USA > Iowa > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I > Part 45
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Inquest held at Iron Hills, August 29, 1905, on the body of Joseph Isbel ; came to his death from natural causes ; no jury ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held June 15, 1905, on the body of John Geunther ; came to his death by a gun shot wound inflicted by his own hands. Jurors, Christ. W. Keil, George Kranz, J. H. Guyer ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held in Preston, June 26, 1905, on the body of Henry Harms ; came to his death by natural causes. Jurors, Ed. Farley, John H. Schmaden, F. L. Roach ; S. N. Howard, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue, December 28, 1905, upon the body of Graham S. Eddy, United States mail clerk, found lying dead in mail car at Bellevue; came to death by natural causes. Jurors, William Dunn, J. H. Guyer, Wm. D. Spurl; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Green Island, October 5, 1905, on body of unknown man, found dead on railway track ; came to his death by being struck by a moving train on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, three miles east of Green Island. Jurors, Charles Thompson, Andy Donnels, Bert Goodenow ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, upon the body of Wm. Doty, died while sitting in his chair ; came to death by natural causes. Jurors, A. L. Broxam, M. W. Clark, Walter Dunn ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, February 27, 1905, upon the body of Lizzie Widle, found dead on the floor of her home in second ward, Maquoketa ; from heart dis- ease. James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Green Island, April 7, 1905, upon the body of Mike Quigley ; came to his death by suffocation in a burning car, death being accidental. Jurors, C. L. Kitts, Louis Marburger, Chas. Kinney ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, April 17, 1905, on the body of Mary Coffee, found dead in her house ; death from natural causes. James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held April 27, 1905, at Preston, on body of Fran Galvin, aged about forty-seven ; claimed to be a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana; fell from car of moving train, west of Preston the 16th of April, 1905, died April 20, 1905.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, February 26, 1901, on body of an unknown man ; came to his death in the city calaboose on the morning of February 26, 1901, be- tween the hours of 5 a. m. and 7 a. m., from the effects of burns by fire and suf- focation by smoke, the origin of fire being unknown to jury. Jurors, G. W. Tubs, T. J. Lancaster, C. E. Duffin ; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Preston, December 21, 1900, on the body of Elmer Schwartz ; came to his death from the effects of a gun shot wound received while hunting in the timber of Pat Dolan, in Fairfield township, between the hours of 10 a. m., December 20, and 7 a. m. on December 21, 1900. Jurors, Joseph Peters, J. H. Borman, G. H. Lucas ; Dorson Baldwin, justice of the peace.
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Inquest held at Sabula, June 12, 1901, upon the body, supposed by evidence to be Simon Miller ; came to his death by a gun shot wound, and that said body had upon it the following mark of violence, to wit: a wound where the bullet had en- tered his left side, and that said shot was fired by some person to this jury un- known. Jurors, Robt. Mclaughlin, W. Eldridge, Thos. Lambert ; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Hurstville school house, December 30, 1900, on the body of Wm. M. O'Donnell, found dead in the road ; came to his death from concussion of the brain from cause to us unknown. Jurors, J. W. Ellis, R. M. Jamison, J. A. Wright ; Jas. Ralston, justice of the peace.
Inquest held in Van Buren township, July 24, 1901, upon the body of Wm. Hoffman; came to his death by being drowned in the Maquoketa River, at about 10:30 a. m., July 24, 1901, the same being accidental. Jurors, A. C. Hullerman, L. A. Fulkerson, - -- Kobb; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held February 18, 1902, on the body of Joseph Huling; came to his death from heart disease. Jurors, W. L. Shinkle, E. E. Glaser, John Jurgensen.
