USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 10
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There are at this session of the board two notations which we believe are worthy of preservation, as they fittingly commemorate the deeds of two of the great men of this county, and as they also indicate the fact that all was not unanimous, even in this county, in support of war measures. This is a part of our history in which it is best not to delve too deeply, but the record of the board of supervisors should stand. The following are the records to which reference is made :
GROUP OF COUNTY OFFICERS IN COURT ROOM
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"Claim of James M. Butler for able services rendered to the county in meeting and thwarting the opposition made by a portion of the citizens to get out an injunction to stultify the action of the board of supervisors with regard to the passage of an order offering a bounty for the procuration of volunteers in the army, ten dollars.
"Resolved by the board of supervisors in behalf of the citizens of said county, we hereby tender to H. C. Laub, Esq., agent of the order to procure volunteers on the last call of the president for fifty thousand men, the thanks of the citizens for his patriotic services in attending promptly to the business entrusted to his care." This is the last echo of the war, for soon after peace was declared, but it shows that the majority of our people were brave and pa- triotic, and that poor as we were, struggling as we were to secure a foothold in a new, raw land, we were yet willing and able to devote large sums to the suppression of the rebellion.
It was in 1865 that we find the first mention of the "Herd Law." It must be understood that at this time by far the major part of the county was unfenced. There were miles of prairie land untouched and unoccupied. Here and there a settler had broken the sod and planted his wheat and corn. There was a con- tinual struggle, therefore, between those whose improved land was under fence and who wished their live stock to run at large over the rich pasture afforded by the unoccupied lands, and those whose fields were still unfenced and whose growing crops were thus subjected to the ravages of cattle and hogs and sheep. It may seem absurd to us now in this settled community, but it was a burning question at that time. The local papers contained column upon column of super- heated communications on the subject, and it was presented to the people and variously decided at a number of elections held between 1865 and 1880. The first of these special elections was ordered by the board in January, 1865, upon the petition of Dobson and twenty-six others, asking that a vote be taken for the purpose of rescinding the law prohibiting sheep and swine running at large.
Prairie fires were also a great menace and the board ordered precautionary notices to be posted in three of the most public places in each township, and further asked the cooperation of the citizens of Denison in the protection of the shrubbery around and near the courthouse.
During 1865 S. M. Howe resigned as sheriff, Sterling P. Gardner being ap- pointed, and Uncle Chauncey Goodrich resigned as a member of the board, his place being filled by Tracy Chapman. Mr. Chapman held office but a few months, however, resigning during the same year.
In 1864 we find the first mention of the agricultural society, the clerk being instructed to advertise a bridge contract on the last day of September, "the first day of the agricultural fair," while again in 1866 we find an appropriation of one hundred and twenty-five dollars to the agricultural society for fair grounds. Prior to this time the county fair had been held on the streets of Denison around and about the courthouse square.
The year 1865 was also memorable for two important events in our county's history. In September, 1865, a petition was received, signed by J. T. Ham- mond, W. W. Galland and others, asking that townships 82, 83, 84 and 85, of Monona county, be attached to Crawford county. The board ordered as fol-
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lows: "The board of supervisors of Crawford county, being satisfied that the law has been complied with, it is hereby ordered that at the general election to be held the second Tuesday in October, 1865, there shall be a vote taken on attaching or not attaching the territory asked for in said petition." At this election there were seventy-one votes for changing the county boundary, and twenty-seven against, while the sharpness of the issue as to the herd law is evi- denced by the fact that there were forty-three votes against sheep and hogs run- ning at large and forty-two votes for sheep and hogs running at large, a ma- jority of one.
The vote as to change of boundary prevailed also in Monona county, and later we shall find that the provisions of the law were complied with and that Soldier, Charter Oak, Willow and Boyer townships were annexed to this county under the name of Boyer township. The inside history of this matter seems to be that the county seat of Monona county was located at Onawa, near the river, at the extreme west end of the county. Monona was one of the largest counties in the state. The east portion, along the Maple river, was filling rapidly with settlers and the people of Onawa became fearful that as the population increased they would lose control and the county seat would be moved. It was for this reason that they desired that the boundaries should be reduced. Whatever their motives, they were successful and the people of this county were willing enough to add these four rich townships to their domain, and thus Crawford became one of the largest counties of the state at the expense of its western neighbor. Onawa still retains the county seat.
