Cerro Gordo county is situated in the second tier of counties from the northern line of the State, and is the fifth west from the Mississippi river. It is twenty-four miles square and contains an area of 368,640 acres. Like most portions of northern Iowa, it has a very pleasing diversity of surface, particularly in the eastern portion, produced by the valleys of the numerous creeks and streams, by which the county is well watered and drained, while the prairies which form the greater portion of the area of the county, are not devoid of a good degree of diversity, occasioned by their undulations. The prairies, except in the southwest, where a number of extensive marshes are found, are generally high, rolling and dry, though never being sufficiently broken or abrupt to render them unsuitable for pleasant and profitable cultivation.

Nearly every portion of the county is well watered by clear and rapidly flowing streams, generally supported by springs. All water courses in this part of the State flow more rapidly than in the west and southwest portions, affording better and more abundant water power for machinery. The eastern part of the county has larger and more numerous streams of running water than the west.

Shell Rock river flows from northwest to southeast through Falls, the northeast corner township, watering portions of two other townships. It is a rapid stream, flowing through extensive beds of limestone, and presenting many superior mill privileges, but few of which are as yet improved. This stream has its source in Minnesota and is a tributary to the Cedar river.

Lime creek, sometimes called Lime river, is a tributary of the Shell Rock, and is the most important stream in Cerro Gordo county. It enters from Hancock county, about four miles south of the northwest corner of Cerro Gordo, and thence flows in a northwesterly course some six or eight miles, touching the south line of Worth county. Thence its course is in a southeast direction, through Lincoln, Lime Creek, Mason and Portland townships, leaving the county near the middle of the east line. It thus meanders through five different town ships [sic], affording the county at least thirty miles of water course, exclusive of its tributaries. This stream also flows through and over beds of limestone nearly its entire length in this county. It has many tributaries, one of the most important being known as Willow creek, which has its rise in the western part of the county, one branch of it being the outlet of Clear Lake. These streams abundantly water all the north half of the county.

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The northern portion of the county is abundantly supplied with the various kinds of timber common to this portion of the State, consisting principally of burr, red and black oak, walnut, butter nut, hickory, poplar, linn, hackberry, soft maple and white and red elm. The most extensive bodies are found along the Shell Rock river, Lime creek and surrounding Clear Lake, and extending northward into Worth county. Owen’s Grove in the east, and Linn Grove in the south, furnish a good supply for fuel and other purposes to the settlers around them. The southwest portion of the county has little or no good timber, but nature has abundantly supplied it with fuel in the extensive peat marshes which are among the best and most valuable in the State, if properly utilized. It is estimated that there are over fifteen thousand acres of native timber in the county, which will afford, if properly preserved, a supply for all purposes for which native timber is used, for all time to come.

The county of Cerro Gordo lies in the second tier of counties from the northern line of the State. This is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the northwest, and Cerro Gordo county, through the agency of great natural advantages, as fertility of soil and an abundance of water, and a thrifty and intelligent class of people, has assumed a high rank among the agricultural counties of Iowa. Lines of railway have brought excellent marketing facilities to the very doors of the producers, and agricultural pursuits are to-day pursued with pleasure and profit, where a few years ago the farmer met with hardships, uncertainty and privation.

As to the products of the county, corn, wheat and oats are the staples, varying relatively in amount from year to year; but corn always taking the lead. Barley, hay and potatoes rank next as important productions. Rye, sorghum and grass seed are also largely cultivated. Vegetables and fruit common to this latitude grow here to perfection, and there are now many fine and profitable fruit orchards in Cerro Gordo county. Years ago about the whole attention of agriculturists was devoted to raising wheat, but that day has gone by. The wheat belt seems, from its history, to be always moving westward, and while it hovered over this portion of America, it was well improved thirty, forty, and even forty-five bushels to the acre being raised, and all farmers considering it the staple product. Of late years however, farmers are turning their attention more toward raising stock. Their success in this line has been marked and rapid, and few counties in northwestern Iowa can boast of the amount and quality of stock that can Cerro Gordo. On the whole Cerro Gordo county ranks high among its sister counties of the great State, and its resources not having been much more than half developed, its promise is indeed flattering.

