History of Osceola County
by D. A. W. Perkins 1892
Preface
The writer of these pages located in
O'Brien County, Iowa, in the fall of 1871, and hence knows
something of the hardships and privations of the early settlers
of these northwestern Counties of the State, and particularly of
the County of Osceola. This book is intended to rescue from
coming oblivion many of the incidents and reminiscences of the
early days of the County, and to give them record for the
entertainment and benefit of the old settlers and the new, and
also to give a general history of the County from its first
organization.
The book is not produced as a money making scheme; is not written
to advertise anybody or anything. The writer has simply taken a
certain portion of his time from a busy professional life, and
wielded the pen in gratifying a personal desire to preserve the
County's history, and also to bring home to the intelligent
people of Osceola, and all others interested in the County, a
record of what has gone before, up to the present date, and from
which point some future historian may continue the task, when we,
who were active participants in its early struggles, will be
numbered among those who are of the silent city of the dead.
HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA
THE NAME
Osceola County was named after a Seminole
chief who was the acknowledged head of that band of Indians
inhabiting the everglades of Florida. In 1835, the United States
authorities attempted to remove the tribe into the country west
of the Mississippi, but Osceola at the head of his brave
followers refused to go, and such renowned commanders as Scott
and Taylor were out-generaled in every encounter. After two years
he was captured by treachery, sent to Charleston in irons, and
afterwards, at Ft. Moultrie, died of grief.
LAW PERTAINING TO ITS ORGANIZATION
Chapter 9 of the Laws of the Third
General Assembly, approved January 15, 1851, entitled, "An
Act to Establish New Counties and Define Their Boundaries,"
among other things, provides as follows:
"Section 49. That the following shall be the boundaries of a
new county, which shall be called Osceola, to-wit: Beginning at
the northwest corner of Township Ninety-seven, Range
Thirty-eight, thence north to the north boundary line of the
State, thence west to the northwest corner of Township One
Hundred, Range Forty-two, thence south to the southwest corner of
Township Ninety-eight, Range Forty-two, thence e east to the
place of beginning."
Section 27 of the same act created a new county called Wahkaw,
which is the present County of Woodbury.
Chapter 8 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, approved
January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act of Organizing Certain
Counties Therein Named, provides for the organization of the
County of Wahkaw, and the holding of a special election for that
purpose.
And Section 14 of said chapter reads as follows:
"Section 14. That for revenue, election and judicial
purposes, the Counties of Ida, Sac, Buena Vista, Cherokee,
Plymouth, Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Dickenson, Osceola and Buncombe
are hereby attached to Wahkaw, and the election for said county
shall be held at Sergeant's Bluff, and as many other places as
the organizing sheriff may designate in his notice of
election."
Thos. L. Griffey was the organizing sheriff of the County of
Wahkaw.
Chapter 12 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, approved
January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act in Relation to New
Counties," provides the manner in which citizens of an
unorganized county may secure the organization of their county by
application to the county judge of the county to which such
unorganized county is attached, and also provides for
establishing the county seat, notice of election, canvass of
returns and qualification of officers elected.
And Section 4 of said chapter provides that the name of the
County of Wahkaw shall be changed to Woodbury.
Sections 226 to 230 inclusive, of the revision of 1860 contain
general provisions relating to unorganized counties, the holding
of elections for organization, etc., in which the authority is
stated to be in the county judge to perform certain duties, but
Sections 312 to 326, inclusive, in effect confer upon the board
of supervisors and powers and duties of the county judge in
relation to unorganized counties attached to organized counties.
And Section 330 of the revision of 1860 also so declares.
Under these provisions the County of Osceola remained attached to
Woodbury County until its organization in January 1872.
ORGANIZING OSCEOLA COUNTY.
WOODBURY COUNTY RECORDS.
State of Iowa, }
Woodbury County.}
I, George W. Wakefield, Auditor of
Woodbury County, Iowa, do hereby certify that at the June
session, A. D. 1871, of the Board of Supervisors of Woodbury
County, to-wit:
On the 6th day of June, A.D. 1871, the following proceeding were
had to-wit:
Resolved, that the County of Osceola in the State of Iowa, is
organized at the general election of 1871.
Resolved, that three townships be formed out of the County of
Osceola in the State of Iowa, to-wit: All of Township No.
Ninety-eight, of Range Thirty-nine, Forty, Forty-One and
Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be known and called
Goewey Township. All of Township No. Ninety-Nine, Range
Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One and Forty-Two, shall compose one
township to be known and called Holman Township. And all of
Township No. One Hundred, of Range Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One
and Forty-Two shall compose one township to be known and called
Horton Township.
Resolved, that an election be held for the election of Township
and County officers at the general election for 1871, to be held
as follows, to-wit: In Goewey Township, at the house of E. Huff;
in Holman Township, at the house of A. Culver; in Horton
Township, at the house of H. R. Fenton.
