USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History > Part 53
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Mr. Clark was a law partner of Judge W. J. Haddock from 1867 until his death in 1879, and during this partnership he was once more returned to the state legislature in 1876. He was, as has been said, a very popular man and his loss was lamented by the community. Preparations were made to re- ceive the distinguished dead officially as a civic body by action of the city council. This committee, with others from the state, met the funeral party from Washington at West Liberty and came with the train to Iowa City. On arrival at the sta- tion, Athens lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen
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took charge, since the dead congressman was an honored member of that order.
The congressional committee consisted of Senators Kirk- wood, Platt, and Hereford, and Congressmen Price, Neal, Hen- derson, Cook, Bennett, Hatch, and Barber.
During the funeral the church bells of the city sounded their doleful strains and rain came in torrents as if in sympathy with those that mourned, while the streets were lined with those who could only weep in silence as the solemn cortege moved to the new cemetery, where the last sad rites were said.441
Many letters came from prominent men over the United States to Mrs. Clark, the widow, but among these one was of especial interest, being from Alexander H. Stephens, the for- mer vice president of the southern confederacy. In this he said: "Mr. Clark's sudden death was an appalling blow, not only to my own feelings but to all in the hotel. . . The morn- ing after his death my heart bled on seeing the dear little children weeping together in the corridors as I passed by them. . . Be assured, Mrs. Clark, I will do all in my power to aid you and them in the matter referred to in your note."
As many as forty years ago the death of Gilman Folsom was chronicled as "the passing of a pioneer," and his life is part of the county record. When one crosses the Avenue bridge and climbs the hill on the right, then turns about to see the way he came, one of the first of the thoughts that come to him is of the striking situation for a home. This old brick house was built in 1851 and the material in the main portion came from the kilns of Sylvanus Johnson, which stood then not far from the Hummer Mill, as now located.
July 15, 1872, the original owner of the home died at the early age of fifty-four. But he had lived very much in a short time. Born in 1818, he came from the New Hampshire hills where he secured his first schooling and training in studious habits at Norwich Academy, and later at Norwich University, established by Alden Partridge, once superintendent of the West Point Military Academy.
Mr. Folsom studied law in the office of Josiah Quincy, the noted jurist of New Hampshire, and at twenty-three was ad- mitted to the bar at Haverhill.
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This was in 1831, just when the west was beginning to draw on New England for the material which later made good gov- ernment possible, and placed young men of attainments in prominent positions in early years. The young lawyer came west in 1841 and became a citizen of the new capital of Iowa territory. He was a colleague of James W. Grimes, Judge Joseph Williams, the second judge to hold court in the second judicial district, and Judge Carleton. He entered politics early and became a writer and speaker against the Whig party and was chosen for two terms a member of the house from Johnson county, the sessions of which were held in sight of his own home.
The code of 1851 was the joint product of himself and James W. Grimes, and it is said that "many of these legal landmarks are fixed boundaries for future laws."
When Pierce became president of the United States in 1852 Mr. Folsom was made receiver of the land office in Iowa City, which position he held until its removal. In this connection it may be mentioned that Joseph Albin, the veteran stage driver of the route from Iowa City to Davenport, and who was but a boy when he helped his father on these long drives, still speaks of Gilman Folsom and the care he was required to take in transporting the money by stage to Davenport.
His contemporaries in that time had long before passed away and he seemed then to be left alone, although only in his prime of life, it would appear. This was his last public service and he retired to his large estate on the borders of the city limits.
Dr. Jesse Bowen was also a prominent figure in the early history of Johnson county, coming here in 1840 and becoming at once an active member of the political and industrial soci- ety, as well as that of his profession. He is said to have been the first president of the Iowa State Agricultural Society and was at the time of the election of Taylor as president in 1848 one of the electors and was the elector selected to carry the state electoral vote to Washington. It is said that he was appointed register of the state land office and then re; turned to private duties at the disruption of the Whig party. Later when the republican party came to the front he was at once a leader and his strongest opponents gave him credit for
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undoubted courage when the battle against slavery was hot- test, and when other staunch leaders were almost silenced he "faced forward" as of old, never failing to express the cour- age of his convictions. If history is not in error he was a friend of John Brown, when that misunderstood man was a fugitive in Johnson county and adjoining territory. Once more he returned to public life as a member of the state senate and was appointed adjutant general, which office he later resigned in order to accept the office of paymaster in the army during the Civil War. This position he held all through the time of hostilities and for some time after the war closed, until he resigned that also to return to civil life.142
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Gilbert De Forest, who was a member of the state assembly in 1856, had been county sheriff in 1851, taking this office at the time F. H. Lee became county judge. He left Johnson county in 1869, removing to Miami county, Kansas, where he became county treasurer in 1873.
