1865 Iowa State Gazetteer [Iowa's First Gazetteer]

Information gleaned on Warren County from this 1865 Gazetteer includes:
POST OFFICES - POPULATION - BUSINESS DIRECTORY - HISTORY

1865 POST OFFICES IN WARREN COUNTY:
Carlisle, Dorrville, Fort Plain, Friend’s Grove, Hammondsburg, Hartford, Indianola, Lacona, Lattimer, Lawrenceburg, Liberty Centre, Lynn, New Virginia, Norwalk, Palmyra, Rosemount, Sandyville, Sharon, Summerset, Twelve Mile Grove, Wisconsin

1865 POPULATION OF WARREN COUNTY:
(See map of Townships showing Township # and Range #. Note that Washington Township is now Lincoln Township, while the city limits of Indianola is now Washington Township.)

1865 BUSINESS DIRECTORY for Warren County (by subject):
Academies, Colleges, Schools and Seminaries:
Des Moines Conference Seminary, Orlando H. Parker, Principal – Indianola
Auction and Commission:
Hugh B. Allison – Norwalk
Bakers:
Benjamin F. Gregory - Indianola
Bankers:
Hallam & Son (David & Thomas W.) – Indianola
Blacksmiths:
Thomas W. Clough – Carlisle
Peter Kale – Carlisle
Ruttan & Hodging (Jacob R. & David H.) – Hammondsburg
John E. Cook – Lanconia
T. Irwin – New Virginia
Jesse Black – Norwalk
Archibald Payne – Palmyra
James Golden - Sandyville
John Golden - Sandyville
Books and Stationary:
Gorham A. Worth – Indianola
Boot and Shoe Manufacturers & Dealers:
Thomas Jeys – Indianola
William Porter – New Virginia
Moses Bruce – Palmyra
John Nichols – Palmyra
Jacob Protzman – Sandyville
Butchers:
Ephraim Fisher – Carlisle
Proudfoot & Pugh – Indianola
Carpenters and Builders:
Henry Moore – Carlisle
Reuben H. Griffith – Indianola
Turner & Atkeson (Jeptha T. & Thomas J. A.) – Indianola
Elias Basinger – Hammondsburg
Thomas Thompson – Lynn
George Kinney – Norwalk
Augusta A. Lundy – Palmyra
N. Beaman – Sandyville
J. Heckman – Sandyville
A. J. Stover – Sandyville
Clergymen:
Mr. Black, Methodist – Carlisle
Moses Parker, Baptist – Carlisle
Mr. Sheits, Methodist – Carlisle
E. H. Winans, Methodist – Indianola
Enoch Wood, Methodist – Indianola
Mr. Harnes, Methodist – Lynn
Joseph Knotts – New Virginia
L. Roy – New Virginia
J. M. Blye, Methodist – Norwalk
C. Townsend, Baptist – Norwalk
William Black, Methodist – Palmyra
 S. Y. Berringer, F. W. Baptist – Sandyville
J. N. Loughborough, Advent – Sandyville
Mr. Pool, Baptist – Sandyville
Coal Miners and Dealers:
Franklin Barker – Hammondsburg
Confectionery, Fruit, etc.:
Arthur W. Richards – Indianola
Coopers [barrel makers]:
Henderson Scarum – Hammondsburg
Dentists:
Edward A. Dodge – Indianola
Druggists:
Bryan & Davis (P. Gad B. & C. W. D.) – Indianola
Jones – Indianola
Noble & Harbison (Thomas D. N. & Robert F. H.) – Indianola
Dry Goods:
George W. Hylton & Company – New Virginia
