Chapter XVIII
Soon after the Huff residence was
established Mr. R.J. Shaw put up a store building and put in a
stock of goods; the building on the same section with Huff. Mr.
Shaw afterwards filed on a part of Section 14, in Gilman, and in
1872, put up a store building in the town of St. Gilman (now
Ashton) and moved his stock there. Shaw's store was the first
store in the county, and in it in 1871, the old settlers used to
congregate, and if we had a record of all their doings, and the
stories there told, our readers would be highly entertained.
Every blizzard would find about so many who happened to be at the
store, and unable to get home. In one of the blizzards there were
several of the old settlers caught there, among whom were Dr.
Gurney, August and C. Thompson, W.A. Spencer and others. They
took their horses in the store except one of them, and this they
put into the railroad tank near by. This was not in the days of
prohibition, and the boys had plenty of the ardent, and hence
quite a jollification. One of them was preparing a pan of
biscuits for baking while the others were watching the operation,
when Shaw declared that his mother always striped biscuits when
she made them, and these must conform to the parental custom,
upon which he brought his foot down on the soft dough, giving
them the required stamp, when they were pronounced ready for the
oven, and in they went. When the settler got to Shaw's store he
generally tarried awhile, talked over the news of the day, smoked
a clay pipe and sat around on the barrel heads, and of the old
settlers there were several there at all times during the day and
evening. In April, 1871, Joseph Reagan with Uriah Cook, Jacob
Henshaw and some others who settled in Lyon County, came to
Osceola County from Madison County, Iowa. They went to the
"Huff" house and through the services of our first
settler secured claims. Mr. Reagan filed on a part of Section 20,
Township 98, Range 42, now Gilman Township, and Uriah Cook filed
on the same section Huff was on. Mr. Reagan still lives in the
county, is one of the prominent men in Ashton and its postmaster.
Mr. Cook now lives in Montana.
Reagan and party arrived at Huff's on the 8th day of April, 1871.
Their outfit consisted of five wagons, twelve horses and mules
and six head of cattle. Each of the wagons had occupants sleeping
in them on the night of the 8th, and early on the morning of the
9th a terrible blizzard set in, and these wagon sleepers were
soon covered with snow and crawled out and into a house. The next
day they took the wagons and formed a half circle of them at the
south side of the house, making a corral, in which they put their
horses and then tied the cattle to the wagons on the outside.
This storm lasted two days, and the company, consisting of about
twenty men, women and children, filled the house, and at night it
taxed the ingenuity of all to arrange the packing. Along with the
inmates already named, there were three dogs and forty chickens,
so that the time was not passed in Quaker silence, and everybody
was in everybody's way, though all were jolly. The first night
all were packed around systematically. Huff and his wife were
placed in the northeast corner, then came Henshaw and his family,
then the chickens and the rest of the crowd as they could be
accommodated. The end where the horses were was considered
unsafe, as the pressure against the boards was liable to break
them in, so that Reagan, C.M. Brooks and Uriah Cook were assigned
to that part of the shack to counteract the pressure from the
outside.
The morning of the third day was pleasant, and each went their
way to their separate claims. C.W. Freeman came to Gilman
township in June, 1872, and settled on the northeast quarter of
Section 8. Mr. Carson died in January, 1883, and his popularity
and his large circle of friends in the county justifies a
reproduction of the following from January 24, 1883, number of
the Osceola County Review, then published at Ashton:
"In Memoriam"
James W. Carson was born at Batavia,
Genesee County, New York, February 16, 1883. When about thirteen
years old his parents, leaving their eastern home, became
pioneers in the then Territory of Wisconsin. A wonderful tide of
immigration was pouring into the newer states and the territories
bordering the Mississippi, and two years later, when Mr. Boyd
Carson, the father of the subject of this sketch removed to West
Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin had become a state. The father was
one of the hardy pioneers of the olden time, who, without the
help of railways and modern conveniences of travel, made the long
and tiresome journey to the frontier lands, and laid the
foundations for prosperous communities and states. He is
described as a man of sterling integrity and fine Christian
character, and James W., the son, inherited from his father a
high regard for what was true and pure in religious life. James,
or "Kit," as he was popularly called by settlers old
and new in this county, of which he was one of the first
pioneers, grew to man's estate and was industriously employed in
trade or farming, but the agitation of the slavery question and
the disloyalty of the South, leading to the civil war, he early
in the rebellion enlisted in the Second Wisconsin cavalry, and
earned the merit of being a good soldier, but incurred hardships
and injuries which laid the foundation of the disease which has
taken him away, to the grief of his family, the sorrow of his
friends, and the loss of the community. After the war, and soon
after his marriage, he removed to Humboldt County, this state,
where he remained two years. In 1871 he, in company with F.E.
