PART III. 



Population — Political System — Civil Divisions — 

 Municipalities — Topography. 



The population of this region, at the present time, exceeds 

 by computation, 750,000 ;* viz. — in Illinois, north of the 

 Illinois River, about 240,000 ; in Missouri, north of the 

 Missouri River, about 240,000; in Wisconsin, about 160,- 

 000; in Iowa, probably exceeding 120,000. This multi- 

 tude has nearly all been planted on the territory within 

 twenty years, mostly indeed within fifteen, excepting a few 

 scattered settlers on the Illinois and Missisippi and Missouri 

 Rivers. Galena was settled in 1828. They are from all 

 States of the Union, from Germany, Ireland, England, Scot- 

 land and Canada. There are a considerable number of 

 Franco- American families from Canada and from the early 

 French colonies in the Missisippi valley ; and it is as com- 

 mon to hear a certain uncouth French dialect, known in that 

 country under the name of Gumbo French (a term applied 

 both to the people and the dialect), jabbered in the streets of 



•By the census of 1840, Northern Missouri contained 1»)0,821 ; Northern 

 Illinois, including counties that lay across the Illinois River, 100,755; 

 Iowa, 43,000; Wisconsin, 30,000; total 393,000. I have added 50 per 

 cent, to Missouri and Illinois. Iowa has increased at the rate of about 

 12,000 per year, which would be 115,000. Wisconsin, by a census just 

 taken, is found to have 155,000, and three counties not returned. 



