The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its., Part 66

Author: Western Historical Co , Western Historical Company
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 807


USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its. > Part 66


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).


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The people were compelled to go twenty miles to mill, to get their meal and flour. Those, however, who endured to the end, reaped their reward. After 1850, business increased ; good prices were paid for produce of all kinds ; farms were opened ; the prairies blossomed as the rose, and the rich harvests of golden grain yielded bounteous incomes. Large and comfortable dwellings were erected; and the result is, that all the comforts and enjoyments belonging to older localities are now accessible to all.


Mrs. S. A. Westbrook relates, that frequently, when owing to bad roads, which, in the early settlement of the country were notorious, the people could not get to the mills to get their grain ground, they were sometimes compelled


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to grind their wheat in coffee-mills to make their bread; and she says, that bread made of flour, thus ground, was as sweet as she ever ate.


To accommodate the lawyers in attendance at Court, in early tinnes, Hon. - J. D. Bourne relates, that all the spare beds were collected in the community and taken to his house, he then being a bachelor, and Black Bill, of Camanche, was employed to do the chamber work, that the lawyers, among whom were Judge Grant, John P. and Eb. Cook. Charles Weston, United States District Attorney, and Fisher, a noted wag, of Davenport, the Judge Thomas S. Wil- son, Gen. James Wilson, and T. Crawford, of Dubuque, Ralph P. Lowe, after- ward Governor, the Starrs of Burlington, Judge W. E. Leffingwell, and old Joe Knox, a noted Illinois lawyer, were all thus lodged by him without charge. The evenings were passed in telling amusing stories, and in scientific discus- sions, to the profit and enjoyment of all.


An amusing story is told of a trial in this town, in which Judge Leff is the central figure. It was during the preliminary examination of one Grabell, charged with murder, before Col. Evans, as Magistrate. One Burge, a fussy lawyer, residing here, was Prosecutor, and Judge Leff, then a young man, was attorney for the defendant. During the examination, which lasted all night, Burge would, at inopportune times, jump up and interrupt the proceedings. After being told to sit down several times by Col. Evans, without effect, Leff, losing all patience, arose and said: That, being an officer of the Court, it was his duty to see its orders enforced, that if the prosecutor did not obey the Court and sit down, he should knock him down. After scanning Judge Leff's six feet of muscular frame, he evidently concluded that discretion was the better part of valor, sat quietly in his seat and the examination proceeded without fur- ther interruption.


TOWN OF DE WITT.


By act of the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Iowa, approved January 14, 1841, William Miller, of Cedar County, Andrew F. Russell, of Scott County, and William A. Warren, of Jackson County, were appointed as Commissioners to re-locate the seat of Justice of Clinton County. They were required to meet at the residence of Abraham Folcke within six months from the date of the passage of the act, and to proceed to locate said seat of justice as near the geographical center of said county as a good and suitable situation convenient to wood and water could be found, hav- ing reference to the present and future population of the county.


In the early part of that year, about May, the Commissioners proceeded to their duties and made selection of the site, the same being 160 acres in the center of the north half of Section 18, Township 81, Range 4 east. Hon. J. D. Bourne was commissioned by the County Commissioners to enter the site selected, which he proceeded to do, going to Dubuque for that purpose. Immediately after this, Lyman Buck, the then County Surveyor, surveyed and platted the town. At the time of the selection of the site, the question of a name was submitted by the county seat Commissioners to a vote of the peo- ple in the vicinity.


It is said that Miller, one of the Commissioners, who was a very large, portly man and withal very popular with the ladies of the vicinity, was very anxious that they should name the new town Millersburg, but it seems that Col. Warren was more of an adept at maneuvering and wire-working and suc- ceeded in securing a majority of votes in favor of the name of Vandenburg for the new county seat, in honor of the daughter of an old German burgher, to


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whom he was paying his addresses. Afterward, by act of the Territorial Legis- lature, approved Feb. 17, 1842, the name of Vandenburg was changed to that of De Witt.


