USA > Iowa > Adair County > History of Adair County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 2
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
John Cears, one of the best known of the early settlers of the county, came here in the year 1854 and took up a claim on section 3, in Jackson Township. He was born in Switzerland on October 18, 1820, and in 1823 the family moved to America, locating in Alle- gany, where they remained until 1832, when his father died, and then his mother and the children went to Monroe County, Ohio, and there remained until 1850, when he came to Platt County, Mo., and one year later he came to Des Moines County, Ia., and there remained until 1853. He then came to Dallas County, Ia., and after several months came to this county. For a long time after his coming his house served as a stage station. He was married in January, 1844, to Phoebe Tucker, and again in March, 1858, to Miss P. J. Perry. To this last union there were born the following children : William P., Joseph H., Martha C., George B., Jennie I., Frank E., Thomas J. and Albert W. There were also several children born to Mr. Cears' first wife.
John Febus made a settlement in Jefferson Township in 1853, where he remained until the fall of 1855, when he removed to Win- terset.
John Gilman came here in 1853 and made a settlement on section 5 in what is now Richland Township. With him came Harvey Fort- ner, who shortly afterwards left the county.
Jefferson Township received another settler in the year 1853 in the person of Jacob Bruce, who located upon section 33. He was born on October 27, 1825, in Union County, Pa., and in 1835 moved with his parents to Sandusky County, Ohio, and there remained until the fall of the same year, when he went to Fulton County, Ind., where he was married in October, 1850, to Catherine Hoch, a daugh- ter of Samuel and Rebecca (Kline) Hoch. Jacob Bruce served in the war with Mexico, having charge of a train of twenty-five teams and participating in several skirmishes. During his life in Adair County he served several times in official capacities.
Titus, Elijah, John and Jahu Sullivan located upon section 16, Washington Township, in the fall of 1853, where the two first named took up claims and the latter worked for them. In 1856 J. B. removed to Jackson Township. Jahu Sullivan, a native of Monroe County, Ind., was born on November 11, 1836, the son of Henry S. and Sarah Sullivan. His wife was Margaret J. Roberts, also a native of Indiana.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Alfred Jones, Sr., settled upon a portion of section 12 in Jackson Township on June 3, 1852. He was a native of North Carolina. He made his home here until his death in 1881.
Willis Lyons also settled in Jackson Township.
FIRST EVENTS
The first white child born in what now comprises Adair County was Margaret, the daughter of Thomas and Rosa Johnson, the pio- neers of the county, in May, 1850. She later lived in the State of California.
The first death in the county was that of John Gilson's child, name unknown, in the fall of 1850.
The first marriage was that of Joshua E. Chapman and Dianthe Richardson, in 1853. These people were married in Tremont County, but were residents of Adair County at the time of their nuptials.
The first marriage within the bounds of Adair County was that of William Stinson and Elizabeth Fredonia Crow on May 7, 1854. Judge George M. Holaday performed the ceremony.
The first school in the county, as before mentioned, was taught at the house of Thomas Johnson.
The first mill in the county was the small grist mill erected by Thomas Johnson on his farm.
CHAPTER II ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF ADAIR COUNTY
CREATION OF COUNTY
At one time Adair County was a portion of the large County of Des Moines, also the northern tier of townships was a part of Keokuk County from December 31, 1837, until July 30, 1840. Adair County, as it now exists, was created by an act of the Third General Assembly, approved January 15, 1851. The name of the county was given in honor of Gen. John Adair, a distinguished officer during the War of 1812 and the sixth governor of Kentucky. By chapter 8, acts of the Fourth General Assembly, the county was made a township of Cass County for election and judicial purposes, but shortly afterward Adair was fully organized within itself. The first election was held at the house of Alfred Jones.
During the first years of the county's existence the control of the governmental affairs was placed in the hands of a County Court, instead of the board of supervisors, as is now in vogue. The County Court consisted of a judge, a prosecuting attorney and a sheriff ; the heaviest work fell upon the shoulders of the judge. He had supreme jurisdiction in all matters which could not properly be brought before the District Court. The other members of the triumvirate were sim- ply assistants to the all-important judge.
FIRST MEETING OF COUNTY COURT
The first regular meeting of the Adair County Court was held on May 6, 1854, at the house of Judge George M. Holaday. The only business tranacted by the court at this meeting was the issuance of a marriage license to William Stinson and Elizabeth Crow.
At the July term of the court it was ordered that "the County of Adair be divided into two election precincts, the center line running
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
north and south to be the dividing line, the east half to be known as Harrison Precinct and the west half as Washington Precinct. Ordered, also, that Alfred Jones, Thomas N. Johnson and Nathan Wooart be appointed township trustees of Washington Precinct."