Louis R. Wolfe, who came first to North Bend in 1854, but later removed to Oxford township, was among the first mem- bers of the board of supervisors of the county, and then twice a member of the assembly. During the Civil War he was a captain of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry.
W. Penn Clarke was a member of the constitutional con- vention of 1857, and chairman of the Iowa republican conven- tion that sent a Lincoln delegation to Chicago in 1860. He came to the county quite early in its history, but his last years were spent in Washington where he was almost forgotten by those who had once known him, as younger men, since he was ninety-two at his death.148
Nearly all of the men who were advanced to state and national positions of trust held at some time a local office, either in township or county and it may have been, as in Gov- ernor Kirkwood's case, a member of the local school board in Lucas township.
As mentioned elsewhere in illustrating the development of the division of labor among the county officers, it will be noticed here that the same names appear in two different con- nections.
The duties of the county treasurer and recorder were per- formed by the same officer until 1864. Again, the office of
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auditor was not created until 1869, and the official who had held the office of county judge became the first auditor, in this instance James Cavanagh. When the board of supervisors came into being they took from the judge certain duties that had been his since 1851, and he really became the clerk of the board as the auditor is today, but with somewhat different powers.
The office of county superintendent of schools was first filled in 1858 by Henry W. Lathrop, and for many years was really nothing more than an office to license teachers, without carry- ing with it any supervisory authority as it does today.
As near as may be ascertained these men are all men who have occupied at some time the several offices of the county. Although the county commissioners are not included here they have been mentioned in connection with the county organiza- tion. The members of the first board of supervisors were named under the date of the creation of this body and the changes that have taken place in the organization leave but five in that branch of county government at the present day, whose names follow :
E. C. Fuhrmeister, chairman, Anton Fisher, E. Fenton, John Knebel, John G. Scheetz.
In their several offices the men who have served the county are :
As sheriff : S. C. Trowbridge, Walter Butler, Major P. Mc- Allister, George Paul, John D. Abel, Gilbert S. DeForest, Samuel B. Mulholland, James M. Howard, Edgar Harrison, John Wilson, Samuel P. McCaddon, Matthew Cavanagh, John N. Coldren, Gilman F. Fletcher, J. J. Englert, Richard P. Jones, John Welch, Andrew Welch, Andrew E. Hofer, Evan Rowland, Theodore Fautz.
As clerk: Luke Douglass, Stephen B. Gardner, Samuel J. Hess, S. Bachellor, Henry E. Brown, Thomas J. Cox, John C. Culbertson, F. H. Lee, Benjamin King, Jacob C. Switzer, George W. Koontz, Stephen Bradley, Paul Korab, Max Otto, W. J. Hotz, J. G. Marner, Edward Koser, F. B. Volkringer.
As recorder: Isaiah Hamilton, Jesse Berry, Hiram Watts, Gordon Hutchinson, Samuel Workman, S. B. Gardner, Thomas Hughes, James Borland, Joseph Deacon, Thomas Banbury, A. C. Younkin, John B. Lee, Joseph S. Lodge, William J. Huff,
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George W. Hand, A. L. Sorter, W. C. Whedon, J. J. Novak, Joseph Cerny, Perry C. Oakes, James Havlik, Emma W. Hav- lik, George Dvorsky, Cleve C. Huff.
As county treasurer: John Eagan, Wheten Chase, Dr. Ezra Bliss, James Lee, W. R. Harrison, Hiram Watts, Thomas Snyder, Gordon Hutchinson, Samuel Workman, Stephen B. Gardner, Thomas Hughes, James Borland, J. G. Sperry, Joseph Deacon, Thomas Banbury, A. C. Younkin, A. J. Her- shire, Lovell Swisher, C. M. Reno, Hugh McGovern, John Seuppel, Dennis Maher, Amos M. Cherry, D. A. Reese, James Watson.