Immediately after the location of the county seat, arrangements were made by Col. Loring Wheeler (who had moved to the house built by A. G. Harrison with his family) who, with Col. Lyman Evans, assisted by a few others, pro- ceeded to erect a log Court House on the northwest corner of Harrison and Jefferson streets. The building they erected was 24x36 feet in size, two stories high. This building was used for a Court House, and, indeed, for public gath- erings of all kinds, whether dances, religious services, political conventions, elections or otherwise, until the year 1846, at which time the frame building, known as the old Exchange Hotel building, was used for county offices and court purposes. This building was erected by John Snow in 1843, and was situated on the northeast corner of the public square, and was burned in the year 1865. The brick Court House on the east side of the public square was completed in 1854, the contract for building the same having been let to S. N. Bedford and John Butler, by Judge E. Graham, who was at that time County Judge, having succeeded to that position on the resignation of Hon. A. R. Cotton, who had previously been elected to that office. The Court House was erected at a cost of $6.000. William Lawton built the Jail and Jailer's house, which cost $4,000. From the time of its completion and occupancy, the Court House was retained for court purposes and public offices until 1869, when the seat of justice was removed by a vote of the people from this place to Clinton.


The first house built in the town was built in 1841, by Robert Bedford. The second house was the old De Witt IIouse, by A. G. Harrison, in the same year. This was the tavern of the place for several years, and was kept by Col. L. Wheeler at one time, and was the house at which the Judge and lawyers stopped during the session of court. . It is now owned by George L. Wheeler.


Hon. J. D. Bourne built the first frame house, about the year 1842, which is still occupied by himself and family as a residence, and is believed to be the oldest frame house now standing in the county. Thomas F. Butterfield came to De Witt in 1844, in the month of March; was the first merchant to com- mence business in the town. He is, at least, the only merchant in the county now in business who commenced at so early a period.


Mr. Butterfield came to De Witt with a two-horse wagon, with his wife and son Dennis, and his stock of goods, consisting of needles, pins, nutmegs, spices, snuff and other things. too tedious to mention. Mr. B. located on the north side of the public square, and occupied the building as a store and dwell- ing. Since that time, he has followed the course of business, and with his son Charles, has a large stock of merchandise on Jefferson street. Mr. B. has been unexceptionally successful, having acquired a large property at legitimate business. He has at various times been honored with public positions by his fellow-citizens, having served the county as Treasurer and Recorder and as member of the Board of Supervisors, and always to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. Dennis G., the son, served his country faithfully as Adju- tant of the Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry Regiment, and is now engaged in the lumber and grain trade in this town.


In 1844, the town population consisted of the following families, viz., Rob- ert Bedford, wife and one child ; Rev. O. Emerson and wife, John Snow, wife and family ; Monroe Warren and wife, John Cotton and family, John Buhler and family, Dr. Metcalfe, William Horan and family, J. D. Bourne (who was


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at that time unmarried), Alonzo Names, Jacob Lepper, Hon. W. E. Lefing- well, J. S. Stowrs, T. F. Butterfield, wife and child. The population remained nearly stationary until 1850, the business and population being chiefly located around and in the vicinity of the public square. In the year 1856, the build- ing of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad from Clinton to this town gave business a new impetus, and the Iowa Land Company, a corporation with head- quarters at Clinton, purchased of Thomas W. Clark 160 acres of land, being the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 18, Township 81 north, Range 4 east, and the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 18, Town- ship 81 north, Range 4 east, paying therefor the sum of $9,225, and situated immediately south of the original town plat, and laid the same out into lots, which they proceeded to dispose of, and named the same South De Witt.


Austin Myers, in 1857, laid out and platted eighty acres, being the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 18, Township 81 north, Range 4 east, and called it Myers' Addition to the town of De Witt. The same year, the Iowa Land Company laid out and platted sixteen acres on the north side of the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 18, Township 81 north, Range 4 east, and called the same the Iowa Land Company's Addition. Fif- teen acres were also laid off in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 18, Township 81 north, Range 4 east, afterward, and called Riggs' Addition.


INCORPORATION.


In accordance with an act of the Legislature, passed March 23, 1858, a petition, asking that the necessary steps be taken for the incorporation of the town, was presented to Hon. D. McNeil, County Judge, September 20, 1858, who appointed Samuel Clark, A. R. Butler, John C. Polley, E. S. Bailey, Loring Wheelcr, E. P. Hubbard and P. J. Shoecraft as agents for such purpose.