At the September term of the court the first levy of taxes in the county was made, the same at the following rates: For state revenue, 3 mills on the dollar; county fund, 6 mills ; school fund, 1/5 mill; road tax, 1 mill and $1 poll; county poll tax, 50 cents.
LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT
At the time of the organization of the county Elias Stafford and George B. Hitchock were appointed as commissioners to locate the county seat. They were appointed by the General Assembly of Iowa. On May 1, 1855, these commissioners returned the following report to the county judge :
"State of Iowa,
County of Adair-ss.
"In pursuance of an Act of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, approved January 15, 1855, for the location of the seat of justice of the aforesaid County of Adair; We, G. B. Hitchcock and Elias Stafford, two of the commissioners appointed by the aforesaid act to locate the seat of justice of said county, have met at Adair Postoffice, on the 24th of April, 1855, and proceeded to locate the seat of justice of said County of Adair, on the southwest quarter of section 17, in township 75 north, range 32 west, as above directed by the aforesaid act. We, the said commissioners, have been duly sworn as above directed. This done in Adair County, this April 27, 1855. The name of the county seat above described shall be Summerset.
"ELIAS STAFFORD, "GEORGE B. HITCHCOCK, "Commissioners."
The town of Summerset is now known by the name of Fontanelle.
FURTHER COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS
The records of the court, of the first Monday in July, 1855, contain the following entry which may be of interest as showing the remuner- ation of some of the early county officers: "Ordered, that John Gib- son, county clerk, be allowed in all for fifteen months' salary as clerk,
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
$62.50. And that G. M. Holaday be allowed $52.50 as his salary for fifteen months, from the Ist of April, 1854, to the 1st of July, 1855."
At the July term of the County Court a new township was set off, consisting of congressional townships 74 and 75, ranges 30 and 31, which was called Grand River. Robert Wilson, Charles Wilson and William Swears were appointed trustees of the same. Also, townships 76 and 77, ranges 31, 32 and 33, were set off and formed into a civil township under the name of Jefferson Township, and M. Hollingsworth, Samuel Miner and William Tingbe were appointed trustees thereof.
On August 1, 1855, J. J. Leeper became county judge. He ordered that the court be held at his house until the necessary county building at Summerset had been erected. At the session of the court held January 7, 1856, the following order was made: "Ordered, that there be a courthouse built in Summerset, Adair County, Ia .; and ordered further, that the said house be advertised to be sold to the low- est responsible bidder on the 10th day of February, 1856. The said house to be 26 feet wide, 36 feet long, 10 feet high, and to contain three rooms, all to be finished in good style." In accordance with this order the contract was let to James Ray, upon the above date; he to finish the courthouse and to have it ready for occupancy by October 1, 1856, for the sum of $1,250.
At the March term of the court of this year congressional town- ships 74 and 75, of range 32 west, and township 75, range 33, were made a civil township under the name of Summerset.
The first petition for a road was presented to the court by Mr. Cutler in October, 1856. The judge appointed James Walker as a commissioner to view the same and report.
On the 25th of August, 1857, the court met, when Manning Drake, the newly elected county judge, handed in his resignation, which was accepted, and while D. M. Valentine, the prosecuting attorney, acted as judge, the office was declared vacant. Mr. Valentine held the posi- tion as acting judge until April 13, 1858, when a successor was sworn into office. This was F. M. Corr.
At the July term, 1859, the judge, on a petition to that effect, set off a township consisting of townships 74 and 75, range 31, which was to be known as Greenfield, and ordered that W. G. Bagg be appointed organizing officer.
During the administration of Judge Corr, on October 18, 1860, a petition was presented asking that township 76, range 32, be set off and made into a new civil township under the name of Grove;
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
which the court granted, and ordered that the first election therein be held at the general election in the following November.
It was not long after this that the County Court fell into disuse. With the coming of the year 1861 the board of supervisors trans- acted most of the business formerly the duty of the court, conse- quently the latter department rapidly fell into decline. Auditing and the paying of claims against the county and the granting of marriage licenses comprised most of the business during these last months of its existence.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The first regular session of the board of supervisors was held at Fontanelle, then the county seat, on January 7, 1861. There were present the following men, who were duly sworn into office: Mathew Clark, Greenfield Township; R. W. Champlin, Washington Town- ship; Benjamin Minett, Richland Township; L. C. Elliott, Harrison Township; John Loucks, Jefferson Township; James Thompson. Walnut Township; Jacob Bruce, Grove Township; L. J. Wilson, Grand River Township; Azariah Root. Summerset Township.
