USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 19
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 19
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Frederick Padden resigned as sheriff. November 3. 1858, and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Charles E. Zwicks. W. S. Mower was appointed deputy sheriff, and E. M. Aiken was appointed deputy clerk, by C. O. Case. On the 27th of October. 1859. the official bond of the county treasurer was fixed at $8.000.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The records of the board of supervisors begin with the first meeting, held at New Hampton, January 7, 1861. Following are the names constituting the first board :
C. D. Johnson, Bradford Township: F. D. Bosworth, Richland Township; Vinal Thayer, Dresden Township; E. Perry, Fredericksburg Township; E. W. Davis, Stapleton Township: Gideon Gardner, New Hampton Township; E. Darst. Dayton Township: William Tucker, Chickasaw Township; Almon Harris, Deer- field Township ; J. H. VanTassell, Washington Township ; W. L. Palmer, Jackson- ville Township.
At the organization of the board William Tucker was elected as president. Rules were adopted and several matters of business were attended to at the first session. Among other important items of business was the adoption of an order making an allowance to H. C. Baldwin of 10 cents per night for sleeping in the county office until further arrangements were made. This was for the safeguard of the records and other county property. The building used for a courthouse was lacking in accommodations for county offices and for the safety of records. . At this session of the board the sheriff, was instructed to remove the safe. books, sta- tionery. and the wood for the use of the county officers, from the schoolhouse in New Hampton,where they had been kept, to the court room ; and the sheriff was given general charge of the few effects then belonging to the county. Blank books. to cost not more than seventy-five cents per copy, for the use of the justice of the
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peace in each township, were ordered. The total appropriation made by the board at this session, including their own salary, was $141.40.
At the June term, 1861, the report of the county treasurer was made, showing that he had in his hands for disbursement the sum of $3.302.93. At this session it was ordered that the partition in the school building be removed, and that this room be also used for the District Court. It was further ordered that the Cotant & McCullow Building be rented for one year, at an expense of $60, for the use of the county offices. The county clerk was authorized to advertise for sealed proposals for the purchase of a suitable farm, to be used as a poor farm. At the October term it was decided that, in the present condition of the county finances, it would be inadvisable to purchase a poor farm.
In the proceedings of the January term, 1862, the following entry appears on the records of the proceedings of the board :
"Wam-no-cat and Mich-a-gan ( Indians), presented accounts for bounties on wild cats. It was moved and seconded that the accounts be allowed. The yeas and nays being called for, resulted in nine yeas and three nays. The members voting in the negative said they did so on account of the oath of an Indian not being considered valid by our laws." They probably regarded the Indians and wild cats as being in the same class of undesirable and unreliable citizens, and that the scalp of the one was of no more value than the scalp of the other.
At this session there was further manifestation of concern in regard to the safety of the records and the county funds, the condition in which they were kept making them liable to destruction and robbery. H. C. Baldwin, the deputy county recorder and treasurer, who had at a previous session been allowed to sleep in the office at nights, for the munificent compensation of 10 cents per night, seems to have resigned; either because he did not consider the salary sufficient for the re- sponsibility incurred, or because he had doubts of his ability, single-handed and alone, to protect the property against a possible invasion of rough-necks on rob- bery intent. Anyhow, the board revised their action of the previous session. It was ordered that H. C. Baldwin be authorized to choose "a person as his com- panion to sleep in the office at night, both to receive a suitable compensation, and that accommodations be furnished them by the county."
At the June term, 1862, citizens of Nashua asked an appropriation of $1,000 to build a bridge across the Big Cedar; this petition was referred to the com- mittee on roads and bridges. A similar petition was presented to the county court in 1857, and it was ordered that the bridge be constructed. There is nothing in the records to show whether the bridge was built, but the presumption is that it was not, from the fact that the citizens of Nashua come again with this, petition for a similar appropriation.
At the September term, 1862, Eli Darst was appointed county surveyor, 10 fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of E. W. Davis. At the same time Emily Stebbins was appointed deputy treasurer and recorder. The salary of the clerk was fixed at $500 at this session ; at the September meeting of the board. Septem- ber, 1863, the clerk's salary was raised to $600.
At the January term, 1864. the county treasurer's bond was fixed at $16,000. The Nashua Bridge question comes up again at this session in the form of a peti- tion, this time for $3,000. This petition was denied, on the ground that the board was without power, under the law. to expend funds to that extent in the construc- tion of bridges.