It was in the year 1865, also, that the telegraph line, the forerunner of the railroad, made its first appearance in Crawford county. H. C. Laub had the contract for building the line from Boone to Council Bluffs, and many of our citizens, among whom was Mr. James Rollins, one of the pioneers of East Boyer township, earned their first money in this county hauling poles and help- ing with the erection of this line. The board of supervisors did all they could to encourage the coming of this great invention to the county, and we find that appropriation was made to defray the expenses necessary to open the "railroad telegraph road" through Crawford county. Morris McHenry was our first tele- graph operator and the board ordered that the telegraph company be allowed to place its instruments in the office of Morris McHenry, in the northeast corner of the courthouse, for the term of one year from November 1, 1865.
In 1866 the board of supervisors was enlarged by the addition of one mem- ber, representing Boyer township, which was the name of the added section of the county. The name of this first supervisor from the west end was H. B. Ernst. The other members of the board were James Butler, Union ; I. B. Good- rich, Denison; B. F. Wicks, Milford.
Up to 1866, and indeed for several years later, until the erection of McHenry Hall, the courthouse was the only sizable place for public gatherings of any kind. The upper floor was unfinished, but even in this state it was a common meeting place for lectures, church services, Sunday school, and social gather- ings. Certain of the ungodly wished also to use it for dancing, and this was another burning question which vexed our fathers. Prior to 1866 dancing had been prohibited in the courthouse, but the board of that year was more liberal
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in its view and rescinded the anti-dancing order, ordering the clerk to allow all gatherings of citizens of this county to be held in the courthouse, making each person holding said meetings responsible for damages. Afterward we find that this order was rescinded and re-rescinded, and that it was only with the erection of McHenry Hall that it was settled as regards the courthouse, and then it was but handed down to the enterprising bank builders.
1866 heralded the close of the war and the advance of the railroad. The railroad company wished various favors from the community, and on January 2d we find that the board adjourned in order that citizens could have an oppor- tunity of hearing the claims and merits of the Northwestern railway discussed, whereas at present we are sometimes busy in discussing the claims and de- merits of the same institution. As a result of these meetings a special election was ordered in March, at which the question of giving what were known as the swamp lands of the county to the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company was submitted, provided that the railroad line reached the town of Denison or within five miles of the town within three years. Forty-one votes were cast for the appropriation and three votes against it.
In September of the same year the county was again subdivided, and Jack- son township was created. This township was four miles north and south and extended twenty-four miles east and west from the Carroll county line to the east line of what is now known as Soldier township. The first election was ordered to be held at the home of Alexander Trinkle, for the election of clerk, assessor, justices, constables, road supervisor and county supervisor.
The resignation of S. E. Dow, who succeeded John R. Bassett as county judge, was tendered, to take effect the Ist of January, 1867, and later S. P. Gardner resigned as sheriff, evidently not having had time to spend his salary, which amounted to sixty-two dollars and a half for the year 1866. P. D. Wright, of Denison, was appointed in his place.
The new board met in January, 1867. It was composed of S. E. Dow, Union township, chairman; I. B. Goodrich, Denison; B. F. Wicks, Milford; Cornelius Dunham, Boyer; and Thaddeus Gray, the first supervisor from Jack- son. At this session we note that the proceedings were ordered printed "in the proposed paper to be published in Denison provided it commences its issue in season." The "proposed paper" was the Denison Review, which was established in that year.
On December 11, 1866, the county was treated to a genuine sensation in the - breaking open and robbing of the county safe. The total sum secured was but ninety-one dollars, and it was agreed that the treasurer and subtreasurer had used all possible means to secure the funds and were clear from liability or blame. The perpetrators of this outrage were never discovered but the county learned a valuable lesson, and thereafter the records were insured and the treas- urer was ordered to deposit the county funds with Chicago bankers. It was in this year also that the recorder was given a separate office, the northwest corner of the courthouse being fitted up for his use.
The spring of 1867 was notable for many freshets, during which the ma- jority of the few county bridges were washed away. The fair ground bridge over the West Boyer was only saved by strenuous efforts and we find that Hef-
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felfinger & Company were allowed three dollars for use of chain on West Boyer bridge during high water.
