Coin, IA. Some Early History

Snow Hill proper, as it was called, was a settlement of pioneers
to lived a mile north of Coin.  The settlement was on the Tarkio
River, one of three streams flowing from north to south.  There
were three, and they wrere called the West Tarkio, the Middle
Tarkio (which is where the settlement began), and the East Tarkio
River.  Since there were no bridges in those early days the river
was forded, and here the first bridge in Lincoln Township was
made.  The location of the settlement was where the present
(1976) Loran JACKSON farm is located.  Snow Hill was never platted, and
was at first just a collection of sod houses and log homes.  The
time was near 1870, but there were people living around the
settlement long before this tirne.  Snow Hill first had a flour
mill, called a grist mill, and Nelson Austin was the first 
proprietor.  He had acquired the property from Phifer and Davidson.
Snow Hill also had a blacksmithy, and a store operated by Crooks
and Ansback.  Austin and Son also had an iron foundry.  This was
in 1872.

The building which served as a school and church for the settlers,
was 2 1/2 miles northwest of the Snow Hill settlement.  Here also
was the cemetery, (Snow Hill Cemetery) and it is still in existence.  
Mr. I. S. Lavely donated 5 acres of land for this purpose.  
The building was in the southeast part of the cemetery.  
The entrance is now from the south road.  The north crossing 
washed out years ago.  The township trustees levi the tax for 
Snow Hill Cemetery, as well as the Polsley Cemetery, and 
no burial lots are sold.

At first the children went to school when the weather was good.
The second year the settlers formed a district and they built a
school house 1 1/2 miles west) and 1 1/2 miles north of the 
settlement.  They called it Snow Hill, and the first teacher was 
Lon PIKE.  He had between 20 and 30 pupils of all ages.  The one room
served as both school and church for the settlers.

Now these early settlers settled along the rivers for obvious
reasons.  The water and timber meant everything to them,  It 
meant logs for homes and fuel to burn for warmth and cooking.
Also water for use and livestock. Enormours oak, elm, hickory,
black walnut, ash, locust, willow, mulberry, catalpa, maple, 
and cottonwood, and many other kinds of trees were arailable.
Quantities of wild grapes, elderberries. plums, strawberries, 
crab apples, raspberries, blackberrie, and also hazel nuts, 
hickory nuts, black walnuts, and chestnuts were in plenty,
growing wild and all kinds of berries like gooseberries, etc. 
were for the taking. Honey was in abundance, and wild game like 
ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, ran wild so so meat
was in abundance. Birds like quail graced many a table for a 
delicacy. Deer was hunted for venison, and buffalo for meat 
and furs.

Buffalo were slaughtered until laws were passed for their
preservation. Trapping of the wild animals was considerable
for meat, furs, and sport.

At one time the rover was dammed up to form a lake, and ice was
put up for warm westher use. The river was used for the mill to
grind the grain for the farmers use. Later ice was cut and out
put up in a barn

Land was for sale, and the average cost from the government 
was $1.25 per acre. Land could be and was homesteaded for a 
part of a farm. Everyfarm had livestock, a milk cow oxen or
horses, and a riit celler for preservation of food. At first
nothing but poaire, but soon fields of corn, wheat, oats, rye,
and sorghum were seen.

I could write pages about the bushes and shrubs bordering the
timberland. Wild flowers grew in profusion. Deer fed on red
root, and bittersweet was used for decoration. As the land was
settled, the need for better and larger schools grew with the
population. Also the railroad was most important to the settlers.
The conveyances were wagons mostly, and latter buggies.

Lincoln Twp. - History

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E-Mail: Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. Page Co., Coordinator