CHAPTER III
ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF IOWA COUNTY
ORGANIZATION ACT
Iowa County was thrown open for settlement in 1843, shortly after the Indians had departed. During that year there were many settlements made and in the following autumn and winter months the necessary legislation was secured in the Territorial Legislature, then in session at Iowa City, authorizing the organization of the county. The act was approved early in the year 1845 and was entitled “An act to organize the County of Iowa and to provide for the location of the seat of justice thereof.” The full act reads as follows:
“Section I: Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Iowa, that the County of Iowa be, and it is, hereby organized, from and after the first day of July next; and the inhabitants of said county shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges to which, by law, the inhabitants of other organized counties of this territory are entitled, and the said county shall belong to the Second Judicial District of this territory.”
“Section II: Thomas Henderson, of Keokuk County; Luman M. Strong, of Linn County; and Stephen B. Gardner, of Johnson County, and they are, hereby appointed commissioners to locate and establish the seat of justice of the County of Iowa. Said commissioners or any two of them, shall meet at the house of James M. Price in said county, on the second Monday in the month of July next, or at such other time within the month of August as a majority of said commissioners shall agree, in pursuance of their duties under this act.”
Immediately after this act had passed, the district judge, Joseph Williams, appointed John Linderman as clerk of the District Court, whose duty it was to call an election for the purpose of choosing county officers, and to designate the time and places for holding these elections, also to appoint judges and clerks to conduct them. Linderman selected the 4th day of August 1845, as the date of the first election. Two places were named as voting points; one at the house of Edward R. Ricord in what was then termed Old Man’s Creek Precinct, the other at the old trading house, in what he termed Iowa Precinct. For the former precinct, James McKray, Edward R. Ricord and Erastus Convers were appointed judges and Michael Roup and Reuben Smith were selected as clerks of election. For the latter precinct, H. Foster, Lewis Lanning and Robert M. Hutchinson were appointed judges; M.T. Cleveland and John Hull were chosen clerks.
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THE RESULT OF THE VOTE
The election was duly held on the specified date (August 4, 1845); there were fourteen votes cast at Ricord’s and twenty-two votes at the old trading house. Those voting at the former place were: Charles Jones, Edward Spratt, John Convey, Michael Duffey, Elisha Ricord, Henry Starry, Jacob Ricord, Edward R. Ricord, Michael Roup, James McKray, Reuben Smith, Erastus Convers, Stephen Hanson, and Thomas Hanson. Those voting at the trading house were: Lewis F. Wilson, John Linderman, William Taylor, Stephen Chase, Edward Trotter, Lineas Niles, N.W. Dowd, William McCorkle, Abraham Price, Isaac Clark, M.T. Cleveland, Benjamin Hutchinson, Anderson Meacham, Lewis Lanning, William Foster, R.M. Hutchinson, A.P. Kitchens, Amos Crocker, John Hull, George W. Kitchens, P. Hull, and William Burget.
At Ricord’s the following candidates received the votes: For delegate to Congress, Augustus C. Dodge received 8 votes and Ralph P. Lowe received 4; for county commissioners, Robert M. Hutchinson received 8 votes, Edward R. Ricord, 8, James McKray, 4, Anderson Meacham 4. For county sheriff, A.P. Kitchens received 8 votes; for assessor, Jacob Ricord received 7 votes, Reuben Smith 4. For county surveyor, James Price got 3 votes; for treasurer, Lewis Lanning received 1 vote; for clerk of the board of commissioners, George W. Kitchens received 8 votes; for justice of the peace, Nelson Dowd received 8 votes, Henry Starry, 9. For constable, Matthew Cleveland received 7 votes, Edward Spratt 9, J. Kitchens, 8. For the constitution 10 votes were received and 4 against it.
The poll book of the election at the trading house gives the following: Augustus Dodge had 9 votes for delegate to Congress; Ralph P. Lowe had 10 votes for the same office; for county commissioners Robert M. Hutchinson had 13 votes, Andrew Meacham 20, J. McKray 10, E. R. Ricord, 11, William Foster, 9. For sheriff, A.P. Kitchens had 10 votes, William Foster 9, Alfred Meacham, 1. For coroner, Lewis Lanning had 3 votes and E. Trotter had 10; for judge of probate, A.D. Stephens had 13; for assessor, R. Smith had 7 and Jacob Ricord had 5. For surveyor, James M. Price had 18. For treasurer and collector, Lewis Lanning had 19; for recorder, G. W. Kitchens had 16 and John Linderman had 2. For clerk of the board of county commissioners, G. W. Kitchens had 16 and John Linderman had 4. For justice of the peace, Lewis F. Wilson had 19; William Foster 14, Henry Starry 13, A. Price 3. For constables, Isaac Clark had 9, J.T. Hold, 5, J. M. Kitchens, 12, A. Meacham, 6, William Taylor, 10, E. Spratt, 12. For the constitution there were 9 votes for it and 13 against.
SELECTION OF COUNTY SEAT
Action was first taken in regard to the selection of a county seat on August 16, 1845. Thomas Henderson, Luman M. Strong and Stephen B. Gardner, from Keokuk, Linn and Johnson counties, respectively, were the persons appointed by the legislative act to select the seat of justice. These men met at the house of James M. Price and proceeded to view the county. When they arrived in the vicinity of the present Town of Marengo, they discovered Robert McKee mowing grass and it is said, quietly, that he had a well-filled jug in his wagon.