As auditor: James Cavanagh, G. D. Palmer, A. J. Her- shire, Arthur MeDowell, W. F. Murphy, George W. Koontz, Amos R. Cherry, T. L. Crowley, A. J. Hogan, L. J. Baschnagel, W. J. Freeman.
As county superintendent of schools: Henry W. Lathrop, Richard H. Sylvester, David J. Davis, William J. Haddock, Samuel D. Pryce, George S. Hampton, J. Osmond, T. S. Par- vin, Amos Hiatt, John M. Curry, Wilson Blain, John Tierny, O. A. Byington, W. J. Baldwin, S. K. Stevenson, S. D. Whit- ing, Louis Lagenberg, C. M. Miller.
These are township clerks :Big Grove, J. E. Kasparek; Cedar, C. F. Healy; Clear Creek, Clay Brown; East Lucas, Carl Riley; Fremont, L. G. Younkin; Graham, Harry Wieder; Hardin, D. S. Maher; Jefferson, Wm. Pudil; Lincoln, Alfred Wiese; Liberty, C. P. Degenhart; Madison, D. F. Anderson; Monroe, Alois Vanourny; Newport, Frank Buchmayer; Ox- ford, W. M. McDonough; Penn, A. W. Mehaffey; Pleasant Valley, Robt. McCollister; Sharon, R. E. Roberts; Scott, A. E. Barnes; Union, N. A. Scheetz; Washington, Nye Patterson; West Lucas, C. P. Lee.
The present township trustees are: Big Grove, H. M. Stahle, Bert Umdenstock, James White; Cedar, F. J. Slofer, G. E. Zenishek, Dan Peters; Clear Creek, James Hogan, W. B. Brown, Alvin Drake; East Lucas, H. S. Johnson, J. J. Metz- ger, Phil Murphy ; Fremont, John W. Carey, W. F. Lutz, C. B. Shellady; Graham, Chas. Apitz, Frank Dvorsky, Wm. Hopp; Hardin, A. L. Kessler, Dan Delaney, George Leeney; Jeffer- son, Frank Turecek, Wes. Kadlec, Jerome Louvar; Lincoln, John P. Burr, Gottfried Herring, Peter Lenz; Liberty, Paul
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Pitlick, Jos. Mellecher, Wm. J. Hirt; Madison, W. S. Files, M. Machula, Anton Ulch; Monroe, Chas. Probst, Alois Castek, Jas. Dlouhy; Newport, Frank Aicher, F. W. Fuhrmeister, John Eggenberg; Oxford, Wm. Bain, John Kennedy, Anton W. Tomash; Penn, John Andrie, A. S. Albright, J. J. Zeit- hammel; Pleasant Valley, J. E. McCollister, Samuel Gaunt, George Lentz; Sharon, Phil Michael, W. A. Roessler, Ulrich Schenk; Scott, Albert Wescott, Ed. Slemmons, Chas. Kelly; Union, S. H. Cox, John O'Brien, Jacob Sellman; Washington, Frank McKray, Ray Bonham, John Werye; West Lucas, Wm. Reed, R. E. Jones, James W. Jones.
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CHAPTER XXXIX
Miscellaneous Items - The Poor and Dependent - John Brown - Migrations - and the Storm that Killed Jesse Berry
IN THE midst of the cares incident to the organizing of a new county and the developing of a home for themselves the unselfish nature of the pioneers and their recollection of their early training is well exhibited in the allowances and provisions made for the care of the dependent or those in tem- porary want. No doubt the good institutions of the governing body were often imposed upon by the unscrupulous, and judg- ing from the long list of allowances made to certain individ- uals, called "paupers" upon the books, one may conclude that patience must have been exhausted by the time nature relieved the county from further responsibility.
The first item which is recorded in 1840 reads like similar items today : "Ordered that Dr. Ezra Bliss, Jr., be allowed fourteen dollars and fifty cents for medical attendance on John Bradish, deceased." The duty of the physician, it is presumed, had been faithfully performed, and his fees were duly paid.
Items of various amounts were allowed at each meeting of the commissioners, always specifying the name of the in- dividual benefited if living, or provided for in case of burial. John Bradish was furnished a coffin costing ten dollars and sixty-two cents, while Fitzgerald on the same date was allowed twelve dollars for the same purpose.