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VOTE ON TIIE BIG CEDAR BRIDGE
At the June term of the board of supervisors, 1864, another method of ap- proach to the Big Cedar Bridge was adopted. J. H. Powers, on behalf of numerous other citizens of the county, asked that, at the next regular election, the question be submitted to the voters of a sufficient appropriation from the fund accruing out of the school lands, to construct a bridge across the Big Cedar, at Nashua; and also asked that action be taken in the matter of providing a suitable county build- ing. Preparatory to submitting the bridge question to a vote of the people the board arranged to ascertain the amount of money that would be required to con- struct a suitable bridge, as requested.
At their September session, 1864, it was decided to submit to the voters of the county, at the coming November election, the question of appropriating $4,000, out of the swamp land fund for the proposed bridge at Nashua. At the same time the voters were to be asked to vote on the question of providing for a suitable county building. Both of these questions were decided in the affirmative at the November election, as is stated in the account of special elections, in another chapter.
Further action in regard to the Big Cedar Bridge is found in records of the board of supervisors, in the September term, 1865, when a resolution was passed whereby, W. B. Grant, William Tucker and N. F. Lighall were appointed a com- mittee to oversee and take charge of the building of a bridge across the Cedar at Nashua, the erection of which was at that time being canvassed.
APPROPRIATION INSUFFICIENT
At the January, 1866, meeting of the board, the committee to oversee the Nashua Bridge, appointed at the September term, made report that the amount appropriated for the construction of the bridge would not be enough by about two thousand dollars, and asked for an additional appropriation of that amount. After much discussion, and a consideration of the condition of finances of the county, the board decided to postpone further action until there was a more healthy condition in the county treasury apparent. The following statement of indebted- ness of the county, on January 1, 1866, decided the board to take this action :
Outstanding unpaid warrants $ 8,510.98
Account of Volunteers presented this session 13,315.51
Ordinary accounts 991.12
Probable additions 100.00
Total indebtedness $22.917.61
SUCCESSFUL PLAN PROPOSED
Again, at the meeting of the board of supervisors, in June, 1866, the matter of the Nashua Bridge came up for further consideration. Notwithstanding the many discouragements and failures, the advocates of the Big Cedar Bridge were not disposed to discontinue their efforts to get that bridge across. There had been much discussion of ways and means, in the interval since the last board
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meeting, and they come now with a proposition which meets with the approval of the board. In accordance with that proposition, the board appointed E. D. Wood- bridge, Michael Cagley and H. Case as a committee to let the contract to build the bridge, if possible, and adding the sum of $500 to the $4,000 already appro- priated for that purpose ; any additional amount necessary to be provided by the private subscription of $1,500 that had been secured. The further condition was that the bridge should be finished by March 1, 1867.
The record of the June session, 1867, shows a report signed by A. G. Case, S. F. Eastman and E. H. Hall, as commissioners, stating that they had let the contract for the building of the bridge over the Big Cedar at Nashua, to A. Spaulding, and that he had complied with the terms of the contract, and that the bridge was finished, or so nearly so as to warrant them in pronouncing the con- tract complete.
At the meeting of the board, September, 1868, a resolution was adopted. wherein it is recited, that as "Chickasaw County was in debt over seven thousand dollars, in the county fund, the warrants were depreciated to a ruinous rate, and as it is best to pay as promptly as possible, to restore credit ; Resolved, That a special levy of tax be made of two mills on the dollar, to be levied from year to year, until such debt be wiped out." It was ordered that this question be sub- mitted to a vote of the people, at the regular election, in November, 1868, the said tax to be levied for 1869. As stated elsewhere, the result of this vote was in favor of the tax levy by something over one hundred majority.
PETITION FOR COUNTY JAIL
At the June term of the board, 1869, a petition was presented, asking that some steps be taken toward the building of a county jail. In pursuance of a vote of the people, in 1864, a courthouse had been contracted for and completed in 1867, and the county, at the time of presenting this petition for building a jail, according to the statement, "although the county was owning very fine buildings, still does not possess a jail, but sends its prisoners to Decorah for safe keeping." However. on the petition being referred to a committee, it was returned with the report that in their opinion there was no necessity for a jail, and this settled the matter, for the time being.
At the June term, 1872, the record shows that the board consummated the pur- 'chase of the farm at that time used as a county poor farm, together with all the improvements thereon, and proposed to receive bids for the erection of suit- able buildings for the care of the poor. At a special session, held October 7. 1872. a contract was let to A. W. Utter, of New Hampton, to erect a house on the poor farm, at an expense of $1,360.80. A contract was also made for the purchase of two large safes in which to keep the county records, at a cost of $2.450.