45Gardner, of the whole crowd, paid particular attention to the earthen receptacle and became very exuberant, climbed on the end of the wagon and surveyed the surrounding landscape. So pleased was he, or so pleased did he think he was, that he immediately proclaimed the site as the spot where the county seat should be located and that the name should be Marengo. The other commissioners coincided in this view. The name Marengo, it is said, was suggested by the fact that the country bore a strong resemblance tot eh plains of Marengo in Italy, where Napoleon won a great battle from the Austrian troops. McKee tore off a part of his shirt tail and with a bit of red keel wrote the name “Marengo” on it and hoisted it on a pole. R. B. Groff, whose reminiscences are related elsewhere, once said that he remembered seeing this pole near the northwest corner of the public square, with a few threads of canvas bearing the imprint of red keel. At the time he thought “it was a beautiful location on the south bank of a navigable stream.”
FIRST OFFICERS
The first officers for the new county were: county commissioners, Robert M. Hutchinson, Edward R. Ricord and Anderson Meacham; commissioners’ clerk, George W. Kitchens; sheriff, Absalom P. Kitchens; assessor, Jacob Ricord; surveyor, James M. Price; treasurer, Lewis Lanning; recorder, George W. Kitchens; probate judge, A.D. Stephens; coroner, E. Trotter. These officers were qualified and entered upon their duties immediately after their election. The commissioners were selected so as to have the principal portions of the county represented on the board. Ricord was from Old Man’s Creek, Hutchinson from the old trading house and Meacham from Honey Creek.
COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
The first session of the board, which was termed an extra session, was held on September 14, 1845.
The business of this first meeting commenced with the several office holders, namely, Kitchens, Spratt, Ricord and Lanning, producing their official bonds for their respective positions, all of which were accordingly accepted. The board then ordered the following: that the judges and clerks of the election held on August 4, 1845, be allowed $1 each for their services; that the name of the county seat should be Valley Forge; and that the county seat quarter should be purchased at the rate of 30 per cent (if it could not be done for less).
CHANGE OF COUNTY SEAT NAME
The reason for changing the name of the county seat to Valley Forge was because the word Marengo was unsatisfactory to many of the early settlers. The people found out later, however, that they had no authority to change the name, as the locating commissioners were acting under the direction of the Legislature and this latter body alone could make the desired change. There was a petition circulated, signed and presented to the assembly to change the name from Marengo
46to Valley Forge, but considerable opposition arising, the change was not authorized and the town remained under the name first given.
LAND DIFFICULTIES
The order in regard to purchasing the county seat quarter “at the rate of 30 per cent if it could not be done for less,” arose from the fact that the commissioners had neglected to enter the land, or buy it, and an individual named Lyon proceeded to enter it on his own account and then boosted the price to suit himself. The logical procedure for the commissioners would have been to borrow $200 and then send an agent to the land office to enter the quarter section. The town site would then have been the property of the county and could have been laid off into lots to be sold, the funds from this to be used in paying the $200 debt. However, they did not do this, or rather, hesitated too long. A Mr. Israel Lyon procured the description of the land and entered it. This gave him the right to the site; notwithstanding the fact the commissioners had located it as the place for the county seat. It was Government land only. The commissioners offered to pay him an advance of 30 per cent on the Government price of $1.25 per acre, but Lyon refused the offer. It was some time before the matter could be arranged satisfactorily to all and during this period the town site could not be surveyed, no lots could be sold and no improvements made.
The second session of the board was held in January 1846. It was ordered then that Gardner be allowed $8 for four days service, Strong $12 for six days, and Henderson $10 for five days, in locating the county seat of Iowa County. E.R. Ricord moved that all the county which lay south of the township line dividing townships 78 and79 should constitute Old Man’s Creek Precinct for election purposes and that the same should be a road district and the elections held at the house of Edward R. Ricord. It was also ordered that the part of the county lying north of the township line dividing township 78 and79 should constitute an election precinct and road district, the precinct to be called Iowa and the elections to be held at the old trading house.
FIRST ROAD ORDERS
The next session of the board was held in the following April (1845). They met at the trading house. The following was ordered; that Nelson H. Dowd be allowed $1 for killing a prairie wolf and James D. Beeby be allowed $2 for killing two wolves, John Hall and Erastus Convers also received $2 each for wolf scalps; that M.T. Cleveland, Nelson H. Dowd and Lewis F. Wilson be appointed viewers and James M. Price, surveyor, to view and survey a road from the east line of Iowa County, on the north side of Iowa River, at the termination of a road from Iowa City, thence westward via Mineral Point to the north line of Iowa County near the residence of A. Stephens, the viewers to meet near the residence of Joseph Brown on May 15, 1846; that Thomas Hanson, Stephen Hanson and Michael Duffey be appointed viewers and James M. Price, surveyor, to view and locate a road leading from the south bluff of the north bend of Old Man’s Creek, to the north side of Edward R. Ricord’s farm; thence
47To where the Johnson County road leading from Iowa City to the old boundary line crossed the Johnson and Iowa County line near Old Man’s creek, the viewers to meet at Henry Starry’s on May 18, 1846; that Anderson Meacham be allowed $4 for services rendered as county commissioner; that R. M. Hutchinson be allowed $6 for same; that E. R. Ricord also be allowed $6 for acting as commissioner; that George W. Kitchens be allowed $6 for services; that the clerk levy a tax of 5 mills on the dollar worth, according to the assessment.
