USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 35
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 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
504
M. E. S. Waller, peo.
890
Hiram Rosekrans, peo.
123
Supervisor.
Lewis Forthun, rep.
.1288
396
James Wood, g.b ..
396
D. S. Wood, dem. and peo. .
892
Surveyor.
Horace Stearns, rep.
1868
1375
.A. L. Collins, ind
493
Coroner.
John Kellogg, rep.
1874
1384
T. J. Riley, g.b.
490
ELECTION, NOV. 2, 1880. President.
J. A. Garfield, rep.
1928
1305
W. S. Hancock, dem .
623
G. B. Weaver g.b ..
320
370
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Secretary of State.
John A. T. Hull, rep. 1934
1327
A. B. Keith, dem .... 607
Geo. M. Walker, g.b
313
Congressman.
N. C. Deering, rep.
1708
912
J. S. Root, dem ...
796
M. B. Doolittle, g.b ..
323
District Judge.
Geo. W. Ruddick, rep ..
1838
1085
John Cliggitt, dem.
753
Circuit Judge.
R. G. Reiniger, rep. .
1930
1344
Cyrus Foreman, dem ..
586
Senator.
A. M. Whaley, rep.
1799
1072
Ralph C. Mathews, dem.
727
P. F. Casey, g.b.
346
District Attorney.
John B. Cleland, rep.
1857
1182
A. C. Ripley, dem.
675
Clerk of the Courts.
James F. Kennedy, rep.
.1709
S. W. Brandau, dem.
686
Joel M. Long, g.b.
437
Recorder.
C- M. Ferguson, rep.
1906
W. B. Williams, g.b
358
A. F. Huffman, dem.
521
Supervisors.
M. H. Nickerson.
1879
Wm. Hausberg.
910
John G. Gaylord .
349
J. B. Dawley.
327
D. S. Wood.
646
H. Rosekranz.
378
The first two were elected.
For striking out of the State Consti- tion the words "free white," 944; against, 314.
For holding a Constitutional Conven- tion, 733; against, 836.
ELECTION, OCT. 11, 1881.
Governor.
Buren R. Sherman, rep.
1273
914
L. G. Kinne, dem.
359
D. M. Clark, nat. g.b.
166
Supreme Judge.
Austin Adams, rep.
1,282
926
H. B. Hendershott.
356
W. W. Williamson.
165
Superintendent Public Instruction.
J. W. Akers, rep.
1282
926
W. H. Butler, dem.
356
Mrs. A. M. Swain, nat. g.b. ..
159
Representative. 275
W. S. Flint, rep.
950
P. F. Casey, nat. g b
163
R. C. Mathews, dem.
675
County Auditor.
D. H. Moore, rep
679
A. F. Huffman, nat. g.b
208
O. Pomeroy, ind. rep.
895
216
County Treasurer.
G. P. Morris, rep.
1624
1467
A. J. Esser, dem
157
Sheriff.
E. A. Reiniger, rep.
835
14
J. M. Miner.
821
J. G. Gaylord.
133
County Superintendent
of
Schools.
Robert Eggert, rep.
754
W. G. Elliott.
228
H. H. Davidson.
798
44
Surveyor.
Horace Stearns, rep ..
1623
1457
A. L. Collins. ..
169
J. Trenholm, rep.
1605
Coroner.
1437
T. J. Riley .
168
Supervisors.
C. H. Oaks, rep. .
1538
J. H. Crowell, rep
588
Wm. Morse.
219
W. B. Williams.
138
D. S. Wood. .
965
T. Billings, Jr.
85
Messrs. Oaks and Wood were de- clared elected.
COUNTY JUDGES.
The system of county government by "judges," originated in one of the older States, and has been adopted by several Western States. The most popular objection to the system was that too much legislative power was delegated to it, and the burdens of tax- ation were referable to the judge as an arbritrary cause. Blame for a wrong or indiscreet act when concentrated upon one or three men, burns like a focus, but when dissipated among a large number the
1023
371
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
people are less excited, as inculpation then reflects upon themselves.
