USA > Iowa > Cherokee County > Biographical history of Cherokoe County, Iowa : Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state ; engravings of prominent citizens in Cherokee County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the county, the cities, and townships > Part 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
The vote cast at the fall election of 1863 numbered only seven-the smallest ever had in the county at a general election. A good share of the male adults at that time were serving their country as soldiers, either at the South, fighting the " Rebs," or taking care of the savage Indians in the western border States. At this time O. S. Wight was the legal incumbent of only four different offices, but be it said to his honor he bore the positions of trust with meekness, and all old settlers say, " He made a good officer."
On Jannary 12, 1864, the board consisted of Albert Phipps and Thomas Scurlock, who, as a Board of Supervisors, deemed it wise and prudent to dispose of the swamp lands then owned by Cherokee County. It was snb. mitted to vote on the board-the vote being unanimously in favor of selling the same to Carlton Corbett. It was submitted to te people, at a special election in February, and was then ratified by the tax-payers. The In 1868 nothing of sufficient importance amount received for these lands was $2,000, | transpired to record in this book, except the which was soon paid out to T. B. Twifrord, fall election, at which eighty votes were polled. for the construction of a bridge. The bridge was across the Little Sionx River, on road In 1869 three new townships were formed by a subdivision of others. The offices of sheriff, recorder and school superintendent became vacant by resignation, and were sup- plied by appointment. No. 7, near Rogers' Mills. It was completed in the fall of 1866. and in the high water of the spring of 1867 it was all washed away. Thus, unfortunately, the county's swamp land, which many Iowa counties saved for advanced The year 1870 marked a new era in Chero- kee County matters. It was that year in prices, and finally built fine court-houses
with, was washed down stream in the angry spring floods of the uncertain Little Sioux.
At the September session of the supervisors in 1864, it was resolved that there shall be paid to each inan who has already enlisted, or who shall enlist as a soldier in the Union Army for three years, the sum of $75. And also that the sum of $20 be paid for all hun- dred-day men.
During the year 1865 the principal historic action of the supervisors was the dividing of the connty, then all in one township, into two -Cherokee and Pilot. In March of that year the board ordered the connty treasurer to dis- pose of all gold coin on hand. The amount was 8140, which brought the county $245, or a premium of $105.
At the March session of 1866 a contraet was let to Jared Palmer to bridge the Little Sioux at Cherokee Centre. The contract price was $1,140.
A portion of the court-house was rented for a winter school, the school district paying &1 per month. September 2. 1867, was the birthday of two newly created townships, one ealled Willow, and another called Spring. The office of sheriff went begging this year; Mr. Stiles resigning, G. E. Fisher was ap- pointed, but refused to serve, whereupon Luther Phipps was tendered the office, held it four months and resigned, when S. Miller took it for the remainder of the terin.
253
HISTORY OT CHEROKEE COUNTY.
which the Iowa Falls & Sioux City Railway was extended and completed through the county.
More money was appropriated for public improvements than any previous year in the settlement of the county. The bridge at Old Cherokee was repaired at a cost of $2,900; Mill Creek was bridged at an expense of $5,- 140, and six bridges spanning the Maple River were constructed at a cost of $2,240. Five more townships were formed-Silver, Tilden, Sheridan, Amherst and Liberty. Three hundred and sixty-one votes were polled at the annual election, and other indexes of rapid growth were to be seen on every hand.
In April, 1871, the supervisors ordered a jail built. It was made of 2 x 8 plank; was 14 x 14 feet, and seven feet high in the clear. Nathan Bell built it.
The county at this session engaged Robert Buchanan, who was editing a paper at the time, to publish 1,000 copies of a small de- scriptive and historic pamphlet of Cherokee County, for which he was paid $100. [The publishers of this volume you now hold re- gret to say no appropriation for this work was ever tendered them.]
The only case of defaulter occurring in this county was that of County Treasurer D. T. Gearhart, in 1870-'71, which amounted to about 84.000, which sum had to be made good by his bondsmen.
In 1872 the board ordered a bridge built at Rogers' Mills. The contract was awarded to George Satterlee for the sum of 83,700. The same was completed in August, 1872. Nothing of interest is found on the records until January, 1873, when two fire-proof safes were ordered for county nse, of the Hall Safe and Lock Company. Price paid, $1,000. Another safe (for the treasury) was ordered in that same month from the above firm, which cost the county, laid down, 81,500.
These three safes were insured for $2,000 against loss. Up to this date Cherokee County had never had a safe place of deposit for her records and money. The vanlt was completed during that year.