The board proceeded to organize by electing Azariah Root chair- man for the ensuing year and drew lots for the term of office for each member. Much of the business at the beginning seems to have been the straightening up of old matters. At their meeting upon the 4th of June. however, in answer to a petition to that effect, set off a new civil township which they called Lincoln Township. This comprised congressional township 77 north, range 30 west. Zimri Horner was by the same act made organizing officer and the election for the first offices was set for October 2, 1861, the house of Dominick Nunon.
The board of supervisors for the year 1862 was composed of the following: James C. Gibbs, Summerset; Azariah Root, Jackson: S. C. Vance, Greenfield; L. C. Elliott, Harrison ; Jacob Bruce, Grove: John Loucks, Jefferson; A. J. Ross, Washington: Benjamin Minert, Richland; L. S. Wilson, Grand River; James Thompson, Walnut; Milton Mills, Lincoln. These parties met at the courthouse in Fonta- nelle on January 6th and elected James C. Gibbs as chairman. In October of the same year James C. Gibbs resigned his position as member of the board and Azariah Root, having removed from Jack- son Township to Summerset, made a vacancy in the representation of the former subdivision of the county.
On January 5, 1863, the new board for the year assembled at Fontanelle and the following gentlemen were present: Benjamin
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Minert, Richland; S. C. Vance, Greenfield; S. W. Armstrong, Sum- merset; Milton Mills, Lincoln; A. J. Ross, Washington; John Loucks, Jefferson; Jacob Bruce, Grove; Abner Root, Jackson; L. J. Wilson, Grand River; James Thompson, Walnut; Fielden Key, Harrison.
On organization Benjamin Minert was elected chairman for the year and the board proceeded to business. Jacob Bruce was appointed by the board as supervisor to fill the vacancy caused by there being no election in Grove Township. But little of any interest seems to have transpired at this term except the following action in relation to the support of the families of the volunteers: At the fall election of 1862 a special tax was voted by the people of the county for the above purpose and the board of supervisors at the January term appointed Messrs. Vance, Minert and Key a committee to attend to the distribution of the same. At the June term the board passed the following resolution :
Resolved, by the Board of Supervisors of Adair County, Ia., that resolution No. 13, appropriating the special tax voted for the families of volunteers, be so amended that the committee therein named shall not, in making said distribution, be confined or limited to families of volunteers who enlisted in Adair County, but that they shall act in good faith and relieve all families of volunteers residing or that may reside in the county to the extent of the funds provided, acting in their discretion in making the distribution.
At the October term of this same year a resolution was adopted giving to each patriot who enlisted in the service of the United States Government against the so-called Confederate States of America between the 14th of December, 1863, and the 4th of January, 1864, from Adair County, under the call for 300,000 men to fill up the old regiments now in the field, to fill the County of Adair's quota, under the same, the sum of $100 as a bounty; said sum to be paid in county warrants on the treasurer of said county, when the said volunteers shall have been mustered into the United States service and rendez- vous set. On the 4th of January, 1864, the new board of supervisors met at Fontanelle and the following mentioned, after due qualifica- tion of the new members, took their seats: S. C. Vance, Greenfield; Benjamin Minert, Richland; Jacob Bruce, Grove; John Loucks, Jefferson; A. J. Ross, Washington; John Augustine, Grand River; Milton Mills, Lincoln; S. W. Armstrong, Summerset; J. W. Stin- man, Jackson; James Thompson, Walnut; Fielden Key, Harrison. Benjamin Minert was chosen chairman for the ensuing year. The
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
various committees coming forward to report, among them was the committee on relief to families of volunteers which filed the follow- ing account of receipts and expenditures :
Received from special tax of 1863. $224.57
Received from road fund by transfer 200.00
Received from bridge fund by transfer 24.00
Total $448.57
Amount expended to date $326.00
Amount on hand. 122.59
The swamp lands of the county were at this time sold by the county to B. F. Allen of Des Moines for the sum of $1,500, which was appropriated for the bounty of the soldiers. In October, 1864, the board passed a resolution to pay the same bounty of $100 to each and every one who had volunteered in the service of the United States and who was credited to Adair County or to his heirs if he were dead, thus equalizing the bounty. At the same time a resolution was passed that instead of the relief to the families of volunteers being in the hands of a committee and irregular in its action, $12 per quarter be allowed to the wife of the volunteer and $6 per quarter to every child of the same under twelve years of age. Besides this, provision was made for any others who were dependent upon any volunteer, so that none might suffer in their absence.