Inquest held February 23, 1902, on the body of Arthur Flemming, found hang- ing in a barn on the farm of Chas. Miller, in Maquoketa township; came to his death by accidental hanging. Jurors, H. A. Sisler, H. A. Griffen, E. E. Moler ; J. O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held February 26, 1902, on the body of Catherine Nissen ; came to her death by drowning herself in a water tank on her farm in Maquoketa township. Jurors, E. Glaser, John Jorgenson ; J. O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held in Prairie Springs township, February 12, 1901, on body of Mrs. Wauke Diers; came to her death through paralysis of the heart.
Inquest held November 27, 1905, on body of Mark Laffey, found dead while on the road between Bridgeport and Andrew; cause of his death accidentally killed by being thrown from a buggy drawn by his own team.
Inquest held October 27, 1898, at Pinhook on the body of Mrs. Henry Howell; came to her death by her own hand while attempting a criminal opera- tion. Jurors, G. C. Nickerson, S. Cowen, J. S. Newsome; O. M. Ide coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa November 24, 1900, upon the body of William Roberts ; came to his death November 24, 1900, from apoplexy as believed from evidence. Jurors, J. L. Scholl, H. O. Butterworth, John Lundy ; D. A. Fletcher, justice of peace.
Inquest held March 8, 1900, at Bellevue upon the body of Wm. Kunz ; came to his death at 5 o'clock a. m. on the 8th day of March, 1900, from the effect of poison rough on rats, administered by himself with suicidal intent. Jurors, W. M. Keister, Wm. Henneger, W. F. Dyas; J. C. Dennison, justice of peace.
Inquest held at Maquoketa June 19, 1900, upon the body of Robert Arm- strong of Ohio ; came to his death during a fit of temporary insanity by diving into the Maquoketa River near railroad bridge west of Maquoketa, on the morning of June 19, 1900. Jurors, J. G. Tubbs, T. J. Lancaster, F. C. Gregory ; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held in Richland township, September 29, 1900, on the body of Henry Schaper; came to his death at his residence on the 28th day of Septem- ber, 1900, from injuries to his head with fracture of the skull received by blows of a stick of fire wood in the hands of his wife, Mrs. Henry Schaper, and his daughter, Marie Schaper. Jurors, Chas. F. Gibbs, Gilbert Isley, Henry Marcus ; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue August 26, 1900, upon the body of Matt Luilgan ; came to his death at about 8:30 p. m. on August 25, 1900, on the road near Mrs. C. Daugherty's farm in Bellevue township, by being thrown from buggy and dragged, the same being accidental. Jurors, L. Bittern, Mike Wagner, T. P. O'Connor ; J. C. Downing.
Inquest held in Washington township June 2, 1901, on body of Lewis Krumvedie ; came to his death on the morning of June 2, 1901, from the effects
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of gun shot wound administered by himself while suffering from melancholy. Jurors, Henry Shultz, J. M. Harris, William McVeg; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Preston July 18, 1900, on the body of an unknown man, supposed to be one Vojtick Sticha, 5040 Winchester avenue, Chicago; found lying along railroad track about two miles east of Preston ; came to his death at Preston on July 18, 1900, at 3 a. m. from injury to head received in a manner and by means unknown to jury. Jurors, D. A. McLaughlin, G. E. Farley, S. N. Howard; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Preston March 2 and 3, 1901, on body of William Achrbine ; came to his death at about 5:20 p. m. March 2, 1901, by being struck by train No. 62, on Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway going east at a point about twenty or forty feet east of Deep Creek bridge and one and one-half miles west of Preston ; considered purely accidental. Jurors, Albert Durant, S. C. Roland, "E. K. Myers; W. C. F. Blossfield, justice of the peace.