An election was ordered by said agents to be held January 7, 1859, at which election the following officers were chosen : Mayor, N. A. Merrell; Recorder, Alexander Jones ; Trustees-C. A. Jones, J. F. Gilmore, E. P. Hubbard, James Allison, E. R. Lee.


The first Council met at the office of E. S. Bailey, and organized January 14, 1859, and passed an ordinance creating the offices of Treasurer, Corpo- ration Counsel, Marshal and Street Commissioner. E. S. Bailey was elected Treasurer; P. C. Wright, Corporation Counsel ; S. Maynard, Marshal, and John M. Gates, Street Commissioner.


ROSTER OF TOWN OFFICERS.


Mayors-N. A. Merrell, 1859-60; A. R. Bissell, 1861; P. C. Wright. 1862; G. H. Lowe, 1863; George Beach, 1864; A. R. Butler, 1865; N. A. Merrell, 1866; Dennis Whitney, 1867; J. M. Gates, 1868; Charles Schla- bach, 1869 ; P. C. Wright, 1870; William Fuller, 1871; K. W. Wheeler, 1872; T. F. Butterfield, 1873; J. M. Gates, 1874-75; Andrew Howat, 1876; W. A. Cotton, 1877-78; Andrew Howat, 1879.


Recorders-J. C. Godley, 1859; Samuel S. Burdett, 1860; F. A. Howig, 1861-62; William T. Campbell, 1863 ; John Pollock, 1865-66; H. Bairley, 1867 ; C. Schlabach, 1868 ; R. J. Crouch, 1869; A. W. Jack, 1870-71; W. A. Cotton, 1872-74; G. A. Fuller, 1875; C. J. Hadley, 1876; J. G. Pearse, 1877; J. H. Kelley, 1878; R. J. Crouch, 1879.


Trustees-Allison, Lee, Hubbard, Gilmore, C. A. Jones, 1859; C. A. Jones, W. R. Ward, John Kelley, S. N. Bedford, C. Egleston, 1860 ; J. Van- degriff, Jr., C. M. West, Thomas F. Butterfield, J. B. Bishop, J. F. Homer,


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1861; George Beach, Israel Conery, C. E. Webb, G. W. Pearson, H. Bairley, 1862 ; C. Egleston, S. Jones, A. R. Bissell, C. M. West, W. Weymouth, 1863; C. Schlabach, J. S. Gilmore, W. H. McCracken, S. Jones, J. M. Norris, 1864; C. Schlabach, J. M. Norris, B. F. Page, William Rule, Jr., W. H. Talbot, 1865; C. Schlabach, William Rule, Jr., H. Bairley, W. Weymouth, B. R. Ward, 1866 ; William Rule, Jr., W. Familton, S. Cotton, D. Langan, W. Fuller, 1867; W. R. Ward. Isaac Rhodes, William Rule, Jr., H. Cleveland, J. C. Polley, 1868; J. C. Polley, W. Familton, T. H. Ellis, T. W. Butler, C. M. Nye, 1869; A. H. Runyon, W. R. Ward, H. Bairley, M. Purcell, G. W. Leonard, 1870; C. Schlabach, T. F. Butterfield, J. T. Waters, T. T. Hobbs, James Hedden, 1871 ; J. T. Waters, William Rule, Jr., T. F. Butterfield. G. W. Wallace, T. T. Hobbs, 1872 : J. M. Gates, E.H. Wood, T. T. Hobbs, J. F. Homer, J. T. Waters, 1873; M. Purcell, E. H. Wood, J. B. Bissell, Schlabach, W. R. English, 1874; W. R. Ward, W. R. English, D. W. Forbes, G. W. Wallace, J. B. Bissell, 1875; W. R. English, C. S. Harrington, W. H. Talbot, T. T. Hobbs, Adam Bloom, 1876; W. H. Talbot, A. Bloom, P. Flannery, D. Whitney, G. K. Ryder, 1877; G. K. Ryder. F. P. Kettenring, E. R. Townsend, C. Schlabach, T. F. Butter- field, 1878; T. F. Butterfield, T. T. Hobbs, P. Flannery, D. Whitney, W. H. Talbot, W. R. English, 1879.


