HAMILTON- Taken from Webster county, and comprises the same territory as did the latter before Yell was united with it, and formerly called Risley. Created and organized in 1857, and Webster city made the county seat. See acts sixth general assembly, chapter 15. Named in honor of William W. Hamilton, president of the senate in that general assembly.

WEBSTER- The name of the original county of Risley (now constituting the county of Hamilton) was changed January 22, 1853, to "Webster," another act, approved on that day, but which did not take effect until some time afterward, united the counties of Yell and Risley into a new county to be called "Webster." July 1, 1855, half of the county of Humboldt was added to Webster. January 8, 1857, townships 86-89, ranges 23-26, were constituted the county of Hamilton, and on February 26th the northernmost township of the remainder of the county was set off to the new county of Humboldt; so that the county of Webster, as it now exists, contains within its limits no part of the county first called Webster. In the year 1857 an attempt was made to take another township from the northern end, so as to make Humboldt county of the same size as the former county; but the act aiming to accomplish this was declared unconstitutional. January 22, 1853, Webster county was attached to Boone. See acts fourth general assembly, chapters 12 and 52; fifth general assembly, chapter 141; sixth general assembly, chapters 15 and 147; seventh general assembly, chapter 42. See also Humboldt and Risley. Named in honor of Daniel Webster, then recently deceased.

YELL- The name of an extinct county which was established in 1851. It comprised all of townships 86-89, ranges 27-30. The southern tier of townships had been, in territorial times, a part of the county of Benton, and the remainder a part of that of Buchanan. Attached to the county of Boone January 22, 1853, up to which time it had remained for revenue, election and judicial purposes attached to the county of Polk. In the same year it was united with the county of Webster, or Risley, into one county under the name of Webster. See acts third general assembly, chapter 9; seventh legislative assembly, second session, chapter 101; fourth general assembly, chapter 9; seventh legislative assembly, second session, chapter 101; fourth general assembly, chapters 12 and 52. Named in honor of Col. Archibald Yell, who was killed at the battle of Buena Vista. He was the

RISLEY- In 1851, townships 86-89, in range 23-26, were constituted a new county. It was attached to the county of Boone January 22, 1853, up to which time it had been attached to the county of Polk for election, revenue, and judicial purposes. See acts third general assembly, chapter 12. The last named act also changed the name of the county to Webster. The original bill for this act made no change in county names. While it was under consideration in the house, however, James W. Grimes, afterward governor, then a representative from the county of Des Moines, offered the following as an additional section: "SECTION 4. That the name of the county of Wah-kah shall be changed to Woodbury; the name of the county of Risley shall be changed to Webster, and the name of the county of Fox to that of Calhoun." The section was adopted by the house and incorporated into the bill. This occurred December 20, 1852. On the 29th the bill was indefinitely postponed and a substitute therefor introduced. On the same day J.F. Rice, who represented a district extending from Jasper county to Guthrie inclusive, and northward to the Minnesota line, gave notice of intention to introduce " a bill for an act to unite into one county the territory now comprising the counties of Yell and Risley." On the 1st day of January, 1853, the substitute above mention passed the house. One week later the bill passed the senate, slightly amended. The house concurred in the amendment the same day. The governor affixed his approval on the 12th. The act was published in the Capitol Reporter, January 19th and in the Iowa Republican, January 22, 1853, on which day it accordingly took effect. Meantime, on the 10th of January, Mr. Rice's proposed bill to unite Yell and Risley counties was introduced. It was referred to a special committee, which reported a substitute. Pending the consideration thereof, January 14th, on Mr. Grimes' motion, the name of proposed county was changed from "Sharon" to "Webster." The next day the bill read, " A bill for an act to create the county of Webster." The bill passed the senate January 18th and was approved by the governor, January 22d. Thus were passed two acts, one of which changed the name of the county of Risley to that of "Webster" and the other, which passed both houses after the first had been approved by the governor, and in apparent forgetfulness thereof, united the counties of Yell and Risley into a new county to be called Webster. The first act took effect, as above stated, January 22d, and the latter, which had no publication clause, presumably on the 1st day of July. The territory comprising this county now constitutes the county of Hamilton. See acts fourth general assembly, chapters 12 and 52; sixth general assembly, chapter 15.