Inquest held at Maquoketa January II and 13, 1902, on the body of Geo. A. Smith ; died in Mr Ryan's little house near railroad track north end of town early in morning of January II, 1902 ; came to his death by heart failure, caused by angina pectoris brought on by alcoholic and other excesses and not by means of any violence. Jurors, Chas. Ellis, S. M. Shattuck, Fred Gurius ; James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held in Van Buren township May 16, 1901, on the body of Otto Lundeen ; came to his death at 9:30 a. m. May 16, 1901, from effects of a frac- ture of skull received from an accidental fall from the ledge of a slope while suffering from vertigo. Jurors, G. E. Barthalomero, F. H. French, Dr. S. B. Tonex; J. C. Dennison, coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa September 9, 1906, on body of William Trout, found dead in his room at hotel ; came to his death from natural causes. James O. Ristine, M. D., coroner Jackson county.
Inquest held February 1, 1904, on body of Saul Phelps ; killed by falling tree. James O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held January I, 1903, on body of Anna Schroeder; came to her death by suicide, drowning herself in reservoir and not by any means of vio- lence and no causes or blame is in any way or manner attached to any person. James O. Ristine, M. D., coroner ; jurors, T. A. Pearson, V. Denick, H. W. Kruse.
Inquest held at Maquoketa on March 26, 1903, on the body of Ed Niblock ; came to his death by accidental falling beneath the cars of the Chicago & North Western Railroad Company at Maquoketa on the morning of the 26th day of March, 1903, as he was attempting to alight from a moving train. Jurors, C. H. Haight, J. C. Nitzsche, H. D. Seamonds ; James O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue, Iowa, November 18, 1903, on body of Edward Pieck ; came to his death by epilepsy, caused by a bullet of long standing found in the skull, making pressure on the brain. Jurors, Arthur Kucheman, Wm. Henneger, J. H. Guyer ; Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Green Island, Iowa, on October 19, 1895, on the body of Mrs. Sophia Moltzen; came to her death by suicide by hanging. Jurors, O. K. Paup, Jacob D. Miller, August Krumviede; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Preston, Iowa, on December 4, 1894, on body of Susan Reigle; came to her death on or about the evening of November 30, 1894, by a dose of carbolic acid, administered by her own hand while laboring under a fit of temporary insanity. Jurors, D. A. McLaughlin, J. Forrit, Edson Griggs ; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held near Sterling, Iowa, on February 22, 1895, on body of Frank Lapres; came to his death by suicide by hanging himself by the neck in the hay barn of David Daring, near Sterling, Iowa. Jurors, T. A. Pearson, A. J. Davis, H. W. Kruse ; Levi Holroyd, justice of peace, acting coroner.
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Inquest held at Preston, Iowa, on October 8, 1894, on body of James Mead ; came to his death accidentally, falling from a coal car on a moving freight train on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, and the passing of a number of cars in said train over his body; between the towns of Preston and Miles, Jackson county. Jurors, D. A. Mclaughlin, P. O. Ward, A. O. Skinner ; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Lamotte, Iowa, on September 25, 1896, on the body of Mathias Wathier ; came to his death by a charge from a gun in his own hands, this being accidental. Jurors, Peter Entringer, D. Kottong, T. Mapas; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Preston, Iowa, on July 19, 1896, on body of Ed H. Elling- wood ; came to his death by a rifle ball, said rifle held in his own hands ; whether fired accidentally or intentionally, by us unable to determine. Jurors, F. H. French, Ira Lenker, L. Powers ; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue on January II, 1894, on body of Christian Sheek ; came to his death by his own hand with certain laudanum or opium which he had and the same was administered by himself with a suicidal intent. Jurors, John Ahlers, William Reid, C. A. Beck; A. D. Hunter, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held in two of Tete des Morts, Jackson county, Iowa, on May 14, 1896, on body of John Scharff ; came to his death by drowning in Lake Peosta, in the Mississippi River on May 9, 1896; said death was accidental. Jurors, N. C. Robb, A. Brandt, S. Russell; Russel R. Farrel, justice of peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue, Iowa, on October 28 and November 1, 1893, on body of P. C. Henry ; came to his death from a mortal wound inflicted by his own hand with a razor, cut being made across throat severing both arteries and windpipe while in a fit of temporary