USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 14
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1881-The same members, G. M. Scott in the Chair.
1882-G. M. Scott, Chairman; E. Wilber, and F. McCausland.
1883-Fred. MeCausland, Chairman; G. M. Scott and J. D. Riee.
1884 -- J. D. Rice, Chairman; F. McCausland and I. U. Riddle.
1885-J. D. Rice, Chairman; I. U. Riddle and J. K. MeCaskey.
1886 -- J. K. MeCaskey, Chairman; I. U. Riddle and W. D. Crow.
1887-The same as the preceding year.
1888-I. U. Riddle, Chairman; W. D. Crow and D. A. Pember.
1889-W. D. Crow, Chairman; D. A. Pember and I. U. Riddle.
National, State and County Representation.
CHAPTER III.
W MIILE unworthy men, at times, may force | Pomeroy, of Ft. Dodge. The latter served one themselves into office, it cannot but be term. acknowledged that the great body of the The next representative in the National Assem- bly was Jackson Orr, of Boonsboro, who was elected in 1870. Ile filled the position with great credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his sup- porters in the Alst, 42d and 13d Congresses, the last term of the newly created Ninth District. officeholders of the country are truly representative men-men of positive force and character. They are of the number that build up and strengthen a town, a county, or a State. In this chapter it is designed to show who among the inhabitants of the county have represented the people in National, State or county office. First to begin with is:
CONGRESSIONAL.
When Monona County was organized it became a portion of the Second Congressional District, and was represented in the National Council by John P. Cook, in the 33d Congress. lle was one of the ablest lawyers in the State, and died at Davenport, in April, 1872. lle was succeeded by James Thor- ington in the 34th Congress, and by Timothy Davis, of Clayton County, in the 35th Congress, from 1857 to 1859.
In the 35th and 36th Congresses, from 1859 to 1862, William Vandever, of Dubuque, represented this, the Second District, in the National Assembly, and gave eminent satisfaction to his constituents.
In 1862, Asahel W. Hubbard, of Sioux City, was elected to Congress. lle was a native of Connec- ticut, born in 1817, who came from Indiana in 1857, and settled in what is now the " Corn Palace City." He served through the 38th, 30th and 40th Congresses, and was succeeded in 1868 by Charles
The successor of Mr. Orr in Congress was Judge Addison Oliver, one of the early settlers and lead- ing citizens of Monona County, a man whose inter- ests have grown up with the development of this. his home. A sketch of this prominent eitizen is given further on, giving in detail his life work in this community. Mr. Oliver represented the Ninth Distriet of fowa in Congress for four years, and was succeeded by ex-Governor Cyrus C. Carpenter, of Ft. Dodge. lle held the office through the 46th and 47th Congresses.
Isaac Struble, of Lemars, the present able repre- sentative of this section of the State in the halls of onr National Assembly, was elected in 1882, to represent the newly formed Eleventh Distriet, and has been chosen his own successor at each succeed- ing election.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
When this county was first organized, in 1854, it became a part of the Forty second Representative District, and was represented in the Fifth General Assembly, first by Thomas B. Neely, of Harrison
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County, but his seat was contested by Green T. | Clark, to whom it was adjudged Jan. 4, 1855. This assembly was first convened, Dec. 4, 1854.
The Sixth General Assembly met at Iowa City, Dec. 1, 1856, and adjourned Jan. 29, 1857. Monona County, as a part of the Twelfth Senatorial Dis- triet, was represented in the upper house by James 1). Test; in the lower house by N. G. Wyatt. This with the counties of Harrison, Shelby, Woodbury and eighteen others composed the Sixteenth Repre sentative Distriet.
In the constitutional convention which met at Iowa City Jan. 19, 1857, and adjourned March 5, 1857, this district was represented by Daniel W. Price.
On the 11th of January, 1858, the Seventh Gen- eral Assembly met at Des Moines, and adjourned March 22 following. This county, then a portion of the Twelfth District, was represented in the Sen- ate by W. H. M. Pusey, of Council Bluffs. The Fourteenth Representative District was represented by Samuel 11. Casady.
The Eighth General Assembly met on the 8th of January, 1860, and contained in the Senate W. H. M. Pusey as Senator, and J. W. Dennison as Rep- resentat ve from this district. The members of the legislative district had changed its number to that of Forty-fifth.
John F. Duncombe, of Ft. Dodge, in the Senate and William W. Fuller, in the House, represented this district in the Ninth General Assembly, which was convened for the first time Jan. 13, 1862. The senatorial district was then known as the Thirty- second, and the representative as the Sixty-fourth.
