History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 47

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 47


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1880-W. G. Emonds.


1881-Susan S. Pearse, George Poland.


1882-Flora S. Gleason.


JOHNSON COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVES IN THE STATE INSTITUTIONS.


This historian sent blanks to all of the State elemosynary, educational and penal institutions, requesting in each case a complete list of all persons who had ever been inmates from Johnson county. Some answered promptly, with full list as desired; some formally refused us the informa- tion; and some never made any answer.


We present here following the reports received:


IOWA COLLEGE FOR THE BLIND, Vinton, Iowa, July 15, 1882.


H. A. REID, Iowa City, Iowa :


DEAR SIR :- The records of this institution show the names of the following persons from Johnson county :


1. James A. Gilliland was admitted April 4, 1853, and was discharged June 5, 1860. He was born in Pennsylvania, and at the time of his dis- charge lived in Iowa City. Cause of blindness, accident. At the time of admission had been blind three years.


2. Rhoda Bowen was admitted July 26, 1855, and was discharged May, 1856. She was born in Ohio. At the time of her discharge she lived in Iowa City. Cause of blindness, inflammation. At the time of admission, had been blind twenty-four years.


3. Henry D. Hollenbeck was admitted May 26, 1856. Was not dis- charged. He was born in Johnson county. He now lives in Marion, Iowa. Cause of blindness, inflammation. He has been blind from infancy.


4. Lucy Hempstead was admitted April 30, 1860. She was never discharged. She was born in Ohio. Did live in Iowa City. Cause of blindness-inflammation. At time of admission she had been blind two years.


5. Caroline Durham was admitted March 13, 1862. Was not dis- charged. She was born in New York City. Did live in Iowa City. Cause of blindness-inflammation. Was partially blind.


403


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


6. May Agnes Develing was admitted March 22, 1866. Did live in Iowa City. She was not discharged. She was born in New York State Cause of blindness-cataract. At time of admission she had been blind eight years.


7. Nicholas H. Boyce was admitted Sept. 7, 1866. Was not discharged. He was born in New York State. Did live in Springdale, Iowa. Cause of blindness-inflammation. At time of admission had been blind one year. S. Sarah Ann Hyler was admitted Sept. 23, 1868. Was not dis- charged. She was born in Iowa, and did live in Johnson county. Cause of blindness-inflammation. At time of admission she had been blind three years.


9. James H. Poland was admitted August 31, 1868. Was not dis- charged. He was born in Ohio. Lived in Iowa City. Cause of blind- ness, scarlet fever, At time of admission he had been blind five years.


10. Mary E. Rucket was admitted October 1, 1869. Was not dis- charged. She was born in Iowa. Lived at Danforth, Johnson county. Cause of blindness, typhoid fever. At time of admission she had been blind eleven years.


11. Anna E. Hyler was admitted October 31, 1872. Was not dis- charged. She was born in Iowa. Did live in Palestine, Johnson county. Cause of blindness, inflammation. At time of admission she had been blind two years.


12. Samuel Kauffman was admitted January, 1877. He was not dis- charged. He was born in Washington county, Iowa. Now lives at Wyandotte, Kansas. Cause of blindness, cataract. At time of admis- sion he had been blind three years.


13. John Larkin was admitted April 12, 1882. He is now in the insti- tution. He was born in Ireland. Lives in Iowa City. Cause of blind- ness, sympathetic opthalmia. He has been blind two years.


14. Samuel T. Mansfield was admitted February 20, 1882. He is now in the institution. He was born in Maryland. Lives in Iowa City. Cause of blindness, pistol shot .* He has been blind six months.


Very truly yours, THOMAS F. MCCUNE, Principal.


*By his own hand; attempted suicide -- HISTORIAN.


404


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


FULL LIST OF PUPILS FROM JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA, WHO HAVE ATTENDED THE DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE.


INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB, Į COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, Aug. 9, 1882.


Name.


Cause of being Deaf. When admitted.


Left school.


Sarah McGuire ...


Fever at 2 years of age Jan. 1, 1855.


1862


Elizabeth Hummer.


Congenital fever. .


Jan. 1, 1855.


1861


Juliana Hauk.


Unknown ..


Jan. 1, 1855.


1855


Dennis A. Dewey.


Erysipelas


Jan. 1, 1855.


1861


James Kemp


Not stated


Jan. 1, 1855.