FIRST COURT HOUSE
During the years of contest over the location of the county seat the Chickasaw County court house was in a transitory state. For that reason no movement was made towards providing a suitable place for the transaction of the county business. A cheap and unattractive shack was made to serve the purpose while
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the county seat remained at Bradford, and owing to the uncertainty of the out- come of sectional contest, there was nothing done towards building even a cheap court house after New Hampton won the county seat fight and the county seat was removed from Bradford to this place. The various county offices found accommodation in private rooms and in the school building.
. The first court house was erected in 1865. It was a frame structure, not very commodious in size nor convenient in appointments. Capt. J. H. Powers was the contractor and he entered into an agreement to have the building com- pleted on or before the 26th day of November, 1865.
This building was enlarged. in 1876, by the addition of a one-story, four- room building, constructed of fireproof brick. This addition was made at the south side of the old building and was used for offices, the old building being used for court purposes.
THE SECOND COURT HOUSE
The old building with the fireproof addition served the purpose in the trans- action of county business until March 26, 1880, when the building was destroyed by fire. Fortunately, most of the records were in the fireproof addition and were not seriously damaged. In consequence of the county being without a court house the question of removal of the county seat was again revived. A detailed account of the unsuccessful attempt that was made is given in the County Seat Contest Chapter, in another place. The opposition to the expenditure of public funds for the erection of a new court house in New Hampton was met by the proposal of thirty-six of the leading citizens of New Hampton, to file a bond pledging $5,000 for the erection of a court house. Those who signed this bond were: A. E. Bigelow, John Foley, H. Gurley, W. L. Darrow, W. D. Gardner, H. I .. Fitch, J. H. Powers, F. D. Bosworth, J. M. Gilliland, John Meyer, F. Deppe. S. J. Kenyon, B. G. Smith and H. M. Mixer.
September 10, 1880, a petition was presented to the board of supervisors ask- ing that the board accept the offer of $5,000, made by the citizens of New Hamp- ton, and appropriate the sum of $5,000, which, "with the sum proposed by the citizens, shall complete a court house, on court house square, in the village of New Hampton."
In the year 1881, the central portion of the present brick and stone structure was built at a cost of $10.500, New Hampton paying $5,000 of the sum. In 1905. a wing was built on the south side of the building at a cost of $4.219, and in 1906 a wing was added on the north side at a cost of $4,200. The old brick building used for county offices was subsequently used as a jail, but upon being con- demned was torn down and in the year 1891, the present jail was erected which furnished a home for the sheriff and family, as well as for the prisoners.
THE CHICKASAW COUNTY HOME
One of the public buildings and benevolent enterprises in which the citizens of Chickasaw County may justly take pride, is the county home and farm for the care of the dependent and helpless. This home is located on a large farm about six miles south of New Hampton in a most beautiful section of the county, with
COURTHOUSE. NEW HAMPTON
CHICKASAW COUNTY HOME, NEW HAMPTON
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fine farms and farm houses in the surrounding country. The home was estab- lished in 1872, when the farm was purchased and a building was erected, at a cost of $1,360.80. Since then additions and improvements have been made to the resident building until it now presents a most attractive appearance, and is the subject of commendable remark by visitors and those who pass along the highway near which the home is located. The yard and surroundings are neatly kept and everything about the place bears the mark of taste and intelligent man- agement. A pauper asylum, or county poorhouse, would be a misnomer for this place, and the authorities acted with wisdom when they officially designated it as The Chickasaw County Home.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
From the treasurer's statement of the condition of the county revenue, front January I to June 2, 1873, the following items are gleaned. County Fund-
Cash in treasury
$ 173.21
Total collections
9,502.58
Total
$ 9,675.79
Disbursements
9,675.79
Amount of outstanding warrants, $191. 81
Bond Fund-
Cash in treasury, January report.
