EMMETT(sic), a new county in the N. N. W. part of Iowa, bordering on Minnesota, has an area of about 450 square miles. It is intersected by the Des Moines river, and by one of its affluents flowing from Okamanpidu lake. There are several small lakes near the N. E. border of the county. Emmett county is not included in the census of 1850. County seat not located. Named in honor of Robert Emmett, the distinguished Irish patriot. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
EMMETT(sic) COUNTY Is situated in the Northwestern portion of the State, is bounded on the east by Kossuth county, on the north by Minnesota, on the west by Dickinson county, and on the south by Palo Alto county. The general surface of the county is rolling or undulating. The soil is a rich vegetable loam with a subsoil of clay and sand intermixed. It stands the extremes of drouth and wetness, and is well adapted to the raising of Indian corn, spring wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and sugar cane. Timothy grass and clover, thrive extremely well; small fruits and the apple can be grown in abundance.
The quality of the timber is good; the principal kinds are black walnut, oak, ash, elm, maple, and basswood. Excellent clay for brick is found in unlimited quantities.
Horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, can be profitably grown here. The climate is such as to make stock vigorous and healthy. The county abounds in living streams of pure water, so indispensable to successful stock raising. The grass is very nutritious, and as a result stock fatten upon a less quantity and very early in the spring. No pasture fields in the east or south compare with western Iowa prairies for variety and richness.
Streams.—The west branch of the Des Moines River rises in Minnesota, seventy-five miles north of the State Line, and runs through the western tier of townships in this county. Very good mill seats are found along this stream at convenient intervals. Several of these water-powers are in this county; one at Estherville, the county seat, where there is a grist and saw mill in successful operation. The east branch of the Des Moines heads in Lake Okamanpado, in this county, and runs through the eastern tier of townships. Numerous small streams or creeks rise back in the prairie and wind through all parts of the county. There are two townships, Estherville and Emmett.
This county was organized in February, 1859. It was first settled by George and William Granger, in 1858, and soon after by D. W. Hoyt, Jenkins Brothers, and R. E. Ridley. The county was named after the immortal Irish patriot, Emmett.
ESTHERVILLE is the county seat, situated in the western part of the county on the Des Moines River, eighty miles northwest of Fort Dodge. It contains one Methodist church, one general store, and one saw mill. The Des Moines River affords good water-power at this point. The soil of the township is a rich sandy loam.
Population of the village, 200; of the township, 300. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)