aberration. Jurors, S. L. Baker, W. E. Dorlan, A. Brandt; Russel R. Farrel, justice of peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue, Iowa, on April 26, 1894, on body of Michael Altfilch ; came to his death by drowning in the Mississippi River by crossing same in heavy wind storm on March 10, 1894. Jurors, A. Brandt, J. C. Murphy, Fred Dierkes ; Russel R. Farrel, justice of peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Andrew, Iowa, October 17, 1895, upon body of Maggie Wagoner ; came to her death October 16, 1895, in attempting to cross the creek and was accidentally drowned. Jurors, O. K. Paup, John Ostert, Theodore Rollong ; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Sabula, Iowa, on August 16, 1906, upon body of Arthur C. Roeber ; case continued and opened again August 18, 1906; came to his death by drowning in Mississippi River ; that he evidently fell from train number one hundred and one while said train was crossing railroad bridge. Jurors, T. J. Shramm, A. E. McDole, Albert L. Day ; S. E. Day, justice of peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa on October 6, 1906, on body of Fritz Hoppner ; came to his death by natural cause and no means of violence. Jurors, Math Hansen, C. H. Haight, Chas. Patin ; Jas. O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Sabula, on body of Robert Scott Heller ; killed by train near Rockaway, November 2, 1906.
Inquest held at Bellevue, Iowa, on July 22, 1906, on body of Gottep W. Siegle ; came to his death by drowning in Mississippi River. Jurors, L. J. Brown, J. J. Lucke, H. D. Seamonds : Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Miles, Iowa, on November 9, 1906, on body of Henry Keeney ; came to his death from natural causes. Jurors, Henry Dunn, T. A. Pearson, C. Z. Bartlett : Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Gordon's Ferry, in Jackson county, May 8, 1894, on body of Catherine Nelson ; came to her death by shooting herself in the heart with certain revolver held in her own hands, while she was temporarily insane. Jurors, Johan
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Schenk, Fred Adickes, Martin Johnson; Russell R. Farrel, justice of the peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held in Prairie Spring township, Jackson county, on December 23, 1895, on body of Frank Kass ; came to his death by heart disease. Jurors, Mathias Konroody, justice of the peace, X (his mark) Faber, M. J. Hoffman, J. P. Am- brosy, J. P. Ambrosy, acting coroner.
Inquest held in Lamotte, Iowa, November 28, 1895, on body of Patrick Ken- nedy ; came to his death by exposure to cold. Jurors, Wm. Moran, John S. Lynd, Math Even ; C. W. Miller, coroner.
Inquest held in Bellevue, Iowa, on December 9, 1895, on body of Ranson Del- hoy ; came to his death by accidental drowning by skating into an air hole in the Mississippi River, at Bellevue, Iowa. Jurors, Russell R. Farrell, A. Brandt, J. W. Week ; C. W. Miller, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held in Van Buren township, Jackson county, Iowa, January 6, 1904, on body of Minnie Wilke ; came to her death by natural causes. Jurors, Chas. Wa- ger, J. H. Schroeder, F. C. C. Schroeder ; Jas O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, Iowa, on February 2, 1904, on body of Henry Nel- son ; suicide. No report given. Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Emeline, Jackson county, Iowa, on December 9, 1904, on body of James Breen ; came to his death by natural causes. Jas. O. Ristine, M. D.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, Iowa, on the 23d of December, 1904, on body of Henry Burns ; came to his death by natural causes. Jas. O. Ristine, coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, Iowa, on November 30, 1904, on body of Thomas Weeks; came to his death by apoplexy. Jurors, Fred Gregory, John Keegan, E. R. Kain : Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, Iowa, filed on September 8, 1903, on body of Mrs. Fritz Steil; came to her death by hemorrhages caused by wounds inflicted upon her by some person or persons, and in a manner to the jury unknown. Jurors, C. C. Dudley, J. H. Morris, J. S. Billips ; Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Maquoketa, Iowa, on July 25, 1904, on body of Mrs. M. H. Eaton ; came to her death from natural causes. Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Iowa township, Jackson county, Iowa, on April 26, 1903, on body of Margaret McGann; came to her death from causes unknown to jury. Jurors, Thos. Lambert, A. T. Chafer, Fred Behn ; Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Sabula, on December 24, 1903, on body of Rickmer Volkerts ; came to his death by being thrown from his own wagon while on his way home, on December 23, 1903. Jurors, J. L. Kimbell, A. N. Spore, Albert L. Day ; S. E. Day, justice of the peace, acting coroner.
