USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 24
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Iowa City. .. § Jan. 15, '73. . . ...
[Iowa City Township now comprises only the territory within the corporate limits of Iowa City, and is divided into two voting precincts, North and South. But from 1846 to 1873 the territory now called Lucas township was included in Iowa City township.]
CHAPTER II .- PART 1.
POLITICAL RECORD.
Historic Elections-Successive County Officers-The Grand Parliament-Higher Political Honors-Post-office Matters-Census by Townships, 1850 to 1880.
THE FIRST ELECTION.
About May 26, 1838, S. C. Trowbridge went to Rochester, then the county seat of Cedar county, and on the 28th he was commissioned as deputy sheriff for Johnson and Keokuk counties. [See the documents in another place.]
Iowa was still a part of Wisconsin Territory, but the matter of separat- ing it was already under discussion in Congress, and the Iowa people
186
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
were generally expecting that they would soon be set off as a territory by themselves.
Johnson county had been named, and its boundaries defined, but the people settled there had never been authorized to hold an election. They wanted to be getting themselves into proper civil and political rela- tions with "the powers that be," and take their rightful part in the govern- ment, whether it were Wisconsin or Iowa Territory. It was to bring this about that Trowbridge had been sent to Rochester by the settlers in the vicinity of the trading houses. Accordingly, the same day he was com- missioned deputy sheriff he went before the board of commissioners of Cedar county, and applied for an order of election. The application was granted, and an election ordered to be held at Gilbert's trading-house, on the first Monday in August; and it was to be known as the Iowa precinct of Cedar county. Trowbridge nominated officers for the election, which were confirmed by the county board, as follows:
fudges-Eli Myers, JHenry Felkner and Pleasant Harris.
Clerks-W. Sturgis and Isaac N. Lesh.
[These matters are of record in Cedar county, but have never been recorded in any shape in Johnson county until now searched out for and printed in this history.]
But that proposed election was never held, for, before its time arrived, Johnson county had obtained a special act of the legislature organizing the county, naming and locating its county seat, appointing a sheriff, etc., so that it could run its own business in its own way, instead of being a mere appendage of Cedar county. The proceedings and documents in regard to organizing the county and investing it with civil jurisdiction are given in another place.
Iowa Territory began to exist for itself on July 3, 1838, and the next day, July 4, was the day that had been set by the Wisconsin territorial legislature for Johnson county to begin its separate political existence.
Of course everything was to go on just the same under the new terri- torial rule as before, until changed by proper authority. Wm. B. Con- way had been appointed Secretary of the new territory of Iowa, and arriving here a few days before Gov. Lucas, he made indecent haste to issue a proclamation for a territorial election, signing himself "Acting Governor." But when Governor Lucas arrived (August 15,)* he issued a proclamation on the same day for an election to be held on September 10. This of course overruled and wiped out all of Conway's premature acts. Sheriff Trowbridge had taken some steps for an election under
*Governor Robert Lucas arrived in Iowa for the first time, on the steamboat "Brazil." from Cincinnati, Ohio, landing at Burlington on Wednesday morning, August 15, 1838. The same day he issued his proclamation for the election of members of territorial legis- lature. and delegate to Congress. These historic facts are gathered from the Burlington Territorial Gazette, dated August 18, 1838, and should settle all disputes in regard to the matter.
187
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Conway's proclamation, but nothing which interfered with his prompt attention to the more rightful order of the Governor.
As before remarked, Governor Lucas issued his proclamation on the same day he arrived in the territory, calling an election to be held Sept. 10, 1838. All of that proclamation which specially concerns Johnson county, was the following paragraph:
The counties of Johnson, Cedar, Jones and Linn, shall form an election district, and elect one member of the council and one member of the house of representatives.