At a meeting of the board, January 5, 1877, $300 was appropriated from the general county find, to aid in procuring suitable tools and implements with which to prospect for coal.
In 1878 the county offered George Satter- lee, then prospecting for coal, the sum of $1,000 for fifty tons of coal, mined within the county, from a vein not less than three feet thick. It must go into history, how- ever, that the coal was never discovered, hence no money paid! During this year the practice of purchasing tobacco for persons within jail was discontinned. Another act of the board during that year was the pur- chasing of Fairbanks & Co.'s proper standard weights and measures for the use of the scales of weights and measures, a county office created about that time by the General Assembly.
No important matters came up before the Board of Supervisors, except those relating to bridge or road work and the paying of warrants, until September, 1881, when a vote was submitted to the people on a proposition to build a conrt-house, levying a four-mill tax annually until $40,000 should be raised with which to pay for bonds to be issued bearing not more than six per cent. This measure stood, For building, 422 votes; against building, 865; defeated by 443 votes.
In January, 1882, a court-house site was purchased by the board, of George W. Wake- field. for 81,400, and a part from the Sioux City and Iowa Falls Town Lot Company, at 8600. These grounds are situated upon one of the most elevated and beautiful spots found in the city of Cherokee, and to-day onght to be the foundation place for a mag-
254
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
nificent temple of justice, a court-house in keeping with the progress and development made by the county at least.
During the September session of 1882 the board decided to submit the proposition to build a suitable jail for the county. The proposition was to levy a one and one-half mill tax for the years 1882-'83 and '84, the jail to cost not to exceed $8,000. The meas- ure went before the people but was by them badly defeated, as all other court-house and jail propositions had been, the people of the county seat always being favorable and the outside voting population opposing such meas- ures for improvement.
Again, at the general election of 1884, a proposition to erect a 840,000 court-honse, by the levy of a three-mill tax for the years 1885-'86-'87-'88 and '89, was submitted. The measure before the Board of Supervisors stood three for and one against. But the people's vote stood 723 majority against the proposition to build.
At the general election, held November 3, 1885, the people voted on the question of improving a Poor Farm, not to exceed the cost of $10,000. Bonds were to be issued drawing eight per cent. A tax of one mill for the years 1886-'87-'88 and '89 was to be levied for the payment of these bonds. This measure carried by a majority of 753 votes, and the enterprise was successinlly carried out.
It was this year, 1855, that the Board of Supervisors gave Germany to understand that paupers from that Empire could not be sup- ported at the expense of our country. A North German woman who had come to our shores with a husband and two children had been bereft of her companion soon after coming here; and it was found that the family were withont means, so Cherokee County provided for their immediate needs, while
Judge Wakefield, then district judge, was consulted concerning the question. He finally decided to order the county to return the woman and her children to their native land, which was promptly executed.
January 1, 1886, came before the super- visors the first contest for county printing, by the rival newspapers of the county. Under the law, each contestant was compelled to show his list of bona fide subscribers. The paper men each had attorneys employed to represent their respective interests. The Cherokee Times proved a list of 868; the Enterprise a list of 770, and the Democrat a list of 797. The printing was awarded to the two higher. The same session the votes for and against the Poor Farm proposition were officially canvassed, when it was found that there had been cast for the $10,000 im- provement 1,084 ballots, and 331 as against the measure.
At the same session of the board, land on the northeast quarter of section 8, township 92-40, was purchased of John Jehu, at $30 per acre, the same being agreed to by a unani- mous vote of the members of the board.
At their April meeting the board contracted with Messrs. Brown & Rnmings to erect suitable buildings on the newly purchased Poor Farin, for the sum of $4,250.
At the Jannary session we again find the newspaper men having another tossel over county printing-the Times, Democrat and Register all taking a hand in the contest, which was settled in favor of the Times and Democrat.
At the June session, 1888, again came up the court-house question and it was resolved to submit it again to the people, which was done at a special election, held July 17, that year. The proposition being for and against building a court-house and jail, costing not less than $50,000, to be paid for in bonds,
255
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
running not to exceed ten years, at six per cent. interest, to be raised by a three-mill tax each year nntil paid off; the vote stood 1,449 against and 897 for the proposition.
This brings all the important transactions of the County Court, together with the pro- ceedings of the Board of Supervisors, down to the present year-1889.
COURT-1IOUSE.
Cherokee County is remarkable in this one particular-that the county seat, which was located by the legal commissioners in 1857, at Old Cherokee, has never been removed, only the short distance to the railroad town. The same location and the same building, originally erected in 1863, still serve the county.
