DeWitt Township
The following history is from the Clinton Herald, July 4, 1976:
DeWitt township was created in 1843 out of what was Clear Creek Township. Settlers first came to the area in 1836.
The city of DeWitt was incorporated in 1858, although its beginnings go back to 1841 when some county residents began agitating for a county seat in the geographical center of the county.
The territorial government of Iowa set up a commission to investigate the request in a petition which was said to have been prompted by jealousy among communities in the county.
A site was selected, and the town was platted in 1841. It was initially called Vandenburg, in honor of the sweeheart of one of the commission members, but in 1842, the territorial legislature changed it to DeWitt.
In 1848, Lyons unsuccessfully challenged DeWitt for the county seat, and the courthouse stayed where it was. County business outgrew its original building and a second courthouse was built in DeWitt in 1854. However, in 1869 the more densely populated eastern portion of the county succeeded in winning back the courthouse in a hotly contested election which resulted in the county offices being moved to Clinton.
(Probably one of the original six townships)
Towns |
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Crystal Lake |
Summer resort on old millpond |
|
De Witt |
17 Apr 1844 - Current |
1844 Population: 14 families. County seat 1841-1869. |
Independence Grove |
Near milldam on Silver Creek at Crystal Lake |
|
Ramessa |
15 Aug 1857 - 19 Nov 1858 |
Renamed Malone, moved to Eden Township |
Round Grove |
Heavy timber NE of DeWitt |
|
Vandenburg |
09 Jun 1842 - 14 Apr 1844 |
Renamed DeWitt |
Cemeteries |
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| 59 | Unnamed | |
| 60 | Unnamed | |
| 61 | Elmwood | |
| 62 | Old Town | |
| 63 | St. Joseph's | |
Early History of St. Joseph's Parish in DeWitt
Business of DeWitt
From the end of January, 1880, until June, the Clinton County Advertiser ran a section called “Business of DeWitt” in which they tell quite a bit about the local businesses.
- Business of DeWitt: Dry Goods
- Business of DeWitt: Boots & Shoes
- Business of DeWitt: Groceries
- Business of DeWitt: Millinery, Dress-Making & Tailoring
- Business of DeWitt: Agricultural Implements & Hardware
- Business of DeWitt: Drugs & Medicines, Harness & Saddlery Ware, Tinners, Portrait Artist & Baker
- Business of DeWitt: Jewelers, Furniture Dealers & Meat Markets
- Business of DeWitt: Mills
- Business of DeWitt: Creamery, Marble Works, Brick Makers, Broom Makers, Etc.
- Business of DeWitt: Carriage Manufacturies, Cooper, Lightning Rods and Fancy Poultry
- Business of DeWitt: Banker, Attorneys, Justices of the Peace, Real Estate Agt., Pension Clain Agent
- Business of DeWitt: Blacksmiths, General Repairs, Sewing Machines, Opera House, Wells
- Business of DeWitt: Foundry, DeWitt Pump Works, Cigar Factory, Livery Stables, Barbers, Laundry
- Business of DeWitt: Mineral Water, Silver Creek Nursery, Draymen, Silver Creek Herd Farm, Sewing Machines, Post Office
- Business of DeWitt: Physicians and Dentists
- Business of DeWitt: Hotels, Restaurants, Veterinarians
- Business of DeWitt: Last Column - Not Titled
DeWitt High School Commencement - 1920
HAUSBARN
Bredstadt, Germany is a sister city of DeWitt.
DeWitt also recently dedicated its "Hausbarn",
a building built in 1727 that originally had a barn on one end and a
house on the other.
It was taken apart, shipped to DeWitt and
reconstructed there.