History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/3/Counties/Chickasaw
CHICKASAW COUNTY at one time a part of Fayette, was created by act of the Legislature in 1851, and named for a southern tribe of Indians. When first established Chickasaw extended three miles further north than its present boundary which was fixed in 1855. It lies in the third tier west of the Mississippi River and in the second south of Minnesota with an area of five hundred four square miles.
The first settlement within its limits was made in 1848 by Truman Merritt near Greenwood. In 1852 J. A. Bird and John Bird made claims near the junction of the Little Cedar and the Red Cedar River. They there built a cabin and during the season several other families took claims near them. In 1854 James Jared took a claim on the land where New Hampton now stands and before the close of the year settlements were made in other parts of the county in the vicinity of woodland. Chickasaw was attached to Fayette until 1853 when John Bird was authorized by the judge of Fayette County to organize the county. The first legal election was held in August at which the following officers were chosen: James Lyon, judge; S. C. Goddard, clerk; John Campbell, treasurer and recorder; Andrew Sample, sheriff; and N. D. Babcock, prosecuting attorney. In 1854 the county-seat was located at Bradford, a new town near the southwest corner of the county. The first term of court was held there in June, 1854, by Judge T. S. Wilson of Dubuque. New Hampton was laid out near the geographical center of the county and soon became a competitor for the county-seat. The first attempt at removal was defeated but in 1858 New Hampton was successful.
The first newspaper in the county was established at Jacksonville in 1857 by Isaac Watson and was called the Chickasaw County Republican but after three years it was suspended. In 1860 W. E. Beach started the Courier at New Hampton. Nashua is the second town of importance and is located on the Cedar River in the southwestern corner of the county. The first railroad to enter the county was the Milwaukee and St. Paul which runs through New Hampton.