Reminiscences

In the earlier years of the county, from the then unsettled condition of society, many were the exciting incidents which occured. Mr. Goodenow, in an interview with the writer, graphically describes having witnessed an encounter between two men who long had a dispute in reference to some land. He said : " Court was in session in Bellevue, and we, the jury, of which I was one, were standing on the river bank, waiting for the judge to come, when Dr. Sparks remarked that he expected to see a fuss between Davis and Groff, as they were both heav ily armed. Davis had just landed from a steamboat from Dubuque, where he had gone in reference to the land, passed into a store, left his gun there, and walked out again in com pany with his son-in-law, and started up the street. As we were looking at them and talking, Groff was noticed to come out of a doorway, walk crouchingly across the street, with his rifle in his hand, rest his arm on the fence, and draw bead on Davis, whom he shot dead in presence of fifty people. This man Groff was afterwards tried for murder, and acquitted on the plea of self defence, although the jury were severely condemned for their action, and hung in effigy."

In our sketch of Jackson county, we desire to make mention of that old and respected resident, who settled in Otter Creek township in 1841. We allude to the Hon. James Dunne, who was born in 1823 in Kings County, Ireland. Mr. Dunne has become very popular with all classes, has served for nineteen years as Supervisor of Jackson County, and was elected as Rep resentative to the Thirteenth General Assembly, a position which he filled to the honor and credit of his constituents. He is a man of unimpeachable integrity, cool and sound executive ability, as well as benevolent, kindly and social in heart.

TIMBER.

One of the chief products of this county are its immense groves of timber. About one-fourth of the area of the county is covered with timber of excellent growth, the larger bodies lying in the western and northern parts, and embracing all the hardy varieties , including oak, maple, elm, linn, poplar, black and white walnut, hickory, cherry, cottonwood, with occasional groves of pine.

STREAMS.

The southern portion of the county is abundantly watered by the Maquoketa river, and its numerous tributaries. The North Fork of the Maquoketa enters the county at the line between Butler and Brandon townships, flows south-easterly until it joins the South Fork a short distance north of Maquoketa city. The South Fork enters the county at Canton, in Brandon town ship, flows in a south-easterly direction, until it reaches the city of Maquoketa, when it makes a bend northward, and joins the North Fork, whence they both commingle in the Maquoketa river proper, which tends east until it flows into the Mississippi, a short distance north of Green Island.

POPULATION.

In 1837 the population of the county was 244, which had increased in 1874 to 22,284.  According to the State Census taken that year, there were 4,144 dwellings; families, 4,183; entitled to vote, 4,652; foreigners, not naturalized, 591; number of militia, 2,871.

SCHOOL STATISTICS.

There are at present:

School districts	156
Township districts	14
Independent districts	44
Sub districts	98
Number of children of school age	9,165
Males	4,724
Females	4,441
Number of schools	143
Graded	8
Ungraded	135
Number of pupils	7,100
Average attendance	5,830
Number of teachers	255
Males	89
Females	166
Number of school houses	149
Total value of school houses	$149,793
Volumes in libraries	93
Value of apparatus	$2,535

At a meeting of teachers, held at Maquoketa on December 15th, 1877, a County Teachers' Association was organized; constitution and by-laws were adopted, and officers elected;  President, L. W. Haines, Nashville; Vice-President, Mrs. A. R. Darling, Miles; Secretary, C. C. Dudley, Maquoketa; Treasurer, Miss Jennie Buttolph, Baldwin.