The parties interested in the town site of Napoleon as the county seat, had "chipped in together" and raised money to build a frame house twenty by thirty-two feet, and two stories high, to serve as a court house. These were Gilbert, McCrary, Smith, Felkner, Trowbridge, etc .; and the house erected was really a formidable and creditable enterprise, consid- ering the difficulties of getting lumber and other building materials, at that time. (See the diagram on another page). And here, in this house, occurred the first formal election ever held in Johnson county, the territory which now constitutes Iowa county being an adjunct precinct. About the time of this first election Robert Walker had been commis- sioned by Governor Lucas as the first justice of the peace, in Johnson county; but the imperfect county records do not anywhere show this fact. The officers of that first election were:
Judges-Wm. Kelso, David Sweet, and Isaac N. Tesh.
Clerks-I. P. Hamilton, and S. H. McCrary.
WHO WERE ELECTED.
There were four candidates for Congress, namely: W. W. Chapman, Virginia State Rights Democrat; P. H. Engle, Jackson Democrat; David Rohrer, Democrat anyway; B. F. Wallace, Whig.
Chapman had been specially friendly and helpful in securing the legis- lation which the Johnson county people wanted, so he was the favored man, without much regard as to where he stood on the national questions of the time. These pioneers had their politics nearer home just then- and the vote of Johnson county, as canvassed and certified to Governor Lucas at the time, was: For Chapman, thirty-six votes; for Engle, one vote. Rohrer and Wallace got no votes here.
The other officers elected at the same time were:
For member of legislative council-Charles Whittlesy, of Cedar county.
For member of house of representatives-Robert G. Robert, of Cedar county.
For county commissioners-Henry Felkner, Wm. Sturgis, and Abner Wolcott.
For county recorder-I. P. Hamilton.
For county assessor-S. B. Mulholland.
For constables-Peter Crum, and Wm. C. Massey.
188
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
The county treasurer and the assessor -elect failed to qualify; and con- sequently the board of county commissioners appointed Wheten Chase to be treasurer, and S. C. Trowbridge to be assessor.
Trowbridge held a three-years' commission as sheriff from Governor Dodge, unless Governor Lucas should see fit to revoke it, which he did not, but gave him another commission for the next term; and the law at that time imposed on the sheriff the duty of tax collector, as well as rogue- nabber-so Trowbridge had business at every pot-boil in the county. [See under head of First County Records.]
Owing to the incompetency, laziness or neglect of Clerk Douglass, no record was preserved of that first election. And it has not been secured and made of record by the county since; so that it remained for this his- torian to rake up the scattered fragments of fact and recollection, out of which a connected, systematic and authentic record of that first election is now for the first time made and placed before the people of Johnson county.
THE SECOND COUNTY ELECTION.
Clerk Douglass also failed to make any record of the second county election. In the first case there might be some excuse for it, but no reas- onable excuse can be offered for the second time this delinquency occurred, for he was then fully in office, had every convenience, and it was his duty to make the record; but he failed to do it. However, among Col. Trow- bridge's old papers, documents, etc., we found the whole bunch of the original tickets, just as they were written out and voted at Napoleon, the county seat, on the first Monday in August, 1839-and from these musty relics of almost a semi-centennial antiquity, we present the following accu- rate canvass of that second election ever held in Johnson county, the judges of which were Andrew D. Stephen, John Eagan and S. C. Trowbridge
For representatives in the legislature: John Frierson, democrat, received 32 votes; T. T. Clark, whig, received 14 votes; S. C. Hastings,* democrat, received 32 votes; S. S. Lathrop, democrat, 1 vote.
There were two to be elected from Muscatine, Johnson and Iowa coun- ties jointly, and Clark and Hastings were the ones elected, as they got good majorities in the other counties.
For county commissioners: John Morford, received 21 votes; Abner Wolcott, 32: Henry Felkner, 44; Philip Clark, 29; A. C. Sutliff, 16; Wm. Sturgis, 1; A. Arrowsmith, 1.
Why the above voting was done at all is not clear, for Felkner had already been chosen (at the election of Sept. 10, 1838), county commissioner
*Hastings was elected to the legislative council from the same counties in 1840; and in 1846 he was elected to congress. Hle was afterwards appointed chief justice of Iowa by Gov. Ansel Briggs. Then during the legislative session of 1848-49, Hastings and Judge Joseph Williams were candidates for chief justice. Williams was elected. Hastings resigned before his time was out and went to California. The same fall (1849) he was elected and took his seat as chief justice there. He thus filled this high position in two different states inside of one calendar year-the only case of the kind on record.
