It may be interesting to Iowans to be reminded of the events preceding the admission of the state into the Union. The capture of the Northwest Territory by Gen. George Rogers Clark led to the purchase of the Louisiana Country, a part of which is now Iowa. Spain had ceded the Louisiana Country to France, provided that country would not dispose of it except back to Spain. After we had acquired what was known as the Northwest Territory, the port of New Orleans was closed. This so stirred the

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... ns, up and down the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, that Jefferson's minister to France, Robert Livingston^, purchased the whole of the Louisiana Country in 1804. The governor of Indiana, Gen. William Henry Harrison, was designated to also exercise governorship over the newly acquired territory. The seat of administration for the area, including what is now Iowa, therefore was at Vincennes. Upper Louisiana became Missouri territory in 1809, remaining so until the state of Missouri was organized in 1821. Then followed the period when Iowa was without civil headship-from 1821 to 1834 -the military being in charge. In the latter year it was attached to Michigan territory, in 1836 made a part of Wisconsin territory, in 1838 formed an independent Iowa territory, and in 1846 admitted to the Union as a state. Clark crossed the mountains out of Virginia seeking a home in Kentucky. He had little education. In 1775 he stopped at Lees Town on the Kentucki river, thinking it was the most beautiful spot. It did not grow. He was back and forth in Virginia and Kentucki, command-1 Luther M. Grimes, attorney and resident oí Des Moines, a native of Smithville, Indiana, is son of Col. Silas Grimes, of Monroe county, Indiana, and a brother of State Treasurer John M. Grimes, of Osceola. He came to Des Moines as an official of tlie Des Moines Mutual Telephone company, and was a leader in obtaining legislation in Iowa securinß state assessment of telephone lines ,