$ 419.93
Total collections
1,487.72
Total
$ 1,907.65
Disbursements
1,642.64
Balance
$ 265.01
School Fund-
Cash in treasury, January
$ 798.8I
Total collections
1,593.38
Total
$ 2,392.19
Disbursements
939.10
Balance in treasury
1,453.09
Road Fund-
Cash in treasury
$ 295.4I
Total collections
2,555.94
Total
$ 2,851.35
Disbursements
1,587.13
Balance in treasury
$ 1,264.22
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
School House Fund-
Cash on hand, January
Total collections
$ 1,193.35 6,727.43
Total
$ 7,920.78
Disbursements
6,203.58
Balance in treasury $ 1,717.20
Teachers Fund-
Cash on hand
$ 2,870.37
Total collections
10,819.85
Total
$13,690.22
Expended
11,243.63
On hand
2,446.59
Contingent Fund-
Cash on hand, January
$ 1, 140.26
Total collections
4.586.70
Total
$ 5,726.96
Disbursements
4,713.53
Balance in treasury $ 1,013.43
Bridge Fund-
Cash on hand, January
$ 765.40
Total collections
2,374.80
Total
$ 3,140.20
Disbursements
1,092.15
Balance in treasury. $ 2.048.05
Insane Fund-
Cash in treasury, January
$ 178.42
Total collections
668.69
Total
$ 847.11
Disbursements
829.12
Balance in treasury $ 17.99
Poor Farm Fund-
Cash in treasury, January .
$ 160.15
Total collections
1,823.95
Total
$ 2,984.10
Disbursements
2,115.51
Balance in treasury
.$ 868.59
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
Interest on Permanent School Fund-
Cash on hand
$ 912.35
Collections
1,592.01
Total
$ 2,504.36
Disbursements
882.43
Balance on hand
1,621.93
Permanent School Fund-
Cash on hand
$ 47.00
Total collections
1,478.68
Total
$ 1,525.68
Amount loaned
1,175.68
Balance in treasury
$
350.00
Railroad Taxes --
Cash on hand, 1868
$ 20.85
Cash on hand, 1870
126.86
Cash on hand, 1872
74.20
Total collections
1 13.40
Total
$ 335.31
Disbursements
117.41
Balance in treasury
S 217.00
A COMPARATIVE STATEMENT
A few items from the county treasurer's report for 1915 and 1916 will be of interest, by way of comparison with the financial condition shown by the report of the treasurer in 1873. The following items are gleaned from reports for the years stated :
State Fund-
1915
1916 $20.409.56
Taxes collected
$19.516.24
Miscellaneous collections
43.75
15.00
Balance on hand, January I
214.54
75.25
Total collections
$19.774.53
$29.499.81
Disbursements
19.583.26
29.325.49
County Fund-
Taxes collected
$43.280.48
$43.476.74
Miscellaneous collections
6.382.23
6.700.35
Interest collected
1,069.59
Total collections
$50.732.30
$50.186.00
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
Balance on hand January I. .... $ 8,668.77
$14,897.16
$59,400.77
$65,083.25
Disbursements
45,063.08
49,149.99
Balance on hand December 31 .
$14,337.69
$15,933.26
RECAPITULATION
The following abstract from the treasurer's report for 1916 shows the war- rants drawn on the various funds for that year, and a comparison with warrants paid in several of the preceding years :
1
County Fund
$ 48,818.78
Poor Fund
8,967.33
Bridge Fund
78,500.62
Insane Fund
5,692.88
County Road Cash Fund.
24,549.83
Teachers' Institute
566.40
Soldiers' Relief Fund
193.3I
Domestic Animal Fund
430.50
Motor Vehicle Fund
8,941.II
$176,660.76
Comparisons-
Paid in 1912
$ 7,219.99
Paid in 1913
93,317.06
Paid in 1914
128,700.17
Paid in 1915.
1 10,727.83
Paid in 1916.
176,660.76
HON. L. H. WELLER
Was a resident of Chickasaw County and represented the Fourth lowa District in Congress in 1883-84. Died March 2. 1914.
CHAPTER V
OFFICIAL REGISTER OF DISTRICT AND COUNTY
OFFICIALS WIIO SERVED DURING FIRST THIRTY-FIVE YEARS-CHICKASAW IN FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT-FIRST REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, 1863 TO '65- DISTRICT JUDGES-REPRESENTATIVES IN LEGISLATURE- -STATE SENATORS- COUNTY JUDGES-DISTRICT COURT CLERKS-COUNTY TREASURERS-COUNTY AUDITORS-COUNTY RECORDERS-CORONERS-SHERIFFS-SCHOOL SUPERINTEND- ENTS-BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS-PRESENT COUNTY OFFICIALS.
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS
In 1863 Chickasaw County and Howard County were made a part of the Fourth Congressional District, and for the first time elected a representative in Congress. The other counties composing this district were Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Mitchell, Winneshiek and Worth. These counties still comprise the Fourth District.
