MARSHALLTOWN is the county seat of Marshall County, and is an incorporated town. It is situated on the high prairie between the Iowa River and Linn Creek, near the centre of the county, on the south side of the river, about three-fourths of a mile from it, and about half a mile from Linn Creek. The site of the town is high, dry and and healthy. The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, operated by the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, furnishes ample railroad facilities, running through the south part of the town.
The first settlement made near the town was made in 1850, in the spring, by Wm. Ralls and Green B. S. Ralls. John Braddy, Marion Clifton, Wm. Asher and Henry Anson were also among the first settlers. Henry Anson laid out the original town, in the summer of 1853. The first white child born in the vicinity was Joseph Luther Ralls, son of Green B. S. Ralls, in 1850. The first death was that of Fanny Chorn, child of Silas Chorn, who died in October, 1853. The county seat was removed to this town on the last day of December, 1859.
There are here two flouring and grist mills, two saw mills, two sash and blind factories and planing mills, two foundries, two plow manufactories, one distillery, one brewery, and several manufactories of boots and shoes and harness.
In the surrounding country are raised immense quantities of wheat, corn, oats, sugar cane, broom corn, potatoes, and vegetables of every description. Orchards are just beginning to bear fruit, of a superior quality. Wild fruits are abundant. Building material is in plentiful supply, lumber, brick, stone, lime, etc. The country is well supplied with timber, for a prairie country.
The Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians have each a church building. The Baptist have an organization, but no church. There is a large, graded free school, Miller's Academical Institute, and several select schools in town. Marshall Lodge, No. 108, Masons, meets Thursday night, before full moon. Banner Lodge, No. 123, I. O. O. F., meets every Tuesday night. The Horticultural Society meets occasionally, and the County Agricultural Society meets, at the fair grounds, near town, in September or October of each year. The following are the shipments of produce for 1864, in dollars: Wool, $86,000; hogs, $540,000; grain, $400,000. The Marshall County Times, weekly, is published by Chapin & Barnhart, on Wednesday, of each week, Republican in politics. The population of the town is 2,500. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)