Inquest held at Bellevue, on August 19, 1903, on the body of Susan Martin ; came to her death by her own hands by drowning herself in a cistern. Jurors, A. T. Schmidt, Dean Weber, Wm. Becker, Jr .; Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Sabula, Iowa, on August 10, 1903, on body of Anna Daniels ; came to her death by natural causes. Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
Inquest held at Sabula, Iowa, December 17, 1904, on body of Thos. Clayton ; came to his death by being struck by Chicago, Minneapolis & St. Paul engine, while walking on the track; no blame attached to engineer. Jurors, Thos. Lam- bert, W. R. Oake, Charles Babcock ; Jas. O. Ristine, M. D., coroner.
REMINISCENCES.
HOW THE JACKSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WAS ORGANIZED.
A meeting was called by J. W. Ellis at his office in Maquoketa on the 25th day of April, 1903, for the purpose of organizing a county historical society. The following persons were present: O. Goodenow, P. D. Griggs, Harvey Reid, J. M. Swigert. M. T. Fleming, D. A. Fletcher, C. C. Dudley, C. M. Dunbar, and
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James W. Ellis. On motion of Reid, seconded by Ellis, D. A. Fletcher was made chairman of the meeting.
On motion of Swigert, seconded by Fleming, J. W. Ellis was elected secretary. 'A motion of Ellis, seconded by Goodenow, that a Jackson County Historical Society be organized, carried unanimously.
A motion by Reid, seconded by Dudley, prevailed, that the chairman appoint a committee of three to draft constitution and by-laws. The chairman named J. W. Ellis, Harvey Reid, and O. Goodenow, as such committee, which will report at a meeting to be held at the office of D. A. Fletcher, on Wednesday evening, April 29th at 7:30. Adjourned. J. W. Ellis, Secretary.
A meeting of the Jackson County Historical Society was held at the office of D. A. Fletcher, on the evening of April 29, 1903, called to order by Chairman Fletcher. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The com- mittee appointed last meeting to draft constitution and by-laws made their report and presented copy of constitution and by-laws, which was adopted by unanimous vote of the members present. Motion made and carried that the So- ciety meet at D. A. Fletcher's office on Thursday, May 7th, at 10 o'clock a. m., for the purpose of electing officers of the association for the ensuing year. There being no further business, adjourned to meet next Thursday morning, when all who are interested in the objects of the association are requested to be present. J. W. Ellis, Secretary.
An adjourned meeting of the Jackson County Historical Society was held in the office of D. A. Fletcher, May 7, 1903. Called to order by Chairman D. A. Fletcher. Minutes of last meeting were read and approved. On motion, society proceeded to election of offices with the following result: for president, D. 'A. Fletcher; for vice president, M. T. Flemming; secretary and curator, J. W. El- lis; for treasurer, Harvey Reid. Motion made and carried that D. A. Fletcher, George Mitchell, and J. W. Ellis, each prepare a paper on the "Unwritten History of the Early Days in the County," to be read at the next regular meeting, and said meeting to be held at same time and place, as the Pioneers and Old Settlers meeting. Meeting adjourned subject to call of the president. J. W. Ellis, secretary.
On July 4, 1903, there was a joint meeting of the Historical society and Pio- neer society held in Maquoketa, at which several papers containing valuable his- torical matter was read and preserved. The society also participated with the Pio- neer association at their annual meeting in 1904.