Cook and C.W. Freeman, removed to this county and located
homesteads in Gilman Township. During his twelve years residence
in this county he formed a wide acquaintance. The hold he had on
the hearts of the settlers was well attested by the crowd that
turned out to his funeral on the bitter cold Wednesday of this
week. People gathered in from the three counties of Osceola,
O'Brien and Lyon-one family driving fully ten miles across the
country. Sheldon sent a large delegation and quite a number of
old soldiers, bringing choice flowers and wreaths for the grave.
Kind neighbors and comrades of both Sheldon and Sibley army posts
served as watchers from the time-early Tuesday morning-that his
remains reached Ashton from Minneapolis, where he died early on
Monday-the immediate cause of his death being his inability to
withstand the shock to his system, induced by an operation
performed by surgeons at a hospital in Minneapolis, removing a
large and bony-like tumor under the arm in the left side, which
had developed until it reached the region of the heart.
In 1871, Nick Boor, along with John Streit and William Shultz,
landed in Gilman Township. They came from Wisconsin, and drove
through with a team. Nick filed on the southeast quarter of
Section 4, Township 98, Range 42, Streit on the northeast quarter
of same section, and Schultz on the northeast quarter of Section
18. Mr. Schultz lives at Sheldon, and Boor and Streit still live
in Gilman Township.
C.C. Osgood came in 1872 and settled in Gilman Township on the
southwest quarter of Section 30. Mr. Osgood still lives on the
same place, has weathered all the difficulties, and is a
successful farmer.
Mr. William Foster settled in Gilman Township in 1872, on a part
of Section 14. Mr. Foster died a few years ago, and his widow
with her sons still live on the old homestead.
Ephraim Miller, in 1871, located on the southwest quarter of
Section 26, Gilman Township; still owns the land, and still
resides in the township on land he has since purchased.
Of these 1871 and 1872 settlers in Gilman Township but few remain
in the township now. As far as we can learn they are Joseph
Reagan, Nick Boor, John Streit, Ephrarim Miller, C.C. Osgood and
the Foster boys.
In the spring of 1873, J.E. Townsend, along with his brother
George, came to Gilman Township from Michigan. George returned
soon after and J.E. filed on the north half of the northwest
quarter of Section 8, upon which he still lives with his family
and has other land afterwards purchased. J.E. Townsend is now
County Treasurer. This same year, 1873, also Fred Poschack came
from Wisconsin and filed on a part of Section 6, upon which he
still resides. Other parties living in this township came in the
years following these first settlements, and quite a number are
renters. Among others of the farming people in Gilman Township,
Mrs. John Neff resides on Section I; also on the same Section
John Rabe. M.A. Schend was an old settler in Lyon County and now
lives on Section 2 in Gilman Township. On Section 2 also Mr.
Frank Walrich and John Barbien. On Section 3 John Thorn; on
Section 4 Joseph Dries, Anthony Geiver and also Mr. Streit; on
Section 5 Jacob Johannes; on Section 6 Fred Poschack, Matt
Spartz, John Seivert, B. Sturber and R. F. Pettingell. Mr.
Pettingell is a Yankee from Massachusetts. Warren Robbins is on
Section 7; Henry Shaa, Joseph Ehlen, besides J.E. Townsend on
Section 8. Of still other residents of the county Joseph Dries,
Jr., is on Section 9; also Matt Seivert and William Fuger; R.
Linzen, Jacob Leinen, William Fuger on Section 10, Peter Kappes
on Section II; Thomas Cox and Charles Winters on Section 12. The
town of Ashton is on Section 15 in this township and on Section
18 we find Henry Arends, W. Popkes, H. Lenitzens, and Mr.
DeGroat. On Section 20 lives Rev. Mr. Nolte, a Quaker preacher;
also C.W. Conner. Mr. Conner is a prominent citizen and was a
member of the County Board of Supervisors, George Jamison also
lives on Section 20. Mr. John Jackley and Issac Smalley are on
Section 21 and B.H. Lyman and J.C. Wilmarth on Section 22. Wm.
