1851-1860

In 1850 except for a few hardy souls, North Central Iowa, which included the Swede Bend area was largely unoccupied.  In the spring of 1850 the Army established a fort originally called Fort Clarke and later Fort Dodge for protection of this section of the frontier. By 1853 it was deemed the fort was no longer necessary (early base realigment?), It was abandoned and the garrison was relocated to Minnesota. The fort and it's property was purchased by a private party and the town of Fort Dodge was platted in 1854.  Swede Bend area was now open for settlement.

Today if one drives along the many miles of Roads in Swede Bend in Boone, Hamilton and Webster counties the amount and appearance of land under cultivation is mind boggling (especially to a non-rural, non-midwest person).  It was not exactly that way in the 1850's (besides the roads).  This part of Iowa was once covered by the Wisconsin Glacier.  When the glacier receded it left behind palustrine wetlands (they do not drain) known as the prairie pothole section of North Central Iowa.  This
resulted in many acres of marginal land with iffy crops, low yields, but many mosquitos.  A survey in 1903 indicated Iowa contained over four million acres of land with poor drainage.  The situation did not get much better until after 1906 when the state finalized drainage law to allow legal drainage districts.  After passage of that law, area drainage ditches and field tiling began to reclaim the land to what is now seen (incidentally in 1970 there began to be concern about the quality of water coming out of the tiles and ditches).  www.glo.gis.iastate.edu/pinfo/timeline.html is an interesting site that contains county maps of wetlands and other features plus a General land Office (Iowa) timeline.  A great amount of land in Swede Bend was in this pothole section, but the price was right at the time.

When a territory attains statehood, title to all public land  remains in the United States. (one exception - Texas).  The public land cannot be disposed of without federal statutory authority. Specific acts of
congress allow disposition directly by the government or indirectly through the states.  Each act will cover specific lands with directions as to how dispositions will be made. 

In the early years, the 1841 pre-exemption act allowed farmers (squatters) to claim unsurveyed public lands under certain conditions.  The Swampland Act of 1850 gave 65 million acres of swampland to fifteen states, including Iowa (palustrine wetlands qualified) The states were permitted to sell this land with the proceeds being used for reclaimation.

In 1855 an existing law was amended to grant veterans of the war of 1812, the war with Mexico, and the Indian wars, land warrants for their service to the United States.  These grants were to the veterans or their heirs and were fully transferable.  Some of this grant land was in Hamilton and Webster counties and was purchased by the settlers.  These were but three of the ways public lands could be obtained rather than purchasing existing land in private hands. An additional Federal Land
Office and district was established in Fort Dodge in 1855 to process the increased land business in the north central part of the state. Immigration and settlement were encouraged in the undeveloped areas of the young United States.  An interesting Iowa State University website, www.glo.gis.iastate.edu/pinfo/timeline.html contains a detailed timeline and historical maps of Iowa land. 

In 1855 a noted gazetteer, Nathan Howe Parker, published a book titled "Iowa As It Is in 1855", subtitled a gazetteer for Iowa citizens and handbook for immigrants (non Iowa immigrants not foreign).  This almost 300 page book in wonderful Victorian prose extolled the virtues of Iowa ,and  encouraged settlement therein.  It described the land and climate (nothing about prairie potholes, wetlands, or delightful Iowa winters though), how to obtain your very own piece of the pie, and gave thumbnails of the various counties, cities, and industry (if one was not of the farming persuasion). The book was reissued the next year and titled "Iowa As It Is in 1856"  The latter was mostly a reprint of the former but added sections on northwest and north central Iowa.  This included a description of Webster County as being the largest county in Iowa (at the time Webster also included what was to become Hamilton and the southern portion of Humbolt counties.  I would doubt if this book made it's way
to Europe but it certainly made it's way east of the Mississippi River.  The 1855 and 1856 books can be read online at the University of Michigan MOA (making of America) series.  Google the authors name.  It will lead you to MOA.

The U.S. Census for 1860 was taken in the Swede Bend area in June and July of 1860,  By this time the geographical boundaries of the three counties in the area had been fixed.  All the townships were not in place as yet.  Grant Township in Boone County, and Lost Grove and Gowrie Townships in Webster County had yet to be established.  The inhabitants (if any) were included with an adjacent township.  Towns were almost non-existant at the beginning of this period. U.S. Postal Service began to 
establish post offices in this area in 1853. The 1860 census form now contained  township and post office information.

