USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 12
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
court and as has been stated, each officer was sworn to do his duty by the sheriff, who had previously qualified in the court at Bradford, Chickasaw county. But no record of any business of this court dur- ing the year of 1855 can be found and it is surmised that there was no sitting of the court in the winter of that year.
Judge Reeve convened the county court, March 3, 1856, and from that time on the record is measurably complete and intelligible. The most important entry appearing is the one ordering the question of relocating the county seat to be submitted to the electors at the ensuing April election. There is also an entry, which is a statement of the county judge, relative to the salaries of the various officers, and is in the following words :
"It appears from the books of the county officers that the county judge has received nothing; the county treasurer $38.40; the clerk seventy cents, amounting to $39.10, for the last quarter of A. D. 1856, ending on the first Monday of August, which is to be equally divided between them, making for each of them $13.03, and that the balance of their salary be drawn upon the treasurer, which amounts to $61.97 each.
"James B. Reeve, "County Judge."
The office of clerk of court was resigned by Samuel R. Mitchell in November, 1856, to which Judge Reeve appointed James Thompson.
Pursuant to a state law then in force Judge Reeve, on the 27th day of August, 1856, appointed Thomas Baker "Agent to sell liquors in Maysville, for Franklin county, and is to have a salary of five dollars per month for his services."
It appears by the minutes of the county court, that a building was ordered in 1857 to be erected for county purposes, for under date of May 29, 1857, an order was issued to F. A. Denton for $200, that being the amount due him as the second payment for building the courthouse.
All legislative powers were taken from the county court, by act of the General Assembly, in the winter of 1859-60. By that act the board of supervisors was created and the county judge shorn of most of his prerogatives and importance. Theretofore he had been almost autocratic in his powers, but all matters now left to his office was the issuance of marriage licenses, probate matters and certain civil
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
cases. The county court continued in existence, however, until 1869, when it was abolished by law.
The first board of supervisors was elected in November, 1860, at which time seven townships had beeen organized. The first meet- ing of the board was held in January, 1861, when the following mem- bers qualified : John E. Boyles, Clinton ; J. H. Allen, Ingham ; J. M. White, Washington; Richard Horner, Geneva; G. M. Davidson, Osceola; Erastus Baker, Reeve; Jesse R. Dodd, Morgan; John E. Boyles was elected chairman by his fellow members.
To govern the board in its proceedings, Charles Flanigan, at the January session of 1862, presented a set of rules which was adopted. Twenty-seven copies of the rules were ordered printed at the office of the Record.
At this time the country was in the throes of a sectional war. Many of Franklin's sons had willingly and eagerly responded to the call for men to enlist in that civil war, to put down rebellion and resist secession of the southern states. Many of them left dependent families. That these should not suffer and to encourage the men at the front fighting for home and free institutions, the board passed the following resolutions :
"Resolved, I. That we, at our next regular meeting, appropri- ate the sum of fifty dollars out of the county treasury to each volun- teer that is hereafter sworn into the United States service from Franklin county, and ten dollars to each volunteer heretofore sworn into the service, who has not received the same in accordance with a resolution heretofore passed.
"Resolved, 2. That the wife of each volunteer, from this county, receive the sum of one dollar per week and each child, under the age of twelve years, receive the sum of fifty cents per week during the term of such volunteer's service in the army."
Nothing of great importance was transacted by the board during the year 1865, but at the January session, 1866, a contract was let for the building of a courthouse at Hampton. U. Weeks was the successful bidder at $12,500. The specifications called for a stone building, 48x70 feet, and two stories high.
At the June session of the board in 1868, upon a petition of E. A. Howland and others, Oakland township was created out of Morgan and Reeve townships. West Fork was also created this year.
In 1870 the last board of supervisors under the township organ- ization convened. Nine townships had been organized up to this time, as follows: West Fork, Ingham, Washington, Geneva, Os-
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ceola, Reeve, Clinton, Oakland and Morgan. This board before adjourning passed this resolution :
"Resolved. That the amount of exemption from taxation, shall be $2.50 on each acre of forest trees planted for timber; 50 cents on each mile of shade trees, along the highway. Also $1.00 for each half mile of hedge, and $2.50 for each acre of fruit trees, in a healthy, growing condition. The fruit trees to be not more than eight feet apart. This resolution applies to trees planted in 1870, only."
