| County Seat | Vermillion |
|---|---|
| Origin of County Name | Jacob S. Deuel proposed the name in honor of statesman, Henry Clay |
| Time Zone | Central |
| Towns | Blommingdale, Burbank, Colfax Corner, Dalesburg, Eureka, Gayville, Greenfield, Hub City, Irene, Komstad, Lincoln, Lodi, Meckling, Vermillion, Wakonda, Westreville |
|---|---|
| Townships | Bethel, Fairview, Garfield, Glenwood, Meckling, Norway, Pleasant Valley, Prairie Center, Riverside, Spirit Mound, Star, Vermillion |
The earliest visitors to the area of Clay county were probably fur traders during the late part of the eighteenth century. In August of 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition landed near the present site of Vermillion and explored Spirit Mound, which the Sioux believed was inhabited by a small but powerful race of pigmy people.
Clay County was first formed by an act of the Legislature on April 10, 1862. The boundaries of the county changed on January 3, 1863. The first permanent settlement was probably by Frost, Todd, and Company at Fort Randall. In 1857 and 1858, they established trading posts at Yankton, Vermillion, and at other locations. They squatted on unsurveyed land before the Indian title was extinguished. In the treaty of 1858, the Sioux ceded their lands east of the Missouri and removed to their reservations; and, Frost, Todd, and Company closed their business when the Sioux trade went away. Frost, Todd, and Company were credited with laying out the old town of Vermillion.
In 1859, modern settlement began when the area was opened for occupation by white men. More than seventy-five men were wating on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River to take possession as soon as the news reached them during the summer of 1859. Some men settled near Vermillion; while, a number of families settled west of it along the Missouri River. Some of the dwelling houses were moved from Nebraska; and, food and supplies were brought by ox teams from Sioux City, Iowa. At the time, Native Americans still lived in the county, and were regarded by the neighboring white settlers as being honest and trustworthy.
In 1859, the present site of Vermillion was settled by James McHenry, P. H. Jewell, L. E. Phelps, and M. Robinson.
In the spring of 1860, K. Mallory, George W. Pratt, and Mr. Shriner moved from Iowa to Clay County, Dakota Territory. Pratt and Mallory returned east before returning to Clay county in the fall of that year. Mr. Shriner returned east before returning to Clay county in the spring of 1861; and, he moved to Vermillion to stay.
Other early settlers in Clay County included Samuel Mulholland, Mr. Betts, Hugh Compton, Jacob Deuel, George Brown, A. C. Van Meter, and Captain Miner Nelson and his family. In 1864, C. N. Taylor, Stephen Baker, James and Richard Ielden, and E. Brownson settled at what became the town of Lincoln. By 1865, the number of immigrants moving into Clay County had increased greatly; and by 1870, practically all of the free land had been entered.
A number of parties squatted their claim with the intention of holding the land when it came to market, resulting in conflicting claims. This forced a special act of Congress on March 2, 1867 to settle the matter. The Judge of Probate for Vermillion adjudicated and settled the claims and disputes, and made deeds for individuals with recognized claims.
In September of 1862, news of the Minnesota massacre caused panic in Clay county. Rumors of Indian uprisings created tension; and Indians near Gayville were reported to have set haystacks on fire and to have driven off cattle on Clay creek. The panic caused residents to flee to Sioux City, IA, leaving their homes unguarded. When the reports proved to be false, the settlers returned.
In November of 1872, the Dakota Southern railroad pushed its way into Clay county and passed through Vermillion. In 1881, this railroad was sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Company. In 1885, the Chicago and Northwestern railroad crossed the northwest corner of Clay county, initiating the town of Wakonda.
Clay county faced its share of disasters. In the fall of 1873, the grasshopper scourge caused land values to depreciate by two to five dollars per acre. In 1881, a flood swept away the town of Vermillion in only a few hours.
Clay county contains nine full congressional townships and three fractional townships. The Vermillion river passes thrugh Clay county, flowing in a southerly direction. The highest point in Clay county is Spirit Mound.