USA > Iowa > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 25
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
Vol. 1-15
225
Digitized by Google
226
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
In his third annual message addressed on December 4, 1843, to the sixth Terri- torial Legislature, Governor Chambers reverted to the desirability of statehood and recommended that provision be made for ascertaining the wishes of their constituents in relation to this important matter. In response a law was enacted submitting the question at the township elections in April. Party lines were drawn with some closeness on the issue. Whigs generally opposed the movement. They feared the taxation to be imposed on account of the new obligations and responsi- bilities. Their argument was concise and pointed. Iowa's imports exceed the exports. The General Government spends about sixty thousand dollars on the Territorial Government. "He who votes for immediate admission into the Union will virtually vote for Hard Times in Iowa." This cry, previously so effective, now failed of its purpose. As before the vote was viva voce. In all there were cast 6,719 votes for a convention and 3,974 votes cast against a convention. In Jefferson County 566 voters were recorded in favor of a convention and 164 voters were recorded in opposition.
Naturally the Democrats of Jefferson County were elated over their victory. On May 25, at the court house, they held a convention of which Gen. Samuel Whitmore was chairman and Robert Brown secretary. In their exuberance, they "Resolved, That the brilliant light of the locofoco matches of truth shall at the coming election dissipate forever the few remaining clouds of coon darkness in the democratic County of Jefferson."
This figurative manifesto of faith did not indicate an overconfidence. They wisely placed their trust in an efficient organization. A central committee of vigi- lance was constituted. It consisted of John A. Pitzer, George Acheson, William McGaw, William Lyons and John W. Culbertson. A local vigilance committee of three or four members was named for each township.
Jefferson County was entitled to five delegates to the convention. The contest apparently was a spirited one. In the general election on August 5th, only four candidates were successful. These were Robert Brown, Hardin Butler, James I. Murray and Samuel Whitmore. All were democrats. A tie vote between two whigs for the fifth place occasioned a vacancy. On August 24th, a special election was held to fill this. The candidates were Sullifand S. Ross, democrat, and John Park, whig. Park was one of the two whigs who, having received an equal number of votes, were for that very reason both defeated. In the second contest, Ross won.
On October 7th, the convention met in the capitol at Iowa City and organized. On November Ist, having formulated a constitution in twenty-six days, it ad- journed. The boundaries adopted for the state were, on the south the State of Missouri, on the west the Missouri River, on the north a line from the mouth of the Sioux River to the mouth of the Watonwan River and the St. Peter's River, and on the east the Mississippi River. Congress in the act of admission altered the boundaries so that they were, on the north a parallel of latitude passing through the mouth of the Blue Earth River, and on the west a meridian line 17 degrees and 30 minutes west of the meridian of Washington City. The parallel passes through the City of Mankato, Minnesota. The meridian runs just west of Kossuth County on the north and just west of Ringgold County on the south. This difference in boundaries offered a vulnerable point of attack which was quickly recognized by the opponents of statehood. The discussion which at once arose created sufficient
Digitized by Google
227
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
dissatisfaction to cause the rejection of the constitution by a majority of 996 votes when submitted in April, 1845, to the electors for their approval.
The defeat of the constitution was received by its supporters with incredulous surprise. They declared it the result of general and wilful misrepresentation. It was inexplicable otherwise. In May the seventh Territorial Legislature assembled. This body against the advice of Governor Chambers proposed to resubmit the constitution to the people at the general election in August for another decision. A bill providing for this was prepared, passed, vetoed, and then passed by both houses with requisite majorities to make it law over the Governor's veto.
On May 24th, "Democracy met at the courthouse in Fairfield." Sullifand S. Ross acted as chairman and William Bonnifield as secretary. A committee of which Samuel Shuffleton and George Acheson were members, selected to voice the deliberate judgment of the gathering, formally declared "that the constitution as it came from the hands of the convention breathes the will of the democracy" and pledged it their united support. The county confirmed this declaration at the polls by casting 542 votes for the constitution and 490 votes against it. In the territory at large, however, there was a majority of 421 votes against its adoption.