The first meeting of the board of supervisors for the year of 1865 was at Fontanelle on January 2d, when the following men were present : Benjamin Minert. Richland; S. C. Vance, Greenfield; J. W. Stinman, Jackson; S. W. Armstrong, Summerset; Fielden Key, Harrison; Moses P. Stockwell, Walnut; Milton Mills, Lincoln; F. M. Corr, Washington; John Loucks, Jefferson; John Augustine, Grand River.
Grove Township had no representative on account of there being no poll book sent from that precinct. To fill the vacancy the board appointed James McMasters as supervisor from that township. Minert was chosen chairman for the year. In June S. W. Arm- strong removed from the county, making thereby a vacancy in the board from Summerset and it was filled by the appointment of A. J. Ross.
It was upon the first of January, 1866, that the board of super- visors for that year assembled at Fontanelle, when the following
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
gentlemen took their seats: F. M. Corr, Washington; T. M. Ewing, Richland; J. W. Stinman, Jackson; A. P. Littleton, Greenfield; A. J. Ross, Summerset; M. P. Stockwell, Walnut; John Loucks, Jef- ferson; James McMasters, Grove; Fielden Key, Harrison; Jacob Bally, Grand River; and J. R. Short, Lincoln. Stinman was made the chairman.
At the September meeting a vacancy was made on the board by the removal from the county of J. R. Short, of Lincoln Township, and Barnett Mills was appointed to fill the place. .
The board for the year 1867, was composed of: J. W. Stinman, F. M. Corr, James C. Gibbs, A. P. Littleton, T. M. Ewing, Barnett Mills, John Loucks, R. H. Marshall, James McMasters, Jacob Bally, Solomon Garrett.
The board met on January 7, 1867, at Fontanelle and proceeded to organization by the election of A. P. Littleton as permanent chairman.
In 1868, the board of supervisors met on January 6th, at Fontan- elle, with the following membership: J. W. Stinman, James Mc- Masters, R. H. Marshall, S. C. Vance, T. M. Ewing, B. F. McMul- len, John J. Hetherington, Jacob Bally, Orin Dinsmore, Robert Snodgrass, Solomon Garrett. Stinman was chosen as chairman for the year. In June McMasters resigned his position on the board and Harrison Allspaugh was elected in his place.
The board of supervisors for 1869 met at Fontanelle on January 4th, and the newly elected members duly sworn, took their seats. There were present the following: S. C. Vance, Robert Snodgrass, T. M. Ewing, Orin Dinsmore, R. W. Marshall, John Shreves, Joseph Smith, J. W. Stinman, L. C. Elliott, Jacob Bally, B. F. McMullen.
L. C. Elliott had the honor of being elected chairman for the ensuing year on the organization of the county board. At the June meeting, in the absence of Dinsmore and Snodgrass, their places on the board were filled by the appointments of Ambrose Jenkins and William Stevens. At this same time, township 74, range 31, now known as Orient, was set off from the civil township of Green- field and the board ordered that the county auditor place the nec- essary papers for the organization and election therein in the hands of Reinhart Schweers, and naming the Schweers schoolhouse as the place of holding the election. This new township was to be known by the name of Dayton.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
The first regular session of the board of supervisors for 1870 was held at Fontanelle on January 3d, with the following members pres- ent: L. C. Elliott, J. W. Stinman, John Schreeves, R. H. Marshall, W. M. Cady, S. C. Vance, Henry Fisk, A. Jenkins, L. R. Mc- Whinny, J. A. Jennings, James McMasters, Joel E. Savage, R. C. Hitchcock. Vance was elected chairman. At the June session there was received by the board a petition from the legal voters that terri- tory for the formation of a new township comprising all of congres- sional township 76 north, range 33 west, which was to be called Eureka. The board granted the petition, which had eleven signers, and ordered an election to be held at the house of G. W. Snyder at the time of the October election, 1870, and the warrant for the or- ganization thereof was placed in the hands of H. Pangborn. The board also passed the following resolution: Resolved, that the county auditor is authorized to issue a county warrant for $100 in favor of the first person that will deliver to the county treasurer, for the use of the county, twenty bushels of good stone coal, dug from the coal bank in Adair County, Iowa, and that any person finding a vein of coal two feet thick, receive a county warrant for $200; three feet vein, $300: four feet vein, $400; five feet vein, $500; six feet vein, $600; and that sufficient be produced to the satisfaction of the board of supervisors that said coal has been found as above named and of good quality.