In 1850, the General Assembly of the State of Iowa abolished the office of probate judge and instituted that of county judge, the latter having jurisdiction of all probate business, together with that of the " County Commissioners' Court," which was likewise abolished. John M. Hunt was the first " County Judge " of Floyd County, being elected in August, 1854, but in 1856 he resigned the office and went to Oregon, where he was living a few years ago. He was a farmer of Rock Grove Township. He was a lineal de- scendant of Daniel Boone, the famous hunter of Kentucky, and could shoot as accurately as the best shot in the county. He was a fine scholar, an upright man, and an able judge. As the salary of a county judge in those times was but $50 a year, Judge Hunt's records in St. Charles were kept, and his business in great part transacted, by O. P. Harwood.
David Wiltse, who had, been appointed Prosecuting Attorney, acted as judge ex officio. April 7, 1856, Mr. Wiltse resigned as Prosecuting Attorney, and S. B. Starr was appointed in his place April 12, following.
As an example of the economy with which the fathers of this county administered public affairs, we may give here a statement of their " salaries " for the quarter ending on the first Monday of December, 1854: John M. Hunt, County Judge, Joshua Jackson, Treasurer and Recorder, and S. C. Goddard, each received $10.17; for the next quarter, $8.33 each. Mr. Jackson, however, subse- quently became a defaulter, and left the county. In 1860, by a vote of 295 to 230, the county released the sureties of Joshua Jackson. The vote of Union Township on this question, however, was not returned, which would have nearly tied the vote of the county.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Of the county officers, we give the following biographical notices:
Col. Abner Root was born Aug. 14, 1795, at Pittsfield, Berk shire Co., Mass. In 1801 the family moved to Delaware Co., Ohio, where Abner, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in a cavalry regiment and served through the war of 1812. Soon after that war he settled in Sandusky, Ohio, where he was for many years cashier of the "Bank of Sandusky." For ten years he was general agent and superintendent of a stage line from Lake Erie to Cincin-
372
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
nati. In 1841 he was appointed, by President Harrison, Register of the Land Office at Upper Sandusky, Ohio; was removed by President Polk in 1849; re-appointed by President Taylor, and held the office until the Democratic party came into power, in 1853. In 1857 he emigrated to this county, where from January, 1859, to January, 1863, he was County Clerk, and was afterward elected County Judge. For about fifty years he was a zealous and re- spected member of the Protestant Episcopal church, and for sixty- five years an honored member of the Masonic order. He died in Charles City, June 27, 1881, aged eighty-five years, ten months and thirteen days, after about a year's illness, and was buried in the Charles City cemetery under the impressive ceremonies of the Masonic order.
Col. Root was a. man of standing in his community, of great vitality and endurance, and a man who wielded a wide influence.
Judge A. L. Collins, Deputy County Surveyor of Floyd County, was born in Alford, Alleghany Co., N. Y., March 9, 1826, a son of Arnold and Tracy M. Collins, nee White, the former a native of New York, the latter of Rhode Island. They were members of the Seventh Day Baptist church. Judge Collins was the eldest son of a family of five children born to that union, and was reared on his father's farm in his State. When he was eighteen years old his parents removed to Rock Co., Wis., settling upon a farm near Fulton. He soon after obtained a situation as clerk in a mer- cantile store at Fulton, which he retained until 1848, then learned the carpenter and millwright's trade, following it until 1851. He then traveled for Cole & Williams one year, and in 1852 went with a party of engineers to survey the Southern Wisconsin Rail- road, coming to Floyd Co., Iowa, in December, 1853, for the pur- pose of building a saw-mill at Charles City. He intended staying only sixty days in this vicinity, but being pleased with the locality resolved to make this his home. The mill was finished and ready for operation in April, 1854, it being the first saw-mill in Charles City, and stood where the new flour-mill now stands. In company with John Blunt and Seth Richardson, he established the first store on the north side of Cedar River, which they operated one year under the firm name of John Blunt & Co. Mr. Blunt then pur- chased his partners' interests, and Judge Collins established a land office, which he conducted until 1860, and since then has been County Surveyor, and has also engaged in contracting and building. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney in 1854, and County Judge
373
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
in 1855, holding the latter position two and a half years, and during that time he contracted for and superintended the erection of the old court-house. He also designed and built the present court-house in 1881. He has also held other township offices of trust. He was married Sept. 15, 1855, to Emma A. Brackett, of Orleans Co., Vt. Six children have been born unto them -- Urena T., A. L., Jr., a millwright of Maysville, D. T .; George E., sur- veyor and builder with his father, at Charles City; Charles, car- penter at Maysville; D. F. Gertrude and Dick. Judge Collins is a Mason, and a member of St. Charles Lodge A. F. and A. M., No. 141. He is the oldest settler now living in Charles City, and is one of the fathers of the town, having always been foremost in any project that promised progression to his adopted home. In poli- tics he was at one time a Whig, and upon the organization of the Republican party became one of its supporters. He voted for Greeley for President, and since then has been a strong advocate of the Greenback system. He voted against prohibition in 1882.
