Bancroft History
Bancroft, Kossuth County, Iowa, USA
Bancroft's Origin
from
"Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church
Bancroft, Iowa
100 Years
1891 - 1991
Saint John Parish Centennial"
by Centennial Book Committee
Bancroft Publishing
Bancroft, IA 50517
© 1991
Page 11
From an intensely interesting document written by Ambrose A.
Call, the original proprietor of thc townsite of Bancroft, Iowa,
read during the Old Settlers' meeting held at Bancroft, January
23, 19O1, the following information was obtained.
Originally Kossuth County included only twenty-four square miles.
As marked on the maps, the three tiers of townships south of
the Minnesota line were called Bancroft County. A few
Scandinavians were the first to make claims in the territory,
their names are not known, and they left before other settlers
came. In 1855 Mr. Tuttle made a claim just south of the
Minnesota line, near the lake which was named after him. About
a year later John Armstrong claimed Armstrong's Grove in Emmet
County.
The first permanent settlement, in what was originally Bancroft
County, was made in 1863. During that and the following year,
one family after another took up claims near the river, and
soon after the war these rich prairies around Bancroft were
even more rapidly settled. As a consequence several small towns
began to spring up, These towns were surveyed and platted in
September, 1882 by the Western Town Site Company's agent, Mr.
Bliss.
After Mr. Ambrose A. Call had examined the plats, which were
left with him for filing, he was disappointed to notice that
the town had been called Buell. Being a great admirer of Mr.
George Bancroft, the historian, Mr. Call had always hoped that
the town would be named in honor of this eminent writer.
Therefore, Mr. Call promptly wired Marvin Hughitt, the land
commission manager, and asked if the name of the town on
Section 24-98-29 could be changed to Bancroft. Without delay
Mr. Call's request was graciously granted.
At this timo he also learncd that the notable historian and
diplomat, George Bancroft, was observing his eighty-third
birthday, so Mr. CalI proceeded to write a letter of
congratulations to Mr. Bancroft. In this letter he also included
the information about the town being named in his (Mr. Bancroft's)
honor.
In recognition of this fine gesture on the part of Mr. Call
and the citizens of Bancroft, Mr. George Bancroft, the historian,
promptly replied and also sent several autographed volumes of
his works for the new town's library. Quite obviously Mr. A. A.
Call and the citizens of Bancroft were intensely grateful.
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2003 DJW
Last Modified:
November 2, 2003