History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 25

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa.
Number of Pages: 980


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 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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110


196


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The two offices having now been made separate, and elective in alternate years, so that the next election of treasurer would occur at the fall election in 1865. [See "Successive Treasurers."]


1866-J. S. Lodge, republican. Re-elected in 1868.


1870 Wm. J. Huff, democrat.


1872-George W. Hand, republican. Re-elected in 1874.


1876-Alexander L. Sorter, democrat. Re-elected 1878-80. Resigned in April, 1882, and Willis C. Wheden was appointed by the county board to fill the vacancy.


SUCCESSIVE AUDITORS.


Up to 1851 the county court consisted of three commissioners. The first board, elected in 1838, consisted of Henry Felkner, William Sturgis and Abner Wolcott. The last board of commissioners were A. Gilliland, George Fesler and David Wray. During the continuance of this system, the board audited the public accounts. But the law was changed so that in 1851, a county judge was elected, for the combined duties of judge of probate, county commissioners, auditor and clerk; and at this time Fer- nando H. Lee was elected as the first county judge, serving also as audi- tor. This system continued until the separate office of auditor was created by act of the legislature, April 7, 1868, and the county judgeship abol- ished. James Cavanagh had been elected in 1867 as county judge and auditor, and continued to hold as auditor until-


1869-Garrett D. Palmer, democrat, was elected. Re-elected 1871-73. 1875-A. J. Hershire, democrat. Re-elected 1877.


1879-Arthur Medowell, republican, present incumbent, Oct. 1, 1SS2.


SUCCESSIVE COUNTY JUDGES.


At the county election of 1838, no judge of probate was elected.


1839-Pleasant Harris, democrat, was elected in April, as judge of pro- bate.


1840-William McCormick, whig, judge of probate, elected in October.


1843-John Hawkins, whig, was elected judge of probate, and was re-elected from term to term until April 11, 1850, when he resigned, and George S. Hampton was appointed to fill the vacancy. The next year this office was combined with the new office of county judge, which took the place of the board of three commissioners; hence we have


1851-Fernando H. Lee, democrat, elected as the first county judge. Re-elected in 1855, as a republican.


1857-George W. McCleary, democrat. Re-elected in 1859 and 1861, the term having been changed from four to two years.


1863-John Williams, republican.


1867 -James Cavanagh, democrat. With his term, this office became extinct, but he continued to be county auditor until 1869, when G. D. Palmer was elected.


SUCCESSIVE SURVEYORS.


1839-Cyrus Sanders, democrat, elected in August, 1838, and was con tinued in the office clear up to 1855.


1855-Edward Worden, democrat.


1857-Cyrus Sanders, again.


197


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


1859-D. J. Davies, republican. Killed at the battle of Cedar Creek, in Virginia, 1864.


1861-James Dawson, repubilican.


1863-Phineas Cowgill, repubilcan.


1865-Daniel A. Shafer, republican then.


1867-Edward Worden again.


1869-Christian Hess, democrat.


1871-Edward Worden, third time; and re-elected in 1873.


1875-H. N. Berry, democrat.


1877-Charles P. Bacon, democrat.


1879-Daniel A. Shafer, democrat.


1881-Edward Worden; his fifth election to the office.


SUCCESSIVE CORONERS.


1839-John Hawkins, whig, elected in August, 1839.


1840-I. P. Hamilton, whig, elected in October.


1842-Thomas Ricord, democrat, elected in August.


[From 1844 to 1850 no names of coroners could be ascertained; but as this office always " went a-begging" (there was neither honor nor profit in it), it is supposed that whoever was elected from term to term failed to qual- ify-and that in reality there was no coroner.]


1851-Daniel S. Warren, democrat.


1853-Thomas Cahill, democrat.


1855-F. Thompson, whig.


1857-Charles McGovern, democrat.


1859-John West, republican.


1861-Dr. Frederick Lloyd, republican.


1863-Benjamin Owen, republican.


1865-O. Startsman, republican; he failed to qualifiy, and Dr. F. Lloyd was elected in 1866 to fill the vacancy.


1867-Chas A. Vogt, democrat.


1869-R. W. Pryce, republican.


1871-B. F. Graham, democrat.


1873-Dr. Henry Murray, republican. Re-elected in 1875-77.


1879-F. Mueller, democrat.