Oakley Pomeroy, Auditor of Floyd County, is a native of Ver- mont, born in Franklin, Franklin County, June 10, 1836. His parents, Jesse and Martha Pomeroy, nee Manley, were likewise natives of the Green Mountain State, and the parents of seven children, of whom Oakley was the eldest son. He was the recip- ient of a practical business education in his native town, and when eighteen, he went to Fairfield, Vt., where he accepted a situation as clerk and remained four years, thence to Pepin, Wis. He clerked in a mercantile store at that place until the fall of 1859, and on Nov. 18 of that year he married Clara Gurley, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, and a daughter of James and Elizabeth Gurley. After his marriage, Mr. Pomeroy returned to his native State, with his wife, and located at St. Albans, where he was em- ployed in the machine shops of the Central Vermont Railway until 1864, when he engaged in farming in Franklin Co., Vt., re- turning to the machine shops of St. Albans in 1865. In May, 1867, he came West, settling in Waverly, Ia., where he clerked until April 13, 1868, when he came to Charles City and embarked in the grocery and crockery business. In 1872, he went to Chicago and prosecuted the same business there two years, thence to Whites- boro, N. Y., where he worked in the machine shops of B. T. Babbet & Co. two years, and in 1876 returned to Charles City. He em- barked in the grocery and crockery business, which he continued until April, 1881, when he disposed of his stock to G. W. Crane,
374
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
clerked for him three months, and in October, 1881, was elected to his present office as Auditor of the county, and fills the position with credit to himself and the entire satisfaction of his constitu- ents. Mr. and Mrs. Pomeroy have one child, a son, Henry O., born Nov. 28, 1876. They are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Pomeroy is a member of St. Charles Lodge, No. 141, A. F. & A. M. and the Iowa L. of H. He has always taken an active interest in politics, and has been elected by the Republican party to various city and township offices. He is classed with the prom- inent and representative citizens of Charles City.
James F. Kennedy, Clerk of Floyd County, was born in Cave- town, Washington Co., Md., Sept. 23, 1842. His father, Richard Kennedy, was a native of Pennsylvania and by trade a stone and brick mason. He married Catherine Hose, of Maryland, and to them were born two sons-N. H., a farmer and insurance agent at Rudd, Floyd County, and James F. The family moved to Ohio in 1849, and in May, 1850, to Ogle Co., Ill. James F. attended school there and worked on the farm until 1856, when they re- moved to Freeport, Ill. He continued his studies at the high school of that place and when seventeen was employed as clerk in a store. On Sept. 7, 1861, he enlisted in Com H., Thirty- fourth Illinois Infantry Volunteers and served until October, 1863, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disa- bility. He participated in many battles, among them those of Shiloh, where he received a slight wound, Corinth, Stone River, Pittsburg Landing and Champion Hills. He returned to his home in Freeport, and on Jan. 28, 1864, was married to Mary Alward, a native of Canada and a daughter of John Alward, of New York. In March, 1864, Mr. Kennedy was appointed Sutler in the Thir- ty-fourth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, and acted in that capacity until November, 1864, when he returned to Freeport. He en- gaged in various pursuits there until July, 1866, and was then appointed clerk in the pension and bounty office of C. C. Schiller. Six months later he engaged as clerk in an insurance office where he remained until 1870, then settled on a farm in Rudd Township, Floyd County. He held the office of Assessor seven years, Secre- tary of the School Board seven years, and was also Township Trus_ tee and School Director. In the fall of 1881, he was elected to his present office. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have four children-Fran- cis E., born Aug. 13, 1865; Daisy A., June 26, 1869; Walter R., June 2, 1872, and David E., Nov. 24, 1874. Mr. Kennedy is one
375
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
of the representative citizens of Floyd County, where he has been identified since 1870. In politics he has always been a pronounced . Republican.