Under the act of the territorial legislature approved Janu- ary 16, 1840, the county commissioners could either contract for the care of paupers when friends could not or would not provide for them, or employ an agent for the purpose. There- fore, in accordance with the law, in July, 1841, the county
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commissioners chose to employ an agent, and appointed Alex- ander Abel to that position .***
A rather abrupt and somewhat indefinite bill was presented to the commissioners also in July, 1841, when "Caspar Dunkle was allowed eight dollars for coffin for Dutch pauper." It may have been, however, that the name of the helpless and unfortunate individual was unknown to the authorities.
Dr. Jesse Bowen succeeded Alexander Abel in the office of overseer of the poor by appointment in October, 1841, and the records during the years 1841-2 suggest the great diffi- culties in caring for the indigent during this period. Three physicians, Bowen, Bliss, and Ballard, made a proposal to care for the poor in medical attendance during the year 1842 for the sum of $25 each. Dr. Bowen had previously proposed to do it alone for seventy-five dollars, and the board divided on the two propositions. Neither was accepted and it was decid- ed to let the contract to the lowest bidder, whereupon Dr. Henry Murray became the poor physician on his bid of $6. This may possibly be an error, but it is so recorded. A new question arose when Dr. S. M. Ballard refused to accept the decision of the board concerning his bill for pauper services and appealed the case to the district court for adjustment.
System was wanting everywhere in this phase of county work until the appointment of A. D. Stephens, with definite instructions to keep careful records and to settle with the county board at each session. Nevertheless almost a year after his appointment and after two other agents had succeed- ed him, J. D. Abel presented a bill and was allowed "seventy- five cents for ferriage of Dutch paupers."
It was difficult to keep an agent for this purpose. Stephens was shortly succeeded by Jesse Berry and he served from April until May, 1842, when at a called session of the commis- sioners Asa Calkins was appointed, and at the same time he was empowered to make requisition on the clerk of the board for supplies for the poor, provided the entire amount for the year should not exceed one hundred dollars. This plan suc- ceeded better, but in July, 1842, it was determined that the amount to be drawn should not exceed fifty dollars. The board of commissioners appointed Drs. Murray and Bliss as physicians to the poor of the county in October, 1842, at a
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maximum compensation of one hundred dollars, they to fur- nish all the medicines. On this proposition Dr. H. Murray sent the following :
"Iowa City, Ia., Oct. 8, 1842.
"To the Board of County Commissioners of Johnson County :
"Gentlemen: Permit me to say to you that I will have nothing to do with the Partnership Affair of Doctors for the Paupers of Johnson County. Yours truly,
"Dr. H. Murray." 445
The burden of caring for the blind, the insane and the poor became heavier as the settlements grew, and the expenditure increased proportionately. On the margin of the records as made by the clerk the bills are itemized. The new agent, Asa Calkins, made his reports as required by the board, his rec- ommendations being allowed as read, indicating his efficiency in this position.
Paupers were allowed their choice of physicians under orders of the board of commissioners in January, 1843. Dr. Ezra Bliss had been under contract alone, it appears, after the breaking away of Dr. Murray, and the new order restored the harmony. There being no provision made for caring for the insane, private parties must be employed for the purpose. As an illustration of this the case of Elisha Pearson is typical. He was employed to care for George Glick, an insane pauper, for the term of one year for $150, and moreover the care re- quired is specified in the contract.
For support and maintenance of the poor from May, 1842, to January, 1843, the total expenses are given as $945, by far the largest one item in the county expenditures.
Asa Calkins was succeeded by Philip Clark as agent for the poor in September, 1843, although he was also one of the commissioners at the time. It may be concluded that, having tried for so long to find a man who would remain in the office, they became discouraged and appointed one of their own num- ber.
An interesting sequel to the physicians' differences con- cerning the attendance on the poor is found in the apportion- ment of the one hundred dollars allowed when bills were pre- sented. Dr. Bliss secured twenty-two dollars, sixty-one cents; Dr. Murray, five dollars and eighty cents, and Dr. Ballard
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sixty-six dollars, twenty-two cents. The latter was either the most popular among the poor or he knew how to secure cus- tom. The board, it appears, kept within their allowance by some method. A new physician appears upon the record in 1848, Dr. G. Webber, and is paid his portion for services for that year.