189
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
for three years and Wolcott for two years; but Sturgis' first term was only for one year, as decided by lot when county court was first organized. We cannot solve the puzzle.
For county treasurer, John Fagan received 44 votes; Wheten Chase received 1 vote.
For county surveyor, Cyrus Sanders received 45 votes; John Eagan, 1 vote, and David Switzer 1 vote.
For assessor, S. B. Mulholland received 44 votes.
This vote was merely complimentary, for Trowbridge was still sheriff and therefore ex officio assessor, as the law then stood; so of course Mul- holland did not qualify, or act as assessor.
For coroner, John Hawkins received 45 votes.
For constable, John Royal received 25 votes; John Trout, 28; David Cox, 28; Peter Crumen, 15; Wm. C. Massey, 15; A. D. Stephens, 8.
Some of Stephens' votes were marked "for sheriff," and one vote was cast for S. C. Trowbridge for sheriff; but as there was no sheriff to be elected at this time, of course these votes were cast as a matter of sport, or else from not knowing the legal statu quo.
FIRST OFFICERS OF THE COUNTY.
The following list has been carefully compiled from every source where authentic information could be obtained, the county records being greatly deficient.
First Sheriff .- S. C. Trowbridge, from May, 1838, till 1842. First appointed as deputy sheriff by Sheriff Tallman, of Cedar county; then commissioned as sheriff by Gov. Dodge of Wisconsin territory ; then recom- missioned by Gov. Lucas of Iowa territory; then elected by the people in October, 1840. Resigned in September, 1842.
First Justice of the Peace .- Robert Walker; commissioned by Gov. Lucas, in August, 1838, and held the office almost continuously for forty years.
First County Commissioners .- Henry Felkner, William Sturgis, Abner Wolcott; elected at Napoleon, Sept. 10, 1838.
First County Recorder .- I. P. Hamilton, elected Sept. 10, 1838.
First County Treasurer .- John Eagan, elected Sept. 10, 1838, but failed to qualify; and on April 1, 1839, the commissioners' court appointed Wheten Chase to fill the vacancy. [Chase died in Tama county, in 1870.]
First County Assessor .- S. B. Mulholland, elected Sept. 10, 1838, but failed to qualify; and on April 1, 1839, the county commissioners appointed S. C. Trowbridge to fill the vacancy.
First Constables .- Peter Crum and William C. Massey; elected Sept 10, 1838.
First County Clerk .- Luke Douglas, appointed by the commissioners' court March 29, 1839, its first session.
190
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
First County Surveyor .- Cyrus Sanders, elected first Monday in August, 1839.
First County Coroner .- John Hawkins, elected in August, 1839.
First Member of Legislature from Johnson County .- S. C. Hastings, elected in August, 1839.
First fudge .- Joseph Williams, of Muscatine, who opened the first district court in Johnson county, on the second Monday in May, 1839, (2d judicial district.)
First Clerk of Court .- Luke Douglas, appointed by Judge Williams at this time.
First Prosecuting Attorney .- T. S. Parvin; commissioned by Gov. Lucas, for the second judicial district. The county records show that on January 1, 1840, the sum of $65.00 was allowed to T. S. Parvin, Esq., for services rendered to the county, as prosecuting attorney, in and for the county of Johnson.
First fudge of Probate .- William McCormick, elected in October, 1840.
First Postmaster .- John Gilbert, appointed postmaster at Napoleon, March 2, 1839; died the next day after his commission arrived. William Harris was next appointed, April 18, 1839. Before this, Bloomington [now Muscatine] was the post-office town of our settlers, it being their nearest steamboat landing and trading point on the Mississippi river. [See article on " Postmasters of Iowa City."]
FIRST PUBLISHED COUNTY TICKETS.