Thus was the first effort to locate county roads and the first tax levy made.
In August 1846, another election was held and a new board elected, namely; Lewis F. Wilson, William Crawford and Thomas Dedmore. Dedmore was a newcomer in the Miller Settlement on English River. He declined to accept the office after he had been elected, so that for a time there were only two members active. The first work of the board was to levy the taxes for the year 1846; this was for 5 mills on the dollar for county purposes, 3 mills for school purposes and for territorial purposes as the law directs.
LOTS AND SURVEYS
At the time the new county board went into office, Mr. Lyon still owned the ground where the county seat was located and nothing yet had been done to lay out the lots for sale. Lewis F. Wilson finally succeeded in bringing Lyon to terms. He told Lyon that everyone was informed of his (Lyon’s) scheme to charge an exorbitant price for the land and that the people nor commissioners would permit it. He offered Lyon a regular Government price for the land with 10 per cent interest on the money from the time the land had been entered. Lyon was forced to accept. Mr. Wilson then started out to get the money, which was difficult to do. He borrowed $50 of William Hench and $45 of William Taylor and procured the remainder in small sums of different people. The money secured was only sufficient to buy eighty acres and R. B. Groff was induced to purchase the other eighty, which he afterwards deeded to the county and took his pay in town lots. Hench was finally paid back in town lots. Mr. Groff once said, in regard to the survey of the town: “Dr. J. Lyman Frost was the first man to attempt to make a survey of the town. He had no compass, but thought he could arrange the squares, blocks and alleys with stakes; he succeeded in mailing two ranges, but not three; so Cyrus Sanders was called up from Iowa City to complete the job.” The survey having been made, it was ordered that the sale of lots should take place on Monday, October 2, 1846.
FURTHER BUSINESS OF THE BOARD
At the next session of the board, Horace H. Hull, A.P. Kitchens, Dunham Sprague, George W. Kitchens, Lewis F. Wilson and William Crawford were allowed certain sums for different services performed. At the same session of the board it was ordered that George W. Kitchens should be appointed agent to sell or dispose of any real estate belonging to the county.
The meeting of the board in January 1847 was held at Marengo, showing that the town had come well into life. The first business transaction of official
48nature in the town was the order for the payment to Anderson Meacham of the sum of $1 for killing one prairie wolf.
The Marengo spoken of here is not the post office of Marengo which then existed outside the town limits, having been established a year prior to this. At the session of the board referred to Marengo Township was conceived by the creation of Marengo Precinct. The order for the division of Iowa Precinct and the creation of Marengo Precinct was as follows:
“Ordered, that the Precinct of Iowa as it was heretofore bounded be null and void, and precinct made as follows: the Precinct of Iowa is bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of section 3, township 81, range 10 west, running south twelve miles, thence east to the east line of Iowa County, thence north to the northeast corner of Iowa County, thence west to the place of beginning.”
“Ordered, that the following shall constitute an election precinct, to wit, beginning at the northwest corner of the Precinct of Iowa, thence south twelve miles, thence west to the west line of Iowa County, thence north to the northwest corner of Iowa County, thence east to the place of beginning; and said precinct shall be known by the name of Marengo and elections shall be held at the Town of Marengo; and Charles Kitchens, William Hench and William Foster are hereby appointed judges of election in said precinct.”
A special election was held in the spring of 1847, for the purpose of choosing another member of the board of county commissioners, Mr. Dedmore having refused to qualify for the place. Thomas Hanson was chosen by vote to fill the vacancy.
One of the first acts after his election was the following, in regard to the opening of roads and the subdivision of the county into commissioners’ districts:
“Ordered, that Stephen Chase, Robert McKee and William Foster be appointed viewers and Cyrus Sanders, surveyor, to view, survey and mark out a road commencing at the Town of Marengo, thence westward as to cross Bear Creek below where the present road crosses, thence near the residence of Joseph W. Hollowell, thence north of west so as to strike the line running between Lewis Lanning and William Hench, thence across Honey Creek where said lines cross, thence on the best ground to the west line of Iowa County near where the present road crosses Walnut Creek. Said viewers shall meet at the Town of Marengo on May 26, 1847, or within five days thereafter and proceed to view, mark out and survey said road.”
“Ordered, that Stephen Chase, Robert McKee and William Foster be appointed viewers and Cyrus Sanders, surveyor to view, survey and mark out a road from the Town of Marengo, by the way of Sylvester Middleworth’s to the residence of Anderson Meacham. Said viewers and surveyors shall meet at the Town of Marengo on May 26, 1847, or within five days thereafter, and shall proceed to view, survey and mark out said road.”
