson Davis, by order of
Col. Zachary Taylor......1830
David Tothers makes the first settlement in
Des Moines county, 3 miles southwest from the site of
Burlington......1832
Treaty at
Rock Island; the Sacs and Foxes cede to the
United States Iowa and a part of
Wisconsin, known as the
Black Hawk purchase, reserving 40 miles square to
Keokuk......Sept. 21, 1832
Zachariah Hawkins,
Benjamin Jennings, and others settle a colony at
Fort Madison......1832
First permanent settlement in
Scott county by Antoine le Claire......1833
Dubuque founded......1833
Iowa included in
Territory of Michigan, erected by act approved......June 28, 1834
Aaron Street founds
Salem, first
Quaker settlement in
Iowa......1834
Iowa included in
Territory of Wisconsin, erected by act approved.
April 20, 1836
Treaty at East Davenport between
Governor Dodge,
United States commissioner, and the Sacs and Foxes; Indians sell to
United States the
Keokuk reserve, 256,000 acres, at 75 cents per acre......September, 1836
Burlington, settled in 1833, is incorporated......1837
Treaty with the Sacs and Foxes extends the western boundary of the
Black Hawk purchase in lat. 45° 40′ to include the principal sources of the
Iowa River......Oct. 21, 1837
Territory of
Iowa erected, including all
Wisconsin west of the
Mississippi......June 12, 1838
Territorial government inaugurated at
Burlington......July 4, 1838
Black Hawk, who had settled on the
Des Moines River, dies......Oct. 3, 1838
Seat of government removed to
Iowa City......1839
Boundary disputes between
Missouri and
Iowa cause fighting on the border; one Iowan is killed in resisting the
Missouri sheriff's collection of taxes......1839
Constitution adopted by a convention which meets at
Iowa City Oct. 7, 1844......Nov. 1, 1844
Enabling act for
Iowa approved......March 3, 1845
Boundary defined in the enabling act rejected by the people; 7,235 for, and 7,656 against......1845
Mormons remove from
Nauvoo, Ill., and settle at
Council Bluffs......1846
Constitution framed by a convention which meets at
Iowa City May 4, completing its labors May 19, 1846, is ratified by a vote of the people, 9,492 to 9,036......Aug. 3, 1846
Act of Congress, fixing boundaries for
Iowa, referring the
Missouri boundary to the Supreme Court......Aug. 4. 1846
Iowa admitted into the
Union by act approved......Dec. 28. 1846
Antoine le Claire breaks ground at
Davenport for the
Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, now the
Chicago,
Rock Island, and Pacific......Sept. 1, 1853
Iowa Wesleyan University at
Mount Pleasant chartered and opened......1855
Corner-stone of the first railroad bridge over the
Mississippi River, between
Rock Island and
Davenport, lard Sept. 1. 1854; and first locomotive, the “
Des Moines,” to cross the
Mississippi passes over......April 21, 1856
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Massacre of white settlers at
Spirit Lake by a predatory band of Indians under the
Sioux chief Ink-pa-duta......March, 1857
Constitutional convention meets at
Iowa City Jan. 19, 1857, completes its labors March 6, 1857; constitution ratified by the people, 40,311 to 38,681.Aug. 3, 1857
State capital removed to
Des Moines......1857
State University of
Iowa at
Iowa City, chartered 1847, opened,
Silas Totten president......1860
Legislature votes a war loan of $600,000......June, 1861
Upper Iowa University at
Fayette, opened 1857, chartered......1862
James Harlan appointed
Secretary of the Interior......May 15, 1865
Legislature ratifies Thirteenth Amendment to Constitution......January, 1866
Legislature ratifies Fourteenth Amendment to Constitution......April 3, 1868
An amendment to the
State constitution, striking out the word “white” from the qualifications of electors, is adopted by a vote of the people, 105,384 to 81,119......1868
State board of immigration created by act of legislature......1869
Iowa Agricultural College at
Ames, chartered 1857, opened......1869
William W. Belknap appointed
Secretary of War......Oct. 25, 1869
Legislature ratifies Fifteenth Amendment to Constitution......Feb. 3, 1870
Corner-stone of new capitol laid......Nov. 22, 1871
Law passed restricting sale of liquors and limiting licensees' profit to 33 per cent......1872
Act passed abolishing penalty of death......1872
State convention of Patrons of Husbandry at
Des Moines......January, 1873
Governor Kirkwood, elected
United States Senator, resigns, and is succeeded by
Joshua G. Newbold......January, 1876
Geo. W. McCrary appointed
Secretary of War......March 12, 1877
Canal around Des Moines Rapids at
Keokuk, 7 12/ miles long, and costing $4,500,000, is formally opened......August, 1877
Bill abolishing capital punishment repealed, and the jury empowered to hang convicted murderers, or imprison for life......1878
State board of health organized......1880
Drake University at
Des Moines opened and chartered......1881
Prohibitory liquor law goes into effect......July 4, 1884
State capitol dedicated; cost $3,000,000......1884
Frank Hatton appointed
Postmaster-General......Oct. 14, 1884
Soldiers' Home at
Marshalltown opened......Nov. 30, 1884
Lower house of legislature assembles, Jan. 13, 1890, having two factions, the Republicans with fifty votes, and the combined Democratic, Union Labor, and Independent with fifty votes; no organization until Jan. 27; by compromise, a Democratic temporary speaker and a Republican clerk are elected; permanent organization with a Democratic speaker and Republican clerk, minor offices divided......Feb. 19, 1890
Horace Boies, Democrat, inaugurated as governor......Feb. 27, 1890
Legal rate of interest reduced from 10 to 8 per cent., and the first Monday in September (Labor Day) made a public holiday......1890
Beer sent in sealed kegs from
Peoria, Ill., to
Keokuk, Ia., and there sold in “original packages” by agents, being seized under the prohibitory laws of the
State, the Supreme Court decides such seizure was in violation of the clause of the
Constitution giving to the
United States the exclusive right to regulate inter-State commerce......April 28, .1890
Wilson “original package bill,” as amended, making all intoxicating liquors imported into a State subject to its laws, passes Congress and is approved......Aug. 8, 1890
Legislature passes an Australian ballot reform act......1892
Cyclone in the northwest part of the
State,
Pomeroy destroyed, 900 persons homeless......July 6, 1893
Medical practice act declared constitutional......1893
Torpedo-boat
Ericsson launched at
Duquesne......May 12. 1894
[This was the first war-ship built on inland waters.]
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Memorial (soldiers and sailors) Military College at
Mason City, established......1900
[$2,000,000 has been subscribed.] State library commission created......1900 Amendment for a constitutional convention defeated......November, 1900
Kansas