from grandmother West's scrapbook Barry West Van Wert Hstory from Leon Journal-Reporter, Leon< Iowa September 25, 1975 County Bicentennial Part 1 Early History of Van Wert Prior to the year of 1854 the territory on which the town Van Wert now stands was in the midst of an almost limitless expanse of gently rolling prairie broken only by a small amount of timber that followed very closely the water courses and consisted principally of large trees without the smaller timber and underbrush that prevailed in later years. On this vast expanse the blue stem grass, native to the virgin soil, waved in the gentle breeze or furnished material for almost annual prairie fires that swept with devastating effect across the country. This was the natural feeding ground for deer and buffalo and antelope. Hundreds of these animals were seen by the early settler feeding unmolested, save as some hunter or settler sought to replenish his larder or secure skins and robes for the protection of himself and household against the call of winter. Prior to the coming of the settlers this section as others of our vast domain was claimed by the red men. Neither did he relinquish his claim without a struggle. Within three miles of van wert there is a field that bears even today, unmistakable evidences of a mighty Indian battle whether with some luckless emigrant train, some daring settlers or some other Indian tribe will perhaps never be known, but the battle was fought and Indian moved on. About this time the emigrants from the east attracted by the wealth promised by our fertile prairies began the settlement of this section and among others came James Irving, a man of culture, who had enjoyed social distinction in his native state, and settled in the year 1854 on the northeast quarter of section 13, Long Creek township. In this he used his homestead right and paid the federal government $1.25 per acre. A man by the name of Lambert Taylor secured the homestead right to the northwest quarter of the same section. Mr Irving built his cabin home a few feet south and west of Harrison Devore's residence. Mr. Taylor built his near where the Grant Spencer house now stands. As the country was being rapidly settled at this time these two enterprising citizens at once conceived the idea of adding materially to their wealth by locating a town on their lands, and in order to play fair with each other they decided to open up a new road running north and south between their lands, even though this was not on a section line, and lay out a certain number of lots on each side of said road. This they did and named the town thus created Frorence.