“Ordered that the county be and hereby is formed into commissioners’ districts, bounded and numbered as follows, to wit, the First District bounded as follows: beginning at the northeast corner of township 81 north, range 11 west to the west line of the county, thence north to the northwest corner of the county, thence east to the place of beginning. The Second District shall be bounded as follows:
49Beginning at the northwest corner of township 81, range 10, thence to the southwest corner of township 80, range 10, east to the east line of the county, thence north to the northeast line of the county, thence north to the northeast line of the county, thence west to the place of beginning. The Third District shall be bounded as follows: beginning at the northeast corner of township 79, range 9, thence west to the west line of the county, thence south to the southwest corner of the county, thence east to the southeast corner of the county, thence north to the place of beginning.”
“Ordered, that the following shall constitute a road district: commencing at the northeast corner of township 81, range 11, thence running south to the Iowa River, thence down said river to the east line of the county, thence north to northeast line of the county, thence west to the place of beginning. The same shall be known as District No. 1, and it is ordered that Joel Culver be, and hereby is appointed supervisor for said district.”
“Ordered, that the following shall compose Road District No. 2: commencing at the southwest corner of Road District No. 1, etc, including the rest of the county. It is also ordered that William Foster be, and is hereby appointed supervisor for Road District No. 2.”
This proves that in the year 1847, roads were first laid out from the Town of Marengo; that they followed the general course of the Iowa River.
Two other orders were made at this session of the board which bear historical value. They were: that the clerk shall receive sealed proposals for the erection of a temporary courthouse in the county seat, till Mary 28, 1847, and that the clerk give notice thereof by putting up written or printed notices; that the clerk give notice that a sale of lots will take place on May 24, 1847 in the county seat, and that said sale will continue from day to day until all the lots have been offered.
On May 9th the commissioners again ordered a sale of lots to take place on the second Monday of August, in which order were specified the terms of sale. The terms were one-fourth down and the balance in three equal payments, at the expiration of twelve, eighteen and twenty-four months, respectively. At the same time it was ordered that Lewis F. Wilson be allowed $2 for supplying a stone for the county seat, which he had done at great labor. For many years surveys were made from this stone, placed at the corner of the square. For some reason it was afterwards removed from its position and no one has succeeded in getting it back in its exact original place.
FIRST TOWNSHIPS
At the session of the board in July 1847, William Hence was allowed $12 for assessing the property and taking the census of the county. During the same session the boundaries of Marengo and Iowa townships were definitely fixed and the townships of Greene and English formed. Until this time there had been no civil townships, there being only election precincts. Marengo and Iowa townships were composed of about the same territory as the precincts which had previously gone by the same names. What had been Old Man’s Creek Precinct was subdivided and out of it were formed the townships of English and Greene. The appended map will show how the townships were formed in the year 1847, when the county was first divided into townships by the commissioners, Wilson, Crawford and Hanson. The official boundaries of these four townships were as
50follows: Marengo, beginning at the northwest corner of section 3, township 81, range 10, running south twelve miles, thence west fifteen miles, thence north twelve miles, thence east fifteen miles to the place of beginning. Iowa, beginning at the northeast corner of Marengo Township, running south to the southeast corner of Marengo Township, thence east nine miles, thence north twelve miles, thence west nine miles to the place of beginning; Greene, beginning at the center of Iowa County, thence running south six miles, thence east six miles, thence south six miles, thence east six miles, thence north twelve miles, thence west twelve miles to the place of beginning. English, beginning at the center of Iowa County, running thence south six miles, thence east six miles, thence south six miles, thence west eighteen miles, thence north twelve miles, thence east twelve miles to the place of beginning. The places of election were designated: Marengo for Marengo Township, Daniel Talbott’s house for Iowa, Edward R. Ricord’s house for Greene, and George Miller’s house for English.
At the July session, 1847, the board ordered Robert McKee, Stephen Chase and William Foster to be appointed viewers and R. B. Groff as surveyor to open two roads, the same as had been ordered in April, but which had never been surveyed. Mr. Groff related the following in regard to this survey:
“I surveyed the first road running north and south through this county, commencing at the southeast corner of the public square, directly south four miles, west two miles, thence south six miles to a hickory tree standing at the west end of Pilot Grove, thence southwest to Dealmore, thence south to Gritter Creek. This was then said to be the south line of the county. Modern measurement has made it some two miles more to the north line of Keokuk County. We crossed our wagon over streams with poles and ropes, swam or waded ourselves. The grass was so rank and tall we cold not find the stakes on returning. We had some yellow pumpkins in our wagons which the company pared and shook out to mark our track. We got home around the head of Hilton Creek; that is now the track. My next road turned Honey Creek to the east line of Poweshiek County, on the divide between the said creek and the Iowa River. Of course, it was crooked in following the ridge, but is now mostly used. Western surveyors then seldom used the traverse table. I was the first tin instruct one in the use of the nonius in meandering streams. I got home to find that the Indians had passed into my field and eaten many of my watermelons. But they had failed to find the best patch. I went that day and took about one hundred upon my loft, anticipating a visit next day. I was not disappointed, they came in abundance; I thought I never saw men eat so much. One short-up, wide-out chap tapped me on the back and said, ‘Mighty good white man’. I told them now they had enough, now they must puckachee. At this they commenced to fill their blankets and carry of great loads. One piled the load on his squaw and then walked behind her, saying ‘Mighty good squaw.’ I saw for the first time a civilization where the women did all the hard work and the men looked satisfied.”