The eighth Territorial Legislature assembled in December. Governor James Clarke, who had but lately succeeded Governor Chambers, did not urge in his message any particular course of conduct in reference to the organization of a state. A public demand for such organization, however, still persisted and was insistent. Provision was made for the selection of thirty-two delegates at the town- ship elections in April, who were directed to meet at Iowa City on the first Monday of May, 1846, "and proceed to form a constitution and state government for the future State of Iowa."
On February 21, 1846, a democratic mass meeting was held in Fairfield. Sulli- fand S. Ross presided. William Bonnifield served as secretary. The call was issued, it was stated, "for the purpose of comparing views in regard to the ap- proaching convention to draft a constitution for the future State of Iowa." A committee of nine was named to prepare resolutions. Its members were Gen. V. P. Van Antwerp, its leading spirit, and Col. Samuel Shuffleton, both of Fairfield Township; Gen. Samuel Whitmore of Locust Grove Township, C. F. Alden of Liberty Township, J. I. Murray of Penn Township, John J. Smith of Des Moines Township, J. A. Galliher of Cedar Township, J. R. Reagor of Lockridge Town- ship, and A. M. Connable of Blackhawk Township. The report of the committee, undoubtedly Van Antwerp's production, was of great length. The notable char- acter of the last resolution is sufficient warrant and justification for its preserva- tion in its entirety.
"Resolved, that the following provisions (in substance) ought, in the opinion of this meeting, to be adopted as part of the constitution of the State of Iowa, by the convention which will assemble at Iowa City on the first Monday of May next,; towit : .
I. No religious test to be required as a qualification for holding office, or for any other purpose, under any pretense whatever.
2. The right of suffrage to be made as broad and comprehensive as it is in any of the states that now compose the Union (except that negroes shall never vote) and to embrace persons not yet citizens of the United States, but who have declared
Digitized by Google
228
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
their intention to become such, have resided in the state for a year thereafter, and possess the other qualifications required of citizens.
3. All elections to be by ballot, except those by the Legislature; the latter to ' be viva voce, and the vote of each member to be entered upon the record.
4. No bank or other institution ever to be created by the Legislature with the power of issuing its own notes, or the notes of any other bank, public institution, or private individuals, and a further prohibition against the issuing, by any indi- vidual or individuals, of all bills, checks, promissory notes, or other paper, to circulate as money.
5. Monopolies, being contrary to the genius of a free government, and danger- ous to the rights of the people, never to be allowed. A total prohibition, therefore to be made against the passage by the Legislature of any special act of incorpora- tion for any purpose whatever ; but that body be left to enact general laws under which associations for literary, religious, and other purposes may be formed and regulated, every member of such association to be held individually liable for all claims against the body of which he is a member.
6. The election of every officer (including judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts) that can be conveniently chosen by the people, to be given to them.
7. The credit of the state never to be loaned to any man, or set of men, for any purpose whatsoever ; and the provisions against the creating of a state debt, enacted by the convention which assembled at Iowa City in October, 1844, to be substan- tially adopted.
8. The Legislature not to assemble oftener than once in two years, unless called together in recess by proclamation of the Governor; and that never to be done for light and trivial causes, but only in case of pressing emergency.
9. The per diem compensation of members of the Legislature not to exceed three dollars per day for the first sixty days from the commencement of the ses- sion. If they continue in session longer than that, they shall receive no compensa- tion for it.
10. No imprisonment for debt to be allowed.
II. No lottery to be authorized, and the sale of lottery tickets in Iowa to be prohibited.
12. No divorce to be granted by the Legislature.
13. No law passed by the Legislature to embrace more than one subject, and that to be distinctly stated in the title.
14. The duration of all offices not fixed by the Constitution never to exceed four years.
15. The sessions of neither house of the Legislature to be held with closed doors, except in time of war.
16. The most liberal provisions to be made for the cause of education, and especially for the increase and encouragement of common schools.