Keith and Wm. Craig live on Section 23; Nick Seivert, Nick Leinen
and Phillip Grats on Section 24; on Section 27 lives Mr. Charles
Lingleman and C. Groendyke; Mr. Ruben Heritage and James Sturgeon
on Section 29, and on Section 30 is the old Iselin place improved
by these boys John and Harry who came from New York with money
but made a failure in business. Neil Porter and S. Laber are on
Section 32 and C. Beck, Chalres Huntsley and James Bunce on
Section 34, with R.J. Stemm on Section 35. Gilman Township is one
of the best and finest improved townships in the county and is
well settled.
Referring again to Goewey Township, quite a number still live in
the county who were among its earlier settlers. In May, 1871,
George Perry, along with his brother John and W.A. Spencer,
landed here, having drove through from Wisconsin. George settled
on a part of Section 10, John on a part of 14, and W.A. Spencer
on Section 24. T.E. Perry, father of John and George, came in the
fall of 1871, and resided here until he died, July 14, 1890. The
boys used the wagon covers and wagons for awhile as a habitation
until they got something built for a house. Their first load of
lumber was hauled from Windom, Minn., and the two Perrys, along
with Spencer, went after it. On the road they overtook a traveler
on foot who accepted an invitation to ride. When they got to
Worthington, which was then starting as a town with only a few
shacks, the traveler got a quart of whisky and brought it around
to treat the rest of them. Spencer not being a drinking man,
declined to take any, and the fellow soon went away by himself,
and about as the boys were starting on, came around again drunk
as a lord. Pointing to Spencer he said, if that man had drank his
share I wouldn't be tight, raising a question in moral philosophy
whether or not after all Spencer was to blame for the man's
drunkenness. After this first lumber hauled from Windom, they
afterwards hauled from Cherokee. On one of George Perry's trips
he drove through the Orange City settlement, which was composed
mostly of Hollanders, and with these people wooden shoes being
principal commodity, they were well stocked and the shoes were
conspicuously displayed. George Perry bought a pair for himself
and also a pair for his wife more for the novelty of it than
anything else. His wife saw him coming home and as usual walked
out about a mile to meet him. George made a little speech to her
about the elegant foot gear he had seen, and thinking she needed
a pair, he had invested for her, and presented to her the pair of
wooden shoes. After that Mrs. Perry let her liege lord reach the
house before she greeted him. She preferred to take her surprises
in the way of presents at home.
Clark Perry, another brother, came in the fall of 1871, and
settled on the southwest quarter of Section 10 and still lives on
the original claim.
John Perry now lives on the claim originally taken by his father,
and George now lives in Sibley.
W.A. Spencer resides in Sioux City; he has a son, however, C.A.
Spencer, now residing in Goewey Township on Section 22.
In June, 1872, T.M. Spencer, a brother of W.A., came from
Wisconsin and took the northeast quarter of Section 23. He has
lived in the county since, except one year during the grasshopper
period he worked in Cherokee. Mr. Spencer now lives in Ocheyedan;
his sons, Charles A. and E.E., live in the same town, while
another son, O., lives in Sibley.
G.L. Van Eaton also settled in this township in 1872, and is
still the owner of the land upon which he settled. He is now in
the lumber business at Little Rock. John Gray, another settler of
1872, lives at Ashton. Among other of the 1872 settlers now
living in this township are George Barrager, Louis Folsom, James
Ford, E.Ellis, Robert Edwards, George Spaulding, who still
resides in the township, came in 1871, and also the same year
James Hollands. Mr. Hollands now resides in Sibley. W.L. Daggett,
now living on Section 36, also came in 1872. Mr. E. Elling and
J.C. Inman, who, we think, are on Section 34, are also early
settlers. Mrs. Clarinda Baker, who is also an early settler,
resides on Section 30. Her husband was gored to death by a bull
several years ago. In addition to those mentioned, among the
early settlers in this township we find D.G. Crippen, Henry
Hoffman, Alexander Gilkerson, George Haskins, Frank Finley,
Eugene Guertin, L. Daggett, N. Madison, John Freeman, P.F.
Jones-Mr. Jones was one of the early settlers of 1872-Nelse
Christensen, W.H. Winney, P.O. Gillis, A. Bronson, John St.
