of Buchanan County had never been altered. The western boundary of the county was still the Missouri River, and the attempt to describe the boundaries of Black Hawk as "beginning at the northwest corner of Buchanan County, thence west to range fifteen west", etc., was an attempt to do the impossible. Such a county cannot be drawn upon a map. The intention of the framers of the act, however, seems perfectly clear. The two counties were to have the boundaries given them on all county maps of Iowa today. That the law did not really give to these counties the boundaries usually attributed to them is equally clear. Their boundaries were defined in a defective manner, and, not having been altered by statute, remain defective today.29 Buchanan County was mentioned only indirectly in the act of 1843. Nothing at all was said about the remainder of the original County of Buchanan, which lay west of the new County of Black Hawk. Technically, the territory west of Black Hawk remained part of Buchanan County until divided up among other counties by later laws.

Assuming Buchanan County to have the boundaries generally attributed to it upon our maps, its territory represents three separate cessions of Indian lands. The eastern part was within the limits of the Sac and Fox cession of September 21, 1832, commonly called the Black Hawk Purchase; the central part belonged to the Sac and Fox cession of October 21, 1837; while the western part was ceded by the same Indians on October 11, 1842. (See Map I.) That portion within the limits of the Black Hawk Purchase was later a part of the original County of Dubuque. (See Map II.)

Buena Vista.-The boundaries of Buena Vista County have not been altered since the county was established by

29 See Map XVI in the July, 1908, number of THE IOWA JOURNAL OF HISTORY AND POLITICS. Compare also the text of pp. 434-435 in the same reference.

an act of the legislature of the State of Iowa approved on January 15, 1851.30 The southern tier of townships - in other words, the southern fourth of the county — had been formerly within the limits of the original County of Buchanan. The remainder of Buena Vista was part of the original County of Fayette during the existence of that county. (See Map II.) The territory of the entire county was acquired by the United States government by the terms of the treaty of July 15, 1830, when all claims to western Iowa were surrendered by the Sacs and Foxes, Omahas, Iowas, Otoes, Missouris and the Santee Sioux. (See Map I.)

Butler.-Butler County was one of the fifty new counties established by the act of January 15, 1851.31 Its boundaries as defined at this time have never been altered. The southern tier of townships was part of the original County of Buchanan while the remainder had been within the limits of the original County of Fayette. (See Map II.) The territory of Butler County represents two Indian land cessions. The southern third of the county was included within the limits of the Sac and Fox cession of October 11, 1842. The northern portion had been ceded by the same tribes on July 15, 1830, the cession of that date. forming part of the so-called "Neutral Strip". (See Map I.) The famous "Neutral Line" passed close to the northwest corner of Butler County.

Calhoun.-Created under the name of Fox County, Calhoun was established by an act of the legislature of the State of Iowa, approved on January 15, 1851.32 Its boundaries as described in this act have remained permanent. The name was changed to Calhoun by an act of January 20 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27. 31 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27. 32 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27.

12, 1853.33 The southern fourth of the territory of Calhoun County had been within the limits of the original County of Benton. (See Map II.) The bulk of the county, however, had been part of the original County of Buchanan.

Nearly all of the area of Calhoun County fell within the limits of the cession made on October 11, 1842, by the Sac and Fox Indians. The northwest corner had been acquired from various tribes by a treaty signed on July 15, 1830. (See Map I.)

Carroll. This county, like those just described, was established by the important act of January 15, 1851.34 Its boundaries have never since been altered. The entire county comes within the limits of the original County of Benton established by the act of December 21, 1837. The southwestern corner was later included within the territory of the original County of Pottawatamie created on February 24, 1847. (See Map II.)

The relation of Carroll County to the Indian land cessions is rather complex. The larger part of its territory was acquired from the Sac and Fox tribes by the treaty of October 11, 1842. (See Map I.) All that part of the county not acquired at this time had been ceded by various tribes on July 15, 1830. The southwest corner had also been included in the reservation given by the United States government to the Pottawattamie nation in the treaty dated September 26, 1833. The latter area was ceded a second time to the United States - this time by the Pottawattamies on June 5 and 17, 1846.

Cass.-Cass County was erected by the act of January 15, 1851.35 Its boundaries were defined as follows: "Be

33 Laws of Iowa, 1852-1853, p. 28. 34 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27.

35 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27.

ginning at the north-west corner of township 77 north of range No. 33 west, thence west on the township line dividing townships 78 and 77, to the north-west corner of township 77 north of range 37 west, thence south on the range line between ranges 37 and 38, to the south-west corner of township 74 north of range 38 west, thence east on the township line between townships 73 and 74, to the southwest corner of township 74 north of range 33 west, thence north to the place of beginning." This definition of boundaries contains an error. It concerns the location of the southwest corner of the county and affects both the western and southern boundaries. In the above quotation we read "thence south on the range line between ranges 37 and 38, to the south-west corner to township 74 north of range 38 west". It is clearly impossible to follow south on the line indicated and arrive at the "southwest corner of township 74 north of range 38 west". The law should have read north of range 37 west. This error has never been corrected. The boundaries of Cass County were defective as first defined, and, since they have never been altered, remain defective today.36 It is absolutely impossible to draw Cass County on a map according to the boundaries given it in the act quoted above. The counties round about it, however, give it shape, and give it, indeed, the boundaries which the framers of the act no doubt meant it to receive. The territory which county maps of Iowa accredit to Cass County was ceded to the United States by various tribes on July 15, 1830. It was also part of that area given as a reservation to the Pottawattamie nation by the treaty of September 26, 1833. The whole region was receded to the United States by the terms of a treaty dated June 5 and 17, 1846. (See Map I.) Cass County was also included within

36 See Map XVI in the July, 1908, number of THE IOWA JOURNAL OF HISTORY AND POLITICS.

VOL. VII-2

the limits of the original County of Pottawatamie created in 1847. (See Map II.)

Cedar.-Cedar County was established by an act of the legislature of the Territory of Wisconsin approved on December 21, 1837.37 Like its neighbors it was carved from the territory of the original County of Dubuque. (See Map II.) Its boundaries first received have remained permanent.

The territory of Cedar County was probably entirely within the limits of the Black Hawk Purchase made of the Sac and Fox Indians by the terms of the treaty of cession made on September 21, 1832. (See Map I.) It is possible, however, that the eastern angle of the Sac and Fox cession of October 21, 1837, was within the limits of Cedar County, in which case, a small portion of its area would have been included within the limits of the second cession.

Cerro Gordo.-Located in the northern part of the State, Cerro Gordo County was established by an act of the legislature of the State of Iowa approved on January 15, 1851.38 The boundaries first given to the county have remained permanent.

The territory of Cerro Gordo was within the limits of the original County of Fayette created in 1837. (See Map II.) Most of the county was ceded by the Medewakanton, Wahpekuta, Wahpeton and Sisseton bands of the Sioux in a treaty dated July 15, 1830. It is possible that the southeastern corner of the county was within the limits of the cession made by the Sac and Fox Indians on the same date. These two cessions made up the so-called "Neutral Ground". The boundary line between the two cessions was very close to the southeastern corner of the county. The

37 Laws of the Territory of Wisconsin, 1836-1838, p. 132.

38 Laws of Iowa, 1850-1851, p. 27.