17. Every person to be disqualified from holding office in Iowa who shall have been convicted of having given or offered a bribe to secure his election or appoint- ment.
18. All civil officers to be required to reside within the state, and all district or county officers, with their offices, at such place therein as may be required by law.
19. The extension of our territory to the Missouri River as the western bound-
Digitized by Google
229
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
ary of the state to be adhered to, and made a sine qua non to our admission into the Union.
20. And, lastly, provision shall be expressly made that, as a true basis of rep- resentaion, a new census of the people shall be taken. prior to the first election under a state government; and, further, that the constitution, after having been submitted to Congress, if altered by that body, either in regard to the boundaries of the state or any other essential particular, shall not go into effect unless first ratified by the vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the territory, at an election to be subsequently held.
It was decided to pass upon the several sections separately. Charles Negus moved to amend the fourth section by adding thereto the words "unless a bill to charter a bank shall first have been passed by the votes of two-thirds of the mem- bers of the Legislature, and afterwards submitted to the people for their confirma- tion or rejection." The motion brought on a sharp debate. The amendment was supported by Negus and George Acheson, and opposed by Van Antwerp, Shuffle- ton, William H. Lyons and W. E. Groff. It obtained but three votes. The whole. resolution was finally adopted, as offered, with but three dissenting votes.
A report of the meeting and its resolutions were published in the democratic papers of the territory. This publicity directed attention to what would be or might be specific features of the Constitution and called them up for open and general discussion.
Jefferson County was entitled to two delegates to the constitutional convention. Van Antwerp desired to be one of these, but met with disappointment. The democrats nominated as their candidates Col. W. G. Coop and Sullifand S. Ross. The whigs nominated as their candidates John Park and Thomas O. Wamsley. That there was no lack of interest and activity is shown by the attendance at the polls. Coop received 403 votes; Ross, 360 votes; Park, 318 votes; and Wamsley, 307 votes. The democratic nominees, Coop and Ross, were chosen.
The second constitutional convention met on May 4th at the capitol at Iowa City. While Van Antwerp was not a delegate, he attended as a third member and was active in presenting and pressing his views. It completed its work within fifteen days. The whigs vigorously insisted it had formulated a party instrument. The electors passed their judgment upon it at the August election. In all there were 9,492 votes in favor of its adoption, and 9,036 votes in favor of its rejection. A majority of 456 votes was the narrow margin upon which the first constitution of the state was established.
Digitized by Google
.
Digitized by Google
CHAPTER XXXI
THE VOTERS OF 1848
In 1848 took place the first presidential election in which the electors of the State of Iowa could participate. The whigs, the democrats and the free soilers all presented electoral tickets. The whig candidates were Gen. Zachary Taylor for president and Millard Fillmore for vice president. The whig electors were Fitz Henry Warren, William H. Wallace, Jesse Bowes and Stephen B. Shelleday. The democratic candidates were Lewis Cass for president and William O. Butler for vice president. The democratic electors were A. C. Dodge, Joseph Williams, Lincoln Clark and J. J. Selman. The free soil candidates were Martin Van Buren for president and Charles Francis Adams for vice president. The free soil electors were William Penn Clark, J. H. Dayton, J. M. Robertson and William Miller.
There was a vigorous campaign. The important national questions discussed were the acquisition of foreign territory, the extension of slavery, free trade, and the free grant of reasonable portions of the public lands to actual settlers. So equal in numbers were the democrats and whigs of the state that a local situation seemed likely to determine the issue between them. Many Mormons had settled on the Missouri slope in unorganized territory. In the August elections their . votes were cast almost as a unit for the whig candidates but were rejected. Had they been counted, they would have elected Daniel F. Miller, the whig candidate, to Congress, in the First District. It was believed, therefore, that if these voters could take part in the November election Taylor and Fillmore would carry the state. To enable them generally to vote it was necessary to complete the organiza- tion of Pottawattamie County which had been authorized and of which the pre- liminary steps had been taken. The organization of the county was dependent upon a sheriff who was required to file a bond and an oath of office with the clerk of the District Court of Polk County. To keep the sheriff from qualifying, the clerk resigned his office. In consequence, when the returns were finally made up, the vote of Pottawattamie was thrown out. This action did not affect the result. Cass and Butler, the democratic nominees, received the electoral vote of Iowa.