That the board was progressive and in favor of advertising is shown by the fact that in September, 1867, a warrant for fifty dollars was ordered drawn in favor of James R. Cary for a thousand copies of a paper, the title of which is "Iowa in 1867," provided said Cary appropriates at least two columns to this county. In October of this year a contract was let to finish the second story of the courthouse and J. D. Miracle was appointed attorney of the board, suc- ceeding James M. Butler.
January, 1868, saw the session of a new board, composed of Esau McKim, Milford; Cornelius Dunham, Boyer; Tracy Chapman, Denison; S. E. Dow, Union; and Thaddeus Gray, Jackson. Among the acts of this board was the making of the Denison Review, published by Money & Stephens, the official paper; the letting of a contract for lathing and plastering the second story of the courthouse to A. F. Bond for the sum of fifty-five dollars; the appoint- ment of D. L. Gillette as deputy sheriff, and later as sheriff, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Ben Clough, who was elected the year before. This board also resubmitted the vexed herd law question, which was carried by a vote of 169 to 9; and appointed E. D. Partridge court bailiff to serve under J. D. Miracle, who had been elected county judge. In November, 1868, we find that a claim of Dr. William Iseminger was allowed, this being the first official mention of that honored and respected pioneer physician who still blesses this community with his presence.
In 1869 the only change in the board of supervisors was in the election of S. E. Wright, supervisor from Boyer township, to succeed Cornelius Dunham, and the election of S. J. Comfort, Union township, to succeed S. E. Dow. J. D. Miracle was elected clerk of the board in 1868, A. D. Malony retiring upon his election as clerk of the district court. He was given a "small room in the southeast corner of the courthouse." In June of 1869 S. J. Comfort and Thaddeus Gray resigned from the board and Daniel Howorth, of Union, and Alexander Trinkle, of Jackson, qualified.
It was at this same session that the new township of Charter Oak was created. This new township was taken from Boyer township and comprised what is now Soldier and Charter Oak. In September of the same year East Boyer was also organized, comprising what are now the townships of East Boyer and Hayes and the south tier of sections of West Side. But the petition of Michael Riddle and others for the establishment of Washington township was rejected. David McWilliams was the first clerk of East Boyer and Martin Barrett the first clerk of Charter Oak.
In September of this year we find a list of the county roads which had been finally established up to that time. These may be of interest as showing the ·main arteries of travel and lines of settlement. The roads are described as follows: "High street road from Carroll county line to Shelby county line; Mason's Grove and East Boyer road, by Greek and McWilliams; Denison and Sioux road by McHenry's Grove; Deloit and Carroll county road by Vail; Deloit and Sioux City road, via Big Creek; Howorth and Vore road; Talcott and Howorth schoolhouse road; Deloit and West Side road, via section lines
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and railroad; Denison and Harlan road by Coon Grove; State road, Panora to Sergeant's Bluffs, by Dunham's and Mason's Groves; West Side, Paradise road; Vore and Sam Young road; State road, Denison to Dunham's Grove ; Rocky Run road; King creek road; Vail north; Four-Mile Grove road, by Huckstep's; Denison to Prentice bridge; Jackson township to Mrs. Dunham's, west side of Boyer road; Denison to county line via Dow's and Bee Tree Grove; Deloit and county line road, also called Ida Grove road."
Samuel Blankenship was sheriff during this period, his salary in full for 1869 being seventy-five dollars.
The board of supervisors started the new decade of 1870 with the following members : Daniel Howorth, Union; Michael Riddle, Denison; Samuel Wright, Boyer; Clark Winans, Milford; Tracy Chapman, East Boyer; John M. Church, Jackson; W. T. Spillman, Charter Oak. Bonds were approved for the follow- ing newly elected officers; A. D. Molony, auditor ; S. P. Blankenship, sheriff ; N. J. Wheeler, county superintendent ; Morris McHenry, treasurer and sur- veyor. The bond of Charles Bullock as clerk of Denison was also approved. By this time the business of the county had attained such magnitude that cer- tain of the officers were allowed assistance. William Iseminger was deputy auditor in November and December, 1869; S. J. Comfort was assistant treas- urer in 1869 and assistant auditor in 1870; and W. A. McHenry assistant treas- urer after February, 1870.