SUCCESSIVE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.


This office first appears in 1858, at the October election, when there were three candidates, who received votes as follows: H. W. Lathrop, republican, 1185; J. H. Boucher, democrat, 940; Wm. W. Woods, old line whig, 138. Hence:


1858-H. W. Lathrop, republican.


1859-R. H. Sylvester, democrat.


1861-David J. Davis, republican.


1863-W. J. Haddock, republican.


1865-Samuel D. Pryce, republican.


1867-George S. Hampton, democrat.


1869-R. L. Ganter, democrat. Mr. Ganter was the Episcopal minis- ter; he went back to New York the same month of his election, and 13


198


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


never qualified. Prof. T. S. Parvin was appointed by the county board, October, 1869, and served the entire term.


1871-George S. Hampton, again.


1873-Amos Hiatt, republican.


1875-J. M. Curry, democrat. Re-elected in 1877.


1879-Wilson Blain, democrat. Re-elected in 1881.


REPRESENTATIVES IN LEGISLATURE.


1838-Robert G. Roberts, whig, of Cedar county; represented Cedar, Johnson and Muscatine counties.


1839-S. C. Hastings, democrat, and T. T. Clark, whig, both of Mus- catine, were elected to represent Muscatine and Johnson counties, as one district.


1840-Henry Felkner, democrat, was elected to represent Johnson county alone, and Hastings was elected to represent Muscatine and John- son counties in the council, or upper house [senate]. This election of 1840 occurred in October; but thereafter it was to be held on the first Monday of August. [See legislative act of January 15, 1840.]


1841-Henry Felkner was re-elected; and again re-elected in 1842.


1843-James P. Carleton, democrat. These elections occurred in August.


1844-Instead of representatives to territorial legislature, this year Sam- uel H. McCrary, whig, and ex-Gov. Robert Lucas and Henry Felkner, democrats, were elected in April to a convention for framing a state con- stitution. But the constitution was rejected by a popular vote in April, 1845; and at the same time


1845-(April) Hugh D. Downey was elected representative in the ter- ritorial legislature. August 4, of this year, the proposed state constitution was voted on again, and again rejected, because the state boundary as fixed by congress was unsatisfactory. For the constitution, 7,235; against it, 7,656.


1846-Aug. 3, 1846, another state constitution was voted on, resulting, for it, 9,492; against it, 9,036 -- adopted by 456 majority. Under this con- stitution an election was held on Oct. 26 for state officers and legislators. Two citizens of Johnson county were elected to state offices at this time, to-wit: Joseph T. Fales, first state auditor, and Morgan Reno, first state treasurer. [See article on "State Organization."] The new state legisla- ture met at Iowa City, Nov. 30; and on Dec. 28, Iowa was by act of con- gress admitted to the Union as a state. Hence-


1846-Smiley H. Bonham, democrat, was elected in October, as the first representative in the state legislature from Johnson county. Re-elected in 1848. The territorial term had been for one year; the state term was for two years.


1850-Gilman Folsom, democrat. Re-elected in 1852, (August elec- tion), to represent Johnson county; and Robert M. Hutchinson to repre- sent the district composed of Johnson, Iowa and Poweshiek counties.


1854-Samuel H. McCrary, whig, elected as county representative; and Rolla Johnson, whig, as district representative.


1856-Geo. D. Woodin, republican, county representative, and Thomas Inskeep district representative. During the winter of 1856-57 the legisla- ture found Johnson county having population enough to entitle her to two full representatives, instead of sharing a part of her second one with two other counties. Hence we have-


.


199


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


1857-John Clark, democrat, and James Cavanagh, democrat.


1859-Rush Clark, republican, and Geo. T. Davis, republican.


1861-Rush Clark re-elected; and S. H. Fairall, democrat.


1863 -- Robert S. Finkbine, republican, and Warren Spurrier, republi- can.


1865-R. S. Finkbine re-elected; and Gilbert E. DeForest, republican. 1867-John P. Irish, democrat; and J. Y. Blackwell, democrat.