Clair, John Christensen, Henry Pollman, P.N. Folkers, D. Irish,
T. Stephens, Mr. Brandt, the Johannes brothers, Walter Phillips,
W.P. Reeves, I. Brandt, C. Crumb, P. Foley.
Peter and Andrew Sherbonda, who are still living in the township
on Section 6, settled there in 1872. B.F. Curtis, who settled on
Section 34 in 1872, now resides in Sioux City. Charles Bangert,
living on Section 19, is at present one of the County Board of
Supervisors. W.R. Foster lives, we think, on Section 20, and Lent
on Section 21. In referring to these present residents, there
will no doubt be some omissions, as the writer has gathered
several townships from inquiry.
COURTS
There was in 1872 a District Court, and
also a Circuit Court, both being courts of record. Their
jurisdiction was about the same, except that the District Court
had exclusive criminal jurisdiction, and the Circuit Court had
exclusive probate jurisdiction. Both districts comprised several
counties, of which Osceola was one.
The first term of the Circuit Court was held in Osceola County in
1873, with Hon. Addison Oliver presiding. The first case on the
calendar seems to have been Jacob Frauz & Co. vs. F.L. Ward,
and the case was continued. John H. Douglass was then Sheriff and
John F. Glover, Clerk. The following attorneys seem to have
figured into the business of that term: H. Jordan, J.H. Swan and
James T. Barclay.
The record does not show any litigated cases, owing, perhaps, to
the fact that the attorneys were not numerous enough. Everybody
seemed to get judgment in what cases there were. The next term of
this Court was held in December and in 1884 the State Legislature
abolished the Circuit Court, leaving the District Court as the
only Court of Record.
The first term of the District Court, Hon. Henry Ford presiding,
was held at Sibley in July, 1872. The record makes mention of the
fact that it was the first term of any Court of Record held in
the county. The officers were: Judge, Henry Ford; District
Attorney, C.H. Lewis; Clerk, C.M. Brooks; Sheriff, Frank Stiles.
The record states that C.I. Hill, C.W. Blackmer, H. Jordan and
J.T. Barclay were present as members of the Sibley bar, and Sioux
City attorneys as follows: L. Wynn, W.L. Joy, O.C. Treadway, H.B.
Wilson and J.H. Swan. The first case on the calendar was L.F.
Diefendorf vs. J.H. Winspear and others. The action was to
restrain Winspear, Frank Stiles and others from building school
houses. The injunction was modified, and in September following,
in vacation, Diefendorf dismissed the action, and the school
houses, under the direction of Winspear, Stiles and others, went
on in construction. This term of court lasted two days and
consisted, principally of a few judgments, there being no
criminal cases and no jury, either grand or petit.
The next term of the District Court was held in April, 1873. The
same officers were present, except that John H. Douglass was
Sheriff and John F. Glover Clerk. District Attorney C.H. Lewis
stated to the court that there was no irregularity in drawing the
grand jury, and asked that the precept be set aside, which was
done, and the court then ordered a new precept to issue, which
was issued, and the following were the first grand jurors of the
county: H.G. Doolittle, B.A. Dean, J.L. Robinson, E. Morrison,
J.I. Halstead, A.M. Culver, N. Thompson, J. Slecht, H. Babcock,
J.W. Kerr, T.J. Cutshall, Charles Mandeville, R.F. Kime, D.L.
Riley and O. Dunton. Frank Stiles and F.M. Robinson were held to
answer to the grand jury from a preliminary examination before a
justice, and upon inquiry to these parties as to challenge,
Stiles challenged Riley and Dunton. H.G. Doolittle was chosen as
foreman, and the jury was instructed and charged by the court.
The record then says, after being charged by the court they
retired to consider upon their duties. There is no further record
as to this grand jury, or the case against Robinson and Stiles,
so that we are left to conclude that the grand jury are still out
considering their duties, and Robinson and Stiles are still
waiting in doubtful apprehension of an indictment.
The first civil case tried in this court was H. Jordan vs. J.H.
Winspear, and the nature of the case is not disclosed. A jury was
had, which was the first petit jury in the county, and was
composed of the following named members: J. McKinney, H. Reeves,
C.W. Wyllys, Thomas B. Jackson, W.H. Morrison, S.W. Lang, G.R.
Helmoly, A. Buchman, C. Anderson, C.T. Torey, Joseph Kappes and
George Taylor. Jordan was defeated in his suit, and retired at an
expense of $13.40. Several individual judgments were rendered,
and Osceola caught it to the tune of $14, 851.12 from several
different parties, altogether aggregating that amount.