Died in 1855


Elias Workman


66


Jan. 3, 1855


1856


Anthony Yeggy.


66


Jan. 1, 1855


1862


John Skiles. .


Jan. 1, 1855.


1856


Isabella Boon


Congenital fever


Oct. 15, 1880. . 1855.


1862


W. B. Williams


Fall when 3 yrs. old.


- 1855. .


Staid 1 year


John S. Hope


Sick when 15 mos. old.


March 7, 1880


1881


Levi Keppart


Dropsy of the head.


Sept. 3, 1858.


1866


John C. Hummer


Congenital fever


Sept. - 1858.


1865


Joshua B. Nicholson Inflammation of brain


Dec. 24, 1859. .


1865


Julia Donahue


Scarlet fever


March -, 1860


1866


Katie Daley.


Unknown


Jan. 20, 1882. ..


Staid 1 year


Mary Kasmeyer. .


Congenital fever


Sept. 24, 1862.


1864


Newton Anderson .


Fever when 2 yrs. old Nov. 16, 1863.


1869


William J. Corning.


Rheumatic fever


Sept. 22, 1864.


1867


William A. Nelson.


Scarlet fever


Sept. 17, 1868


1875


Emil Schottle


Brain fever.


Sept. 18, 1868.


1877


Joseph Fox.


Speech defective only Sept. 16, 1873.


1878


James Fox. .


Nov. 18, 1873. Staid 1 year


James G. Stoddard.


Scarlet fever


Nov. 16, 1875. Staid 2 years


A. ROGERS, Superintendent.


H. M. Bassett, acting superintendent of Hospital for the Insane, at Mount Pleasant, refused to furnish the statistics; he thought they ought not to be published.


E. W. Stanton, secretary of the State Agricultural College at Ames, in Story county, reports only one person ever graduated there, from Johnson county, to-wit: Winfield S. Collins, of Solon, in class of 1876.


J. C. Gilchrist, principal of the State Normal School, at Cedar Falls, reports only one graduate from Johnson county, Miss Eleanor Kraigor, in class of ISS1.


The list of Johnson county graduates from the different departments of the State University will be found with the local history of the University, given in another place.


From the Reform Schools at Eldora and Mitchellville, the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Davenport, and the Asylum for Feeble Minded Chil- dren at Glenwood, we failed to get any response.


1881


Julia A. Wheeler


Scarlet fever


403


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


IOWA STATE PENITENTIARY, FORT MADISON.


List of prisoners received from Johnson county, from September 16, 1852, to July 12, 1882:


Regis'd No.


NAME.


CRIME.


Date Received.


Date Discharged.


26


William Pearce ..


Larceny .


Sept. 16, '52. .


Sept. 15, '53 ...


61


William Conliff


do


June 16, '54.


May 3, '59 1


65


Elisha B. Freeman ..


Seduction


Nov. 6, '54


66


Christian Genseke . .


Larceny


Nov. S,


67


Geo. W. Woodruff. .


do


Nov. 8,


68


Pleasant Fonts.


Murder 2d d.


Jan. 15, '55.


5


148


Alvin Lovit.


P's'g c'f't m'y


March 19, '58.


149


James Barrett.


do


June 30, '58. .


May 21, '60. .


171


Edwin Kerrick


Larceny . .


May 19, '59.


210


George Stark.


G'd Larceny


Feb. 11, '59.


Oct. 11, '61


31


William Goodey


Larceny . . ..


April 28, '60.


7


330


Nathan Hendricks Having coun- alias terfeit mon-


July 31, '60. .


July 5, '61


359


Wm. A. Carney .. .. Champion Vaughn ..


Larceny do


March 16, '63 ..


Nov. 17, '64. . .


478


James Bailey .


do


Nov. 3, '63 . 66 66


Nov. 3, '68


479


Nelson G. Whiting ..


Counterf't'ng


Nov. 16, '66. 8


498


Oscar Goodwin .


Adultery. .


May 26, '64


512


Elkanah S. Tanner . Isaac Wright


do


Nov. 3, '65.


Nov. 2, '67. .


763 764


Peter Kramer


do 2 in'dict's. do 2 in'dict's. Larceny do


May 26, '68. Oct. 31, '69. 66 66


Feb. 26, '70. .


997


James A. Burton Levi Graham


do


66


May 16, 70


Feb. 16, '72.