Jefferson County went democratic. The democrats cast 739 votes, the whigs 637 votes, the free soilers but 21 votes. The election was held on Tuesday, the 7th of November. The original lists of the voters of the county made on that day at its eleven polling places as they exercised their right of franchise in this election fortunately have been preserved. For the purposes of a record a more desirable date could not well be selected. A dozen years earlier marked the coming of the first settlers. A dozen years later came the election of Lincoln and the opening of the Civil war. In the first half of this period occurred the erection of the Terri- tory of Iowa, the organization of the county, the adoption of a state constitution
231
Digitized by Google
232
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
and the admission of the territory as a state of the Union; in the second half came an exodus to California and Oregon and a ten years' struggle to secure a railroad. These lists contain the names of many pioneers, of many who were active in the later development of the county, of many who migrated in the '50s to the Pacific Coast, and of many who volunteered, or whose sons volunteered, in the armies of the Union. On account of these things, they have an exceptional interest and value.
In Walnut Township, the election was held at the house of John B. Bense. The judges were Valentine Shearer, Andrew Johnston and Michael Mesner. The clerks were Daniel Creegan and William J. Rodgers. The voters were recorded in the following order :
1. John Lemberger
37. John Baldoser
2. Henderson Gorsuch
38. Benjamin Mount
3. John Pheasant
39. Levi Oaks
4. Eli Weithum
40. Samuel Spainhower
41. William D. Allbaugh
5. Valentine Shearer
42. William Long
7. William J. Rodgers
43. Abram Armstrong
44. Harvey Daniels
45. Hardin Edwards
9. Philip Shaffer
46. John Daniels
IO. Thomas Chilcott
II. George Hanawalt
12. Samuel Hanawalt
48. Jacob Sidorus
49. Jacob Snider
13. Daniel Creegan
14. John Mesner, Jr.
51. Elyee Turner
15. Reuben Stullaberger
16. William Curns
17. David Johnson
53. John Mesner, Sr.
54. Thomas A. Wilks
55. Henry S. Barlow
56. Francis J. Sidorus
57. John J. Reeder
22. John Spielman
58. Jesse Hathorn
23. Alexander Latta
59. Richard Barnet
24. Jesse Edwards
60. Jonah M. Niece
25. John Shaffer
61. Martin Casaday
26. Christian Shappa
62. Francis Shappa
63. John Hanawalt
64. Eliel Murray
65. Jacob George
66. Coonrad Barricklow
67. Michael Helenbrand
68. David Courtney, Sr.
69. Jacob Courtney
70. Natan Townsend
71. John P. Chrile
72. Charles W. Wood
Digitized by Google
31. Silas Deeds
32. Fieling L. Turner
33. Abram Dillen
34. William M. Edwards
35. Jacob Leffler 36. Jonathan J. Morris
52. Casper Utterbind
18. Edgar Harris
19. David Courtney, Jr.
20. Andrew Johnston
21. William Armstrong
27. Martin T. Prather
28. Jacob Hefflefinger
29. Ira G. Rhodes
30. Andrew Turner
47. Hudson Gentry
6. Michael Mesner
8. Jacob Shaffer
50. George W. Vardaman
233
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
73. Stephen Wood
74. Thomas J. Loony
88. John Murray
75. Martin Richardson
89. George Frondolf
76. Christian Kients
90. Jacob Goodcher
77. George Weyand
91. Valentine Knerr
78. John B. Bense
92. George J. Knerr
79. Jacob Spainhower
93. Elisha Deck
80. Henry Leffler
94. Adam Knerr
81. Christian Shaffer
95. Peter Jones
82. Platt Ketchum
96. Thomas W. Small
83. Jacob Krumm
97. Godfrey Vogel
84. Christian Duttwiller
98. Albert Smith
85. John Tidd
99. George Powell
86. James N. Murray
100. John Friend
These voters cast 56 ballots for the democratic electors, 40 for the whig electors, and four for the free soil electors.