It is not necessary to follow the record of these courts further;
the only desire is to show something connected with their first
terms. We might add, however, that the first person naturalized
in the county, was John R. Robertson by Judge Ford, and the first
estate to be probated was that of Patrick Baker, deceased.
We also omitted to state that the only litigated case is the
first term of the Circuit Court was that of G. Toun vs. Sioux
City and St. Paul Railroad Company, in which case J.T. Barclay
was attorney for plaintiff and J.H. Swan for defendant. The jury
was as follows: H.L. Baker, C. Manderville, J.W. Collman, E.E.
Headley, S. Cram, C.W. Wyllys, Daniel Busbu, Frances F. White,
Thomas B. Jackson, George Fablinger, H.F. Manderville, Lewis
Cole. Barclay carried off the honors of the victory, and obtained
a verdict for seventy-five dollars and costs at the first trial;
but the clever and tenacious Swan, who knows but little of the
word defeat, appealed the case to the Supreme Court. It is said
that when a lawyer gets beaten in a case he either appeals, or
goes down to the tavern and swears at the court, and in this case
Swan appealed.
We have now only a District Court, comprising Woodbury, Sioux,
Lyon, Osceola, Plymouth, Monona, O'Brien, Cherokee and Harrison
Counties. Within this Judicial District are four Judges, who
agree among themselves as to the time and place each shall hold.
The Judges are: George W. Wakefield, of Sioux City; Scott M.
Ladd, of Sheldon; Frank R. Gaynor, of Le Mars, and A. Van
Wagenen, of Rock Rapids. These Judges, all of them being members
of Different political parties are men of unquestioned integrity,
of ability, learned in the law, and preside with a desire to hold
the scales in equipoise and do justice to all. Will Thomas is
Clerk of Court in Osceola.
JUSTICES
Justices' courts were in running
operation before there was held a court of record. The office of
Justice of the Peace, says Judge Conklin, is of somewhat remote
origin, having been first instituted in England, it is said, as
early as the time of William the Conqueror. The office was
introduced into this country by our forefathers on their first
settlement here, so that the people are accustomed to these
courts and have them.
At the 4th of July meeting in 1871 nominations were made for
Justices of the Peace.
The first year of the county organization the Justices were as
follows: H.L. Clapsaddle, O. Dunton, Frank Stiles, D.F. Curtiss
and J.H. Winspear.
Since then others have been elected and retired, and the Justices
of the county in 1892 are as follows:
Holman---D.L. McCausland and E. Walton
Ocheyedan---A.E. Smith and R.J.O. McGowan
Harrison---Charles Mietke and E.L. Krukenberg
Baker---Dirk Frey
Wilson---R.S. Eakin
Fairview---Thomas Jackson
Gilman---Joseph W. Reagan
Horton-W.R. Boling
Goewey---W.J. Reeves
Other District Court officers are, John F. Stamm, Sheriff and
T.P. May, Deputy.
There are often many amusing things occur in justice courts, and
in the early days of Osceola County there were many here, but the
records have not preserved them, and the lawyers who still
survive them are reticent, while others who were in practice here
then, have gone and some have died. Among the justices at an
early day was W.R. Boling in Horton Township-in fact, he is now
justice. An action was brought before him of ejectment, and was
between---Wassmann and G.B. Garvy. McCallum brought the suit for
Wassmann, the trial was set for January 2 at nine o'clock.
McCallum, the Sheriff and his deputy, Webb, with McCausland,
started over from Sibley, starting at three o'clock in the
morning, and at daylight the thermometer was twenty-six degrees
below zero; but they were going to a law-suit, and the stimulus
of the coming contest kept them warm-for we wouldn't for a moment
intimate that anything else contributed to their comfort. P.R.