Treasurers-E. S. Bailey, 1859; James D. Bourne, 1860; George Beach, 1861 ; N. A. Merrell, 1862; S. N. Bedford, 1863; M. Warren, 1864; H. Cleaveland, 1865-66; John Rule, 1867 ; T. H. Ellis, 1868; H. Cleaveland, 1869-71; T. H. Ellis, 1872-74; L. H. Sanford, 1875-78; D. Drew, 1879.


Corporation Counsel-P. C. Wright, 1859; Charles Whitaker, 1860; C. M. Nye, 1861; Kirke W. Wheeler, 1862; N. A. Merrell, 1863; K. W. Wheeler, 1864-65; J. N. Miles, 1866; W. A. Cotton, 1867-68; R. W. Henry, 1869; W. H. H. Hart, 1870; C. J. Hadley, 1871-72; W. B. Leffingwell, 1873-74; W. A. Cotton, 1875-76; P. B. Wolfe, 1877-79.


Marshals-S. Maynard, 1859; L. Morton, 1860-62; E. A. Bird, 1863; D. W. Forbes, 1864-65; L. F. Brown, 1866 ; A. H. Runyon, 1867-68. Vacancy, 1869-70. H. S. Keller, 1871 ; W. M. Desmond. 1872-75; E. W. McCracken, 1876-77; Thomas Kelley, Jr., 1878; E. W. McCracken, 1879.


Street Commissioners-John M. Gates, 1859-60; E. T. Vary, 1861; S. Maynard, 1862 ; Robert McBride, 1863 ; S. Wickes, 1864-65; G. W. Mor- ton, 1866 ; Charles Wilbur, 1867; II. Allemong, 1868; E. P. Leach, 1869; H. S. Keller, 1870 ; C. Wilbur, 1871; Thomas Jack, 1872-77; S. Maynard, 1878 ; Thomas Jack, 1879.


The Council met from the date of its organization until 1875 in rented apartments, in which year, a commodious council-house was built on the south- west corner of the public square, or Lincoln Park as it is now called, at a cost of $1,000. The building is two stories high, with a large upper chamber used for Council-meetings and election purposes, and a lower room used for storing the engine and other fire apparatus belonging to the fire company. The fire company, Rescue No. 1, was organized in 1875, with a large membership. A large hand engine was purchased, with hose, hose cart and other equipments at this time for the company's use. The present officers (1879) are W. M. Desmond, Foreman ; E. W. McCracken, First Assistant ; Will Schlabach, Second Assistant; W. A. Latham, Foreman of Hose; C. E. Gould, Assistant; J. T. Waters, Treasurer ; W. Schlabach, Acting Secretary.


After the advent of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad (now con- trolled and operated by the C. & N. W. R. R.) in 1857, the town of De Witt began at once to increase in population. Business of all kinds prospered, this


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being the entrepot of a large section of country. Among the dealers in grain. etc., who established warehouses at the depot and dealt largely in stock, grain and lumber, may be mentioned the following, viz., C. H. Toll, lumber; H. A. Fay, grain ; W. R. Ward, grain, lumber and coal ; Seth Sheldon, John Morse, E. P. Savage, E. R. Spear, J. F. Gilmore, grain, up to the year 1860 and afterward. Then followed T. F. Butterfield, T. H. Ellis, Mckinney, But- ler & Co., J. T. Waters, Eggleston & Brown, N. W. Wood and E. H. Wood, and Clark Bros. and D. G. Butterfield.


To show the amount of business done, I give the following exhibit of the year 1868, which may be considered as an average showing for ten years, from 1860 to 1870 :


RECEIPTS.


Feet of lumber.


8,000,000


Number of shingles.


.1,500,000


Number lath .. 500,000


Pounds of merchandise.


3,987,640


SHIPMENTS.


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Bushels of grain


396.998


Pounds dressed hogs.


262,970


Number live hogs.


11,180


. Number cattle


816


Pounds hides


53,290


Pounds wool.


46,640


Pounds butter


150,160


Pounds poultry


3,140


Pounds seeds.


41,580


This may be considered a fair statement; however, since 1870, the grain trade has fallen off to some extent, while the trade in stock of all kinds has gradually increased.


The Davenport & Northwestern Railroad was completed to this town in 1870, running from Davenport'northward to Maquoketa. The citizens of this place and vicinity contributed $65,000 to the building of this road.


The following is a list of the business men and firms of De Witt, viz :


Attorneys-Merrell & Howat, Cotton & Wolfe, K. W. Wheeler, D. Whit- ney, C. M. Nye, R. J. Crouch, Pascal & Armentrout.