There never have been but two attempts (proper) to re-locate the seat of justice; one of these attempts was in June, 1879, when the eastern portion of the county tried to re- move it to the little village of Aurelia, which thing was of course foolish, from the fact that that town is in the extreme eastern portion of the county. However, the number of signa- tures to the remonstrance ontnumbered the petition, hence the contest ended, withont even an official mention on the county rec- ords. The petition and counterbalancing re- monstrance, however, are still on file in the anditor's office.
The second attempt to re-locate the county- seat was in 1885. This time the measure came quite near carrying. The people of the entire west part of the county were arrayed against those of the eastern portion, and the proposition was to move to the village of Mer- iden, which in fact is about a mile nearer the exact geographical center of Cherokee County than the present court-house site. The contest was a spirited one, however, mostly on paper! Petitions and remon-
strances were the weapons used to settle the question as to whether the measure should be submitted to a vote of the people or not. The census of 1885 (State) had just been taken- the advance sheets were ont but the work proper had not yet been published by an- thority of the State. This fact virtually set- tled the matter as the majority of names were found on the remonstrances. The old frame court-house was, at the day it was erected, good enough, but it hardly does jns- tice to the now rich county. Neither does it do justice to the county officials and the mod- ern mode of caring for public records. Not one of the county offices is large enough for business to be properly transacted, and the court-honse hall excludes about all at court time but the members of the bar, witnesses and court officials. It would seem the peo- ple in the county always (as a class) oppose the building of a court-house, simply because the same might be of advantage to the city of Cherokee. The question has many times come up and been voted down. Those from outside say that when they fail to find mnen coming up for county offices, at the regular nominating conventions, that they will then think it time to build a new court-house.
The only thing Cherokee County needs, to make her fully up to the times we live in, is a good court-honse. The present dilapidated concern does not do justice to the intelligence and wealth the county possesses.
TAXES LEVIED, ETC.
The following is an exhibit of connty funds in the year 1860:
State fund on hand 8 7.71
Connty " 66 101.36
School 66 66 111.78
Road 66 130.51 66
Bridge 66 1.28 .6
Total $352.64
256
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
The following is an exhibit of taxes levied for the years 1861, 1864, 1865 and 1885:
1861.
1864.
1863.
1885.
Mills.
Mills.
Mills.
Mills.
State taxes.
2
2
2
212
County taxes.
4
4
3
6
Road taxes
3
2
3
114
Bridge taxes.
6
215
School house and schools.
215
2
5
1
Court-house
6
6
3
Relief taxes (war purpose)
2
2
Insane taxes.
34
Bounty .
5
Total tax in mills
1712
23
24
14
MARRIAGE RECORD.
In the early history of Cherokee County the marriage ceremony was not performed in that grand style which characterizes our pres- ent age. Then there were no tinted wed- ding cards, with the formal invitation printed in letters of gold; no royally dressed bride and bridegroom made their appearance be- fore the hymeneal altar, in the anstere pres- ence of priest or clergyman. Most of the earliest marriages were solemnized before a justice of the peace, whose hearth-stone was sheltered by the logs of a rongh, though usnally cozy, cabin. Here were found genn- ine love and hospitality. And who dare say the hearts thns united in these rude, nncontli cabin homes were not as closely and last- ingly united as those of our modern pomp and show, who celebrate the occasion in ex- pensive mansions, and have free access to tlie most costly of bridal chambers?
The newly married pair in those pioneer days here in Cherokee County went to " keep- ing house" in a log cabin and willingly awaited the future tide of their good fortune to provide for them a more spacious and com- fortable place of abode. Their parents were plain and perchance had been united in a similar humble home in some one of the Eastern or Middle States, and very naturally ' their children imbibed the same attributes which had so graciously gifted their fathers and mothers.
They were then willing to begin life at the bottom, in a manner in keeping with their financial surroundings.
The first marriage in Cherokee County was that of the first settler, Carlton Corbett, to Miss Rosabella Cummings, November 20, 1859. The ceremony was performed by His Honor G. W. F. Sherwin, then county judge. Marriages were not of frequent occurrence in this thinly settled country, as it has been found by consulting the records that no others were united in marriage until March, 1866- after the boys came home from the Civil War, when William II. Mead and H. E. Twifford were married. The next marriages were those uniting James H. McKinley and Lovina Fisher; Jasper Scurlock and An- geline Huntly; Newton Scurlock and Anice Huntly; Abner B. Stimson and Annie Eliza Jackson; Jernb Palmer and Eliza Ann Ter- wilager.