C.M. Ferguson, County Recorder of Floyd County, Iowa, was born at Hudson, St. Joseph Co., Ind., April 20, 1852. His parents are D. M. Ferguson, ex-Sheriff of Floyd County, and proprietor of Wilson's Hotel, Charles City, and Malinda (France) Ferguson who had a family of two sons and two daughters; C. M. was the eldest and he was two years of age when he removed with his par- ents to Monona, Clayton Co., Iowa, and thence to Fort Atkinson, and in the fall of 1857 came to Charles City, then called St.Charles, where he has since resided. He attended the schools of Charles City until eighteen, when he graduated and was then employed as a surveyor on the C., M. & St. Paul Railway Engineer Corps two years, and on the Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota Railway until October, 1871, when he was taken sick and was compelled to return home. In the spring of 1872, he engaged as civil engineer on the Iowa Eastern Railway, where he remained until June, when he took charge of the leveling and surveying for the Pacific Division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway, and also had charge of a division on construction of that branch, with head- quarters at Traer, Iowa. During the winter of 1872-'3, he was freight receiving clerk at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and in July, 1873, finished this road as far as Traer. He was then clerk and ticket agent at Columbus Junction, until March, 1874, then returned to Charles City and was appointed Deputy Sheriff under his father. In October, 1874, he was appointed Deputy Recorder, and in the fall of 1878 was elected to his present office as County Recorder. In May, 1881, he left his office in charge of his deputy, W.W. Den- nis, and took charge of the surveys of the proposed Minnesota, Iowa & Southwestern Railway, from the Northern Iowa State line through Charles City to Ames, Story Co., Iowa, and completed an estimate for grading and bridging track ready for rolling stock. Mr. Ferguson married Isabella Stuart at Traer, Iowa, May 14, 1874. She was from Edinburgh, Scotland, visiting her sister in Tama Co., Iowa, where Mr. Ferguson met her while surveying the road. She was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a daughter of John and Ellen Stuart. Mrs. Ferguson is a member of the Congrega- tional church of Charles City, and she and husband have had two children, viz .: Zoe, born July 1, 1875, and David Stuart, born May 16, 1878. Mr. Ferguson is a member of Iowa Legion of Honor,
1
-
376
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Hope Lodge No. 76, and Charles City Lodge No. 158. He is one of the pioneer children of Floyd Co., Iowa, where he has been identified since 1857. In politics, a Republican. He is aide.de- camp with rank as Lieut .- Colonel on Gov. Sherman's staff, Iowa National Guards. He was Quartermaster of the Sixth Regiment Iowa National Guards one year.
D. M. Ferguson, ex-Sheriff and proprietor of the Lewis House, Charles C.ty, was born in Huron County, O., March 31, 1828. His parents, George and Abigail Ferguson nee Harrington, natives of the Empire State and members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had a family of eleven children, D. M. being the youngest. When he was five years old his parents moved to St. Joseph County, Ind., settling upon a farm. He attended school until fifteen, then served a three years' apprenticeship to the boot and shoe trade. At the expiration of his term of service he opened a shop of his own at Hudson, Ind., which he conducted until the spring of 1854, when he removed to Monona, Clayton County, Ia. In the meantime, on June 7, 1852, he was united in marriage with Malinda, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth France. Four chil- dren have been born unto them, viz .: Charles, who is County Re- corder; Jennie, wife of H. C. White, a proprietor in the White, Trigg & Co. creamery of Charles City; Elbert C., passenger con- ductor on the C. & N. W. R. R., and Maude. In September, 1855, Mr. Ferguson became a resident of Charles City, Ia., and opened the first shoe shop in the city. He carried on that business until the fall of 1864, when he was elected Sheriff of Floyd County, and held the office by subsequent election twelve years; during that time engaged in the livery business two years. From 1876 to 1881 he followed farming and in the latter year rented his farm, and opened the hotel, of which he is still proprietor. By his genial and cordial manner, and strict attention to the comfort of his guests Mr. Ferguson has become a very popular landlord. He has served the people in many local offices, and is at present Alderman of the Fourth Ward. In politics he is a strong supporter of the Republican party, and voted for the amendment in 1882.