Flour Mills:
Robert Nickleson – Carlisle
General Stores:
David H. Caldwell – Hammondsburg
John W. Tharp – Hammondsburg
Barker, Hallam & Co. (Moses R. B., David H., and Thomas W. Hallam) – Indianola
John Cheshire – Indianola
Lorin B. Clapp – Indianola
Kircher & Davis (Wm. S. K. and Thomas H. D.) – Indianola
Milton Todhunter – Indianola
John Webb – Indianola
John Johnston – Lacona
Samuel Myers – Lacona
William Grimsley – Sandyville
G. & J. Heiney – Sandyville
Stafford & Goode – Sandyville
Grocers:
William F. Blair – Indianola
Uriah Ford – Indianola
Alonzo Green – Indianola
Abraham Price – Indianola
Gunsmiths:
Samuel Burgess – Sandyville
Hotels:
Barnwell House, Barnwell, proprietor – Indianola
Indianola House, Luke Bryan, proprietor - Indianola
Koffman House, William Koffman, proprietor – Indianola
Leonard S. Spencer – Lynn
Luddington House, H. R. Luddington, proprietor – New Virginia
Stephen R. James – Palmyra
David J. Walsh - Palmyra
Union House, George Duncan, proprietor – Sandyville
Justice of the Peace:
Arthur W. Richards – Indianola
Lawyers:
Benjamin Morgan – Hammondsburg
P. Gad Bryan – Indianola
H. McNeil – Indianola
Hugh W. Maxwell – Indianola
James E. Williamson – Indianola
Peter Hammond – New Virginia
Live Stock Dealers:
David H. Caldwell – Hammondsburg
John W. Sharp – Hammondsburg
Grimsley & Co. – Sandyville
G. & J. Heiney – Sandyville
Lyon & Sandy – Sandyville
Lumber Dealers:
Josiah B. Chapman – Carlisle
Masons (brick layers):
M. Adkins – Carlisle
Benjamin Batten – Hammondsburg
John VanScoy – New Virginia
Siward W. Richey – Norwalk
Wesley Dunigan – Palmyra
Milliners and Dealers in Millinery Goods:
E. A. Wrining – Sandyville
Music Teachers:
Harriet Smith – Lynn
Newspapers:
Indianola Weekly Banner (Republican), M. Henry Money, proprietor – Indianola
Notaries Public:
John W. Brown – Indianola
Photographs and Ambrotypes, etc.:
Mrs. Jonas Jeys – Indianola
Physicians and Surgeons:
C. W. Davis – Indianola
John D. McCleary – Indianola
Benjamin S. Noble – Indianola
William B. Young – Indianola
John Fulton – New Virginia
Adam Beck – Palmyra
D. B. Rees – Palmyra
Jesse Cook – Sandyville
Mr. Jolley – Sandyville
Saddle and Harness Manufacturers:
Jesse Andrews – Indianola
Robert Longshore – Indianola
Saw Mills:
Josiah B. Chapman – Carlisle
Myers & McKinley – Lacona
William G. Ball – Lynn
Cart Henderson – Lynn
John S. Stiles – Lynn
Joshua Wallace – Lynn
Stoves and Tinware:
John Bramhall – Indianola
Tailors:
Moses W. Shephard – Indianola
Wagon Makers:
Jacob Wagner – Hammondsburg
John W. Harsh – New Virginia
Watches, Clocks, and Jewelry:
John A. Leach – Indianola
Wool Carders:
James Golden – Sandyville
Woolen Goods, Manufacturers of:
J. W. Jones – Palmyra