CHAPTER VII
MEN WHO HAVE SERVED THE COUNTY-JUDGE J. B. REEVE THE FIRST OFFICIAL-ESTABLISHMENT OF VARIOUS OFFICES-BOARD OF SUPER- VISORS.
COUNTY JUDGE
The office of county judge was the most important in the county at the time of its organization. James B. Reeve, the pioneer settler, was the first to be elected to this office and after two years' term was reelected in 1857. The opposing candidate was Dr. S. R. Mitchell, who unsuccessfully contested the vote. Judge Reeve was the incum- bent of the office until January, 1860. The names of his successors follow: 1859, Henry Shroyer; 1861, A. T. Reeve; 1862, Austin North; 1867, W. W. Day.
Mr. Day remained in office until it was abolished in the year 1869.
TREASURER
When the county was organized, and for some years thereafter, the offices of treasurer and recorder were combined. The work of both was about the same as at the present time but there was little to do and the duties were not onerous; so that one man could per- form them and still have leisure time upon his hands. Isaac Miller was first elected to this office. He was succeeded in 1859 by James Thompson, and he by George Beed in 1861. In the winter of 1863-4, the General Assembly passed an act separating these offices. Beed, however, continued to attend to the duties of both until 1865, when he was elected treasurer, and in 1867 was reelected. The names of his successors follow: 1869, A. T. Reeve ; 1873, R. S. Benson ; 1877, T. C. Mckenzie; 1881, C. L. Clock; 1883, John E. Evans; 1887, Louis Elsefer; 1891, N. W. Beebe; 1895, Henry Proctor; 1899, H. A. Clock ; 1903, S. H. Mendell; 1908, E. H. Mallory; 1912, C. D. Williams.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
AUDITOR
When the office of county judge was abolished in 1869, that of county auditor was created. Capt. R. S. Benson was the first auditor of Franklin county, being first elected in 1869. He was re- elected in 1871 and performed the duties imposed to the utmost satisfaction of the whole county. Below is a list of the auditors of Franklin county from the creation of the office to the present time: 1869, R. S. Benson; 1873, J. M. Wait; 1877, C. L. Clock; 1881, J. M. Wait; 1885, C. W. Boutin ; 1889, T. E. B. Hudson; 1894, Charles Krag; 1898, E. D. Haecker; 1902, W. T. Adams; 1906, Frank G. Luke; 1910, Frank McSpaden.
RECORDER
Isaac Miller was the first county recorder, first serving in the dual capacity of treasurer and recorder. The first person to perform the duties of this office after the separation was James H. Beed. The names of his successors follow his name in the list below: 1855, Isaac Miller; 1857, Milton Clover; 1861, George Beed; 1866, James H. Beed; 1868, Henry Meyer ; 1871, R. S. Benson ; 1873, J. M. Wait; 1877, C. L. Clock ; 1881, J. M. Wait; 1884, Louis Elsefer; 1886, Wil- liam Avery; 1890, H. E. Latham; 1894, W. L. Burres; 1898, John W. Cummings; 1902, George H. Lambert; 1906, Will Lane; 1910, Floyd Gillett; 1912, B. D. Lane.