Resolved, that the question of whether the Provisions of Chapter
I44 of the Laws of the Twelfth General Assembly of the State of
Iowa, shall be enforced in Osceola County, Iowa, shall be
submitted to the legal voters of said County, at the general
election of 1871, as provided in said chapter.
Resolved, that the proper officers are hereby authorized and
instructed to do and take all necessary steps to have these
resolutions carried into effect.
Resolved, that the Auditor be instructed to assess the lands in
Osceola County at two dollars an acre.
I also certify that at the September Session, A.D.1871 to-wit: On
the 4th day of September, A.D. 1871, the following proceedings
were had, to-wit:
Resolved, that the following taxes shall be and are hereby levied
for the year A.D. 1871, upon the assessed value of the taxable
property in Osceola County, Iowa, for the year A.D. 1871, in
accordance with law, to-wit:
For State revenue, two mills, on the dollar.
For ordinary County revenue, four mills on the dollar and a poll
tax of fifty cents.
For the support of schools, two mills on the dollar.
For making and repairing bridges, three mills on the dollar.
For road purposes, five mills on the dollar.
For schoolhouse fund, ten mills on the dollar.
For teachers fund, ten mills on the dollar.
For contingent fund, four mills on the dollar.
I also certify that at the October session, A.D. 1871, to-wit:
On the 16th day of October, A.D. 1871, the following proceedings
were had to-wit:
On motion the Board proceeded officially to canvass the votes
cast at the general October election, A.D. 1871, in and for
Osceola County, Iowa, which was reduced to writing and placed on
file, and the abstract of votes cast was recorded in the election
book, and signed by the said Board and attested by the County
Auditor, and it appearing by proofs on file that due proclamation
has been made of the several offices to be filled, and to the
question submitted to the vote of the County:
It was on motion ordered and declared that the following persons
were duly elected to the offices set opposite their respective
names, to-wit:
A.M. Culver, County Treasurer.
D. L. McCausland, County Recorder.
C. M. Brooks, Clerk of the District Court.
Delily Stiles, County Superintendent of Public Schools.
J.D. Hall, Coroner.
John Beaumont, Drainage Commissioner.
M. J. Campbell, County Surveyor.
George Spaulding.
H.R. Fenton. Commissioners.
J. H. Winspear.
Also the following question submitted to a vote of the people of
the County was declared to have been carried in the
affirmative:
"Shall the provisions of Chapter 144 of the Laws of the
Twelfth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, be enforced in
Osceola County, Iowa."
The supervisors elect, in and for Osceola County, Iowa, were
classed and divided by lot as by law provided, whereby it was
found that George Spaulding was entitled to hold the office of
member of the Board of Supervisors of said County for the term of
three years, and H.R. Fenton was entitled to hold said office for
the term of two years, and J.H. Winspear was entitled to hold
said office for the term of one year.
On motion it is now ordered that the auditor be instructed to
notify Wm. A. McDonald and F. M. Robinson to appear at his office
and determine by lot which of them shall be declared elected
Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, also to notify S.D. Couch and
T. J. Cutshall to appear at his office and determine by lot which
of them shall be declared elected Sheriff of Osceola County,
Iowa, also to give notice of the adoption of the several
questions submitted to the people as by law provided.
I also certify that the following proceedings were held before
the County Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, and to-to-wit:
R. M. Robinson,
(Ex Parte)
Wm. A. McDonald,
Now on this 27th day of October, 1871, comes Frank M. Robinson
for himself and John Cleghorn, Jr., for Wm. A. McDonald, and lots
having been duly prepared and drawn, it was ascertained that
Frank M. Robinson should be declared elected Auditor of Osceola
County, Iowa, and pursuant to the order of the Board of
Supervisors, made October 16, 1871, the said Frank M. Robinson is
hereby declared elected Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa.
I also certify that at the adjourned October session, 1871,
to-wit: On the 19th day of October, A.D. 1871, the following
proceedings were had, to-wit:
On motion it is now ordered the Auditor be empowered and
instructed to approve the bond of the Auditor of Osceola County,
Iowa.
I also certify that the following proceedings were had before the
County Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, on the 19th day of
December, A.D. 1871:
F. M. Robinson, Auditor,
(OFFICIAL BOND)
OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA
The official bond of F. M. Robinson, Auditor of Osceola County,
Iowa, in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars with J. H. Winspear,
H.R. Fenton and D. D. Doc as sureties is this day filed with the
Auditor, and by him approved.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the
seal of the Board of Supervisors of Woodbury County, this 22nd
day of March, A.D. 1872.
GEO. W. WAKEFIELD, Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa.
(SEAL)