1865 HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
Warren County is situated in the southern central part of the state, and is bounded on the north by Polk County, on the east by Marion, on the south by Lucas and Clark, and on the west by Madison.  The general surface is gently rolling, about one-fourth being timber, which is well divided through all portions of the county, no prairie being wider than six miles.  The soil is a sandy loam, with a general depth of three feet, and well adapted to the different cereals, grasses, fruits, root crops, etc.  Apples, pears, grapes, plums and cherries of fine quality are grown in abundance. The principal varieties of timber are sugar maple, black walnut and white oak.  Building stone is plenty, but generally difficult of access, although it crops out of some of the streams.  There are large beds of excellent stone coal in different parts of the county, and a vein of cannel coal has recently been discovered.  The county is well adapted to stock raising, as the timber being well divided, gives an abundant shelter.  Sheep growing is attracting the attention of farmers.  During the fall of 1864, twenty thousand head of sheep were brought here.  A woolen factory is much needed, and there are good facilities for putting one in operation.  The Des Moines River bounds the county on the northeast and flowing into it are the North, Middle, and South Rivers.  White Breast River runs through the southeast corner, and Squaw River through the southern portion into the South River.  All the above mentioned are large enough for mill seats, and have a fair fall of water.  Beside these, there are innumerable smaller streams, which drain the prairies and furnish good stock water at various intervals.  The county is divided into sixteen civil townships as follow: Allen, Belmont, Greenfield, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Linn, Otter, Palmyra, Richland, Squaw, Union, Virginia, Washington, White Breast and White Oak.  As yet there is no railroad passing through the county, the nearest being the Des Moines Valley Railroad, which passes the northern portion of the county on the opposite side of the Des Moines River.  This railroad will soon be finished to Des Moines, which will be the principal shipping point for Indianola, seventeen miles distant.  The county was first settled by Alexander Gindler, Samuel Hayworth, Joseph Scott and David Booker in 1848-1849.  It was organized January 1, 1849.  Samuel Hayworth, Daniel Booker and Alexander Gindler were the organizing commissioners. 

INDIANOLA, the county seat, is an incorporated city, situated in the centre of the county, on the state line from Oskaloosa, and seventeen from Des Moines.  It is located on prairie, about half a mile from timber.  Zebulon Hackett, Amos Booker and T. P. Henderson were the first settlers.  The Indianola Male and Female Seminary, under the direction of the Methodist denomination, is located here,  and had about one hundred pupils.  The town had two churches, Methodist and Prebyterian; also Warren Lodge, No. 53, A.F. & A. M., Indianola Lodge, No.72, I.O.O.F., and a lodge of Good Templars.  The County Agricultural Society has a fair ground, containing twenty acres, within half a mile of the town.  The business of the town may be enumerated as follows: One steam flouring mill running three burr of stone, one bank, seven general stores, three drug stores, four groceries, two stove and tin stores, one bookstore and one newspaper, published by H. Money.  Population, 1, 200.

SANDYVILLE is twenty-two miles southeast of Des Moines.  It contains four churches: Advent, two Baptist and a Methodist; also three general stores and one carding machine.  Population, 150

CARLISLE is in the northeastern part of the county, ten miles northeast of Indianola, and ten miles southeast of Des Moines.  It contains two churches: Baptist and Methodist; also one general store, one flour mill and one saw mill.  Population, 100

NEW VIRGINIA is a small post village, eighteen miles southwest of Indianola.  It contains one church, one lodge of Good Templars and one general store.  Population, 75

HAMMONDSBURG is a post office, seven miles southeast of Indianola.  There is one general store at this place.  Population, 25

LYNN is a post office in Jefferson Township, northwest corner of the county, on the state route from Des Moines to Winterset.  The township contains a Methodist Church and four saw mills.  It is chiefly prairie, but has a good supply of timber.  Population of township, 400.

PALMYRA is nine miles northeast of Indianola.  It contains a Methodist Church, one woolen factory and one saw mill.  Population of township, 1,060.

NORWALK is a post office in Linn Township, in the northwestern portion of the county, ten miles from Indianola.

SHARON is in the southern part of the county, eight miles from Indianola.  The remaining villages and post offices are: Dorrville, Fort Plains, Friends Grove, Hartford, Lacona, Lattimer, Lawrenceburg, Liberty Centre, Rosemount, Summerset, Twelve Mile Grove and Wisconsin.

SOURCE: Iowa State Gazetteer, Chicago; Bailey & Hair, 1865
(available online thru https://babel.hathitrust.org/)