The Tenth General Assembly, which convened at Des Moines, Jan. 11, 1864, and continued in session until Mareb 29, following, contained among its members George W. Bassett, in the Senate, and Addison Oliver, of Onawa, in the House, as rep- resentatives of this district.
Addison Oliver, of Monona County, in the Sen- ate, and S. J. Comfort. in the Ilouse, represented the interests of this district in the Eleventh Gene- ral Assembly, which met. in conclave at Des Moines, Jan. 8, 1866, and adjourned April 3, the same year.
The Twelfth General Assembly, which convened
in Des Moines Jan. 13, 1868, and remained in sess- ion until April 8 following, found Addison Oliver still representing the Forty-sixth District, of which Monona County formed a part, and Stephen Till- son the member of the Sixty-third District in the Chamber of Representatives.
Jan. 10, 1870, witnessed the assembling of the Thirteenth General Assembly, and among the dele- gates Charles Atkins, of Onawa, in the Senate, and J. D. Miracle, in the Lower House, represented the interests of the district of which Monona County formed a part.
The Fourteenth General Assembly which con- vened Jan. 8, 1872, remained in session until April 23. 1872. Charles Atkins continued to fill the post of Senator from this district, the Forty- eighth, and Charles G. Perkins, of Onawa, was the Representative from the Fortieth Legislative Dis- trict, composed of the counties of Monona, Audu- bon, Shelby and Crawford.
The Fifteenth General Assembly met on the 12th of January, 1874, and adjourned March 18 follow- ing. Monona County was represented in the Senate by George D. Perkins, the editor of the Sioux City Journal, and in the Lower House by Edmund B. Baird.
George D. Perkins in the Senate and George Rae in the House, represented this district in the Six- teenth General Assembly, which convened Jan. 10, 1876, and adjourned March 16 following.
Jan. 10. 1878, the Seventeenth General Assembly met, and Monona County was duly represented by A. W. Ford in the Senate and Elijah Peake, of Onawa, in the House of Representatives.
The Eighteenth General Assembly which eon- vened at Des Moines, Jan. 12, 1880, contained as the representatives of the district of which Monona County formed a part, A. W. Ford in the Senate and Henry C. Laub in the House.
The Nineteenth General Assembly that con- vened in January, 1882, contained as the repre- sentatives of this district, T. M. C. Logan in the Senate and Robert T. Shearer in the lower chamber.
Charles E. Whiting, of Monona County, repre- sented the interests of the district in the Senate and Daniel Campbell in the llouse, in the Twentieth General Assembly, which convened Jan. 18, 1884,
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and continued in session until April 2 of the same year. The Senatorial district, which was known as the Forty-sixth, consisted of the counties of Monona, Woodbury and Crawford, Monona County alone constituted the Seventy-third Representative District.
The Twenty-first General Assembly convened in January, 1886, and contained as Senator from this district C. E. Whiting, and in the House, W. F. Wiley.
The Twenty-second General Assembly of the State of lowa convened at Des Moines in January, 1888, and this district was represented therein by C. M. Whiting in the Senate and by F. F. Roe in the House of Representatives.
COUNTY JUDGE.
This office was the most important in the gift of the people of the county, in an early day, it em- bracing the duties now devolving to a great extent upon the Board of Supervisors, Auditor and Court of Probate, together with the granting of marriage licenses and other business.
The first to occupy this responsible position was Charles B. Thompson, of Preparation, a history of whom appears in the annals of that township. It would seem that he kept no record of the transactions of his court, for nothing of the kind is among the county records. He was succeeded in August, 1854, by John Craig, who occupied the office until Nov. 1856, when he resigned, and the place was filled by L. Sears until the election, in April, 1857, of Charles E. Whiting. Judge Whiting assumed the control of the affairs of the county immediately after his election, and found the matters of the county in considerable confusion, but soon straightened them out. He continued at the belm of government until the fall of 1859, when he was succeeded by John C. Ilazlett. The latter was the last county judge un- der the law that made him the head of the local government, the office being shorn of many of its duties, and superseded, Jan. 1, 1861, by the Board of Supervisors. For some time after this the office continued, and had jurisdiction in all probate mat- ters and some kindred business.