1069


Wm. Hockenberry


do


June 6, '70.


11


1360


Walter Russell.


Manslaugh'r


May 28, '72


Nov. 11, '72.


1455


David J. Von Wil. .


Robbery . .


Jan. 22, '73.


12


1664


William Witt


Larceny .


Jan. 28, '74


66


July 10, '74. .


2833


John Thompson


Burglary


Feb. 4, '78


May 4, '82


2867


John Yost.


Larceny


Feb. 4, 779.


April 29, '79. . .


2950


Frank Peach.


2951


John Dibal.


Burglary do


June 26, '79. 66


Feb. 25,'80. .


66


3099


William Bradley


3283


Charles Neff.


Larceny do


Feb. 5, '81


Oct. 10, '81. Oct. 3, '81.


REMARKS :- 1 Pardoned November 2, '55. 2 Pardoned Aug. 12, '57.


3 Escaped. 4 Died June 27, '75. 5 Order Supreme Court, Nov. 3, '59. 6 ditto. 7 Pardoned August 2, '60. 8 Pardoned April 14, '71. 9 Pardoned January 21, '68. 10 Pardoned December 22, '71. 11 Pardoned December 23, '72. 12 Sent to Anamosa May 13, '73. 13 Pardoned July 24, '74.


At present [July 12, 1882] there is not a single prisoner from Johnson county in this institution. HIEL HALE, Deputy Warden.


26


Lerceny .


Nov. 4, '64.


Jan. 8, '67.


577


George Sleider


Nov. 9, '67.


Sept. 28, '68. .


829


Herbert Shaw.


June 15, '72. .


998


999


1064


Geo. H. Thomas. George H. Moffit.


do


do


1665


L. W. Thompson


Forgery


Jan. 22, '61


Nov. 6, '62


450


Hend'ks Townsend ey


..


170


Moses Lafferty


do


66


10


13


Jan. 23, '80.


406


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


ANAMOSA ADDITIONAL PENITENTIARY.


List of prisoners received from Johnson county, from January 22, 1873, to July 15, 1882:


NAME.


CRIME COMMITTED.


DATE RECEIVED.


DATE DISCHARGED


D. J. Van Wie. . . .


Robbery


January 22, '73|April 1, '79 .


Archy Shearier .


Grand Larceny


66


'75 Pard. June 13, '76.


Joseph Shearier


66


66


Oct. 11, '77 . .


John H. Shelly. .


66


46


60


66


66


66


Jos. Brown.


60


66


13, '76|Nov. 23, '76.


Robt. Palm.


Larceny


July 13, '76.


Oct. 6, '76.


William Dilley .


Murder 1st deg.


Feb. 6, '77


Life. .


Frank Allen


Grand Larceny .


July 5, '77


Aug. 2, '77 66


John Thompson. .


Burglary


Feb. 4, '78


A. Keeler


Burglary & Larc'y July 2, '78


Wm. Keeler


May 12, '79 ..


..


Chas. Thomas ..


66


66


3,'80


Died, Aug. 21,'81.


Patrick Murphy ..


66


66


66


66


Gertie Walker


W. B. Rising.


.


Assault with int't to commit murder Larceny . .


66


66


March 14, 'S2


Wm. J. Burns


June 6, '82


John Proctor


Assault with int't


66


66


to commit murder


66


66


16, '77


Chas. Smith.


Forgery


J. D. McMahan ..


Forgery .


Trans. to Ft. Mad., January 11, '79 . .. March 18, '80.


66


66


66


George Walker.


Burglary . 66


66


This is a correct list; those not marked discharged are here yet. Yours Respectfully,


A. E. MARTIN, Warden.


66


66


Thos. McNamer


407


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


CHAPTER VI .- PART 3.


THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.


The very first gubernatorial message ever promulgated in Iowa was strongly and decisively a temperance document. This was the message which Gov. Lucas delivered at the opening of the first Iowa Legislature ever convened, and occurred at Burlington, on Monday, the 12th day of November, 1838. In this document the Governor said:


We frequently see the most disastrous consequences proceed from prac- tices, that in some places are considered as only fashionable vices-namely, gambling and intemperance. These two vices may be considered the fountains from which almost every other crime proceeds, as the statistical reports of many of the penitentiaries conclusively show. They have pro- duced more murders, robberies, and individual distress, than all other crimes put together : this is evident, when we consider the many thousands that annually destroy themselves, and bring their families to beggary and wretchedness, by pursuing these vices: for surely there can be no murder of a deeper moral dye than self murder; and no robbery of a more heinous character than the robbery of our own families. Could you in your wis- dom devise ways and means to check the progress of gambling and intemperance in this territory, you will perform an act that would immor- talize your names and entitle you to the gratitude of posterity.