In June, 1869, another new township was created. This was known as West Side township. It contained parts of what are now Jackson, Stockholm, Mil- ford and West Side. It is in this year that we find the first mention of Mr. L. Cornwell, who was selected to view a road. Litigation was also commenced by this board to enforce the payment of taxes upon the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad Company, and also upon the American Emigrant Land Com- pany, which was said to own over eleven thousand acres in Crawford county. William T. Spillman removed from the county and Horace W. Bristol was appointed as the second supervisor from Charter Oak township. This board also, among its other acts, rejected a petition of Denison citizens for the erection of a jail; a petition asking for two hundred dollars to fit up the fair grounds, and to build a bridge across the Main Boyer opposite the new town of Dow- ville. The board resubmitted the herd law and finally granted the petition of Michael Riddle and others for the establishment of Washington township. This was the ninth township created and embraced the east half of the present Wash- ington township, together with the whole of Nishnabotny and Iowa townships.
The question of the increase of the board of supervisors to seven members was submitted at the September election. This was defeated and the board was reduced to three members, who took office in October, 1870. They were C. H. De Wolf, Daniel Howorth and Clark Winans. John M. Church was county auditor in 1870, but his removal from the state left a vacancy, which was filled by appointment of Alexander Trinkle, and this year we find the first mention of the so-called "Swede settlement," the board allowing a bill for expense in surveying "the Swede settlement and Deloit road." The following June saw the establishment of a road in the "German settlement."
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The annual apportionment we give to show the increase of land values. It was as follows: Timber land, first class, per acre, ten dollars; second class, eight dollars; third class, six dollars; prairie land, forty acres improved, with buildings, fifteen dollars; second class, ten dollars; third class, six dollars ; prai- rie land, unimproved, from four to ten dollars; vacant town lots, twenty dol- lars to two hundred dollars.
In January, 1871, Morris McHenry resigned as surveyor and J. D. Miracle was appointed in his place. The question of dancing in the courtroom again comes to the surface and all meetings save "religious, preaching and political" were excluded. Appropriation was also made by this board for the erection on the fair grounds of that magnificent structure, so well known to all old timers as the Floral Hall. We can see it yet, weather stained and black, a veritable barn, but dignified and ennobled by its title. We can see the lines of pumpkins and squash, the big red beets, the mammoth turnips, the patchwork quilts and tidies hung upon the wall, the Mason jars filled with tempting pre- serves, and the frosted cakes, with that tempting, agonizing "judge's slice" cut out. We do not know why it was called a "floral hall," for in our recollection we can remember seeing no flowers there at any time, save some wax flowers under a frame.
In 1871 Washington township was enlarged by the addition of what is now the west half of that township and a new township, almost the first one to be confined to the regulation government township of six miles square, was created and named Paradise. The board of 1872 was the same as that of the year preceding, with Daniel Howorth as chairman. Mr. Howorth was taken se- riously ill in the spring of this year and we can but feel a touch of kindliness when we read that the board adjourned "in order to visit the sick, their hon- ored chairman, Daniel Howorth." We are glad that we can record that Mr. Howorth recovered from this sickness and was soon able to again sit with the board.
June, 1872, witnessed the final completion of the township organization of this county. It was then that the townships were reduced to their present boundaries. The new townships thus created were Stockholm; Otter Creek; Morgan, which was attached to Otter Creek for judicial and financial purposes ; Soldier; Hanover, which was attached to Goodrich; Goodrich ; Hayes; Willow, which was attached to Boyer; Nishnabotny and Iowa, both of which were at- tached to Washington. The first election held in Goodrich township was at the Gardner schoolhouse; in Otter Creek at the Brogden schoolhouse; in Stock- holm at the Hart Jordan schoolhouse; in Hayes at the Paul Lightner school- house; and in Soldier at Barrett's schoolhouse. At this election the question of increasing the board to five members was submitted. John Poitevin is first mentioned in this year, being appointed deputy county auditor. There were at this time thirty-one and a half miles of railroad in the county, this being the length of the Northwestern main line.
