Bellevue War

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The Bellevue War was a shootout between a posse led by Sheriff W. A. Warren and Thomas Cox against a group led by W. W. Brown that took place in Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa Territory, on April 1, 1840. A large mural made by local artists commemorates the incident at the site of Brown's Hotel where it occurred. Political tensions in Bellevue dated back to 1837, when Yankee businessmen arrived at the town, causing tensions with the original settlers. The original settlers banded with wealthy hotelier W. W. Brown, who provided them with credit and an opportunity to work. A shooting on January 8, 1840, further intensified the situation.^[1]

Brown previously attempted to usurp territory representative Thomas Cox as the Democrats' candidate in the 1840 election. This infuriated Cox, who drafted a warrant for Brown's arrest following the shooting incident. Sheriff W. A. Warren, a former political opponent of Brown himself, authorized a posse to apprehend Brown. After an attempt to negotiate, the posse moved in on Brown's hotel. Brown apparently accidentally discharged his weapon, causing a gunfight to break out. Three more were killed on each side. The posse set the hotel on fire and captured those who attempted to escape. They were sentenced to receive a whipping and commanded to leave the county.^[2]