The first under this law was J. R. Bouslaugh, who fulfilled its duties until, at the end of his two years'
term, he was succeeded by Stephen Tillson, after- wards one of the leading men of the district. In 1865 C. C. Bisbee was elected to this office, and served for two years. Elijah Peake was chosen to fill this position in 1867, and performed its duties until Nov. 10, 1868, when, resigning, he was re- placed by Herbert E. Morrison. The latter gen - tlemen, appointed by the board Nov. 28, filled the position until the 1st of January, 1869, when the probate matters having been transferred to the cir- cuit court, the office was abolished. The county judge at the time of the change in the law was inade ex officio
COUNTY AUDITOR,
And thus II. E. Morrison became the first to occupy that responsible office. He remained in this capacity until the 1st of January, 1870, when he was suc- ceeded by John K. McCaskey, who was re-elected his own successor in 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879 and 1881, occupying the office for fourteen con- secutive years, well and faithfully performing all the multifarious duties pertaining thereto. On the 1st of January, 1881, George A. Douglas, the pres- ent Auditor, was inducted into the office, and was re-elected to the same position in 1885 and 1887,
TREASURER AND RECORDEL.
At the time that the county was organized, by a law of the State these two offices were discharged by one and the same person, and so continued for several years. The first to occupy the dual office was llugh Lytle, who was chosen at the first elec- tion in the spring of 1854, and re-elected at the regular election in August, 1855. Ile evidently re- signed the office, for in April, 1856, William Bur- ton was elected to fill the vacancy, and in August, 1857, was re- elected for a full term.
C. Il. llolbrook was Mr. Burton's successor, having been chosen in the fall of 1859, and being re-elected his own successor in 1861, served four years. James Armstrong was elected to the double office in 1863, and held it for about a year, when the two offices became separated, after which he served out the term in the most responsible and im- portant of the two, that of
COUNTY TREASURER.
John E. Selleck was chosen by the qualified
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MONONA COUNTY.
voters of the county to fill the position of Treasurer in 1865, and assumed the duties of the same at the beginning of the following year. He served four years. .James Armstrong, in 1869, was again elected to this office, and being re-elected in 1871, was in office for a term of four years. W. L. Ring, eleeted in 1873, next served one term, and was suc- ceeded Jan. 1, 1876, by G. H. Bryant. The latter gentleman, a great favorite with the people, was chosen his own successor in 1877, 1879 and 1881, thus serving them in this office for eight years.
H. N. Seott filled the office of Treasurer of Monona County for two years from January, 1884, and was succeeded in 1886 by George E. Warner, the present incumbent, who has continued to man- age the finances of the county with ability and to the satisfaction of the people ever since.
COUNTY RECORDER.
On the separation of this office from that of treasurer in 1864, the people of Monona County chose E. D. Dimmick to fill the position, and that gentleman fulfilled the official duties of the place for two years. John E. Selleck, at that time County Treasurer, was elected to fill the office in 1866, and again in 1868, and filled both positions at the same time. In 1870 C. G. Perkins was elected to this office and filled it until January 4, 1872, or one year, when he resigned it, and the board of super- visors placed it in the hands of James Armstrong. then serving as treasurer. June 4, the same year, the latter gentleman in turn handed in his resigna- tion and C. G. Perkins was re-installed in the office by appointment of the board.
M. W. Bacon was chosen by the people of the county at the regular election in the fall of 1872 and entered upon his official duties January 1, 1873. In 1874, 1876, 1878 and 1880 the qualified electors endorsed his action in this onerous office by re-eleeting him thereunto, he thus serving in this capacity for ten years.
At the annual election in the fall of 1882, L. D. Bearce was chosen by the people to fill the vacancy then existing in the office of County Recorder, and for the succeeding full term. Faithful in the dis- charge of every duty devolving upon him, Mr. Bearce has been chosen at the expiration of every
term of his office his own successor and is the pres- ent incumbent of the position.
CLERK OF THE COURTS.
The first Clerk of the Courts, of Monona County, was George Ilinkenlooper, as appears by the rec- ords, who was elected at the organization of, the county in April, 1854. He seems never to have served, or at least transacted but little business, as his successor, Andrew Hall, was elected in August of the same year. Of neither of them is there much in the records, which are incomplete and unsatis- factory for that period. In April, 1855, Andrew G. Jackson was elected to this office and apparently continued therein until the spring of 1857, when he was succeeded by H. J. Hawley. The latter gen- tleman remained in this position for three years and was succeeded in the fall of 1859 by Charles Atkins, who was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Hawley. Mr. Atkins, one of Onawa's first and leading merchants, was re-elected to the same official dignity in November, 1860, and served in all some three years.