With the year 1871 a new order of things came into existence in regard to the composition of the board of supervisors. The cumber- some machinery of one representative from each township being entirely done away with and a board of three members elected at large by the county substituted in its place. The new board for that year met on January 2d and was composed of: A. P. Littleton, John J. Hetherington and A. Osborne. Littleton was made chairman for the ensuing year. At the April session of this board, township 77 north, range 33 west, was set off and made a separate civil township under the name of Summit, in response to a petition signed by twelve resident citizens. The schoolhouse on section 17 was designated as the place of holding the first election and Azariah Sisson the organiz- ing officer.
Those composing the board for 1872 were A. P. Littleton, A. Osborne and T. M. Ewing. They met on January 1st. Littleton was continued as chairman for the year.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
The board for the year 1873 was made of the same men, A. P. Littleton having been re-elected and was for a third time made chair- man.
For 1874 the board was composed of A. P. Littleton, T. M. Ewing and J. W. Hastings; Littleton still occupying the place of chair- man. It was during the term of office of this board that the petition was brought up to remove the county seat to Greenfield and this board ordered the vote of the electors thereon.
On January 4, 1875, the new board for the year met for the first time at Fontanelle and was composed of A. P. Littleton, J. W. Hastings and George A. Davis, Littleton still in the chair.
The board of supervisors met for the first time in regular session in Greenfield on September 6, 1875, where they have continued to meet ever since.
The board of supervisors for the different succeeding years have been composed as follows:
1876-J. W. Hastings, George A. Davis, T. J. Graham, with Hastings as chairman.
1877-G. A. Davis, R. H. Marshall, J. T. Graham, with Davis as chairman.
1878-J. T. Graham, R. H. Marshall, Josiah Arnold, with Gra- ham as chairman.
1879-R. H. Marshall, Josiah Arnold, James H. Hulbert. Mar- shall was chairman.
1880-Josiah Arnold, J. H. Hulbert, Thomas C. Neville. Arnold was chairman.
1881-J. H. Hulbert, T. C. Neville, B. F. Childs. Hulbert was chairman for the year.
1882-T. C. Neville, B. F. Childs, J. H. Hulbert. Neville was chairman.
1883-B. F. Childs, J. H. Hulbert, E. M. Ford. Childs was the chairman.
1884-J. H. Hulbert, E. M. Ford, George Faga. Hulbert served this year as chairman. On the 30th of May E. M. Ford resigned his position and on August 4th John McCrea was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Since this time the following men have served the county as super- visors, each being elected for a term of three years in the year named: John McCrea, 1884; same, 1885; J. W. Rutt, 1886; W. B. Hoskins, 1887; Jeremiah M. Wilson, 1888; John Shaver, 1889; W. B. Hos- kins, 1890; J. M. Wilson, 1891; David Eshelman, 1892; C. A. Ostran-
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
der, 1893; E. N. Fancher, 1894; C. A. Ostrander, 1896; J. C. Lane, 1897; Jeremiah W. Evans, 1898; John L. Garrett, 1890; W. W. Richey, 1900; J. W. Evans, 1901; John L. Garrett, W. R. Turner, 1902; WV. R. Turner, 1903; George D. Musmaker, William A. Green, 1904; W. H. Brinton, J. S. Carlyle, W. N. Green, 1907; W. H. Brin- ton, H. H. Gerkin, 1908; W. N. Green, W. H. Brinton, 1910; H. H. Gerkin, T. A. Robinson, 1912; F. W. Fitzgerald, H. H. Gerkin, 1914. The above dates are those of the election.
SUMMARY OF COUNTY OFFICIALS (Dates of Election)
Clerks
Theodore Smith, 1856-7; George B. Wilson, 1857-8; A. B. Smith, 1858; W. B. Hall, 1858-60; A. P. Littleton, 1860-2; W. B. Hall, 1862-4; W. B. Hall, 1864-6; W. B. Hall, 1866-8; James Raney, 1868-70; James Raney, 1870-2; John J. Hetherington, 1872-4; John J. Hetherington, 1874-6; John J. Hetherington, 1876-8; J. N. Had- dock, 1878-80; J. N. Haddock, 1880-2; J. N. Haddock, 1882-4; Daniel A. Hites, 1884-6; Daniel. A. Hites, 1886-8; Daniel A. Hites, 1888-90; Seth W. Mount, 1890-2; Seth W. Mount, 1892-4; Seth W. Mount, 1894-6; H. G. Lynch, 1896-8; H. G. Lynch, 1898-1900; H. G. Lynch, 1900-02; J. C. Hoyt, 1902-4; J. C. Hoyt, 1904-6; E. W. Adams, 1906-8; E. W. Adams, 1908-10; Walter C. Smith, 1910- 12; Walter C. Smith, 1912-14; C. F. Roark, 1914-16.
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