At the election held in August 1848, the board was made to consist of Lewis F. Wilson, Thomas Hanson and M. T. Cleveland. In August 1850, there was another change and the board included Lewis F. Wilson, William B> Collins and A. T. Cross. These men served until the board of county commissioners was abolished in August 1851, by an act passed by the General Assembly of the previous winter.
51THE COUNTY JUDGE
The Legislature which met in the winter of 1850 abolished the board of county commissioners and created the office of county judge, in whom all the administrative affairs of a county were lodged. The new system continued until January 1, 1861, and then practically all the powers of the judge were taken away from him. The office continued as a sort of clerical one until 1868, when it became a thing of the past.
There were but two county judges in Iowa County: William H. Wallace and John Miller, the former serving from 1851 to 1855 and then again from 1857 until 1861, the latter serving from 1855 to 1857. The whole system of placing such despotic powers in the hands of one man was wrong and was bound to suffer abolition. He could do anything that the board of commissioners could and had as much sway over the destinies of the county as a czar. The opportunities for personal gratification can be readily perceived.
On September 23, 1851, the first criminal case in the county came up before Judge Wallace. E.C. Hendershott applied for a warrant for the arrest of Newell Wright and William Barnes, alleging that they stole a bay mare from Hendershott’s stable on the night of September 2, 1851. A state warrant was issued for their arrest and placed in the hands of John Irwin, sheriff. When the trial came up the prosecuting witnesses did not appear and the defendants were discharged.
On June 228, 1852, Reuben Miller came before the county judge and presented the plot of the Town of Millersburg. It was ordered to be recorded.
In 1850, the United States Congress passed a bill granting to the several states all the swamp or overflowed lands then remaining unsold. By this act, Iowa came into possession of about four million acres of swamp lands. The county judge, on March 7, 1853, appointed David Risdon as special surveyor to examine and select the swamp and overflowed lands in Iowa County.
The last administrative act of the county judge was performed January 5, 1861.
THE TOWNSHIP SYSTEM
The county judge system for the management of the county finances expired January 1, 1861 and was succeeded by a board of supervisors consisting of sixteen members, one from each township. The first session was held January 7, 1861. In the election of the first board, the law provided that each township should elect one supervisor and that half of the number of supervisors should hold the office for one year and the rest for two years. The question as to who should hold for one year and who for two years was to be decided by the lot. The following men composed the first board: John Beyer, Amana Township, S. Sherman, Iowa township; Warren Lincoln, Hilton Township; H.M. Martin, Marengo township, William Spurier, Lenox Township; James B. Long, Hartford Township; Michael Shaul, Sumner Township; John Longstreth, Lincoln Township; John Morrison, Dayton Township; W.G. Springer, English Township; William Popham, Fillmore Township; Robert Grimes, Green Township; Orson Harrington, York Township; J.F. Tufts, Troy Township.
52The system of county government lasted for ten years and proved too unwieldy for good use. There were many faults to be found with such a large number of members in a governing body. After ten years of experiment, the township system was legislated out of the business of official matters and the board of supervisors consisting of three men came into existence and has continued until the present time.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The first session of the board of supervisors began on the second day of January 1871. The first members were N.B. Holbrook, Orson Harrington and J.M. Westbrook. Holbrook was elected as the first chairman. The men who have served the County of Iowa as supervisor since that date to present time 1915, have been: C. W. Thompson, E. Hopkins, Robert Grimes, A. Cover, C. Schonborn, T. Ogden, W. Popham, James Conroy, W.E. Morse, C.O. Vette, George Lootz, M.J. Kelly, J. M. Groff, C. Carter, M.F. Hanson, H.L. Rinehart, August N. Schloeman, W.G. Fletcher, John Marshall, Eardley Bell, Robert Conn, A.J. Clark, John Jones, George W. Reed, Theodore Wagner, J.W. Thompson, John W. Newkirk, J.A. White, T.J. McDonald, Fred Guehru, Jr., Enoch Enochson.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS
It has already been stated that in 1847 the county was subdivided into four civil townships, namely: Marengo, Iowa, Greene and English. With the exception of Fillmore Township, these continued to be the only townships of the county until May 1854, when Hartford Township was formed by order of the County Judge Wallace. The following was the order for this:
May 2, 1854: This day C.C. Slocum came and presented a petition for the organization of a new township, out of what is now Marengo Township, with the following described boundaries.
Commencing at the northeast corner of section 4, township 80, range 11; thence west to the western boundary of Iowa County; thence south six miles; thence east nine miles; thence north six miles to the place of beginning. It is, therefore,
Ordered, that the territory contained within said boundaries shall be knows and designated as Hartford Township; and that the same be and is hereby established a civil township of said county; and that the first election therein be held at the residence of Levi Schedenhelm on the first Monday of April 1854.
The priority of the election date to the date when the record was made up was probably due to the fact that the record was not written until later.
Fillmore Township was organized by order of the old board of county commissioners. The lines of congressional township 78, range 10 were the boundaries and the first election was held at the house of Chauncey Clothier on the first Monday in April 1852.
The order for the organization on Honey Creek Township was dated February 18, 1856, and designated the Town of Koszta as the place of holding the first election on the first Monday in April of 1856. John M. Richardson presented
53The petition for the organization of the township, the latter to have the following boundaries: commencing at the north line of Hartford Township, 1 ½ miles east of the congressional township line dividing ranges 11 and 12 of township 81; thence due north to Benton County; thence west to the northwest line of Iowa County; thence south along the line of Iowa and Poweshiek counties to Hartford Township; thence east to the place of beginning.