In this connection are presented a number of items compiled from the census report of 1880, which will give a very clear idea of the resources and present conditions of the county:

In 1880 the number of improved farms in Cerro Gordo county was 1,387; there were 169,206 acres of improved land; the value of farms, including land, fences, and buildings, was $3,851,548; the value of farming implements and machinery was $317,051; value of live stock, $810,334; the cost of building and repairing fences in 1879, was $19,790; the cost of fertilizers purchased in 1879, was $188; the estimated value of all farm productions, sold, consumed, or on hand for 1879, was $1,115,712.

In 1880 there were 52,873 bushels of barley harvested in Cerro Gordo county; of buckwheat, 1,314 bushels; corn, 1,276,322 bushels; oats, 528,445 bushels; rye, 810 bushels; wheat, 656,998 bushels; the total value of orchard products was $1,712. There were 26,649 tons of hay gathered; 97,727 bushels of Irish potatoes raised, and 5,520 pounds of tobacco raised.

Stock Raising.

Stock raising in Cerro Gordo county has grown to great proportions in the last few years. Farmers fifteen years ago depended mostly on growing cereals, but this has largely passed away. Wheat is no more a profitable crop and farmers have, as a necessity, turned their attention to something that yields larger and quicker returns. This they have realized in raising and selling cattle and hogs. To show the increase in this direction, statistics have been compiled of various years and are here presented:

In 1863 there were 1505 head of cattle, valued at $$13,170.50 [sic]; 437 horses, valued at $18,608; 8 mules, valued at $525; 856 sheep, valued at $1,615; and 541 swine, valued at $952.65.

In 1873 there were 4017 head of cattle, valued at $33,651; 2301 horses, valued at $77,393; 48 mules, valued at $1,773; 1037 sheep, valued at $1,044; and 1262 swine, valued at $1,364.

In 1875 there were 5830 head of cattle, valued at $52,033; 2944 horses, valued at $93,661; 82 mules, valued at $2,810; 1707 sheep, valued at $1,278; and 1388 swine, valued at $1,536.

In 1879 there were 8456 head of cattle, valued at $79,340; 4755 horses, valued at $158,547; 133 mules, valued at $4,915; 1494 sheep, valued at $1,514; and 8474 swine, valued at $10,157.

As to dairy products and live stock in 1880, there were 36,718 gallons of milk produced; 418,401 pounds of butter, and 8,445 pounds of cheese made. There were 5,745 head of horses; 148 mules and asses; 28 working oxen; 5,266 milch cows; 9,784 other cattle; 3,014 sheep; and 29,106 hogs. During this year, 18,065 pounds of wool was produced.

In 1883 there were 15,805 head of cattle, valued at $127,763; 5614 horses, valued at $143,920; 156 mules, valued at $4,834; 2724 sheep, valued at $2,704; and 12,446 swine, valued at $14,552.

It must be borne in mind that the assessed value is but about one-third the real value, so by multiplying by three, the real value is obtained.

Bath township comprises congressional township 95, range 20 west, and is bounded by Mason on the north, Owen on the east, Geneseo on the south and Mt. Vernon on the west. Bath is a prairie township and the surface of the land is gently rolling, made up of a dark, rich loam. There are some prairie sloughs, but nearly all can easily be drained, and converted into fine pasture lands. Three small streams traverse the township from north to south, two of which unite on section 34, entering Geneseo township as one stream. Owing to the fact that there was no native timber in the township, it did not settle as rapidly as some other parts of the county; but in 1883 was fast developing into a fine agricultural section.

Settlement.

Two men—Tucker and Cantonwine—made the first settlement, near Owen’s Grove, on section 1, in 1856. Mr. Tucker came from one of the eastern States, remained a few years, and removed to Nebraska. Cantonwine, who was a carpenter by trade, remained until the following spring. No other settlers came in until 1864, at which time Horatio B. Morrison, a native of New Hampshire, settled on section 15.

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Organic.

Bath township was organized in 1876.

The first burying place, in Geneseo township, was on the southwest quarter of section 36, now but little used. The principal cemetery in 1883, was on the northeast quarter of section 10, which joined the town plat of Rockwell, containing two and one half acres. It is regularly laid out, having many native oaks, with evergreens here and there. There are several fine monuments in this cemetery.