Bailey, of Sheldon, was to be McCallum's opponent, but the
distance to go and the early hour was too much for him, so he
staid at home. The parties were all there in season, and a jury
was called, whose qualifications were inquired into, and Mc found
that all of them were quite satisfactory. The trial commenced and
proceeded, the testimony was in and McCallum was making his
argument. Just as Mc commenced, Jack Blair and A.V. Randall
arrived, and Blair, seeing a chance for a little fun, went on top
of the one-story building, laid a sack over the stove-pipe,
sticking up through the roof, and sat down on it. The stove had
just been replenished with soft coal, and in an instant the room
was filled with black, sulphurous smoke, but Mc kept on until
Webb went to shaking the stove-pipe to make it draw, when about
twenty links of pipe, filled with soot, came suddenly down on the
heads of the jurors, the litigants, the court and the counsel,
when all beat a hasty retreat out of doors, and there was such a
similarity in appearance, that it was hard to tell one from the
other. They found out, however, what the trouble was, re-adjusted
things and went at it again ,but Blair's escape saved him from a
fine for contempt. The case lasted all night, and at six o'clock
the next morning, the jury were led off to a school house by
Sheriff Lent for the purpose of deliberation, and were out some
time before they returned, and when they did their verdict was
for Wassmann. The court room for the purposes of the trial was
Seymour Coyour's shack, and while the jury were out McCallum,
Randall, McCausland and Webb "turned in," as the
sailors call it, that is all four of them went to bed together,
and while they were snoozing quietly, Blair appeared again and
laid a hog's head carefully between Randall's head and
McCallum's, which woke Mc up, and himself and what was left of
the hog were staring at each other, for their countenances were
in close proximity. The trial ended with a judgment for Wassmann,
and then followed an execution to collect the costs. There was
nothing in sight to levy on but some potatoes, and these were
hardly in sight, for they were buried in a pit under ground. The
Sheriff, however, armed with the usual process, went out to
Garvy's place, took a man with him, and spent nearly a day
digging into the frozen ground and finally into the pit, but the
potatoes were missing. Upon a closer examination there was found
to be another hole on the other side of the pit from where the
Sheriff had excavated, where the debtor had stole a march on the
expected execution, and removed his potatoes to other quarters.
Since writing the above, A.V. Randall denies the four in a bed,
and the pig's head story so far as he was concerned, and states
that he was a member of the jury.
In 1873 Charles Brannock who lived near the Ocheyedan and who was
like most of the settlers, hard up for something to eat, had
caught some kind of an animal, probably a muskrat and after
skinning it was cooking the carcass on a fire out of doors. In an
unfortunate moment the prairie grass caught fire, and soon the
fire was spreading in every direction. Brannock was arrested and
bound over. He was allowed to remain at home to get bail, but the
next day the fury of the people demanded his incarceration and
Sheriff Douglass was ordered out with the necessary papers. In
order that the arrest should be a complete success, quite an army
volunteered to go along and did on horseback, armed with
Winchesters, so that their going presented quite a body of
cavalry and they soon reached Brannock's cabin and the terrified
fellow was ordered to surrender which he did. He asked leave,
however, to go inside and change his clothes and once in, crawled
out of a back window and by cautiously creeping at first and
getting in the grass he made his escape. There were some who
understood his condition of poverty and his peaceful and
law-abiding disposition and who felt that while the act was a
violation of the law, still it was not malicious nor intended;
these wanted him to get away and we suspect that Douglass was one
of them. They waited for his return in changed suit, and when
sufficient time had elapsed, an investigation was made and it was
found that he had escaped. Some one, a friend to Brannock, said
that he just saw him going over the hill towards the south, and
away went the cavalry flying after him; when that hill was
reached the friend said he saw him going over the next one, and
on went the horsemen in furious following, and thus for several
miles they were led, and this with searching took up about the
whole day. In the mean time Brannock had started north while the
searchers were still searching he was safe in Minnesota, as only
a few miles travel was required to get there.
D.D. McCallum's first case was before a Justice of marked
morality, who was extremely harsh with criminals. His weakness
was his veneration for veterans of the late war, all of whom he
esteemed as unrewarded heroes. McCallum had fought four years.
His client was a thief. "The only thing I can do for
you," said McCallum, after having gained the man's
confidence, "is to implore the mercy of the court. When you
get on the stand tell the whole truth."
The man had stolen a cow, killed it, sold the hide and taken the
carcass home to his family, which was really suffering for the
necessaries of life. The prosecution, with a long line of
witnesses, had made a perfect case, and the brow of the Justice
was draped in ominous frowns when the prisoner was called. The
latter did as directed by his attorney, concealing nothing-from
the almost starving condition of his wife and family to the
dressing of the stolen beef.
"Now, your honor," said McCallum," the defense has
no witnesses. My client is guilty. He has hidden nothing from
this court. It is the first time he has ever transgressed the
law. He was inspired to do wrong by that instinct we even admire
in brutes."