Henry Cook presented the petition for the organization of Troy Township, naming the following boundaries: consisting of township 79, range 10 and the north half of township 79, range 9, out of Greene Township. The order is dated February 26, 1856, and the election was held the first Monday in April of the same year at the schoolhouse near the home of William Evans.
On March 3, 1856, Samuel T. Coate presented a petition for the organization of Cono Township out of part of Honey Creek Township, to be bounded as follows: commencing at the junction of the Iowa River and the Benton County line on the north side of the river; thence east with the meandering of the Iowa River until it intersects the line dividing sections 15 and 16 at the north bank of the Iowa River in township 81, range 11; thence north to the Benton County line; thence west to the place of beginning. The first election was held on the first Monday in April 1856, at the old schoolhouse.
On March 12, 1855, A.H. Fox presented a petition for the organization of Lenox Township, to be formed out of Iowa Township. The election was held on the first Monday in April 1855, at the house of A.H. Fox.
On March 2, 1857, A.T. Cross presented a petition for the organization of Dayton Township out of a part of English Township, being congressional townships 78 and 79 of range 12. The first election was held at the schoolhouse near the residence of A.T. Cross on the first Monday in April of the same year.
On September 20, 1858, William Marshall filed a petition asking for the formation of a new township to be called Amana, with the following boundaries: commencing at the southeast corner of township 81, range 9; thence to the southwest corner of said township; thence south to the southeast corner of section 1, township 80, range 10; thence west to the southwest corner of section 2, township 80, range 10; thence north to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 14, township 81, range 10; thence east to the northeast corner of section 13, township 81, range 9; thence south to the place of beginning. The first election was held at the schoolhouse in the Village of Amana.
On September 22, 1858, Peter D. Smith presented a petition asking for the organization of Sumner Township, with the following boundaries: the north half of township 79, range 11, except sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12. The first election was held at the house of Peter D. Smith in the Village of Genoa Bluffs on October 12, 1858.
On September 22, 1858, Samuel Thornton presented a petition asking for the formation of Hilton Township, with the following boundaries: all of township 80, range 10 except sections 1, 2 and 6 and the north half of section 7, the northwest quarter of section 8 and the west half of section 5. The first election was held on October 12, 1858, at the house of Asahel Ward in Hog Grove.
Lincoln Township was organized in the fall of 1860. The county judge issued the order on October 1st. It included all of congressional township 79,
54range 12. The first election was held in the only schoolhouse in the township on November 6, 1860.
The order for the organization of York Township was issued in the fall of 1860. It included congressional township 79, range 9. The first election was held at the East Ridge schoolhouse on November 6th.
Washington Township was organized in 1861. The boundaries were: commencing at the northeast corner of Cono Township; thence along the Benton County line to the northeast corner of section 3, township 81, range 10; thence south along the line of Lenox and Amana townships to section corner on the south side of section 19, township 81, range 10; thence north to the center of said section 19; thence west to the Iowa River; thence up said river to the line of Cono Township; thence north along said township line to the place of beginning.
The last township organized was Pilot, organized in 1862. It was composed of congressional township 79, range 11 and the first election was held at the house of Snowden Myers.
ELECTIONS
1845-A.P. Kitchens, sheriff; E. Trotter, treasurer; A.D. Stephens, probate judge; Robert McKee, clerk of District Court; G. W. Kitchens, clerk of board of commissioners.
1846-G. W. Kitchens, commissioners’ clerk; William Hench, assessor; James M. Price, surveyor; Robert McKee, recorder.
1847-G.W. Kitchens, commissioners’ clerk; Alexander Hudson, probate judge; William Hench, sheriff; Robert McKee, recorder, R.B. Groff, surveyor.
1848-G.W. Kitchens, commissioners’ clerk; Robert McKee, treasurer; William Hench, assessor; R.B. Groff, surveyor.
1849-J.W. Hollowell, sheriff; G.W. Kitchens, commissioners’ clerk; Robert McKee, treasurer; John McArthur, surveyor.
1850-G.W. Kitchens, commissioners’ clerk; David Risdon, surveyor; Robert McKee, treasurer.
1851-John B. Irwin, sheriff; C.C. Slocum, recorder and treasurer; John A. Hunter, coroner; A.B. Webber, prosecuting attorney; David Risdon, surveyor; W.H. Wallace, county judge.
1852-John A. Wilson, clerk; James C. McConnell, prosecuting attorney.
1853-Robert McKee, treasurer and recorder; John B. Irwin, sheriff; Abel Hall, coroner; David Risdon, surveyor.
1854-B.F. Crenshaw, clerk; William H. Dillon, prosecuting attorney; H.B. Lynch, coroner.
1855-John Miller, county judge; E.C. Hendershott, recorder and treasurer; Henry B. Risdon, sheriff; C.H. Holbrook, surveyor; J.W. Watson, coroner.
1856-James C. McConnell, clerk; Josephus Crenshaw, sheriff; John Miller, prosecuting attorney.