In this as in many other particulars, Gov. Lucas clearly laid down the true and righteous principles of government, which afterward became embodied in constitutional and statute laws of the State, once with the voice of Johnson county concurring (1855), and once with its strong majority against the measure (1882). As he was an honored and beloved citizen of Johnson county, it was proper in this history to note, as done above, how clearly he discerned and forecast the higher levels of Christian statesmanship which were yet to be climbed up to, if this land fulfilled its mission in the divine economy of States.


THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.


On June 1, 1842, there was a Washingtonian temperance meeting in the Methodist Protestant Church. Judge Williams and Dr. Reynolds, were the speakers. John Horner was secretary of the organization. The Iowa city band furnished music for the occasion.


At a meeting of the Total Abstinence Society, held at Iowa City, on the 14th of September, 1842, the following preamble and resolution was unanimously adopted:


Resolved, that the secretary of this society be authorized and directed to enter into a correspondence with the temperance societies in the princi- pal places in this territory, in order to ascertain from them what they can do in aid of a subscription for maintaining a permanent temperance mis- sionary for the territory of Iowa; and that the Washingtonian society is respectfully requested to join in such correspondence.


408


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The same meeting adopted a resolution reciting that a report had been put in circulation that their temperance missionary, Mr. Z. Washburn, when he was attending court in Iowa Clty in June preceding "got so drunk that he had to be taken out of the city and laid under a shade tree till he got sober;" and then they-


Resolved, that the said report is a malicious falsehood, and deserves the condemnation of all good men.


April 1, 1843, a report is made by Wm. Foster and J. M. Price, that Z. Washburn had been lecturing in their neighborhood, and ninety-six had signed the pledge.


" CHURCH AND STATE " SCARE.


Dr. Jesse Bowen was known as the "invisible" editor of the Whig paper called the Standard, and so when anything appeared in that paper which its opponents wanted to pitch into, it was attributed to him, no matter whether he had ever seen it before it was printed or not. Along in 1842, 1843, there was considerable agitation of the temperance question going on, and the Standard criticised pretty severely the methods and theories of some of the agitators; whereupon a writer in the Capital Reporter replied to him thus:


The fears of the doctor that an union of Church and State are about to take place in the territory of Iowa, are so visionary and absurd in this enlightened age, that it seems to me when he gives them his second sober thought, that he will dismiss them from his mind as the dreams of a disor- dered intellect.


This will serve to show something of the temper and quality of the temperance controversy in Johnson county at that time.


SONS OF TEMPERANCE.


October 7, 1847, there was instituted at Iowa City, "Far West Division No. 4 of the Sons of Temperance." The charter members were W. Penn Clarke, James Robinson, Wm. McCormick, H. D. Downey, James Harlan, Silas Foster and S. C. Trowbridge. The instituting officer was T. S. Battell, of Muscatine, acting as Deputy Grand Worthy Patriarch.


The pledge was: "No brother shall make, buy, sell or use as a bever- age, any spirituous or malt liquors, wine or cider."


The meeting for organization was held in the old capitol building, now the main building of the State University. The organization lingered along ten or twelve years, but never quite got up to the Iowa level on the woman question. This order never admitted women to membership except permissibly on local option for a year or so, and then forbade it again -- though finally a sort of crinoline degree or "complimentary side- show" was fixed up to bridge over the women question. But it was not a success. Then the order of Good Templars sprang up, giving women full equality in its councils, and it eventually superseded the order of "Sons" entirely. The following list from the old roll of membership of "Far


409


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


West Division" shows some historic names, all in their own handwriting, and shows who mustered in the order during its lifetime in Iowa City:


William Patterson, deceased; J. D. W. Marsh, moved away; Wm. Penn Clarke, now in Washington, D. C .; Anson Hart, deceased; James Robin- son, deceased; Henry Murray, M. D., died; Wm. McCormick, M. D., Grass Valley, Cal .; Edward Redhead, moved away: James Clark, head chief of Temple of Honor order; Jos. T. Fales, first State auditor, died; H. D. Downey, banker, died; G. D. Palmer, editor, out west; James Harlan. ex-U. S. Senator; Thomas Snyder, died; Geo. S. Hampton, ex-clerk supreme court, died; Silas Foster, died; S. C. Trowbridge, Curator State Historical Society; I. Crummey, died; Jno. M. Colman, died; Peter Mori- arty, ex-State printer, deceased; C. C. Catlett, deceased; James Franklin, deceased; M. T. Patterson, in California; Henry Ward, moved away; Nelson King, ex-member legislature; Anthony Cole, deceased; B. P. Moore, deceased; M. J. Morsman, M. D., still in Iowa City: A. W. Sweet, moved away; Robt. M. Secrest, deceased; Oliver J. Phelps, deceased; J. C. Nobles, moved away; Charles Cartwright, still in Iowa City; Charles Pirmey, moved away; Israel Fisher, moved away; Chauncey Swan, deceased; Sylvanus Johnson, still lives at Iowa City; S. Magill, still in lowa City; Alcinus Young, deceased; Anthony F. Thompson, moved away; Abraham C. Price, M. D., moved away; W. A. Henry, deceased; Samuel McCord, deceased; Dean E. Reynolds, moved away; Joseph H. Fisher, moved away; John L. Gordon, moved to Missouri; John J. San- ders, M. D., deceased; Samuel M. Coleman, moved away; W. S. Street, deceased; Lewis S. Swafford, still here; Samuel J. Hess, still here; Wm. Hamilton, deceased; O. J. McCormick, moved away; Charles Gaymon, still here; Isaac V. Dennis, still here; Dwight C. Dewey, M. D., moved away; R. Hutchinson, still here; S. R. Price, moved away.


James Robinson was the Worthy Patriarch of the Iowa City Division, who represented it when the grand division of the State was organized, Nov. 25, 1847.


CADETS OF TEMPERANCE.


Early in 1882 the brother editors of the Iowa State Register at Des Moines, expressed pride and satisfaction that they had belonged to the order of Cadets of Temperance in their boyhood, and asked other ex- cadets of Iowa to report the fact. And for several months thereafter it was quite in fashion for men who had formerly belonged to this " toga . virilis " temperance order to have the fact published in that " boss news- paper of the capital city."


In 1849 or '50, J. M. Coleman, James Harlan, S. C. Trowbridge and Joseph T. Fales, procured a charter and organized a section of Cadets of Temperance in Iowa City. This organization was for boys between the - ages of fourteen and eighteen years, and none others were admitted. It was entirely under the fostering care of the order of Sons of Temper- ance, and its members on becoming eighteen years old passed into the order of Sons by special privilege. The boys elected all their own offi- cers, the highest of whom was called Worthy Archon; but they must also have present some authorized member of the Sons to represent the


410


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


paternal and patriarchial guardianship of that order, and to see that the business was properly conducted by the boys.


The Cadets took the same pledge of total abstinence which the Sons did, and also an additional pledge not to use tobacco in any form. Their meetings were held up stairs in what was then the Mechanics' Institute, but is now known as the Mercy Hospital, or hospital of the medical department of the State University. As nearly as can now be learned, from eighty to one hundred boys united with this order during its exist- ence in Iowa City. Judge Coleman was its Worthy Patriarch most of the time. Some of the boys who are remembered as having belonged to the Cadets here have since filled places of honor and trust. W. P. Hep- burn, now member of congress from the eighth district, was at one time Worthy Archon of the Cadets. A. B. Walker was afterwards an officer in the deaf mute asylum at Council Bluffs. Two of Colonel Henderson's sons belonged, one of whom is now judge of the district court at Mar- shalltown; and the other one was Colonel of the Forty-fourth Iowa Infantry (100 day service) in 1864. He is now a Methodist presiding elder in the Upper Iowa Conference.


GOOD TEMPLARS.


Rescue Lodge No. 154, I. O. G. T., was organized on Tuesday evening, February 14. 1865, by the Grand Worthy Secretary, J. Norwood Clark. The first officers were: E. Metcalf, W. C. T .; Frances Clark, W. V. T .; A. B. Walker, W. R. S .; Amanda Calkin, W. T .; E. F. Brown, W. M .; B. H. Wilde, W. F. S .; Melissa J. Haddock, W. I. G .; T. McGillin, W. O.G .; Wm. Dow, W. C .; Olive Metcalf, R. H. S .; Sarah Dow, L. H. S .; N. Adams, P. W. C. T. J. B. Haddock, Lodge Deputy. Meetings held on Friday evenings. Initiation fee, $1 for men, and 50 cents for women.