In Penn Township, the election was held at the house of Isaac Crumly. The judges were John Carse, Joseph Dillon and Isaac Ellis. The clerks were Joseph Roberts and Abner Frazier. The voters were recorded in the following order :
1. Elijah Stevens
2. Daniel Gaumer
3. James Cassady
30. Isom Blakely
4. John C. Haymond
31. William G. Coop
32. James F. Hodson
6. James Haywood
33. Joshua Whitlock
7. Samuel M. Harris
34. Caleb Nordyke
8. Shadrach Harrison
35. Alexander Blakeley
9. Thomas Henderson
36. John Graham
10. Samuel Wiley
37. Evan Jones
38. John W. Mitchel
12. James Frazier
39. William C. Powell
13. James G. Mitchel
40. Madison Smith
14. Charles Blakeley
41. Thomas Sayles
42. Jacob Gunter
16. David Mckee, Jr.
43. Rufus Cassady 44. John Randall
18. Samuel Simpson
45. Adam Courtney
19. Martin Cassady
46. Elionel Pickrell
20. James Davis
47. John Minton
21. Isaac Garmoe, Sr.
48. George Neel
22. John Lynn, Sr.
.49. Hugh C. Defrance
23. Samuel Charlton
50. William H. Dixon
24. James H. McGaw
51. John W. Dixon
25. Lawrence Garmoe
52. Lewis D. Edwards
26. Alvah Pickrell
53. William Y. McGaw
54. Wright Wyatt
Digitized by
28. David K. Minter
29. Samuel Charlton, Sr.
5. William Hassmon
II. David McKee, Sr.
15. John G. Mitchel
17. John Davis
27. John Charlton
87. Edmund F. Murray
234
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
55. John Wyatt
56. Joseph Heston
57. John Conner
58. Ransom Coop
85. Gideon D. Edwards
59. Jacob Westenhaver
86. Walter Dillon
60. John Powel
87. Samuel Dillon
61. Adin Nordyke
88. Forest W. Herd
62. David A. Smith
89. Hiram McCracken
63. Samuel T. Harris
90. John T. McPherson
65. Richard H. Dixon
92. Calvin Cooper
66. Moses Dudley
93. Andrew Bigham
67. David C. Powel
68. Charles Powel
95. Isaac W. Ellis
69. Aaron Richardson
70. Aaron Richardson, Sr.
96. Caleb Beals 97. Miles Driskill 98. James Emry
72. John W. Mitchel
99. Solomon Nordyke
73. George Spencer
100. Robert Hodson
74. Elias Burger
101. Rawleigh Humphrey
75. Jacob Garmoe
102. Joseph Dillon
76. John C. Spray
.103. Solomon Kerns
77. Phineas Heston, Sr.
104. David Pickering 1
78. William Ellis
105. Aumal Hodson
79. Samuel M. Mitchel
106. Franklin Baker
80. Isaac Ellis
107. John B. Page
81. William Hawk
108. David Jones
These voters cast 53 ballots for the democratic electors, 53 ballots for the whig electors, and one ballot each for William Penn Clark, William Miller, Charles Leslie, Thomas Frazier, Timothy Fox and Levi Anderson.