Then, turning to the prisoner as if the fact had nearly escaped
him, McCallum said:
"By the way, you were a soldier in the late war, were you
not?'
"Yes, sir."
"Weren't you at Gettysburg?"
"Yes, sir."
"So was I. And you were in other historic battles, fighting
for your country, while your wife and family suffered at
home?"
"Yes, sir."
The prosecution at this point saw the way the case was drifting,
and attempted to ridicule the "old soldier defense," as
the prosecuting attorney named it.
The effect upon the old Justice was to arouse all his loyalty and
indignation.
"Enough of this," said he, bringing his hand down on
the desk in front of him with a thundering thud. "No
soldier, no man who shed his best blood for his country, not even
if he be a criminal, can be reviled in my presence. The prisoner
is discharged. And, sir, when you are suffering for the
necessaries of life again, come to me."
The joke was too good to keep. McCallum one day told him the old
soldier was an ex-Confederate; but never again did McCallum
practice in that court.
COUNTY OFFICERS--1872
D.L. McCausland |
Recorder |
A.M. Culver |
Treasurer |
Frank Stiles |
Sheriff |
M.J. Campbell |
Surveyor |
Deilily Stiles |
Supt. of Schools |
F.M. Robinson |
Auditor |
C.M. Brooks |
Clerk of Courts |
J.H. Winspear |
Supervisors |
Geo. Spaulding |
|
H.R. Fenton |
1873
D.L. McCausland |
Recorder |
A.M. Culver |
Treasurer |
J.H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
M.J. Campbell |
Surveyor |
Delily Stiles |
Superintendent of Schools |
F.M. Robinson |
Auditor |
J.F. Glover |
Clerk of Court |
J.M. Jenkins |
Coroner |
D.L. Riley |
Supervisors, until April 21 |
H.R. Fenton |
|
Geo. Spaulding |
|
D.L. Riley |
Supervisors, after April 21 |
P. Dunton |
|
B.F. Mundorf |
1874
This year there was no change in the offices of Recorder, Sheriff, Surveyor and Coroner. The other officers were as follows:
W.M. Moore |
Auditor |
S.A. Wright |
Treasurer |
J.M. Jenkins |
Superintendent of Schools |
A change of one in the Board of Supervisors--T.E. Perry in place of B.F. Mundorf.
1875
The officers of preceding year remained the same, except County Surveyor, H.G. Doolittle, and A.H. Brown, member of Board, in place of T.E. Perry
1876
This year the county officers were as follows:
D.L. McCausland |
Recorder |
Levi Shell |
Treasurer |
John Douglass |
Sheriff |
H.G. Doolittle |
Surveyor |
C.L. Gurney |
Supt. of Schools |
W.M. Moore |
Auditor |
J.F. Glover |
Clerk of Court |
Wm R. Lawrence |
Coroner |
D.L. Riley |
Supervisors |
O. Dunton, Ch'n |
|
A. H. Brown |
1877
The above officers remained the same, except the following changes:
W.J. Miller |
Clerk of Court |
E. Huff |
Recorder |
Supervisor--C.W. Wyllys in place of O. Dunton
1878
County officers were as follows:
E. Hugg |
Recorder |
Henry C. Hungerford |
Treasurer |
John H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
M.J. Campbell |
Surveyor |
Mrs. W.L. Parker |
Superintendent of Schools |
W.M. Moore |
Auditor |
W.J. Miller |
Clerk of Court |
W.R. Lawrence |
Coroner |
D.L. Riley |
Supervisors |
Henry C. Allen |
|
C.W. Wyllys |
1879
The officers of 1878 remain the same,
except the following change:
Supervisor--H.L. Emmert in place of D.L. Riley
1880
The only changes in county officers for this year were, Wm. R. Lawrence, Superintendent of Schools, in place of C.L. Gurney; W.H. Barkhuff, Coroner, in place of Lawrence, and Geo. S. Downend, Supervisor, in place of ----.
1881
The county officers of 1881 stood as follows:
Mrs. C.I. Hill |
Recorder |
H.C. Hungerford |
Treasurer |
John H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
M.J. Campbell |
Surveyor |
Wm. R. Lawrence |
Superintendent of Schools |
W.M Moore |
Auditor |
John S. Davison |
Clerk of Court |
H.C. Allen |
Supervisors |
Robert Stamm |
|
Nicholas Boor |
|
William Mowthorpe |
|
Geo. S. Downend |
It will be noticed that this year the members of the Board were increased to five.