The first regular party tickets for the county offices and legislature, which are preserved in the newspaper files of the time, were those nomi- nated by the respective parties in 1842. And it may be some comfort to candidates, to be assured that the Johnson county partisan newspapers of 1842, were as furiously " red hot " on the private, personal and public character of their respective opponents as any newspaper of the present time can attempt to be. In looking over the campaign numbers of those early newspapers, one is led to imagine that their editors wrote with pens made of eagle's claws, dipped in aqua fortis. Our more modern lead- pencil campaigners are tame in comparison. In fact, such vials of ven- omous vituperation as were then poured out in unstinted measure would hardly be tolerated in any community now. We give the two party tickets of that year, as showing who then stood as standard bearers of the divided politics of 1842.
JOHNSON COUNTY WHIG TICKET.
For Member of Territorial Council-Dr. Jesse Bowen.
For Representative-James Trimble.
For Sheriff-Daniel Hess.
For Recorder-William L. Gilbert.
191
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
For Commissioner-John Parrott.
For Treasurer -- Edward Foster.
For Fustices of the Peace-John Hawkins, Robert Walker and I. M. Preston.
For Clerk of Commissioners' Court-Charles H. Berryhill.
For Coroner-J. M. Headly.
For Assessor-George Wein.
For Constables-Daniel Sink, William Goodrich and Elijah Walker. DEMOCRATIC NOMINATIONS.
For Council-Pleasant Harris.
For Representative-Henry Felkner.
For Sheriff-Walter Butler.
For Commissioner-Nathaniel Fellows.
For Recorder-Jesse Berry.
For Treasurer-Thomas Snyder.
For Clerk of Commissioners' Court-Stephen B. Gardner.
For Coroner-Thomas Ricord.
For Assessor-E. K. Morse.
IOWA CITY PRECINCT.
For Fustices of the Peace-F. H. Lee, A. D. Stephens and Eli Myers. For Constables-Hiram Watts, Wm. P. Doty and J. I. Burge.
HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL VOTES.
The year 1856 was a historic year, from the fact that the Republican party was organized at that time, and had its first national presidential ticket in the field. Hence, the vote of Johnson county for the presidential candidates of that year should be preserved for reference and instruction:
Township.
Republican Candidate, John C Fremont
Democratic Candidate, James Buchanan
Whig Candidate, Millard Filmore
Iowa City
595
470
80
Cedar ....
55
22
22
Big Grove
89
57
14
Jefferson
10
16
29
Monroe.
43
20
14
Oxford.
20
37
6
Clear Creek
9
38
11
Penn .
63
28
23
Newport
70
59
2
Scott
SS
17
7
Pleasant Valley
84
60
4
Liberty
6
64
27
Washington
36
47
62
Union .
47
26
3
Total
1215
961
282
192
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
THE ELECTION OF 1860.
This was the Presidential year, which culminated in the Southern Rebellion, and its succeeding war. There were four Presidential candi- dates -- Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Stephen A. Douglas, Northern Democrat; John C. Breckenridge, Southern Democrat; John Bell, old line Whig. The vote of Johnson County stood as follows:
TOWNSHIPS.
Lincoln. Douglas.
Bell.
Brecken- ridge.
Big Grove
92
108
.
Cedar.
80
40
. .
. .
Clear Creek
33
65
. .
. .
Fremont
S2
43
4
. .
Graham
95
45
2
. .
Hardin.
30
.34
3
. .
Iowa City
627
615
30
17
Jefferson
35
31
25
. .
Liberty
17
79
5
. .
Madison
52
32
Monroe.
64
28
.
. .
Newport.
66
66
. .
. .
Oxford
41
55
. .
. .
Penn
78
32
2
·
Pleasant Valley.
110
35
7
1
Scott .
112
20
. .
2
Sharon
72
41
3
. .
Union
52
32
. .
Washington
66
47
26
6
1804
1448
111
26
. .
PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1872.