Like many other subjects which came before the county governing body for adjustment, the care of the poor gradually worked into a system where items of small importance ceased to appear upon the session records, but came in reports as summaries by the proper authority. Philip Clark continued to act as agent until the division of such labor among local officials. That the poor might assist in defraying their own burial expenses so far as possible, we may cite the following as an illustration: Peter Ewing, clerk of Iowa City township, was ordered by the commissioners "to pay over the sum of nine dollars and twenty-five cents which he had received from the sale of clothes of John Adams Martin, a deceased pauper, to three individuals, to Peter Stutzer, one dollar, seventy-five cents; to Peter Roberts three dollars, fifty cents, and to Michael McGinnis four dollars, the same being one-half their charges against said deceased."
Another case of instruction to the overseers of the poor concerned the binding out of two girls, infant daughters of Olive Cambridge. They were to be bound out together if pos- sible, if not separately. A form of agreement of this kind may be found in almost any court record where the conditions of binding out are enumerated. This was common in those days, a custom unfamiliar to the present generation. It is evident that these two children were "bound out" to some one, since we find that Peter Ewing, who cared for them, was. allowed a sum for "keeping these children and writing in- dentures." 448
As soon as a law was passed providing for the care of those afflicted with the loss of sight, hearing, or speech, the county took advantage of it, the first case being that of Don Alonzo Dewey, claiming the benefit of the act for his son Alfred, a deaf and dumb person. Thereupon it was ordered by the board "that this case be reported to the superintendent of pub- lic instruction forthwith, as the law contemplated." Rhoda.
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Bowen, a blind girl, was recommended to the same care in January, 1850.447
Thus for fifteen or more years the authorities of the county endeavored to construct a system that would efficiently protect the needy and the unfortunate, a question that in some respects is still unsettled, even under the management of skilled men, and expert advice.
Another item indicating changes in opinions is shown here, for we read in the beginning of the burial of paupers in a very crude and unhappy way when they were cared for by every one, but ten years afterwards there is an allowance made to "Vanfleet and Rider, liverymen, for carriages on sev- eral occasions for the burial of paupers." All these items are suggestive of the growth in ability as well as in desire to care properly for the unfortunate.
That the "poor are always here" became so much of a public question in 1855 that the proposition for a poor farm with suitable equipment was placed before the people, or voters, for due consideration. The question involved the pur- chase of land and the making of suitable improvements, the whole cost not to exceed five thousand dollars.
As mentioned in the early part of this chapter, the care of the poor was difficult to systematize and counties found later the economy and good sense in centralizing the institution by putting the dependent of all classes under the care of some effi- cient person on a farm where they could become in a measure at least, self supporting. If any error was made in this early attempt at such a plan it was in the purchase of a farm too small instead of planning for future emergencies. The elec- tion came on in April, 1855, and there were 987 votes for the purchase and investment to 146 votes against the proposal. Liberty and Scott townships voted it down. Clear Creek had no votes against it at all. In August, 1855, ten cents on each one hundred dollars was levied for the above purpose and the county judge, F. H. Lee, appointed John W. O'Brien to be "stuart" of the poor farm. A broad lettered heading in the record of the county judge reads : "Stuart of Poor Farm," by which one understands the steward, Mr. O'Brien, is meant.448
The new authority represented in the county board of super-
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visors assumed control of affairs in January, 1861, and among their first committees, the one to attend to the affairs of the poor is named. In conference with the county judge, Geo. W. McCleary, it was learned that H. H. Winchester was now the officer in charge of that branch of public duties, therefore the new committee recommended that he be retained in this ser- vice "until further arrangements could be made."
It appears that the new committee made a careful investiga- tion of affairs and reported to the larger body their findings in detail, at an adjourned meeting in the early part of 1861. This report gives some items of interest. The farm recently pur- chased by authority of the votes of the people consisted of "160 acres of land situated four miles west of Iowa City on a high rolling prairie." Fifty-three acres of land were under cultivation, the same being enclosed with a substantial board fence. There was then, a frame house of four rooms, one of which was "occupied by the steward and his family; one was used as a kitchen and dining room; leaving two rooms for the pauper occupants, one for the men and one for the wo- men."
The committee said further: "It will be perceived by this statement, how utterly inadequate the building is for the ac- commodation of the poor of the county. Ten or twelve per- sons crowded together in one small badly ventilated apart- ment, some of whom are sick, and all generally very uncleanly and offensive in their personal habits, present a very forbid- ding prospect to the deserving poor. One cannot wonder at the aversion constantly manifested by persons who really need the aid of the public charity to a sojourn in the county house."
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