Agricultural Implements-T. F. Butterfield, J. A. Cranston, P. Flannery. Auctioneers-T. Scholey, Thomas Kelley.


Bakers-M. J. Hey, Joseph McCormick.


Banker-J. H. Price.


Books, Drugs and Stationery-J. B. Webb, C. V. Baxter, J. H. Kelley. Boots and Shoes-Charles Schlabach, D. White, H. Bricker.


Carpenters and Builders-L. L. Neville & Co., Small & Son, F. P. Ket- tenring, L. H. Thorn, J. W. & F. B. Dearborn.


Carriage Makers and Blacksmiths-Fred Driffill, D. W. Forbes, John Dignan, Conwell Bros., Warren & Son, Isaac Rhodes.


Cigar Maker-George N. Hubbard.


Coal and Wood Dealers-C. M. Nye & Co., R. S. Beach, A. J. Clark, Hubbard & Campbell.


Coopers-R. McBride, T. M. Carson.


Dentists-Dr. Potter, J. B. Gould.


Dry Goods-T. F. Butterfield & Son, Chardavoyne, Drew & Co., Wallace Bros., Farmer's Store, J. C. Reed, F. S. Jacobs.


Farriers-A. Partridge, Ed. O'Connell.


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Flouring- Mills-Capt. W. H. Hall, Townsend & Harrison, King & Miles, R. P. Barr.


Foundry-A. B. Cumming.


Furniture Dealers and Undertakers-Hobbs & Meredith, A. Nonemacher. Grain and Produce Dealers-T. F. & D. G. Butterfield, C. S. Harrington, A. J. Clark, James Thornton, C. M. Nye & Co.


Groceries-A. Bloom, C. W. Cressler & Co., Fuller & Connole, T. J. Scallan, Kelly & O'Hern, Quigley Bros., C. Christiansen.


Gunsmith-Fred Johnson.


Hardware Dealers-W. H. Talbot, P. Flannery, J. F. Homer & Son.


Harness Makers-James Hedden, John Dobler.


Hotels-Gates House, George B. Earle, proprietor; Pacific House, J. Foote, proprietor ; Grill House, P. Grill, proprietor; Franklin House, H. Johnson, proprietor.


Ice Dealers-J. W. Dearborn, V. Yegge.


Insurance Agents-Cotton & Wolfe, Merrell & Howat, K. W. Wheeler, C. M. Nye & Co., W. R. Ward.


Justices of the Peace-R. J. Crouch, H. A. Fay. Loan Brokers-W. R. English, Jno. Peaslee.


Live Stock Dealers-L. S. Harrington, E. H. Wood, M. Horan. Livery Stable-A. W. Johnson.


Lumber Dealers-Campbell & Hubbard, T. F. & D. G. Butterfield.


Masons and Bricklayers-J. Alton, J. Holsaple, George K. Ryder.


Meat Markets-H. C. Cressler, Wendleborn & Co., J. Hirschberg, George Stephenson.


Merchant Tailors-C. M. Mellor, John Craig.


Milliners and Dressmakers-Mrs. John Craig, Misses Harrison & Norton, Mrs. J. B. Van Court, Misses A. Partridge & A. Sanger, Mrs. E. E. Kellogg. Musical Instruments-L. F. Brown.


Newspaper and Job Office-De Witt Observer, S. H. Shoemaker, editor and proprietor.


Painters-John Jebson & Co.


Photographer-S. Smith.


Physicians-J. H. Boyd, J. Dennison, W. Fitzgerald, A. W. Morgan, P. Ryan, D. Langan, M. R. Waggoner.


Pension Agent-W. R. Ward.


Watchmakers and Jewelers-Barr & Bairley, J. Buckley.


The following institutions of De Witt deserve somewhat of an extended notice, viz: The Farmer's Store, a corporation founded February 22, 1874, by an association of farmers for the purchase and sale of goods, wares and merchandise required by a farming community, and to carry on a general mercantile business, buy and ship produce, and agricultural implements and seeds on commission. The capital stock originally was $5,000, now increased to $8,000. The incorporators were Fred. Suiter, H. N. Hahn, H. Dwire, A. S. Allison, S. Saddoris, P. Twogood, L. P. Lambertson, David Robb, John Rathje and Hiram Brown. The first dividend declared was 31 per cent. Second dividend, 63 per cent. The present officers are L. S. Harrington, President ; A. S. Allison, Secretary ; S. Saddoris, H. N. Hahn, Fred Suiter, Directors; H. Cleaveland, Manager of store.