257
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
MISCELLANEOUS.
CHAPTER VII.
POPULATION BY TOWNSHIPS.
S the county was not all subdivided into its present civil townships until about 1876, it is impossible to give the census returns, by townships, until a period subse- quent to that date. By reference to the United States census taken in 1860, '70 and '80, it is found that in 1860 the county had a popu- lation of fifty-eight; in 1870, its total popu- lation was 1,967, and in 1880 it had grown to 8,240.
The following showing is found by con- sulting the State and Federal census books and will give the correct population, by town- ships, for the years 1875, '80 and '85:
On account of the next census not coming out until 1890, the exact population of 1889, the present year, cannot be given only by es- timate, on results found in general election of 1888. But it is safe to say the total pop- ulation in January, 1889, was 16,300, or an increase of 4,000 during the last four years.
STATISTICS OF POPULATION-1885.
TOWNSHIP.
Families.
Native Born.
Foreign Born.
Total Populat'n
Afton ..
155
622
169
831
Amherst
139
460
223
683
Cedar
113
457
117
574
Cherokee.
501
2,137
312
2,481
Diamond
123
482
198
680
Grand Meadow
80
368
16
384
Liberty
111
401
171
572
Marcus
205
404
121
525
Pilot.
131
603
69
672
Pitcher
127
455
113
558
Rock ..
99
413
142
555
Sheridan
175
736
166
902
Silver.
147
658
67
725
Spring.
61
261
55
316
Tilden.
93
361
138
499
Willow
91
425
34
459
Totals
2,484
10,204
2,380
12,584
Pitcher
326
864
1,278
Rock
236
555
Sheridan
381
657
902
Silver
174
463
725
Spring
96
194
316
Tilden.
183
217
499
Willow
200
259
459
Totals.
4,245
8,240
12,584
Afton.
483
690
831
Amherst
130
341
683
Cedar
331
459
574
Cherokee
1,142
1,940
2,381
Diamond.
118
490
680
Grand Meadow
80
384
Liberty
175
298
572
Marcus.
44
412
1,065
Pilot
631
462
672
CHURCH PROPERTY IN 1885.
According to the record made in the State census of 1885, Cherokee County had the following religious denominations. The same also gives value of church property (church
TOWNSHIP.
1875.
1880.
1885.
25S
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
buildings) and the seating capacity of each building belonging to the same:
Adventists, church property, $4,000; seat- ing capacity, 200.
Baptist, church property, 82,500; seating capacity, 200.
Christians, church property, §2,500; seat- ing capacity, 200.
Congregationalists, church property, $8,- 800; seating capacity, 750.
Episcopal, church property, $2,000; seat- ing capacity, 175.
Methodist, church property, 818,930; seat- ing capacity, 1,520.
Presbyterian, church property, $7,000 ; seating capacity, 350.
Roman Catholic, church property, $13,800; seating capacity, 650.
Total church edifice property, $50,780.
Total seating capacity, 4,225.
RECORDED PLATS.
The subjoined is a transcript of the re- corded plats of the various towns and villages in Cherokee County, as found in the recorded plat-books of the county-including live and defunct town sites, together with their numer. ous additions:
Cherokee Center (defunct), situated on the east half of section 28-92-40. George Det- wiler. Justus Townsand and Jay Sternburg, proprietors; filed November 19, 1856.
Cherokee (original and now defuuct), con- taining 320 acres of land, was filed for record December 16, 1857, by Samuel W. Hayward, the same being located on sections 22 and 23, 92-40.
New Cherokee is situated on the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 34, and the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 27-92-40. A. L. Porter executed the surveying, March 21,
1870, the same being recorded the following September, by C. H. Lewis, County Recorder. The proprietors were: George W. Lebourveau and wife, and Carlton Corbett and wife.
Blair City (defunct) was platted and filed for record July 1, 1869, by proprietor Will- iam Van Eps. This was a twenty-acre plat of land, just west from where pioneer Albert Phipps's residence stands, and is the east halt of the southeast of the northwest of section 26. It was hoped by Mr. Van Eps to draw the depot of the railroad, then being built, and which came the next year aud located its station at New Cherokee. Mr. Van Eps sold many lots in Blair City, but the site never materialized after the road was built. No plat appears on the county plat-books; how- ever a description is found therein of the platting as above given.
Lebourveau's Addition to New Chester, on the northeast quarter of section 34-92-40, was filed for record by George W. Lebourveau and wife, October 10, 1879.