There was another Lodge of Good Templars, called Ragan Lodge No. 15, and the following officers were elected in February, 1865: J. D. Bowersock, W. C. T .; Mary Berger, W. V. T .; George Lewis, W. R. S .; R. L. Dunlap, W. F. S .; J. N. Clark, W. T .; G. R. Betz, W. M .; Athenias Bishop, W. I. G .; J. N. Templin, W. O.G. No other particu- lars were obtained of this lodge.


VOTE ON LIQUOR PROHIBITION IN 1855.


For some mysterious and unexplained reason there is no mention what- ever of this vote, nor any record made of returns upon it, in the county records for the year 1855. The county business was then running under the one-man rule, or county judge system of administration. F. H. Lee was then the county judge. On Monday, April 2, 1855, an election was held throughout the State on a question of prohibitory legislation. In Johnson county at the same election there was a vote also taken on the question of restraining sheep, goats and hogs, from running at large-or


411


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


as it was termed, the " Hog Law;" and also on a question of whether the county should establish a county poor house and farm. The liquor law, hog law, and poor house were all voted upon at the same time. F. H. · Lee, county judge, with Malcolm Murray and P. H. Barns, two justices of the peace, constituted the county canvassing board. They made full entry of the vote on the hog law and the poor house, but no mention whatever of the vote on the prohibitory law. However, this historian, with the assistance of the county auditor, A. Medowell, Esq., succeeded in finding the original tally sheets of each township on that election, and from · them the following return of that unrecorded vote has been accu- rately compiled :


Name of Township.


For the Liquor Law 417


Against the Liquor Law


Iowa City


173


Big Grove.


56


45


Cedar


32


Jefferson


28


4


Monroe


31


10


Penn


84


15


Scott.


52


1


Clear Creek


37


21


Washington


56


46


Union


22


25


Liberty


19


48


Pleasant Valley


41


54


Newport


58


35


Total


933


484


Majority in favor of the prohibitory liquor law, 449.


At this time there was no such office as county clerk. Samuel Hess was clerk of the district court, and F. H. Lee county judge.


The vote throughout the State on the prohibition question at the same time (1855) stood thus: For the prohibitory law, 25,555; against the pro- hibitory law, 22,645; majority in the State in favor of the law, 2,910.


On the 25th day of December, 1856, Geo. W. Eastman, agent to sell liquor in Iowa City, came before the county board, and resigned said appointment; and thereupon it was ordered that said resignation be received and said agency be suppressed. Said agent made settlement and paid into the county treasury the sum of $400, the amount in his hands, and was thereupon discharged.


Among the matters of curious and legitimate history in regard to the temperance question and the prohibitory liquor law in Johnson county, is the following unique and racy public document, which was published in the Iowa City Press, April 11, 1866:


PROCLAMATION.


WHEREAS, The selling of intoxicating liquors is against the laws, the constitution and institutions of the State of Iowa, and,


412


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


WHEREAS, The federal and city licenses do not protect our constitu- tional and personal rights, and,


WHEREAS, The most of the Reverendissimi atque amplisimi clergymen of Iowa City, blessed by true and faithful christianity, philanthropy and infalibility, did call us at their temperance meeting last September, pirates, murderers, serpents, poisoners, dealers of firebrands, arrows etc., and,


WHEREAS, The most potent N. H. Brainerd, epitor, and leader of the Republican party, pronounced in his most excellent and edifying journal, that we keep the chambers of death and gates of hell; that we are pour- ing out the streams of damnation and death, and,


WHEREAS, In order to show to our distinguished lawyers that we, as common men, are martyrs to the indistinctness of the U. S. Laws: .


THEREFORE, we do hereby solemnly PROCLAIM and declare that on and after the 12th day of April, 1866, we will refrain from selling intoxi- cating liquors under any name, and will sell only beer, cider and Iowa wine: that we will keep first-class eating-houses, and it will be our pleas- ure to see old and new friends, to whom we are much obliged for their patronage, hoping they will keep our humble places in remembrance.




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