The Pioneer Cheese Factory, established by J. B. Rose in the autumn of 1877, has proved a success, the reputation of the cheese at this factory being second to none, it having gained the First Award at the American Institute Digitized by ogle


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Fair, in New York City and at other noted exhibitions of dairy products. Mr. Noyes, the cheese-maker in charge of the factory, is an adept in his vocation.


The Izaak Walton Fishing Club-objects, the promotion of angling as a recreation, the culture and study of fish with the enforcement of the fish law- was established in 1870. W. H. Talbot, Prax., R. J. Crouch, Registrar, A. Howat, W. M. Desmond, T. Quigley, Advisors, have already done much to stock the streams with excellent varieties of fish in the vicinity, being in con- stant communication with the State Fish Commissioner.


The De Witt Opera House, built in 1878, by the De Witt Opera House Association, is a model of its kind and commends itself for architectural beauty of design and for convenience for the purposes for which it was erected, to all who see it. The seating capacity, including both gallery and auditorium, is about nine hundred persons. The officers of the Association are: Dr. D. Langan, President; R. J. Crouch, Secretary ; T. T. Hobbs, S. Cotton, D. Whitney, G. K. Ryder, Directors.


The schools of the town of De Witt are justly its pride. A noble structure was erected for school purposes in 1867, at a cost of $25,000, since which time a graded school, with the best instructors to be procured, has been main- tained. And now (in 1879) instead of the little band of a dozen pupils as in 1842, all that could be got together in those days, with Mr. Edgar as the mas- ter in the old log Court House, we have 300 pupils, seated in comfortable rooms with all the modern conveniences for instruction, with seven competent teachers, and, as a consequence, our children are acquiring an education that will fit them for any sphere of usefulness in life.


Achilles Robb and H. M. White established general stores here at an early date. They were succeeded by John M. Lyter, Beard, Homer and Eggleston, J. Vandegriff & Co., Miles & Co., Higbee, H. Cleaveland, H. Bairley and others.


The first tailor was William Fuller, who, with his family, came here in 1849. He afterward purchased a farm near De Witt, then removed into town and engaged in the wagon-making business, erecting a large factory for that pur- pose. Sold out to Fred Driffil, who now operates in that line.


The first lawyer was J. S. Stowrs in 1844, who was at one time Probate Judge of the county, followed by Hon. W. E. Leffingwell in 1845, then Hon. A. R. Cotton, Stark H. Samuels, Hewitt, Burge, Chaffee, Ferguson, E. Gra- ham and W. T. Graham, Polley, Merrell, E. S. Bailey, S. R. Hull, S. S. Bur- dett, J. N. Miles and P. C. Wright.


Hon. W. E. Leffingwell was for several terms a member of the Legislature at an early date, being at one time member and President of the State Sen- ate. He was also at one time District Judge of this Judicial District. Was Captain of a company in the First Iowa Cavalry, and is noted as a successful criminal lawyer.


Hon. A. R. Cotton was elected County Judge in 1853, while residing here ; afterward removed to Lyons, and has since been a member of the Iowa. Consti- tutional Convention, member of the Iowa House of Representatives and Speaker, and has served two terms in the National Congress.


Samuels served as Clerk of the Court of the county for several terms and died here in 1856.


Hewitt was at one time Prosecuting Attorney, was accused of passing counterfeit money, was arrested, escaped and was not heard of afterward.


Burge remained but a short time.


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Ferguson was an exceptionally brilliant man and good lawyer, but was his own worst enemy. He died here in 1866.


Hon. E. Graham came here about 1849; was County Judge for one or two terms ; he was also School Fund Commissioner for one term, and died in May, 1860. He was an earnest advocate of Temperance, for which reason he has been called its apostle in this county; was universally respected wherever known. His death was caused by one of those fatal mistakes-the administra- tion of strychnine-supposing it to be quinine, during an attack of fever. Chaffee located here in 1855, and died the next year.




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