Blair's Addition to New Cherokee was platted October 10, 1870, by John I. Blair and wife, on section 34-92-40. '
Hurford's Extension to New Cherokee was platted by F. W. Huxford and wife, April 8, 1871.
Lebourreau's Second Addition to New Cherokee was platted by George W. Lebour- veau and wife, October 9, 1879.
First Addition to New Cherokee, by Town Lot Company, was platted on the northwest quarter of section 34-92-40, April 23, 1875.
Second Addition by Town Lot Company, June 26, 1875, ou the west half of the south- east quarter of section 27-92-40.
Third Addition by Town Lot Company, on section 27, was platted October 14, 1878.
Fourth Addition by Town Lot Company, filed January 30, 1882, on the southeast quar- ter of section 27-92-40.
259
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
Fifth Addition by Town Lot Company, January 9, 1882.
Sixth Addition by Town Lot Company, on the southwest quarter of section 27-92-40, June 27, 1883. .
Huxford's Second Addition, surveyed and platted August 8. 1881, by J. II. Davenport, County Surveyor.
Huxford's Third Addition, April 27, 1882.
Corbett's Addition to New Cherokee, sur- veyed by J. H. Davenport, and filed for record by O. Gage, County Recorder, August 26, 1885.
Sutterlee's Addition to New Cherokee was platted by J. II. Davenport, surveyor, and filed for record July 16, 1881, by George Satterlee and wife.
Burroughs's Magnetic Addition to New Cherokee was filed for record by N. T. Bur- roughs and wife, George W. Lebourveau and wife, with R. B. Taylor and wife, April 27, 1882. This is situated on section 26- 92-40.
Sandford & Moore's Addition to New Cherokee was filed for record June 10, 1887, by W. A. Sanford and Charles E. Moore.
Seventh Addition to New Cherokee, filed for record by the Town Lot Company, July 28, 1887.
Sullivan's Addition to New Cherokee was surveyed by a civil engineer from Sioux City, and filed for record April 16, 18SS. The proprietors were: W. A. Sanford, Charles E. Moore and Con Sullivan.
Sanford & Moore's Annex to New Chero- kee was filed by William A. Sanford, Charles E. Moore and Con Sullivan, April 13, 18S8.
Eighth Addition to New Cherokee, by Town Lot Company, filed April 25, 1888.
Darius Hall's Addition to New Cherokee, filed November 16, 1888, by Darius Hall and Mary Ilall.
Ninth Addition to New Cherokee, filed
March 2, 1889, by Iowa Railroad Land Com- pany.
Young's Addition to New Cherokee, filed March 26, 1889, by G. W. and Martha A. Young.
Riverside Addition to New Cherokee, filed April 13, 1859, by W. A. Sanford, Charles E. Moore and Con Sullivan.
Pilot Rock (defunct), filed March 15, 1859, George Coonley, proprietor. The same was located on section 10-91-40.
Aurelia, original plat was made February 6, 1873. Its location is section 10-91-39. J. H. MeAlvin executed the surveying for the Town Lot Company.
First Addition to Aurelia, by Town Lot Company, January 17, 1580.
Second Addition to Aurelia, by Town Lot Company, filed September 23, 1883.
Third Addition to Aurelia, by Town Lot Company, filed June 27, 1883.
Fourth Addition to Aurelia, tiled by Town Lot Company, May 23, 1858.
Hazzard (now Meriden), was platted and filed for record by John I. Blair and wife, December 22, 1870. Its location is on the south half of section 12 and the north half of section 13-92-41.
First Addition to Hazzard, filed by the Town Lot Company, September 3, 1881.
Second Addition to Hazzard, filed by Town Lot Company, May 27, 1882.
Marcus was platted originally on the south half of section 33-93-42, by the Town Lot Company, November 27, 1871.
First Addition to Marcus, filed by Town Lot Company, June 26, 1876.
Second Addition to Marcus, filed by Town Lot Company, May 27, 1882.
Fourth Addition to Marcus, filed by the Town Lot Company, June 27, 1884.
Fifth Addition to Marcus, filed by the Town Lot Company, May 24, 1888.
· 260
HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
Quimby original plat, located on section 11-90-41, was filed by the Cherokee and Western Town Lot and Land Company, Oc- tober 3, 1887. Work of plat executed by F. K. Baldwin, civil engineer of Sioux City, Iowa.
Washta, located on sections 29 and 32-90- 41, was filed for record by the Cherokee and
Western Town Lot and Land Company, Oc- tober 27, 1887.
Allen's Addition to Washta, filed May 7, 1888, by J. Hugh Allen and Abbie E. Allen.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.