1857-E.C. Hendershott, recorder and treasurer; N.B. Vineyard, sheriff; Hugh M. Martin, prosecuting attorney; F.M. Connelly, surveyor; James M. Kortz, coroner; W.H. Wallace, county judge.
1858-A.J. Morrison, clerk.
551859-J.C. Beem, recorder and treasurer; N.B. Holbrook, sheriff; C.S. Jennis, superintendent of schools; G.C. House, surveyor; A.W. Childers, coroner; Robert Grimes, drainage commissioner; H.B. Lynch, representative; H.M. Martin, senator; W.H. Wallace, county judge.
1860-A.J. Morrison, clerk.
1861-H.M. Martin, representative; J.C. Beem, recorder and treasurer; N.B. Holbrook, sheriff; E.P. Miller, school superintendent; G.C. House, surveyor; I.H. Hopkins, coroner; George Fletcher, drainage commissioner; S. Sherman, county judge.
1862-William G. Springer, clerk; W.H. Wallace, county judge.
1863-Homer C. Paige, recorder and treasurer; G.C. House, sheriff; O. Harrington, school superintendent; G.B. Wheeler, surveyor; R.A. Redman, coroner; George Fletcher, drainage commissioner; Robert Grimes, representative; A. H. Willits, county judge.
1864-William G. Springer, clerk; Obadiah Dillon, treasurer; John Miller, recorder.
1865-John R. Sersin, representative; N.B. Vineyard, treasurer A.H. Willits, county judge; James Root, school superintendent; Eli D. Akers, sheriff; George B. Wheeler, surveyor; A.W. Childers, coroner.
1866-S. J. Murphy, representative; William G. Springer, clerk; C.V. Gardner, recorder; James A. Paine, surveyor.
1867-Abraham Bolton, representative; Charles Baumer, treasurer; Isaac Goodwin, judge; J.M. Richardson, sheriff; W.R. Akers, school superintendent; J.L. Williams, surveyor; William L. Miller, coroner.
1868-John Hughes, clerk; Walter Stover, recorder.
1869-J.P. Ketchem, representative; Charles Baumer, treasurer; J.W. Richardson, sheriff; Joseph G. Berstler, auditor; J.C.S. Lake, school superintendent; J.S. Williams, surveyor; F.M. Jeffers, coroner.
1870-John Hughes, Jr., clerk; Walter Stover, recorder.
1871-J.C. Clark, representative; Sylvester Sherman, auditor; Charles Baumer, treasurer; James M. Gardner, sheriff; Charles Fletcher, school superintendent; C.W. Thompson, supervisor; Isaac W. Lyons, coroner; J.L. Williams, surveyor.
1872-John Hughes, Jr., clerk; Walter Stover, recorder; E. Hopkins, supervisor; Clement Paine, surveyor.
1873-J.C. Clark, representative; A.J. Morrison, auditor; Charles Baumer, treasurer; J.M. Gardner, sheriff; H.H. Sheldon, superintendent of schools; Albert Hickinson, surveyor; John Bricker, coroner.
1874-John Hughes, Jr., clerk; L. Patterson, recorder; Isaac M. Lyon, coroner.
1875-J.L. Williams, representative; A.B. Eshleman, clerk; W.B. Taylor, auditor; Charles Baumer, treasurer; O.B. Bolton, sheriff; George Inghram, school superintendent; A. Hickman, surveyor; Isaac M. Lyon, coroner.
1876-A.B. Eshleman, clerk; J.B. Wilson, recorder.
1877-N. B. Holbrook, representative; J.G. Berstler, auditor; Charles Baumer, treasurer; O.B. Bolton , sheriff; D. Hughes, school superintendent; J. Bricker, coroner; C. Paine, surveyor.
561878-A.B. Eshleman, clerk; J.B. Wilson, recorder; A.W. Childress, coroner.
1879- E. Tilton, representative; J.G. Berstler, auditor; T.J. Talbott, sheriff; D. Hughes, school superintendent; N.M. Adams, treasurer; Isaac M. Lyon, coroner; A. Hickman, surveyor.
1880-William G. Thompson, representative; D.E. Evans, clerk; G.W. Williams, recorder; C. Paine, surveyor.
1881-W.A. Patrick, senator; E. Tilton, representative; J.S. Wagner, auditor; N.M. Adams, treasurer; T.J. Talbott, sheriff; J. Jones, Jr., school superintendent; I.M. Lyon, coroner; C. Paine, surveyor.
1882-D.E. Evans, clerk; G.W. Wilson, recorder; George H. Ball, judge.
1883-N.B. Holbrook, representative; Henry Weise, auditor; James Conroy, treasurer; D. Alverson, sheriff; C. Paine, surveyor; John Jones, Jr., school superintendent; George Welsh, coroner.
1884-E.D. Baird, clerk; George W. Wilson, recorder; J.M. Dunlap, coroner.
1885-N.B. Holbrook, representative; Henry Weise, auditor; James Conroy, treasurer; D. Alverson, sheriff; M.A. Mullin, school superintendent; T.J. Sheull, coroner; C. Paine, surveyor; James Dooley, senator; C. Hedges, judge.
1886-E.D. Baird, clerk; George W. Wilson, recorder; Thomas Stapleton, attorney; T.J. Sheull, coroner.