C. D. Merriam, Deputy County Clerk of Floyd County, Ia., is a native of Vermont; was born at Westford, May 26, 1839. His parents were S., G. Merriam, a merchant, and Harriet O. (Morton). They were natives of Vermont, and members of the Congrega- tional church, and had a family of three children, viz .: C. D., subject of this sketch; Edwin R., farmer in St. Charles Township;
377
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Harriet, wife of M. J. Todd, jeweler of Charles City. Mr. C. D. Merriam attended school in Vermont until seventeen, when he clerked in his father's store until the out-breaking of the late Rebell- ion, when he enlisted, May, 1861, in Co. G., Second Vermont In- fantry Volunteers; remained in the service until the close of the war; was appointed Corporal Sergeant and First Sergeant of the regi- ment until 1863, when he was appointed Hospital Steward of the regiment, and held that position until the close of the war. He was in twenty-eight battles, and wounded in the right shoulder with a pistol-ball, which disabled his shoulder, from which he still suffers. He was knocked down in the bayonet charge, and re- ceived other injuries. At the close of the war he came to Fayette, Ia., and taught school near West Union one term; then taught in Bremer Co. a number of terms; then in 1870 went to Vermont, and was Government Inspector at the custom-house at Burlington until 1871, when he came to Charles City, Ia., and clerked in Miles & Bros. drug store some eighteen months; then was agent for Amer- ican Express Company eighteen months; then engaged in the insurance business eight months, when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk of Floyd County. He married Miss Elizabeth Vick- ery, July 5, 1873. She was born in Burlington, Vt., and was a daughter of Herman Vickery. Mr. and Mrs. Merriam are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and have two daughters, viz. : Miss Bessie A., born April 28, 1874, and Miss H. Faith, born Nov. 18, 1875. Mr. Merriam is a demitted member of Phoenix Lodge No. 28, A. F. & A. M., of West Randolph, Vt. In politics he is a Republican. He is one of the representative men of Charles City, where he has been identified since 1871.
LIST OF SUPERVISORS.
1861 .- M. G.Cooke, Chairman, Floyd; John Ball, Ulster; W. P. Gaylord, Rock Grove; E. C. Hall, Riverton; Sanford Harwood, St. Charles; R. N. Mathews, Rockford; Rudolph Rex, Union; Amos Refsnider, Niles; John C. Townsend, Cedar.
1862 .- Chester Butterfield, Floyd, Chairman; Timothy Billings, Niles; John Chapman, Ulster; William Graham, Riverton; R. W. Humphrey, St. Charles; R. N. Mathews, Rockford; Rudolph Rex, Union; Benjamin Reed, Rock Grove; John C. Townsend, Cedar.
1863 .- A. L. Collins, Chairman; Timothy Billings, Chester But- terfield, John Chapman, Benj. Darland, Wm. Graham, Wm. B. Howard, R. N. Mathews, Benj. Reed.
378
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
1864 .- A. L. Collins, Chairman; Timothy Billings, Wesley Brownell, John Chapman, Benj. Darland, Abner Gleason, Alden Flint, Wm. B. Howard, R. N. Mathews, Benj. Reed.
1865 .- A. L. Collins, Chairman, St. Charles; John C. Baker, Rockford; T. Billings, Niles; W. Brownell, Cedar; J. Chapman, Ulster; A. Flint, Floyd; A. Gleason, Scott; Benj. Reed, Rock Grove; J. C. Townsend, Cedar; H. Wady, Union; Wm. L. Mc- Ewen, vice J. Chapman.
1866 .- Chester Butterfield, Chairman; J. C. Baker, F. L. Bene- dict, Timothy Billings, Abner Gleason, E. C. Hall, R. W. Humphrey, Wm. L. McEwen, Henry Wady, J. C. Townsend.