CLERK OF THE COURT
According to early historians of the county, Dr. S. R. Mitchell was elected clerk of the court in 1855 and served until 1857. At that time he was succeeded by Sowel C. Brazzelton, of Maysville, who figured quite prominently in the efforts to secure the location of the county seat for his home town. John D. Leland was elected clerk of the court in October, 1858, defeating the incumbent and John E. Boyles. D. W. Dow, still living in Hampton, was the successful can- didate for this office in November, 1860, defeating J. D. Leland and Henry White. Mr. Dow served the county acceptably in this office for six years, part of which time he was fighting for his country in the Civil war. Others who presided over the office were: 1866, R. S. Benson; 1870, T. C. Mckenzie; 1874, M. A. Ives (failed to qualify and T. B. Taylor appointed to the office) ; 1875, T. B. Taylor:
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1878, Henry A. Harriman; 1880, C. S. Guilford; 1884, J. S. Ray- mond; 1888, G. R. Miner; 1892, David Vought; 1896, R. E. McCril- lis; 1900, G. T. McCrillis; 1904, W. J. Van Nuys; 1908, W. T. Webb; 1912, H. L. Proctor.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
Early in the ' sos, and prior to the organization of Franklin county, the office of prosecuting attorney was created by an act of the Gen- eral Assembly. The first incumbent was Q. A. Jordan, who was elected at the time of the organization in 1855. He was succeeded by Samuel B. Jackson, who was elected in August, 1856, and served but a few months. Robert Piatt was then elected in the following April and held the office until it was abolished by law and that of district attorney took its place, which was in 1870. In that year J. H. Bradley was elected to the office without opposition. His suc- cessors were : M. D. O'Connell, who was elected in 1872 and served four years; J. L. Stevens, elected in 1878 and remained in the office until 1886.
In the General Assembly of 1885-6 an act was passed abolishing the office of district attorney and creating the office of county attor- ney, thereby confining the duties of the prosecutor to his own county. The first election in Franklin county for county attorney was held in 1886. W. D. Evans was the successful candidate. The list of county attorneys follows : 1886, W. D. Evans; 1890, D. W. Dow; 1894, H. C. Liggett; 1898, John Y. Luke; 1902, B. H. Mallory; 1906, J. M. Hemingway; 1908, S. A. Clock; 1912, J. J. Sharpe.
SHERIFF
Solomon Staley was the first person to occupy the office of sheriff in Franklin county. He went to Chickasaw county to qualify and then returned to Franklin and performed the ceremony of induct- ing into office the various other persons elected in 1855. Staley re- mained in the county until 1876, when he went to Nebraska. The names of his successors follow: 1857, A. S. Ross; 1859, F. A. Den- ton; 1861, J. W. Ward; 1867, A. Pickering; 1869, A. B. Hudson; 1873, Abel N. Miner; 1877, Martin B. Jones; 1881, S. C. Stevens ; 1885, Josiah Phelps; 1886, James Ormrod; 1888, Josiah Phelps (to fill vacancy caused by death of James Ormrod) ; 1889, W. T. O.
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Rule; 1892, H. Z. Tucker; 1896, John M. Wait; 1900, L. H. Wolf; 1906, C. L. Jernegan; 1910, A. P. Millett.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
At the time of the organization of Franklin county, the office of superintendent of schools had not been created. A school fund commissioner was the only official at that time who had any con- nection with educational matters in the county, and his duties simply extended to the making of loans of school funds. In those primitive days school directors hired the teacher, first examining them as to their efficiency. It is a well known fact that had many of the directors themselves been examined, they would have been disqualified from performing this particular part of their duties. Public examinations were unknown. Henry Shroyer was the first school fund commis- sioner. He was elected in August, 1855, and was later elevated to the county judgeship. George W. Hansell was his successor. In 1858 the office was abolished and that of county superintendent of schools created. Robert F. Piatt, the first lawyer to appear here, was elected to this office in 1858 but resigned in November of the same year. W. N. Davidson was appointed to fill the vacancy and was elected to the office in 1859. Below is a list of the county super- intendents of schools from 1861 to the present time: 1861, N. B. Chapman; 1867, L. B. Raymond; 1869, J. Cheston Whitney; 1872, I. W. Myers (to fill vacancy) ; 1873, G. G. Clemmer; 1875, Orilla M. Reeve; 1877, I. W. Myers; 1879, John E. Evans; 1883, T. H. Haecker; 1893, Emily Reeve; 1899, H. J. Henderson; 1903, S. E. Campbell; 1908, John A. Iverson; 1912, Delia McSwiggen.