1869-John P. Irish re-elected, having received 1,862 votes. The next highest vote, as recorded, was for A. B. Cornell, republican, 1,792; next, George Paul, democrat, 1,789; next, David Stewart, repulican, 1,784. What purports to be the vote by townships is recorded on page 259 of the "Election Book" (Penn township being omitted), but the certificates of the canvassing board for this whole election (October, 1869), were not recorded. The fact was, the board rejected the vote of Penn township for some informality, which left Cornell with a small majority, and they gave him a certificate of election; but Stewart contested the matter before the legislature, and this body decided that the Penn township vote should have been counted; this made a majority in the county for Stewart over Cornell; so David Stewart, republican, served that term.


1871-John P. Irish, re-elected again; and George Paul, democrat.


1873-George Paul, re-elected; and John Hindman, democrat.


1875-Rush Clark, elected again; and Charles W. McCune, repub- lican.


1877-Moses Bloom, democrat; and George Paul, elected again.


1879-Moses Bloom re-elected; and Lewis R. Wolfe, democrat.


1881-Edward W. Lucas, democrat (son of Robert Lucas, the first Governor of Iowa Territory); and Lewis R. Wolfe, re-elected.


SENATORS.


1838-Charles Whittlesy, whig, of Cedar county, was elected to the territorial council from Cedar, Johnson, and several other counties.


1840-S. C. Hastings, democrat, [of Muscatine] elected to represent the district comprising Muscatine and Johnson counties in the territorial legislative council-equivalent to what is now called the State Senate.


1842-Pleasant Harris, democrat.


1844-


1846-Thomas Hughes, democrat, elected in October. In drawing lots for two and four year terms, Hughes got a short term.


1848-Freeman Alger, democrat, elected for a four year term.


1852-George D. Crosthwait, whig. In the spring of 1854 Crosthwait went to California, and his office was vacant. Hence-


1854-Samuel Workman, democrat, was elected in August, to fill the vacancy.


1856 -- Samuel J. Kirkwood, republican. Elected in November, for the term of four years, but in 1857 the new constitution was adopted, August 3, by a majority of 1,630, and went into effect September 3; it changed the time of electing senators to the odd years, thus cutting one year off from Kirkwood's term. But in 1859 he was elected Governor. 1859-Jesse Bowen, republican.


1863-Ezekiel Clark, republican.


1867-Samuel H. Fairall, democrat. Re-elected in 1871.


1875-Ezekiel Clark again.


1879-Dr. John C. Shrader, republican.


200


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


THE GRAND PARLIAMENT.


January 7, 1861, the first county board under the new law providing for one member from each township, met, and organized by electing Andrew Graham as chairman pro tem. On ballott, Hugh D. Downey was elected to serve as chairman during the year. Lots were drawn for one year and two year terms, and the final roll of this first grand parliament of the county was as follows:


Township.


Member.


Term.


Big Grove


. Joseph Beuter


1 year.


Hardin


O. B. Barros


2 years.


Scott


A. Beach. 2


Pleasant Valley


G. E. DeForest.


1


Iowa City


H. D. Downey


2


Liberty


Geo. Fessler


1


66


Monroe


. James Fogg ..


2


Graham


Andrew Graham 1


1


Newport.


Bradford Henyon


2


Iowa City


S. H. Mccrary.


1


66


Sharon . .


Joseph P. Miller


2


66


Washington


.E. Patterson .


1


Oxford.


. James Remley


Cedar ..


Gideon Steenbergen 2


Clear Creek


William Wolfe.


1


Jefferson


Thomas Graham


2


66


Madison.


Lewis R. Wolfe 1


66


Fremont.


M. L. Morris


2


Penn .-


J. W. Stow


1


TOO MANY OFFICE-HOLDERS.


For some years previous to October, 1870, the county board consisted of one member from each township; but this was found to be too unwieldy, cumbersome and costly a body of men just to do a little county business. Hence, the legislature made a change, providing that the county board should consist of not less than three members; but the people of any county might by popular vote increase the number to five or seven, if they thought best. Accordingly, at the October election of 1870, in Johnson county, three county commissioners, to-wit: M. J. Morsman, L. R. Wolfe and Samuel Spurrier, were elected. But at the same time the people voted on the question, whether the number should be increased to seven, and on this the vote stood 1,164 in favor and 2,005 against the increased number of members. A cold wave of "retrenchment" had struck the county, and it was thought three men could do the work better, or at least at less cost, than seven, and to cut down expenses was now the order of the day, everywhere.