The board organized January 6, 1873, with Daniel Howorth, Union, Clark Winans, Milford, and L. Cornwell of Denison as the members. Hanover town- ship was detached from Goodrich and attached to Denison. About this time the county received an appropriation from the general government on account
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of what was known as the swamp lands. Prior to this time some arrangement had been entered into with Mr. J. W. Denison by which he was to represent this county in the collection of this claim, and to receive one-half the sum col- lected as his commission. This agreement was repudiated by the county and L. Cornwell was appointed agent to proceed to Des Moines and receive the indemnity fund belonging to the county. Later Mr. Denison carried the matter into court, the agreement was held binding, and he received the full amount of his claim.
In September, 1873, Willow, Iowa and Nishnabotny townships were de- tached and created as independent townships. Their first elections were held, in Willow at the Underhill schoolhouse; in Iowa at the Hilsabeck schoolhouse; in Nishnabotny at the John Theobald schoolhouse. Up to 1873 the election can- vass seemed to have been carelessly recorded, but in this year the returns are given. L. Cornwell was elected treasurer by fifty-three majority; A. D. Mo- lony auditor by two hundred and fifty-three majority; A. C. Smith, sheriff, by twenty-six majority; J. A. Stanton, county superintendent, two hundred and four majority ; Morris McHenry, surveyor, three hundred and eighty-five ma- jority ; William Iseminger, coroner, one hundred and sixty-four majority. The supervisors and their majorities were as follows: George Rae, one hundred and twenty; Robert Hope, fifty-six; Robert Bell, five.
It was in 1873 that the commencement was made for the enlargement of the courthouse to double its former size, and on December 2d the bid of J. L. McClellan for four thousand, eight hundred ninety-two dollars and seventy cents was accepted.
The school census of 1873 shows the school population to have been as follows : Boyer, 92; Washington, 171; Denison, 256; Union, 132; Milford, 209; East Boyer, 94; Goodrich, 80; Jackson, 61 ; Charter Oak, 32; Otter Creek, 58; Paradise, 67; Hayes, 60; West Side, 107; Soldier, 32; Stockholm 109. It will be noted that Denison was the most populous township, with Charter Oak and Soldier tying for last place. It was in this year also that Hon. Daniel Ho- worth retired from the board of supervisors after many years of splendid and unselfish service for the county. The board justly remembered him with a formal expression of its thanks.
The new board sitting in 1874, had been increased to five members. They were: C. Winans, George Rae, Robert Bell, Robert Hope and Michael Riddle, with Mr. Winans as chairman. An echo of the well known circus riot, which stirred Denison to its depths, is found this year in the allowance of the fol- lowing bill: "Clothing for circus man, $18.85; passenger ticket, $28.95; pocket money, $5.00." It was indeed a generous county.
In 1874 the voters were given another opportunity to decide the herd law question. This time the proposition was submitted in two forms: First, shall stock be restricted from running at large; second, shall stock be restricted from running at large between the hours of sunset and sunrise. The voters decided in favor of the night law by two hundred and twenty-five majority.
In 1875 James Jones of Otter Creek and Tracy Chapman of East Boyer, were the new members of the board, succeeding Clark Winans and Michael Riddle. Robert Hope was chairman. Among the bonds approved were those
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of John B. Poitevin, county recorder ; W. S. Wilson, clerk of courts; and N. F. Smith, superintendent. In this year Morgan and Hanover townships were made independent. The first election in Morgan was held in the dwelling house of Claus Mundt, while in Hanover it was ordered that election be held in Bogle- man's schoolhouse, if ready ; if not, at his dwelling. 1875 was another year of freshets and high water and the county bridge fund was more than bankrupted. The board held a special session to consider repairing bridges taken out by high water, and eleven bridges were ordered and six referred to committee. The bridge tax was increased to three mills and it was further ordered, rather am- bigously let us confess, that all of block No. 168, Denison, excepting lot I, be exempted from taxation for 1874, saying that "it had been washed away by high water." Whether it was block 168, or lot I, or the year 1874, which was flooded out of existence, we must leave it to our reader to puzzle out for him- self. The expense created by these great freshets will be better realized on reading the following order of the board, passed in September, 1875: "Whereas, the unprecedented freshets of the present season have swept away and disabled a very large proportion of the bridges in the county, thereby depreciating the bridge warrants of the county, therefore be it ordered by the board of super- visors that the following question be submitted to a vote of the people at the October, 1875, election, as follows: Shall the tax levy upon the assessed value of the taxable property in the county for making and repairing bridges be in- creased this present year from three to six mills on the dollar?"
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