W. H. Wiley, elected Clerk of the Courts in the autumn of 1862, served one term of two years and was succeeded by T. Elliott. At the general elec- tion of 1866 Mr. Elliott and H. E. Morrison each received the same number of votes, and according to the law for such cases made and provided, drew lots before the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Morri- son won and was duly inducted into the office, but only served two years.
J. K. MéCaskey was elected to fill the office in 1868, and in 1870, and 1872, although at the time discharging the duties of the office of County Aud- itor, was re-elected to the position of Clerk of the. Courts. At the annual fall election in the year 1874, W. R. Hanscom was elected to this office and was re-elected to the same in 1878. On the 2nd of August, 1879, while, still in the discharge of his duties, he was called away to "the land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns," carrying with him the regrets of the whole community. The Board of Supervisors appointed Charles H. Ald- ridge to fill the vacancy, a choice which was in- dorsed by the people of the county at the fall elec- tion. Mr. Aldridge continued in this office by the
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MONONA COUNTY.
will of his fellow-citizens for over seven years. but in January, 1887, was succeeded by W. J. Maugh- lin, the present Clerk, a young man of remarkable ability and promise.
SHERIFF.
At the primary election, on the organization of the county, in April, 1854, the records disclose the fact that Johnson F. Lane was chosen Sheriff of the infant county. In August, 1855, Guy C. Barnum, a well-known character of those days, was placed in this office but did not occupy it long. At the election in April, 1858, Francis C. Case was chosen Sheriff, but in the few days intervening between that time and the installation of officers, died, and E. R. Pierce was appointed to fill the vacancy, and held the office until the elcetion, in October follow- ing, of John A. Hittle, his successor, The latter named gentleman continued in office until 1866, when he in turn gave way to E. R. Pierce, who was succeeded two years later by W. A. Grow. In 1869 Mr. Pierce was again elected Sheriff and served another term of two years. J. K. Myers, eleeted Sheriff in 1871, filled the office until Octo- ber 20, 1874, when he resigned and was succeeded by James Walker, who was appointed by the board to fill the vacancy. At the election of 1875 this choice was justified by the people, who re-elected Mr. Walker to the same office in 1877, 1879, 1881 and 1883.
L. D. Kittle, the present Sheriff of Monona County, was first chosen to fill that office in 1885, and again in 1887.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF COMMON SCHOOL.S.
Prior to the institution of County Superintend- ents some of the affairs of the educational depart- ment of the Government were entrusted to an offi- cer known as the School Fund Commissioner. The first to fill this position in the county was Isaac Davis, who was elected in 1856. Timothy Elliott was chosen to discharge the duties of the office in 1857.
The office of Superintendent was created in 1858, and the work and duties made the same as at the present day, visiting schools, holding examinations and looking after educational matters generally.
The first to fulfill the functions of the office was C. C. Bisbee, whose term commenced in April, 1858. Ilugh Lytle was elected the suceessor of Mr. Bisbee and served two years from the fall of 1859. Richard Stebbins was the next incum- bent of the office, then of more honor than profit, serving from 1861 to 1864. At the election of 1863 W. L. Ring was elected Superintendent, but not qualifying. the Board of Supervisors appointed H. L. Erskine to fill the vacancy, which he did until the following January, when he was succeeded by C. C. Bisbee. This gentleman served three years. W. A. Dorward was chosen at the election of 1865, but he not having been fully naturalized at the time was incapacitated from holding the office, and J. S. Maughlin was appointed to fill the vacancy. In 1867 Elder Maughlin was duly elected to fill the same office by the people of the county, aud advanced the cause of education perceptibly dur- ing his four years' occupancy of the position. W. A. Greene, now the senior editor of the Sentinel, was elected to this office in 1869 and served two years. His successor was Miss Sarah Fulton, who was first elected in 1871 and re-elected in 1873, and filled the office acceptably for four years. Rev. C. N. Lyman, the Pastor then as now of the Onawa Congregational Church, was the next incumbent of this very important office, being first elected in 1875 and again in 1877. J. G. Iddings, elected in 1879 and in 1881, served four years as Superinten- dent and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Lyman. F. P. Fisher was chosen by the people to fill this office in 1885 and after two years of service was succeeded Jan. 1, 1888, by B. F. Ross, the present efficient and energetic Superintendent of the Com- mon Sehools of Monona County.
COUNTY SURVEYOR.