The presidential campaign of this year presented one of the strangest anomalies that has ever occurred in the history of human governments. The Democratic party took for its candidate HORACE GREELEY, founder of the New York Tribune, who had been for more than a quarter of a cen- tury the most untiring, uncompromising and widely influential anti-demo- cratic editor in the nation. He had also been an original anti-slavery man, and finally a down-right "abolitionist" of national fame and influence, so hated and berated in the slaveholding south that if caught there he would have been hung to the first tree at hand. Yet this year the slave- holder ex-rebels of the south supported him as their candidate for Presi- dent; and likewise many Republicans throughout the north, who were ready and willing to meet these subjugated southern brethren half way, and " clasp hands across the bloody chasm" of the terrible civil war, joined them in the support of Mr. Greeley. These facts in the case make the presidential vote of this year one full of curious and historic interest in every precinct; and hence we here preserve the official returns of this election in Johnson County :
.
193
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Township.
For Gen. Grant. For Horace Greeley.
Big Grove
79
103
Cedar ..
60
38
Clear Creek .
59
51
Fremont
105
41
Graham
74
76
Hardin.
57
77
Iowa City-North Precinct
332
470
Iowa City-South Precinct.
448
316
Jefferson .
31
76
Liberty
32
76
Lincoln .
83
28
Madison.
4S
57
Monroe.
58
47
Newport.
30
56
Oxford
94
S9
Penn
72
31
Pleasant Valley
76
50
Scott
119
49
Sharon
100
59
Union .
60
61
Washington
92
36
2109
1889
VOTE ON THE WORD "WHITE," AND LICENSE.
On August 3, 1857, a vote was taken on a proposition to strike out the word "White" from the Constitution of Iowa, so that colored men might become voters and have the same civil rights and protection that white men have. And at the same election the voters were also to decide whether a license law for the sale of intoxicating liquors should be adopted instead of the prohibitory law then in force. The result of this historic vote is herewith given by townships:
Townships.
Strike out the word "white" ? Yes.
License.
Iowa City.
54
691
702
185
Big Grove
6
113
76
..
Cedar
15
32
25
1
Jefferson
41
15
S
Monroe.
9
38
26
16
Penn.
4
66
66
1
Clear Creek.
54
1
7
Washington .
2
85
SO
4
Pleasant Valley
1
69
3
Scott.
15
16
26
7
Newport
5
66
30
12
Oxford
7
4S
25
17
Fremont
3
77
47
. .
Graham
6
33
27
4
127
1510
1199
288
·
64
37
13
Union .
· .
17
16
7
Liberty .
No.
For. Ag'st
.
.
194
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
CALENDAR OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
Complete from May, 1838, till October, 1882-a period of more than forty- four years.
SUCCESSIVE SHERIFFS.
1838-Samuel C. Trowbridge, democrat; appointed by Gov. Dodge, territoral governor of Wisconsin. Re-appointed by Robert Lucas, first territorial governor of Iowa, in 1839. Was elected by popular yote in 1840. Resigned in September, 1842, about a month before the expira- tion of his term, and was the same day sworn in as postmaster of Iowa City. [See article on "Postmasters of Iowa City."]
1842-Walter Butler, democrat, (died in office.)
1844-M. P. McAllister, first appointed by Gov. Chambers, to fill the Butler vacancy, was afterward elected. Whig.
1846-George Paul, democrat. This year the government was changed from territorial to state form, and county elections changed from the even to the odd years.
1847-John D. Abel, democrat; re-elected in 1849.
1851-Gilbert E. DeForest, whig-afterward a republican.
1853-S. B. Mulholland, democrat.
1855-J. W. Howard, old line whig.
1857-Edgar Harrison, democrat.
1859-John Wilson, republican; re-elected in 1861-63-65.
1867-Samuel P. McCadden, democrat; re-elected in 1869-71-73, and died in office.
1874-M. Cavanagh, appointed to fill the McCadden vacancy, and then elected at a special election. Re-elected at the regular election in 1875. Democrat.
1877-John Coldren, democrat. Re-elected in 1879-81. Present sheriff, Oct. 1, 1882.
SUCCESSIVE CLERKS.