On the 12th day of December, 1904, President D. A. Fletcher, called the regu- lar annual meeting of the society at his office. At this meeting papers were read by H. Reid and J. W. Ellis, after which the following officers were elected : President, Hon. G. L. Mitchell; vice president, H. S. Littell; treasurer, H. Reid ; secretary and curator, J. W. Ellis.
At the joint meeting of the Historical Society and Pioneer Society the question of taking some steps towards marking the grave of Colonel Thomas Cox, was dis- cussed, and on motion, which prevailed, W. C. Gregory, president of the Pioneer Society, J. W. Ellis, secretary and treasurer of that society, and Harvey Reid was made a committee to take the necessary action of marking the grave of Colonel Cox, which was at that time only marked by a hickory tree under which he had been buried in November, 1844, at his request. The committee, upon investigation, found the grave was in a cultivated field and had been plowed over for years. The man who owned the farm objected to having any permanent marker placed in his field, and as there had been no reservation of land for the grave the commit- tee abandoned their first plans, and went before the Mount Hope Cemetery Association of Maquoketa, and asked for a lot for a pioneer monument. The request was complied with and one of the best lots in the cemetery donated free of expense to the society.
On the 16th day of June, 1905, J. W. Ellis, of the committee, accompanied by Street Contractor Frank McNear and two of his men, drove out to the site of the
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lonely grave in Maquoketa township and exhumed the bones which with parts of the black walnut coffin was all that remained of the once famous pioneer, and re- interred them in the lot in Mount Hope cemetery on the 18th. J. W. Ellis, on be- half of the committee, then contracted with Kirk Landis, a building mover, to bring to the cemetery a twenty ton glacial boulder from the W. F. Jones farm about six miles distant which was set upon a concrete foundation on the Pioneer lot, and this unique monument was dedicated with imposing ceremonies on the 4th of July, 1905.
Among other distinguished guests from a distance, Dr. William Salter of Burlington, who preached Colonel Cox's funeral sermon, in 1844, came and par- ticipated in the dedication ceremonies.
On the 20th day of June, 1905, the Jackson County Historical Society was in- corporated under chapter (2) title (9) of the Laws of Iowa.
In January, 1906, this society issued its first publication under title of Annals of Jackson County, Iowa, and have issued five numbers since, have sent copies to many states and local historical societies, and public libraries.
On the 29th of January, 1907, the society held a public meeting at which the program consisted of the reading of eight papers prepared by persons designated, on subjects selected by the curator. One of these papers was specially designed for an important purpose. W. C. Gregory read a highly eulogistic sketch of Ansel Briggs, an old time neighbor, a pioneer of Jackson county, and the first governor of the State of Iowa, which brought vividly before the minds of the audience that the remains of Iowa's first governor still reposes in an unmarked grave in a cem- etery in Omaha, Nebraska.
On the 3Ist day of January, 1907, a meeting of the board of directors was held at the office of Curator Ellis, and a resolution was drafted by W. C. Gregory, and unanimously adopted by the board, memorializing the present Iowa legislature to appropriate two thousand five hundred dollars to help defray the expenses of the society in bringing back to Jackson county the remains of Governor Briggs, and erecting a suitable monument to commemorate his services to the state. On the 9th day of February, 1907, Senator Lambert of Jackson, introduced a bill in the senate for the appropriation of one thousand dollars for that purpose. Hon. Henry Dunn, about the same time introduced a similar bill in the house of rep- resentatives, but neither bill received favorable consideration from the appropria- tion committee. And both were indefinitely postponed. In 1908, Mr. J. W. Ellis was a candidate for representative and was elected. He introduced the first bill in the thirty-third general assembly, as house file No. I, carrying an appropria- tion of one thousand dollars to honor the memory of Ansel Briggs, first governor. The bill passed both houses and received the signature of the governor.
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