SURVEYOR
Herman P. Allen was the first official surveyor of Franklin county, having been elected to the office in August, 1858, and remain- ing therein until August, 1859. The names of those who have since served the county in the capacity of official surveyor follow: 1859, Obadiah Smith; 1867, S. H. Vankirk; 1871, Obadiah Smith; 1873, P. S. Brennan; 1875, L. B. Raymond; 1877, S. H. Vankirk; 1883, G. C. Anderson; 1890, L. P. Kron; 1893, W. F. Kelly; 1897, Frank D. Pease ; 1899, G. C. Clemmer; 1906, L. J. Kron.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
CORONER
There was no person elected to the office of coroner at the time the county was organized. The first coroner was William Ward, who was the successful candidate against George Ryan, in 1857. Those who have followed him in the office are: 1858, John Crom- well; 1859, L. Armstrong; 1860, L. Shroyer; 1867, J. Caddis; 1870, J. M. Wait; 1871, Andrew Graham; 1875, O. B. Harriman; 1877, James H. Hutchins; 1883, H. R. Floyd; 1884, E. N. Keyes; 1888, J. Krebbs; 1890, Dr. M. P. Brown; 1895, O. P. Thompson; 1896, J. W. Bailey; 1903, M. P. Brown; 1906, John M. Wait; 1910, J. C. Powers.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The first officials provided for by the Territorial Legislature of Iowa to govern and transact the business of organized counties were known as commissioners, whose acts were designated as being of the commissioners' court. The jurisdiction of this court was almost without limitation. As time went on, dissatisfaction arose with the commissioners' court and its methods of conducting business. The office was the subject of much unfavorable criticism in the various counties of the state, and in 1851 the commissioners' court was abol- ished by law, and by an act of the Legislature the county court sys- tem was substituted therefor. This court was given equal power to that of its predecessor in all business matters of the county and co- ordinate jurisdiction with justices' courts. Ten years' trial of the county court seems to have been sufficient for the people to deter- mine that the best means of running the affairs of the bailiwick had not been adopted. It was far from being satisfactory. Many of the early taxpayers claimed that the judge of the court had alto- gether too much power and that the general interests of the com- munity were continually imperiled.
Then the township, or board of supervisor system came to the fore by legislative enactment, and in 1861 the first board of town- ship supervisors was elected, each township being entitled to one member. This plan prevailed until 1870, when again the system was changed. In the last mentioned year, the General Assembly passed an act which made it optional with the people whether they elect three or five members to compose the board of supervisors pro- vided for in the previous year. Franklin county chose to have a
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
board of three members and that has been the composition of the body from 1871 to the present time. Hereto attached is a list of the names of all persons who have served their several townships and the county at large, on the board :
1861-Clinton, John E. Boyles, chairman ; Ingham, J. H. Allen; Washington, J. M. White; Geneva, Richard Horner; Osceola, G. M. Davidson; Reeve, Erastus Baker; Morgan, Jesse R. Dodd.
1863-Washington, Charles Flanigan, chairman; Ingham, John O. Crapser; Reeve, Levi Jones; Morgan, Jesse R. Dodd; Clinton, John Ashman; Osceola, John Fahey; Geneva, Rufus Benson.
1864-Reeve, A. Pickering, chairman; Clinton, John Ashman; Geneva, Rufus Benson; Ingham, Henry Bushyager; Washington, Daniel Scott; Morgan, L. A. Morgan; Osceola, John Fahey.
1865-Reeve, Charles Pickering, chairman; Washington, James Scott; Morgan, L. A. Morgan; Ingham, Henry Bushyager; Geneva, D. G. Carbaugh; Osceola, John Fahey; Clinton, B. H. Gibbs.
1866-Geneva, D. G. Carbaugh, chairman ; Clinton, B. H. Gibbs ; Osceola, John Fahey; Reeve, E. L. Clock; Washington, W. G. Beed; Morgan, E. A. Howland; Ingham, W. H. Hoxie.
1867-D. G. Carbaugh, chairman; W. H. Hoxie, William G. Beed, E. L. Clock, E. A. Howland, H. H. Grinnell and John Fahey.
1868-D. G. Carbaugh, chairman; H. H. Grinnell, John Fahey, A. T. Reeve, Milo Ross, W. H. Hoxie and E. A. Howland.