The first representative elected in this district was Josiah B. Grinnell. He was a member of the 38th Congress, serving from 1863 to 1865. Following are the names of representatives from this district, and the years in which they served. since 1865 :
Josiah B. Grinnell ( reelected). 1865 to 1867; William Loughridge, of Oska- loosa, 1867 to 1871: Madison W. Waldon. Centerville, 1871 to 1873; William Loughridge, Oskaloosa, 1873 to 1875 : Henry O. Pratt, Chiarles City, 1875 to 1877 ; Nathaniel C. Deering, Osage, 1877 to 1883; L. H. Weller. Nashua, 1883 to 1885 : William E. Fuller, West Union, 1885 to 1889: Joseph H. Sweney, Osage, 1889 to 1891 ; Walt H. Butler, West Union, 1801 to 1893; Thomas Updegraff, McGregor. 1893 to 1899; Gilbert N. Haugen, Northwood, 1899 to 1916.
With the exception of L. H. Weller, who was elected on the national ticket ; and Walt H. Butler, who was elected on the democratic ticket, the representatives from this district have all been of the republican faith.
DISTRICT JUDGES
The State of Iowa is divided into twenty-one judicial districts and each dis- trict is entitled to from one to five judges, the number being fixed by statute. Chickasaw County is in the thirteenth district : the other counties comprising the Vol. I-12
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
district are : Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. The present judges are, William J. Springer, of New Hampton; and A. N. Hobson, of West Union.
Prior to the organization of the county, and at various times since the organi- zation, Chickasaw has been attached to other counties for judicial purposes. Among the judges who have held court in Chickasaw since its organization were: James D. Thompson, of Hardin County, about 1856, or '57; Thomas B. Stockton, of Fremont, 1873-76 ; J. B. Reed, of Pottawattamie, 1878-80; Joseph Lyman, Pot- tawattamie, 1884; James P. Connor, Crawford, 1886; C. F. Loofbourow, 1888; W. A. Hoyt, Fayette, 1889; Alfred N. Hobson, Fayette, 1890; Liberty E. Fellows, Allamakee, 1900.
STATE SENATORS
The first state senator, representing Chickasaw County in the General Assem- bly, was elected in 1856. The candidates were Jeremiah T. Atkinson and William Pattee. Atkinson was elected and served from 1856 to 1859. In the election of 1860 the candidates for state senator were J. H. Powers and Moses Conger. Powers was elected and took his seat in the extra session of the Legislature, called by the governor on account of the Civil war. After the adjournment of this ses- sion Senator Powers enlisted in the army, and he rendered valiant service for his country as captain of the Ninth Iowa Infantry. At the regular session of the Legislature, in 1862, Senator Powers' seat was declared vacant, and a special elec- tion was called for the 25th of February, 1862, to fill the vacancy. At this elec- tion G. W. Howard and A. G. Case were the opposing candidates. Howard was elected and served the unexpired term.
At the election of 1864 J. G. Patterson and N. M. Wilder were the opposing candidates for senator. Patterson was elected, and was reelected in 1868, serving until 1872. In 1872 there were three candidates .for senator: John E. Burke, L. H. Weller and William Tucker. Burke was elected by a small plurality, and served one term. By the redistricting of the state at that time, the counties of Howard and Bremer were included with Chickasaw as a senatorial district. Hiram Bailey, of Chickasaw, was chosen at the election of 1874, and served in the fifteenth and sixteenth sessions of the General Assembly. He was succeeded by Chapman A. Marshall, of Chickasaw, in the session of 1881. About this time Floyd and Chickasaw counties were made a senatorial district. Robert G. Reiniger, of Floyd, was elected senator, in 1884, and served until 1891. William B. Perrin, of Chickasaw, succeeded Reiniger in the Senate of 1893, and served until 1901. The record is indefinite as to the immediate successor of Reiniger. John Foley, of New Hampton, served as senator in the sessions of 1907 and 1909. He was succeeded by John G. Legel, of Charles City, in the sessions of 1911 and 1913. George H. Jackson, of Floyd, was elected senator in 1914.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The first representative in the Legislature from Chickasaw County was E. R. Gillett ; he was elected in 1856, and served for one term. I11 1858 W. P. Harmon was elected, and was succeeded by George W. Buddick, elected in 1859. Harmon served in the seventh, and Buddick in the eighth sessions of the General Assembly.
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
They were both from Bremer County, which was then joined with Chickasaw County in a legislative district.
John F. Wilson, of Williamstown, Chickasaw County, was elected representa- tive, in 1861. In 1863, Henry C. Vinton, of Bradford, was elected; he served in the Tenth General Assembly. His successor was Gilbert J. Tisdale, of Fredericks- burg, who was elected in 1865.
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