1887-John Cownie, Jr., representative; M.J. Kelly, senator; J.T. McGuire, auditor; George P. Baltz, treasurer; J.C. Engelbert, sheriff; M.A. Mullin, school superintendent; Samuel Walker, coroner; C. Paine, surveyor.
1888-M. A. Simmons, clerk; A. J. Oldaker, recorder; Thomas Stapleton, attorney; I.M. Lyon, coroner.
1889-N.B. Holbrook, representative; George P. Baltz, treasurer; J.T. McGuire, auditor; J.C. Engelbert, sheriff; C. Paine, surveyor; J.N. Stahl, school superintendent; J.R. Coxe, coroner.
1890-M.A. Simmons, clerk; A.J. Oldaker, recorder; J.T. Beem, attorney.
1891-M.J. Kelly, senator; James Patterson, representative; E.F. Kuepper, treasurer; Thomas Boyle, sheriff; C. Paine, surveyor; J.N. Stahl, school superintendent; J.R. Coxe, coroner.
1892-Frank C. Rock, auditor; Robert Van Buskirk, clerk; J.T. Beem, attorney; David Callahan, recorder; I.I. Nicol, coroner.
1893-James Patterson, representative; E.F. Kuepper, treasurer; Thomas Boyle, sheriff; C. Paine, surveyor; W.P. Johnson, superintendent of schools; I.I. Nicol, coroner.
1894-Martin J. Wade, judge; J.F. Lutton, auditor; Robert Van Buskirk, clerk; C.E. Vance, attorney; D. Callahan, recorder.
1895-C.S. Ranck, senator; J.P. McDowell, representative; James C. Dinwiddie, treasurer; J.B. Murphy, sheriff; W.P. Johnson, school superintendent; C. Paine, surveyor; I.I. Nicol, coroner.
1896-C.E. Vance, attorney; J.F. Lutton, auditor; B.F. Hostetter, clerk; F.B. Colson, recorder.
1897-John Hughes, Jr., representative; James C. Dinwiddie, treasurer; H.J. Richardson, sheriff; T.M. Clevenger, school superintendent; D. W. Phillips, coroner; J.L. Williams, surveyor.
571898-M.J. Wade, judge; R.W. Pugh, attorney; L.E. Brown, auditor; John E. Spurrier, clerk; F.B. Colson, recorder.
1899-C.S. Ranch, senator; John Hughes, Jr., representative; H.E. Goldthwaite, treasurer; H.J. Richardson, sheriff; D.W. Phillips, coroner; T.M. Clevenger, school superintendent; H.E. Blasier,, surveyor.
1900-Alex McLennen, clerk; L.E. Brown, auditor; John A. Rouse, recorder; J.M. Dower, attorney; C.H. Dodd, coroner to fill vacancy.
1901-John Hughes, Jr., representative; B.B. Brown, auditor; H.E. Goldthwaite, treasurer; E.L. Dieterich, sheriff; C.H. Dodd, coroner; O.J. Boland, surveyor; Howard T. Ports, school superintendent.
1902-J.M. Dower, attorney; H.E. Oldaker, auditor; James A. White, clerk; John A. Rouse, recorder.
1903-John Hughes, Jr., senator; Edward Boland, representative; L.W. Hatter, treasurer; E. L. Dieterich, sheriff; H.T. Ports, school superintendent; C.H. Dodd, coroner; O.J. Boland, surveyor.
1904-H.E. Oldaker, auditor; J.A. White, clerk; John A. Rouse, recorder; W.E. Wallace, attorney.
1906-Ralph P. Howell, judge; E.D. Baird, representative; C.E. Chandler, auditor; L.W. Hatter, treasurer; John E. Spurrier, clerk; Frank Owen, sheriff; Thomas F. O’Neill, recorder; W. E. Wallace, attorney; Mark Mullin, school superintendent; O.J. Boland, surveyor; Theodore Fries, coroner.
1908-J.A. White, senator; George W. Tilton, representative; C.E. Chandler, auditor; Ed H. Jones, treasurer; W.R. Evans, clerk; Frank Owen, sheriff; T.F. O’Neill, recorder; J.F. Kirby, attorney; Mark Mullin, school superintendent; H.E. Blaiser, surveyor; Moses M. Furgeson, coroner.
1910-R.P. Howell, judge; George W. Tilton, representative; Charles F. Zopf, auditor; W.R. Evans, clerk; Ed H. Jones, treasurer; M.F. Cafferty, sheriff; T.F. O’Neill, recorder; J.F. Kirby, attorney; Mary F. McEachran, school superintendent; Byron Goldthwaite, surveyor; Theodore Fries, coroner.
1912-James A. White, senator; C.C. Cronbaugh, representative; Charles F. Zopf, auditor; Ed H. Jones, treasurer; Frank Owen, clerk; M.F. Cafferty, sheriff; Olle B. Dengler, recorder; John F. Cronin, attorney; Mary F. McEachran, school superintendent; Theodore Fries, coroner.
1914-Ralph P. Howell, judge; F.G. Turner, representative; Morris Williams, auditor; R. W. McKnight, clerk; O.F. Baughman, treasurer; Olle B. Dengler, recorder; Ira J. Reed, sheriff; H.L. Bryson, attorney; F.O. Bishop, coroner.
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