LOCAL/FAMILY HISTORY DEPT. * DONNELLSON PUBLIC LIBRARY * 500 PARK AVE. * DONNELLSON, IA * 52625 |
English Colony: The English Colony of
Lee Co.
Researched and recorded by Erma Derosear
New Additions to the English Colony from Erma's family records May 2002
Old English Cemetery Earliest
burials in Van Buren Co., near the first campsite
Ship Passenger List Port of New Orleans,
1845
Ninety four people, members of the British Immigrant Mutual Aid
Society which was organized in England in the mid 1840's came to Lee Co. Most of
the members were very poor. This group left London on Feb 14, 1845 and sailed
from Gravesend on or about the eighteenth to come to America and seek a better
life. The society chartered the "George Washington of Baltimore Maryland to
bring them to America. The group had passage in the hold of the ship, blankets
were hung for partitions for each family. Their provisions were vegetables,
salted meat and fish. Everything was cooked in a net bag that was tagged so each
family could get it's own. The cooking was done on one big stove.
In England they were vassals, living in poverty, with little hope for them or
their children improving their lives. J.B. Newhall, a newspaper man from
Burlington, was lecturing in England. He told them of the opportunities
available in the United States and in Iowa. The group made their plans to leave
for America.
After a voyage of seven weeks, the group arrived at Keokuk, Iowa sometime in
May. They could not go up the river to Burlington because of the rapids below
Montrose. William Bateman, leader of the group, found that they could buy land
if they went a little farther north of Keokuk. He purchased a section of land
for $1.25 per acre and received the deed for the same.It was thought if each
family had 10 acres they would be able to support their families. Most of the
land was prairie. Conquering the slough, or prairie grass, to plant crops was a
great obstacle that lay ahead of them. There was only one farmer in their group.
The English Colony settlement was 4 miles west of La Crew in Cedar Township, Lee
Co. Most gave up on the idea of farming and many left the area. Some are known
to have moved on to St Louis, Missouri. A few of the remaining group were able
to acquire more land from the ones that left. By the year 1924 there were only
three living on the original ground
Only a few remained, leaving a legacy to their families, to prosper and enjoy
the good life in America and Lee Co. Names relating to the English Colony;
Bateman, Bristow, Thomas, Lightfoot, Langwith, Clark, Ware, Beard, Atkinson,
Etheredge, De Rosear. Humphrey, Cook and Sivil.
Notes: These people settled near the border of Lee and Van Buren Co. They lived
and died in both counties. You will find the English colony families buried in
the Van Buren cemeteries, Bonaparte City Cemetery and Old English Cemetery, and
in Lee Co., the Sharon Cemetery in Harrison Twp.
From research done by Erma Derosear . Erma's husband Harley Derosear descended from this group of immigrants. More information can be found at the library.
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