At the general election in November, 1872, another vote was taken on a proposition to increase the county board, five being the number proposed


66


Union


Phineas Harris.


201


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


this time, and on this question the vote stood, 2,266 in favor of increasing the number of members from three to five, and 821 votes against it.


HIGHER POLITICAL HONORS.


The following Johnson county men have held state or national offices:


Robert Lucas-first Territorial Governor of Iowa-1838-39-40.


Joseph T. Fales-first State Auditor, elected in 1846.


Morgan Reno-first State Treasurer, elected in 1846; was Territorial Auditor in 1840.


James Harlan-State Superintendent of schools in 1846-7-8; United States Senator from 1855 to 1865; then resigned, and Kirkwood was elected to fill vacancy. Harlan was again Senator from 1866 to 1872.


Samuel J. Kirkwood-Governor of Iowa in 1859-60-61-62. Elected again in 1875. United States Senator in 1866; again elected in 1877. Sec- retary of the Interior in President Garfield's Cabinet in 1881; resigned in April, 1882.


John Pattee-State Auditor; in 1855 appointed to fill vacancy; elected in 1856 to 1859.


Rush Clark-Representative in Congress in 1876; re-elected in 1878. Died in Washington City, April 28, 1879.


Wm. E. Miller-Judge of Supreme Court in 1864; Chief Justice, from 1874 to 1876.


T. S. Parvin-Register of State Land Office from 1857 to 1859.


George Paul-State Printer, 1840 to 1849.


John Teesdale-State Printer, 1857 to 1861.


Wm. Pattee-State Auditor, 1850 to 1854.


Martin L. Morris-State Treasurer, 1852 to 1859.


SUCCESSIVE POSTMASTERS OF IOWA CITY.


From the great heap of historical driftwood, which Col. Trowbridge has kept to mulch his memory with, an old yellowish brown paper was raked out, which furnished the basis of the following sketch:


The post-office of Napoleon, Johnson County, Iowa, was established March 2, 1839; and the successive postmasters from that time to this have been-


John Gilbert-appointed March 2, 1839; Martin Van Buren, president. At this time it was the prerogative of the Postmaster General to appoint the minor postmaters. Amos Kendall was Postmaster General, and his name was signed to Gilbert's commission. It arrived here about the mid- dle or 20th of March; but Gilbert was then in a dying condition (died within a day or two afterward) and the document was never shown to him.


Wm. M. Harris-appointed April 18, 1839, by Postmaster General Kendall. This appointment was an episode of the struggle between rival settlements in the county, each striving to secure the county seat-the Gilbert neighborhood standing for Napoleon, and the Harris neighbor- hood standing for Osceola. A historical Atlas of Johnson county, pub- lished in 1870, says the first post-office in the county was in Liberty town- ship, the name of the first post-office was "Osceola," and Wm. Harris was the first postmaster-three firstling errors in as many lines. There was never any post-office here at all named Osceola; Napoleon was not in Liberty township; and John Gilbert was the first appointed postmaster


202


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


in the county-Mr. Harris the second. He was a young man-had no home of his own, but lived with his father, Pleasant Harris (generally known as "Judge Harris,") and kept the post-office at his father's house. This was on the west side of the river, where it bends to the eastward and so throws the southwest quarter of section twenty-three on the west side, in Liberty township. The house stood a short distance above the mouth of Old Man's creek, just where Sterling Stagg now lives (1882). This was about four miles below the Napoleon town site, and on the opposite side of the river, which was a great annoyance and aggravation to the Napoleonites. But they took measures as quickly as possible to report their case at Washington. In connection with this post-office struggle there were schemes and counter-schemes, and tampering with the mails between Napoleon and Bloomington (Muscatine); but the story is too long and unimportant to be worth the space it would take to tell it in print. Suffice to say, there was soon a change of postmasters at Napo- leon, and also at the little post-office called Lucas, where the Bloomington road crossed Cedar river. Here the Napoleon mails had been " doc- tored."


Samuel H. McCrory-appointed by Postmaster-General Kendall, July 4, 1839. McCrory kept the office at his house on section thirteen, Lucas township, right where his fine residence called Virginia Grove now stands, (1882;) but as soon as it was possible to get a room in Iowa City, he opened the post-office there, in the store of Charles S. Foster.