J. HI. Wagner was elected county surveyor in Au- gust, 1854, thus being the first to fill that office in this county. He was succeeded by Samuel Scott, who served for two years. J. II. Sharon was elected in 1857, and two years later was followed by Jo- seph Dungan. 1861 witnessed the election of Levi Smith, who was followed the next year by C. C. Bisbee. C., II. Holbrook was the next incumbent of this office, first being elected in 1863, and re-
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MONONA COUNTY.
eleeted in 1865 and 1867. Joseph Dungan served during the year 1870 and 1871. George Atkins was chosen in the fall of 1871 to fill this position, and held it until September 3, 1873, when he re- signed and was succeeded by J. B. P. Day. At the fall election following C. H. Holbrook was elected to this office again, but was succeeded Jan. 1, 1876, by Mr. Day. George Atkins was again the occu- pant of the office in 1878 and 1879, and J. B. P. Day of the years 1880, 1881 and 1882, resigning the latter part of the last named year. George At- kins was chosen to fill the vacancy. C. W. Bisbee was Surveyor for 1884 and 1885, and F. E. Colby during the years 1886 and 1887. C. W. Bisbee, the present County Surveyor, was elected this time in the fall of 1887.
DRAINAGE COMMISSIONER.
The following named gentlemen have filled the office of drainage commissioner-an office abol- ished in 1871; Gny C. Barnum, from 1854 to 1857 ;
James H. Sharon, two years; James Armstrong, four years; J. A. Scott, in 1864"andj 1865; James Armstrong in 1866 and 1867; 1). M. Dimmick, two years; and John Jeffcoat, two years.
COUNTY CORONER.
The first to be elected to this office, important in many respects, was Aaron Cook, in April. 1854; IT. C. Iloyt, chosen in 1851, served two years; George Erb, one year; N. G. Wyatt, one year ; . J. A. Seott, several years, and F. F. Roe. two years. In the fall of 1867 Dr. R. Stebbins was elected to this office and continued to hold it by the will of the people for ten years. D. Handel, D. H. Me- Kown, II. Noble, D. H. Mckown, and D. Rust, each served one term, and were sneceeded in 1886 by C. M. Smith, the present incumbent of the office. COUNTY ATTORNEY,
An office created in 1886, has been filled -- first, by II. Crissman, and at the present by C. E. Under- hill, the latter elected in 1888.
OTHER OFFICIAL MATTERS.
- -
CHAPTER IV.
G ROUPED together in this chapter will be found various items of information and interest gathered from the county records, and from other widely scattered sources, that seem to fill no special niche in history, but which left un- told would sadly mar the completeness of the whole.
POPULATION.
In 1854, the first year of this county's exist- ence, there were 202 inhabitants credited to it in the State census, as then constituted, of whom 109 were males and ninety-three of the gentler sex. In 1860 there were 832; in 1865, 1,096; in 1870, 3,654; in 1875,5,967; in 1880, 9,055, and in 1885 there were no less than 12,147 inhabitants in the county, by the State census. If the same percent- age of increase has been made in the five years succeeding the last enumeration, which is not un- reasonable, Monona County has at the present writing upward of 18,000 people, an extremely large portion of whom are American born, only 657 being of foreign birth at the time of the enu- meration of the census of 1885, while 10,521 were native born.
MARRIAGE RECORD.
By the laws of this State a license to marry has always been required, and a record kept of the contracting parties. Probably some within the limits of the county were united in matrimony previous to the organization of the county, but
such will be found to have been mentioned in the proper connection.
In those early days young men and maidens were not married in the grand style that character- izes the marriages of the present time. Times were different, and there was no waiting for the arrival of riches before assuming the matrimonial responsibilities. Old folks were plain, economical and hospitable, and the young people were imbued with the same spirit as their parents. They were willing to go to housekeeping in a style correspond- ing with their means, trusting to the future for larger houses and more expensive furniture.
There are many amusing anecdotes connected with some of the earlier weddings; one of these, which has been called to mind by an old resident of the county, is worthy of recital. It is said that upon one occasion, in the "early fifties," a young and unsophisticated couple sought out, in one of the incipient villages of this locality, the party au- thorized to tie the hymeneal knot. A well known citizen, a wag, by way of a practical joke, referred them to the Postmaster, saying that the govern- ment authorized that official to act upon such oe- casions. When the custodian of the mails was in- terviewed by the embarrassed pair, he disclaimed any knowledge of such authority, but added, that as he had not been long in the employment of the government, was not quite " up to snuff'; but if the gentleman who sent them there said that he could, he supposed it was true. Accordingly the
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