Macedonia Camp
settlement #481310
created 2012-10-02 by bplewe
official name: Macedonia Camp?
assertion #3724966 by bplewe on 2012-10-02: confidence 0%.
started: between 1846 and 14 Feb 1847?
Available records confirm the existence of the camp and that it was distinct from any other known settlements. The 1852 Census lists a Macedonia Township (one of only 5 in the county) that includes at least Macedonia Camp and the Highland Grove/Bullock's Grove area (and probably Upper Keg Creek), but NOT the future Macedonia (which was in Indian Town township), but when the first true townships are created in 1853, "Macedonia" is attached to the current location.
assertion #3721203 by bplewe on 2018-06-15: confidence 0%.
started: 41°16'53"N, 95°45'31"W
UNKNOWN. Here's where things get strange.
Researchers have always assumed that this branch was at the
site of “Old Macedonia,” near the current town of Macedonia.
However, there is no correlation between branch members and
the early residents of the Macedonia area. The 1850 and 1852
Censuses consistently list Macedonia Branch members
completely separately from the town (see the town for more).
This implies that the Macedonia Branch was somewhere else,
but where?
The Censuses show strong sequential links from
Macedonia Branch to Pleasant Valley Branch, and nowhere
else (i.e., the enumerator passes through Pleasant Valley on the
way to Macedonia, and back through Pleasant Valley on the
way back). Also, several settlers of Pleasant Valley were from
Ramus/Macedonia Illinois, just like Macedonia Camp. The clues to
the location of [[Pleasant Valley, Pottawattamie, Iowa | Pleasant Valley]]
would suggest Macedonia Branch was somewhere in the
Mosquito/Keg Creek area, and in 1854, a couple remaining
members of the Macedonia Branch purchased government title
to land 3 miles ENE of Carterville, near where the GLO notes
mention an unnamed cluster of 15 houses, but this seems too
close. There is also an unamed cluster of homesteads 5 miles
east of Down's Mill (on Keg Creek), but only one of the
known residents correlates to Macedonia Branch. The
original name, “Living Spring,” may suggest a location near a
spring. This is a real mystery.
==Sources==
* Macedonia Branch Records
* General Land Office Survey Notes
* 1850 United States Census, Pottawattamie County, Iowa
* 1852 Iowa State Census, Pottawattamie County
assertion #3719234 by bplewe on 2018-06-15: confidence 80%.
ended: 1 May 1852?
Available records confirm the existence of the camp and that it was distinct from any other known settlements. The 1852 Census lists a Macedonia Township (one of only 5 in the county) that includes at least Macedonia Camp and the Highland Grove/Bullock's Grove area (and probably Upper Keg Creek), but NOT the future Macedonia (which was in Indian Town township), but when the first true townships are created in 1853, "Macedonia" is attached to the current location.
assertion #3735203 by bplewe on 2018-06-15: confidence 0%.
religion: LDS?
assertion #3725166 by bplewe on 2012-10-02: confidence 0%.
location: 41°11'48"N, 95°26'53"W
This is the traditional site of Mormon-era Macedonia Camp, but there is very little evidence (other than the name) to support this. In contemporary sources, this site is always referred to as the [[Hawes-Myers Mill, Pottawattamie, Iowa | Hawes and/or Myers Mill]], with several names that correlate with Census and land records. Names associated with Macedonia Camp clearly do not correlate with this site. If this is not the original Macedonia, then how did the name get here?
assertion #3719246 by bplewe on 2012-10-02: confidence 10%.
located at: Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States
assertion #3713310 by bplewe on 2012-10-02: confidence 100%.
belongs to: Macedonia Branch [Iowa]
entity #480690, assertion #3751139 by bplewe on 2018-03-26: confidence 100%.
in group: Winter Quarters Era
assertion #3727056 by bplewe on 2012-10-30: confidence 100%.