1869-At the June session of the board, upon a petition presented ·by E. A. Howland, the territory known as Oakland township was set off from Morgan and Reeve townships. West Fork township was also created this year.
Morgan, E. A. Howland, chairman ; Reeve, A. T. Reeve; Wash- ington, Milo Ross; Ingham, W. H. Hoxie; Oakland, J. I. Popejoy ; Osceola, Philip Salsberry; Geneva, Allen Andrews; Clinton, Lyman Hunt; West Fork, Isaac Patterson.
1870-West Fork, T. E. B. Hudson; Ingham, W. H. Hoxie; Washington, C. J. Mott; Geneva, A. Andrews; Osceola, Philip Sals- berry; Reeve, E. L. Clock; Clinton, R. L. Kenyon; Oakland, J. I. Popejoy; Morgan, R. E. Train.
This was the last meeting of the county board of supervisors made up of one member from each township. The first board which con- vened, under the new law met during the first week in January, 1871, the three members being: C. J. Mott, chairman; E. L. Clock, John I. Popejoy.
1872-C. J. Mott, chairman; E. L. Clock, B. K. Jackson.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
1873-C. J. Mott, chairman; D. W. Elliott, B. K. Jackson. 1874-B. K. Jackson, chairman; D. W. Elliott, L. D. Lane. 1875-D. W. Elliott, chairman; L. D. Lane, David Church. 1876-David Church, chairman ; W. A. Alexander, J. I. Popejoy.
1877-David Church, chairman; John I. Popejoy, W. A. Alex- ander.
1878-John I. Popejoy, chairman; W. A. Alexander, David Church.
1879-W. A. Alexander, chairman; David Church, J. I. Popejoy. 1880-David Church, chairman ; J. I. Popejoy, W. A. Alexander. 1881 -- J. I. Popejoy, chairman ; W. A. Alexander, William Barry. 1882-W. A. Alexander, chairman; William Barry, A. D. St. Clair.
1883-A. D. St. Clair, chairman ; W. H. McMillen, G. W. Han- sell.
1884-W. H. McMillen, chairman; A. D. St. Clair, Robert Mul- len.
1885-Robert Mullen, chairman; A. D. St. Clair, W. H. Mc- Millen.
1886-A. D. St. Clair, chairman; R. Mullen, C. L. Clock.
1887-C. L. Clock, chairman; A. D. St. Clair, William Savidge. 1888-William Savidge, chairman; C. L. Clock, H. S. Eddy.
1889-H. S. Eddy, chairman; William Savidge, James Thomp- son.
1890-James Thompson, chairman; William Savidge, H. S. Eddy.
1891-William Savidge, chairman; James Thompson, H. S. Eddy.
1892-William Savidge, chairman; James Thompson, H. S. Eddy.
1893-James Thompson, chairman; R. E. Train, William Boots. 1894-James Thompson, chairman ; William Boots, R. E. Train. 1895-R. E. Train, chairman; William Boots, Butler Throssel. 1896-R. E. Train, chairman; Butler Throssel, O. L. Minert. 1897-Butler Throssel, chairman; O. L. Minert, R. E. Train. 1898-O. L. Minert, chairman; R. E. Train, Butler Throssel. 1899-R. E. Train, chairman; Butler Throssel, O. L. Minert. 1900-Butler Throssel, chairman; O. L. Minert, J. E. Carr. 1901-O. L. Minert, chairman; Butler Throssel, J. E. Carr. 1902-J. E. Carr, chairman; Butler Throssel, O. E. Benson. 1903-Butler Throssel, chairman; J. E. Carr, O. E. Benson.
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1904-O. E. Benson, chairman; J. E. Carr, D. B. Henderson. 1905-J. E. Carr, chairman; D. B. Henderson, John McGrath. 1906-D. B. Henderson, chairman; John McGrath, J. E. Carr. 1907-John McGrath, chairman; D. B. Henderson, Stewart Stockdale.
1908-Stewart Stockdale, chairman; D. B. Henderson, F. S. Whitney.
1909-D. B. Henderson, chairman; Stewart Stockdale, F. S. Whitney.
