Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of several articles reporting on Marshall County residents whose last names are currently in use on rural road signs. Specifically, last names and other names for avenue signs were mandated by the E-911 county system and approved unanimously by the Marshall County Board of Supervisors in a resolution effective June 16, 1986.

A further review of county records showed an attempt was made to use names of attorneys, businessmen, farmers, female and male settlers, and those who made an impact on Marshalltown and Marshall County’s initial development.

Marshall County men who volunteered and served in the Civil War represent three of the six names used for avenues in Rural Roads Part Three. They are Hart, Ingram and Jessup.

Hart: Musician

John W. Hart is listed as a member of Company K of the 13th Infantry. He enlisted Aug. 20, 1862, according to Historical Society of Marshall County (HSMC) archives.

Hopkins: County Supervisor

J. G. Hopkins is listed as a county supervisor in 1869 and from Marion Township. The supervisor format used in the late 1860s was much different than used currently. Hopkins is listed as a county supervisor with 14 others representing a variety of townships. This county supervisor form of governance in Iowa was adopted in 1861 and continued until 1871.

Ingram: Soldier

David Ingram enlisted Oct. 26, 1864. He was assigned to Co. I of the 13th Infantry, according to archives.

Jessup: Civil War fatality

Joseph B. Jessup enlisted Sept. 16, 1861 and died Jan. 22, 1862. He was a member of Co. B of the Fifth Infantry.

Knapp: Grocer

H.C. Knapp of La Fayette (also spelled Lafayette in some publications) is listed as a grocer and stated in one publication “he would sell groceries lower than can be found anywhere else.” He was also a newspaper owner. Knapp was associated with the Iowa Central Journal published in Albion, among others.

Lafayette: Early town in the county

Lafayette was an early, short-lived town in Iowa Township and re-named Albion in 1858 to avoid confusion with another Iowa town with the same name. It was platted in Aug. 1852 by George W. Voris and Thomas S. Brown. It is located near the Iowa River. The site is unrelated to a separate, later Lafayette in Linn County. A post office was established in 1853. However, it was known as the Albion post office. A tavern and stagecoach stop opened in 1855. The area had local lore connected to the presence of the Jesse James gang in 1879, however, there is no documentation to support the rumor.

Resources used for this series available from the HSMC have been the “History of Marshall County, Iowa, 1867,” “History of Marshall County, 1887,” “History of Marshall County 1955 by Gerard Schultz,” “The Continuing History of Marshall County 1997,” and “Marshalltown Illustrated.” The latter is not dated and was published as a supplement to the Times-Republican under the supervision of the Marshalltown Retail Merchants Association. Also used were HSMC archives and social media references.

There may be no or limited information for this segment due to lack of resources at time of press.