An exemplary Lucas County farm --- of 1877

Iowa news this week has included a Monday dispatch from the northwest, where 55.56 acres of prime Plymouth County farmland sold at auction for a state record: $26,250 per acre.

When Lucas County, down here in the south, opened for Euro-American settlement back in the late 1840s that amount would have bought you 21,000 acres at the going rate (from the government) of $1.25 per acre. Quite a change.

At about the time I found the Plymouth County report, I happened upon the following advertisement for a 170-acre Pleasant Township farm in Lucas County, published several times in both The Chariton Patriot and The Chariton Leader during October of 1877.

The length and detail of the advertisement is kind of rare for that day and age, so I found its description of what seems to have been an almost ideal farm interesting.

I don't know who William C. Garrett was, nor do I know exactly where the farm was --- other than the information that North Cedar Creek passed through a corner of it. I wish I knew how much it sold for, but there were no follow-up reports.

Mr. Garrett pops up several times in news reports from Pleasant Township during the early 1870s, but nothing more is heard of him after 1877, so it seems likely that he packed up his family and moved elsewhere. I can't link him to either the Columbia Garretts of the 19th century or the Belinda Garretts of the 20th.

Here's the advertisement, commencing with the headline, "A Valuable Farm at Public Sale."

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Will be sold at Public Sale, on the premises,  situated in Pleasant township, Lucas county, on Wednesday, the 31st day of October, the valuable farm of Wm. C. Garrett, containing one hundred and seventy acres of land; ten acres of which is valuable timber and coal, the vein being three and a half feet thick; the remainder being excellent farm land, eighty (80) acres first bottom land, balance rolling, with good rock quarry on same. One hundred acres being under good cultivation and all under good fence and well watered, two springs on said farm, and the stream North Cedar passing through one corner. 

The improvements consist of a new two story frame dwelling 20 x 22 feet, three rooms  on the first floor, and two rooms  on second floor; a kitchen is attached, 14 x 16 feet, one story and a half,  with a good  stone cellar underneath, and a well  of good water and pump therein close by. There  is on the  premises a new frame barn,  30 x 26 feet. which will hold 40 tons of hay, a good underground stable, room for 20 head of stock. There is an apple  orchard of 210 trees of choice fruit, also cherry trees, plum trees, pear trees and other small fruit.

This property is pleasantly located in a good neighborhood, convenient to stores, mills, schools and places of worship. It is an excellent grazing farm and desirable in every respect.

Terms: $800 to be paid or secured on day of  sale, balance on one, two or three years' time, secured by farm. Sale to commence at one o'clock on said day. For further information call on subscriber, residing on said farm. W.C. Garrett