 Chief Poweshiek |
State
of Iowa |
 Poweshiek
County |
Early Poweshiek County
Courthouse |
Poweshiek County, IowaBrief History of
In 1842, a treaty was signed by the US Government and the Sac and Fox Indian tribes, opening up the area now encompassing Poweshiek County to settlement. It was first a part of Keokuk County, later part of Iowa County and then part of Mahaska County before being officially designated Poweshiek County on April 3, 1848. It is named after Chief Poweshiek of the Sac and Fox Tribes. Chief Poweshiek was known as the "Peaceful Indian", having signed the Treaty that ended the Black Hawk War. Iowa officially became a state in 1846.
The first permanent settlers arrived in May 1843: Richard B. Ogden and his wife in the southern part of the county and Henry Snook and his wife and eight children settled in the northern part. A steady stream of settlers followed. The settlement of the county progressed generally from south to north. The county seat of Montezuma was selected in the southern part of the county because at the time, it was felt the northern portion of the county would not be settled.
The county first had three townships: Sugar Creek, Jackson, and Bear Creek. These were later subdivided and the eventual sixteen townships now in existence were formed, adding: Chester, Deep River, Lincoln, Grant, Jefferson, Scott, Malcom, Warren, Union, Madison, Washington, Pleasant, and Sheridan. [Click to go to Townships page.]
Originally, nine schools were designated for each township. Montezuma was designated the county seat in June 1848, and the first courthouse was built in that year. The present courthouse was begun in 1856, and is said to be the second oldest courthouse still in use in Iowa. It has been enlarged in recent years, in the same style, and is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1856, a contingent of Mormon settlers, migrating from Nauvoo, IL to Utah crossed Iowa including Poweshiek County. One of the settlers sons, Job Wellington, Jr. is buried near the present town of Malcom. The settlers traveled pulling handcarts.
