PART III. 



^^»i^VK^>i*'>ii^>^V 



Population — Political System — Civil Divisions — 

 Municipalities — Topography. 



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

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

 lUinois 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 160,821 ; Northern 

 Illinois, including counties that lay across the Illinois River, 160,755; 

 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. 