Chauncy Swan-appointed by Postmaster General Kendall, Nov. 14, 1839. And at the same time the name was changed from Napoleon to IOWA CITY post-office .. And thus Napoleon was snuffed out.


James M. Hawkins-appointed Sept. 2, 1841, by Frank Granger, P. M. G.


Samuel C. Trowbridge-appointed Aug. 3, 1842, by Charles A. Wickliff, P. M. G. Sworn in, Sept. 20, the same day he resigned the office of sheriff.


James P. Bradshaw-appointed April 27, 1849, by Jacob Collamer, P. M. G.


Anson Hart-appointed Aug. 13, 1851, by President Millard Filmore. N. K. Hall was now Postmaster General, but the appointing power had by this time been vested in the President direct, instead of his postal sec- retary as before.


George Paul-appointed April 6, 1853, by President Frank Pierce. James Campbell was the P. M. G.


William Vogt-appointed May 10, 1854, by President Pierce. (This was Dr. Vogt, a favorite and influential man among the German people).


Arthur B. Stillwell-appointed June 4, 1857, by President James Buch- anan, A. B. Brown, P. M. G.


Samuel Workman-appointed April 6, 1859, by President Buchanan.


Joseph E. Fales-appointed Aug. 31, 1860, by President Buchanan. Joseph Holt was now P. M. G.


James R. Hartsock-appointed April 30, 1861, by President Abraham Lincoln. Montgomery Blair was Postmaster General. Mr. Hartsock was re-appointed by President Lincoln, April 11, 1865, only three days before his assassination.


George W. Clark-appointed Aug. 22, 1866, by President Andrew Johnson. Alexander Randall was the P. M. G.


Edward W. Lucas-appointed May 1, 1867, by President Johnson.


203


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


James R. Hartsock again-appointed this time by President U. S. Grant, April 21, 1869.


N. H. Brainerd-appointed by President Grant, May 17, 1872, and assumed the duties of the office on the 8th day of June.


Benjamin Owen-appointed by President Grant, July 24, 1876.


Jacob Ricord-appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes, June 14, 1880, and still holds the office, Oct. 1, 1882.


POST MASTERS AND POST OFFICES OF JOHNSON COUNTY, OCT. 1, 1882.


Name of Office.


Township.


Postmaster.


Amish


.Washington


Charles Yoder.


Bon Accord.


Liberty . Joseph Hirt.


Chase


Madison


O. G. Babcock.


Coralville


Lucas


.J. H. Clark.


Danforth.


Monroe .. B. Beyer.


Frank Pierce


Washington


Elias Fry.


Gregg .


Monroe.


David Simonton.


Iowa City


Iowa City


Jacob Ricord.


Lone Tree


Fremont


A. W. Leonard.


Morfordville


Pleasant Valley


.M. Smith.


Morse . .


Graham


M. E. Freeman.


North Liberty


.Penn


Harry A. White.


Oasis.


Graham


.D. E. M'Clellan.


Oxford


Oxford.


.J. M. Templeman.


River Junction


Fremont.


J. D. Musser.


Sharon Center


Sharon


G. Hertlein.


Shoo Fly


Fremont. .


John Henry.


Shueyville


Jefferson


John W. Deen.


Solon


Big Grove C. G. Swafford.


Tiffin.


Clear Creek


Bryan Dennis.


Windham Hardin


Owen Slater.


All former post-offices not named in the above list had been discontinued prior to Oct. 1, 1882. There is no post-office within the following town- ships: Lincoln, Scott, Newport, Cedar and Union.


EARLY CENSUS REPORTS.


· Year.


Population. Year.


Population.


1838


237


1846


3,000.


1840


1,504


1847.


3,387.


1844.


2,949


1849


4,010.


See the following table by townships for census reports from 1850 to 1880:


204


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


POPULATION OF JOHNSON COUNTY AT DIFFERENT PERIODS.


NOTE .-- The cities and villages are printed with their proper townships, but in black type, and also their figures are in black type, and are not included it the footings at the bottom, for they were already counted in the township figures.


THIS TABLE WAS PREFARED FOR THIS WORK BY W. H. FLEMING, STATISTICIAN, OF DES MOINES.


1880


1875


1873


1870


1869


1867


1865


1863


1860


1856


1850


Big Grove ..


1363


1311


1252


1358|


1263


1179


1064


986]


954


908


382


Solon ..