The post offices of this period consisted primarily of a small corner of some store or even a persons home. Patrons had to physically go to the post office to send or receive mail.  Rural Free delivery did not begin until 1896.  The designated post office was not necessarily in the same township, or even county.  Many of these early post offices were discontinued by consolidation when the area towns began to emerge. The designated post office on the census form does not have much meaning
with the exception of Hardin Township, The township east of the Des Moines River has Ridgeport (Mineral Ridge) in Dodge Township, Boone County, as it's post office.  The township west of the Des Moines River has Dayton in Dayton Township, Webster County, as it's post office.  This actually
makes sense.  The river was first bridged in Hardin Township in 1872 (about the center of section 10) and again in 1882 (about center of section 16).  Neither bridge is in existance today.  Until the river was bridged, it was easier to go to Ridgeport for mail purposes than to Dayton. In the 1870 census the Hardin Township post office was changed to Hooks Point, Marion Townhip, Hamilton County. Today,about the only time a named post office will mean anything is when searching for an ancestor
if an old letter turns up with a strange post office address that will give a clue as to where to look.  The  site at www.iowaghosttowns.com lists extinct places with some post office information.

The analysis of the 1860 census is by township except for Hardin Township, Webster County.  It appears that the township was de facto settled by two distinct groups with little intermingling due to the river
barrier.  This carried forward at least to the demise of Dayton and Stratford as principal trading centers which gradually took place beginning after the 2nd. world war. For this analysis Hardin Twp. is divided into Hardin East (east of the river) and hardin west (west of the river.

Boone County, enumerated  June and July 1860

Dodge Township.  Total population was 557 individuals living in 37 family units. Of these, 17 were Swedish born plus 4 children born in the U.S. for a total of 21 living in 4 family units.  Based on the childrens place of birth it appears that one of these families lived in Illinois before going to Iowa.

Pilot Mound Township. Total population was 157 individuals living in 29 family units.  Of these 16 were Swedish born plus 7 children born in the U.S. for a total of 23 living in 5 family units.  All families
appear to have come directly to Iowa from Sweden.

Hamilton County, enumerated  June 1860

Clear Lake Township - Total population 76 individuals living in 15 family units. No Swedes were listed as residing in the township.

Marion Township.  Total population 194 individuals living in 23 family units.  Of these 20 were Swedish born plus 3 children born in the U.S. for a total of 23 living in 6 family units. All Swedish families appear
to have come directly to Iowa from Sweden

Webster Township.  Total Population 253 individuals living in 24 family units.  There were no Swedish families in the township.

Webster County, enumerated June and July 1860

Dayton Township.  Total population was 208 individuals living in 47 family units.  Of these 57 were Swedish born plus 17 children born in the U.S. for a total of 74 living in 18 family units.  Based on the
childrens place of birth it appears that 2 families lived in Illinois before going to Iowa.  In addition to the Swedes, 2 families came from England, 2 from Holland and 3 from Germany.

Hardin Township (east). Total population was 127 individuals living in 27 family units.  Of these 61 were Swedish born plus 38 children born in the U.S. for a total of 99 living in 22 family units. Based on the childrens place of birth it appears that 3 families lived in Illinois before going to Iowa.  5 family units were not Swedish, 1 German, and 4 from Tennessee.

Hardin Township (west). Total population 62 individuals living in 11
family units.  Of these 43 were Swedish born plus 19 children born in
the U.S. for a total of 62 living in 11 family units.  Based on the
childrens place of birth it appears that 3 families lived in Illinois before
going to Iowa.

Hardin Township (combined) Total population was 189 individuals living
in 38 family units.  Of these 104 were Swedish born plus 57 children
born in the U.S. for a total of 161 living in 33 family units.  based on
the childrens place of birth it appears 6 families lived in Illinois
before going to Iowa.

Webster Township.  Total population 155 individuals living in 29
family units.  There were no Swedish families in the township.

Yell Township.  Total population 204 individuals in 38 family units. 
Of these 2 were Swedish born in one family unit.