1910-F. S. Whitney, chairman; Stewart Stockdale, Casper Wolf.
1911-Stewart Stockdale, chairman; F. S. Whitney, Casper
Wolf.
1912-F. S. Whitney, chairman; Stewart Stockdale, David Vought.
1913-F. S. Whitney, chairman ; Stewart Stockdale, G. C. Patton.
FIRST COURT HOUSE Built in 1856
CHAPTER VIII
PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF THE COUNTY-COURTHOUSES-THE JAIL- COUNTY FARM-FIRST AND LAST TAX LEVY-POPULATION-FRANK- LIN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The first courthouse in Hampton was a one-story frame building 18x30 feet and had but one room, in the corners of which the county officials had their desks and there maintained the county offices. The building was erected on the southeast corner of Court House Square in the summer of 1857, by F. A. Denton. On July 4th of that year this first Franklin county temple of justice was formally dedicated. A program was arranged for the occasion and when the great day came, the town was full of settlers, who made their way to the county seat afoot, horseback and in wagons drawn by ox-teams. A gala time was had by all, which was made up of patriotic speeches by Lawyer W. R. Jamison, of Union Ridge, S. H. Vankirk, the pioneer farmer, schoolmaster and surveyor, and others. Of course, the Declaration of Independence was read, Hail Columbia sung and a substantial feast of good home-cooked edibles discussed.
The old courthouse was the meeting place for judge, jury, lawyer, disputant, disappointed husband or wife and criminal; the love-sick swain seeking a license to wed his Joan. Here also were held re- ligious meetings, political meetings, entertainments and-it seems hardly credible-dances. But, in the year 1866, the old landmark was condemned to take a back seat and give away to a successor. It was removed to a lot on Main street, the purchasers intending to con- vert the building into a Methodist meeting house. But the plan for consecrating the temple of justice as a temple of worship was aban- doned and it was remodeled into a dwelling house and as such was used until 1879, when once again its poor old frame was ordered removed, this time to a lot belonging to Peter Chance, at the south end of Reeve street where, after at last finding a resting place, it was ignobly converted into a stable.
While preparing for and building another courthouse the county
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
officials removed with their records to rooms in the school building on south Reeve street. A new building was erected in 1866, by U. Weeks, who had taken the contract at the sum of $12,500, but the cost was something in excess of that amount. The building was con- structed of stone, having ground dimensions of 48x70 feet and was two stories in height. The structure was an imposing one for its day and was used until 1889, when by reason of decrepitude and indications of falling down, it was condemned and sentenced to the junk pile.
The third building to be erected by Franklin county for public use is now standing in Court House Square, majestically showing its harmonious proportions, pleasing architectural lines and substan- tial construction. Building operations began in the spring of 1890 and early in the succeeding year the great pile of brick, stone and mortar was completed at a cost of approximately $60,000. T. D. Allen, of Minneapolis, was the architect; G. H. King, of Brooklyn, contractor; and C. W. Boutin, superintendent of construction for the board of supervisors.
The dimensions of the Franklin county courthouse are 76x102 feet on the ground and 133 feet high from the top of an imposing dome to the basement floor. The material is pressed brick, with cut and carved stone trimmings; the latter are particularly heavy and artistic at the entrances, of which there are three, one on Reeve, Fourth and Fifth streets.
In each of the four corners of the main floor is an office with its records; the recorder's, treasurer's, clerk of the courts' and the auditor's. On the second floor is a handsome and commodious court room, jury rooms, retiring room for the judge, the superintendent of schools' office and the county engineer's office. In the base- ment the sheriff has his office with entrance on Reeve street; and here also, in the northwest corner, is a woman's rest room. Stor- age rooms and all the apparatus for heating the building are in the basement.
Franklin county secured a splendid piece of work in her court- house and the contractor attached to himself a "white elephant." To meet the specifications, he was called upon to furnish material and labor, which consumed the contract price of $42,000 and sev- eral thousand dollars beside, much to his loss and discomfiture. But the county made a good bargain, for which her taxpayers may well congratulate themselves. In public enterprises of this kind the good bargains usually go to the other fellow.
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