383


Cedar


963


939


827


1094


992


815


804


830


789


526


145


Clear Creek.


612


754


698


728


711


600


496


497


475


282


166


Tiffin ..


47


1210


889


1036


965


829


697


556


560


598


Lone Tree.


217


River Junction


25


880


883


1019


915


627


746


694


751


Morse Station


8-


Oasis ..


16


764


733


737


583


405


374


346


312


Windham


33


6371


6454


8094


8682


8498


7106


6011


6547


6316


1568


Iowa City


7123


6371


6454


5914


6583


6418


5417


4417


5214


1250


Ward 1


1478


1579


1209


1292


2026


2026


1658


1557


Jefferson .


789


862


842


900


807


744


642


600


703


523


Shueyville


108


Liberty


568


614


692


640


651


658


575


518


558


603


382


South Liberty


48


Lincoln


588


568


641 +


Lucas.


1494


2213


2323


Coralville


347


297


Madison.


6:25


693


726


800


788|


609


600


475


493


254


Newport


836


746


716


814


688


644


614


617


538


886


301


Oxford


1436


1009


1149


1043


891


749


€08


576


535


309


Oxford.


560


Penn ....


702


694


599


676


661


619


485


620


1170


827


386


Pleasant Valley


604


579


566


1189


1129


817


556


608


679


796


287


Morfordsville


551


854


845


964


854


767


733


664


694


683


195


Sharon


1159


1196


1211


1120


1084


1018


896


716


724


Union ..


780


713


756


790


660


530


493


410


398


352


Washington ...


999


S09


944


933


891


875


770


807


649


953


392


Frank Pierce


31


Total


25429


24654


248141


24898


23948}


21641


18278


17177


17573


14457


4472


*Up to 1870 lowa City township included what is now called Lucas township, but in 1873-75-80, it only included the City.


+Formerly a part of Pleasant Valley township.


#Formerly Iowa City township.


CHAPTER II .- PART 2.


COURTS AND CRIMES.


First District Court-First Criminal Case (Gregg)-First Court in Iowa City-First Natur- alizations-A Gang of Petty Thieves-A $5,000 Robbery-The Boyd-Wilkinson Trag- edy.


THE FIRST DISTRICT COURT IN THE COUNTY.


The act organizing the county, approved June 22, 1838, provided for district court to be held on the second Mondays of August and Decem- ber. But a new law approved Jan. 21, 1839, changed the time to May and September. The first session of this court was held on the second


Monroe.


941


899


921


1034


869


790


660


652


499


Hardin


834


Iowa City


7123


Fremont


Graham ..


876


Scott ....


897


205


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


Monday of May, [May 13,] 1839, in the old "Gilbert trading house," then occupied by Wm. Dupont and his woman, Betsy Skinner, then supposed to be his lawful wife, but afterward proved not; for they were both indicted for fornication by the grand jury at the very next term of court, to-wit, on September 11, 1839. (Gilbert had died in March, only two months before this court session.) This house was not within the town limits of Napoleon, the lawful county seat, but was the nearest that any suitable building could be found for the purpose, and this contingency had been expressly provided for in the organizing act. About a hundred rods further south was "the Chase trading house;" and here was where the victuals and whisky were kept to carry on the court with. The officers of that first session of a criminal court in Johnson county were:


Joseph Williams, judge of the second judicial district, and resided at Bloomington, now called Muscatine .*


Samuel C. Trowbridge, sheriff.


Luke Douglas was appointed clerk by the judge.


Theodore S. Parvin, prosecuting attorney, (since widely known as Prof. Parvin.)


THE FIRST JURORS.


The court opened on Monday. On Tuesday the grand jury for the United States was called, and the following men answered to their names:


Samuel H. McCrory, foreman (now deceased); John G. Coleman (de- ceased); David Sweet (deceased); Robert Walker (deceased); Nathaniel Fellows (deceased); John Gardner (went back to Indiana); David Sweit- zer (still lives in Liberty township); James Smith (deceased); James Doug- lass (deceased); Charles Jones (deceased); John A. Street (deceased); George W. Hawkins (deceased); John Gailor (went back to Illinois); Yale Hamilton (deceased); William Ward (moved to Oregon); Jonathan Harris (deceased); Samuel Walker (deceased).




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.