1867 .- H. Stearns, Rockford, Chairman; J. W. Lehmkuhl, St. Charles; M. G. Cook, Floyd; F. L. Benedict, Rock Grove; W. L. McEwen, Ulster; A. Gleason, Scott; J. B. Shepardson, Union; E. C. Hall, Riverton; T. Billings, Niles; and W. B. Howard, Cedar.
1868 .- H. Stearns, Chairman; D. Butler, E. Crowell, A. Glea- son, W. B. Howard, Ira K. Lee, J. W. Lehmkuhl, M. H. Nicker- son, A. Refsnider, S. L. Reynolds and J. B. Shepardson.
1869 .- H. Stearns, Rockford, Chairman; Deodat Butler, River- ton; J. E. Butler, Pleasant Grove; E. Crowell, Ulster; A. Gleason, Scott; W. B. Towner, Cedar; Ira K. Lee, Floyd; M. H. Nickerson, Rock Grove; J. G. Patterson, St. Charles; A. Refsnider, Niles; and J. B. Shepardson, Union. During the year the following were appointed by the trustees to serve in place of others, resigned: E. D. Montrose, Scott; J. W. Lower, Niles; J. P. Taylor, St. Charles.
1870 .- Horace Stearns, Rockford, Chairman; A. A. Babcock, Rock Grove; Eli Brownell, Riverton; J. E. Butler, Pleasant Grove; Edward Crowell, Ulster; J. B. Dawley, Niles; Ira K. Lee, Floyd; E. D. Montrose, Scott; J. P. Taylor, St. Charles; Wm. B. Towner, Cedar; J. B. Shepardson, Union.
The Legislature of 1870 passed a law that counties should have- three, five or seven supervisors, and Floyd County decided to. commence with three.
1871 .- J. B. Shepardson, Union, Chairman; Eli Brownell, River- ton; Wm. B. Towner, Cedar.
1872 .- Eli Brownell, Chairman; W. B. Towner and James Swartwood.
During the year 1872 the number of supervisors in Floyd County was increased to five.
1873 .- W. B. Towner, Chairman; James Swartwood, A. G. Mer- rill, E. W. McNitt and J. C. Lockwood.
1
379
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
1874 .- W. B. Towner, Chairman; J. C. Lockwood, E. W. Mc- Nitt, A. G. Merrill and J. D. Swartwood. Mr. McNitt died in June, and M. H. Nickerson was appointed in his place.
1875 .- W. B. Towner, Chairman; J. C. Lockwood, A. G. Mer- rill, L. H. Waterbury, M. H. Nickerson.
1876 .- A. G. Merrill, Wm. B. Towner, Cyrus Oaks, L. H. Water- bury, D. S. Wood.
1877 .- A. G. Merrill, Chairman; D. S. Wood, L. H. Waterbury, C. H. Oaks and W. B. Towner.
1879 .- Towner, Waterbury, Sprague, Cook and Oaks.
1882 .- Lewis Forthun, D. S. Wood, C. H. Oaks, M. H. Nickerson
ACTS OF THE BOARD OF . SUPERVISORS.
As contrasted with the old county judge system, the supervisor system of county government, introduced in 1861, may be briefly described as follows: The Board of Supervisors constituted a leg- islative body in which each township in the county had a voice in the administration of all county affairs. The clerk of the District Court for the county was by law made the clerk of the Board of Supervisors, but he was not allowed any vote in the transaction of business. One supervisor was elected from each township. The meetings of the board are fixed by law on the first Monday in January and June, and the first Monday after the general election. Adjourned sessions may be held, but the pay of the members ($2 a day) was limited to fifteen days for the whole year. Most of the doings of the supervisors relate to roads, bridges, paupers, assess- ments, taxes, bonds of officers, etc., and comprise what may be called a financial routine. In this volume many of the most im- portant acts of the county legislature are given in their appropriate places, as in the sections on the war for the Union, township or- ganization, county-seat contest, court-house, etc. A few miscella- neous items of public interest, we give here.
The first board met Jan. 7, 1861, at the office of Abner Root, the clerk of the District Court, in Charles City, and after appoint- ing M. G. Cook, of Floyd, chairman for the year, they adjourned to the Stone Hall, when Messrs. Mathews, Harwood and Gaylord were appointed a committee to draft rules for the government of the board. The next day they reported the following, which were adopted:
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.