1839-Luke Douglas, appointed by the county commissioners, March 29, 1839. Appointed clerk of the district court by Judge Williams, May 13, 1839.
1840-July 9, Mr. Douglas resigned, and Stephen B. Gardner, demo- crat, was appointed by the county board. He continued to hold the office by successive appointments from this until 1851, when the duties of pro- bate judge and county commissioners were merged into one officer called county judge. F. H. Lee was elected county judge, and kept the records mostly himself. The officer of Clerk of the District Court, had hereto- fore been filled by the county clerk, on appointment of the district judge. But now it was made an elective office by itself; and in August, 1852, Samuel J. Hess, whig, was elected by only three majority over Gardner. For Hess, 435; for Gardner, 432. Mr. Gardner finally removed to Kan- sas.
1852-Samuel J. Hess, whig. Re-elected in 1854.
1856-Salathiel Batchellor, republican. Re-elected in 1858.
1860 -- Henry E. Brown, republican.
1862-Thomas J. Cox, democrat.
1864-John C. Culbertson, republican.
1866-Fernando H. Lee, republican.
1868-Benjamin King, democrat.
1870-Jacob C. Switzer, republican. Re-elected in 1872.
195
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
1874-George W. Koontz, democrat. Re-elected in 1876 and 1878. 1880-Stephen Bradley, democrat.
SUCCESSIVE TREASURERS.
1838-John Eagan, elected Sept. 10, but failed to qualify, and Wheten Chase was appointed by the county commissioners, April 1, 1839. Yet the records of 1840 show that John Eagan was treasurer, for he made a settlement as treasurer in October of this year; and he was also deputy sheriff.
1840-Dr. Ezra Bliss, whig. In October of this year (Oct. 28), treas- urer Bliss was reported absent and the office vacant. James Lee was then appointed to fill the vacancy. February 8, 1841, Bliss and Lee both resigned, and an election was called on March 6, 1841, to fill the vacancy, therefore
1841-Wm. R. Harrison, democrat, was elected.
1842-Thomas Snyder, democrat. Re-elected in 1844-46.
1848-Hiram Watts, democrat, treasurer and recorder. April 23, 1850, Watts having gone to California, was reported absent. The office was deemed vacant; Gordon Hutchinson was appointed to fill the vacancy. with instructions to proceed and collect the taxes of 1846-47-48-49.
1851-Samuel Workinan, democrat, recorder and treasurer.
1853-S. H. Gardner, democrat, treasurer and recorder.
1855-Thomas Hughes, democrat, treasurer and recorder. Re-elected in 1857, republican.
1859-James Borland, democrat, was declared elected by the board, but a contest in court proved that J. G. Sperry, republican, was elected, and accordingly he served the term.
1861-Joseph H. Deacon, republican. Re-elected in 1863, and died the same year. Thomas M. Banberry was appointed to fill the vacancy till the election of 1864.
1864-A. C. Younkin, republican, was elected to serve out Deacon's unexpired term. This year the offices of recorder and treasurer were made separate-the first to be elected in the even years, and the latter in the odd years.
1865 .- A. C. Younkin, re-elected. Re-elected again in 1867.
1869-A. J. Hershire, democrat. Re-elected in 1871.
1873-Lowell Swisher, democrat. Re-elected in 1875.
1877-Charles M. Reno, democrat. Re-elected in 1879.
1881-Hugh McGovern, democrat. Present incumbent, Oct. 1, 1882.
SUCCESSIVE RECORDERS.
1838-I. P. Hamilton, whig, elected Sept. 10. Mr. Hamilton was dis- tinctly elected as recorder.
1840-Jesse Berry, democrat, was elected as recorder. But thereafter the duties of this office seem to have been performed by the clerk of the district court for some years, and was finally united with the office of treasurer.
1848-Hiram Watts, democrat, elected as recorder and treasurer. And from this on, till 1864, the recorder and treasurer were the same. See "Successive Treasurers" for the names of incumbents during that period.
1864-November 8, John B. Lee was elected recorder for two years; at the same time A. C. Younkin was elected treasurer till January 1, 1866.
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