1882
Mrs. C.I. Hill |
Recorder |
Robert S. Hall |
Treasurer |
Jacob B. Lent |
Sheriff |
M.J. Campbell |
Surveyor |
J.R. Elliott |
Superintendent of Schools |
W.M. Moore |
Auditor |
John S. Davidson |
Clerk of Court |
W.H. Barkhuff |
Coroner |
No change in Board of Supervisors
1883
There was no change this year in county officers from that of 1882, except H.G. Doolittle, Surveyor.
1884
The changes this year from 1883 were: Auditor, J.S. Reynolds in place of W.M. Moore; H. Neill, Coroner, in place of Barkhuff, and G.W. Barrager, Supervisor, in place of H.C. Allen.
1885
County officers for the year were as follows:
Mrs. C.I. Hill |
Recorder |
R.S. Hall |
Treasurer |
J.R. Lent |
Sheriff |
H.G. Doolittle |
Surveyor |
J.R. Elliott |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
W.H. Kimberly |
Clerk of Court |
H. Neill |
Coroner |
Wm. Mowthorpe, Ch'n |
Supervisors |
G.S. Downend |
|
Geo. W. Barranger |
|
Albert Romey |
|
N. Boor |
1886
The officers for this year remain the same as 1885, with the following changes: W.J. Reeves, Superintendent of Schools, in place of J.R. Elliott; W.S. Webb, Coroner; C.P. Reynolds and Wm. Foster elected Supervisors in place of N. Boor and G.S. Downend.
1887
The county officers of this year were as follows:
S.S. Parker |
Recorder |
R.S. Hall |
Treasurer |
J.B. Lent |
Sheriff |
H.G. Doolittle |
Surveyor |
W.J. Reeves |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
J.B. Mead |
Clerk of Court |
W.R. Lawrence |
Coroner |
S.A. Dove |
Supervisors |
C.P. Reynolds |
|
Geo. W. Barriger |
|
J.E. Townsend |
|
A. Romey, Chairman |
1888
S.S. Parker |
Recorder |
J.B. Lent |
Treasurer |
J.H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
H.G. Doolittle |
Surveyor |
W.J. Reeves |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
W.R. Lawrence |
Clerk of Court |
W.R. Lawrence |
Coroner |
Supervisors same as 1887
1889
S.S. Parker |
Recorder |
J.B. Lent |
Treasurer |
J.H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
H.G. Doolittle |
Surveyor |
W.J. Reeves |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
J.B. Mead |
Clerk of Court |
W.R. Lawrence |
Coroner |
There was also elected in the fall of 1889, under a new provision of the Legislature, a County Attorney.
O.J. Clark |
County Attorney |
G.W. Barrager, Ch'n. |
Supervisors |
A. Romey |
|
C.P. Reynolds |
|
S.A. Dove |
|
C.W. Conner |
1890
S.S. Parker |
Recorder |
J.B. Lent |
Treasurer |
J.H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
John A. Flower |
Surveyor |
F.W. Hahn |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
J.B. Mead |
Clerk of Court |
W.E. Ely |
Coroner |
O.J. Clark |
Attorney |
C.P. Reynolds, Ch'n |
Supervisors |
A. Batie |
|
C.W. Connor |
|
A. Romey |
|
S.A. Dove |
1891
W.H. Gates |
Recorder |
J.B. Lent |
Treasurer |
J.H. Douglass |
Sheriff |
J.A. Flower |
Surveyor |
F.W. Hahn |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
Will Thomas |
Clerk of Court |
W.E. Ely |
Coroner |
G.W. Lister |
Attorney |
S.A. Dove, Chairman |
Supervisors |
Adam Batie |
|
C.W. Conner |
|
P.A. Cajocob |
|
C.P. Reynolds |
1892
The county officers for the present year are as follows:
W.H. Gates |
Recorder |
James E. Townsend |
Treasurer |
John F. Stamm |
Sheriff |
F.W. Hahn |
Superintendent of Schools |
J.S. Reynolds |
Auditor |
Will Thomas |
Clerk of Court |
G.W. Lister |
Attorney |
W.E. Ely |
Coroner |
A. Batie, Chairman |
Supervisors |
S.A. Dove |
|
W.H. Noehren |
|
Charles Bangert |
|
P.A. Cajacob |