In Blackhawk Township the election was held in the Blue Point schoolhouse. The judges were George Ruggles, David Myers and Alexander Simpson. The clerks were Frederick F. Lyon and Henry Harden. The voters were recorded in the following order :
I. Jacob Gabbert
13. William Davis
2. Simeon Cushman
14. Shadrach Pointer
3. Jacob Park
15. James Bonine
16. Richard Sparks
5. John C. Stewart
17. James Osburn
18. John Milican
19. Willis C. Stone
20. John Osburn
9. John Shelly
21. John Mote
22. Richard Thornburg
23. William Osburn
12. Jesse Kinworthy
24. Obed C. Thornburg
Digitized by Google
4. George Shelly
6. Azariah Park
7. John Wigh
8. Charles David
10. Jesse Hinshaw
II. Ambrose Ingold
82. John Garmoe 83. John Andrews 84. John D. Edwards
64. James L. Smith
91. Abner Frazier
94. William Cassaday
71. Philip Cline
235
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
25. John Ruggles
26. William Lewman
27. John Welch
34. John Mills
28. Thomas Osburn
35. Nathaniel Quackenbush
29. Jacob Kite
36. Irvin Quackenbush
37. John S. Noble
31. Alexander Simpson 38. George Welsh
These voters cast 24 ballots for the democratic electors and 14 ballots for the whig electors.
In Polk Township, the election was held at the house of David Peters. The judges were Isaac Peters, Evin Fleener and Jacob Ramey. The clerks were David McReery and John W. Peters. The voters were recorded in the following order :
I. John Townsend
2. Joseph Davis
3. Henry Ramey
4. George McReery
38. Thomas Roberts
39. Charles H. McCulloch
40. David M. Oliver
41. Robert Long
42. William Brown
43. Samuel Downey
44. Archibald Downey
45. John Davis
46. John M. Forrest
\47. James M. Leisure
48. Christopher Sears
49. Harvey Spurloch
.50. James Snider
51. Andrew Lewis
18. Evin Fleener
52. William K. Long
53. Clawson Campbell
20. David McReery
54. James G. Smith
21. John Peters
55. David Smith
22. Jacob Ramey
56. Davi Smith
23. William Jaques
57. Thomas T. Adams
24. Thomas McCulloch
58. James G. Thompson
25. Mathew Spurloch
59. Harrison Jones
26. William B. Spurloch
60. David Mowery
27. James Harris
61. John Poffinbarger
28. George Kness
62. James Cowger
29. William Ramey
63. John D. Smith
30. James D. Willson
64. John Campbell
31. Isaac Miller
65. Simon Scott
66. Peter A. McReynolds
67. Lewis N. Wickersham
68. John E. Downey
Digitized by
IO. Jacob Rider
II. David Peters
12. Robert Smith
13. Joseph Price
14. John Robinson
15. Wilcher Cardwell
16. Greenberry Hiatt
17. Isaac Peters
35. Alexander P. Benn
36. George W. Robinson
37. Job Robinson
5. George Darden
6. Henry J. Darden
7. John Phebus
8. Andrew J. Antle
9. Robert Davis
32. David Myers
33. George Ruggles
30. Henry Hardin
32. Amos L. Nannest
33. Benjamin Robinson 34. William H. Walker
19. Edward McRennolds
236
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
69. Lester T. Gillet 70. Samuel Poffinbarger
71. Edmond B. McReynolds 72. Christian C. Poffinbarger
77. Seth Adamson
These voters cast 32 ballots for the democratic electors and 45 ballots for the whig electors.
In Locust Grove Township, the election was held at the house of Michael Cas- sel. The judges were Samuel Robb, A. N. Fleenor and H. D. Gibson. The clerks were William A. Orrill and David Z. Collins. The voters were recorded in the . following order :
I. Andrew Collins 36. Joseph Crease
2. William E. Marlow
37. James Simpson
3. Reuben Harris 38. Andrew Groves
4. Isaac Harris 39. John Downey
5. William N. Fleener
40. Zarah C. Collins
6. Gabriel Cassel
41. John Turner
7. Dillen Koons
42. N. A. Starr
8. Archibald T. Downey
43. John S. Reynolds
9. Abm. N. Fleenor
44. John Robison, Jr.
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.