USA > Iowa > Dallas County > The History of Dallas County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 39
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These various incidents and occurrences, in connection with the early settlement and pioneer life in the county, are of intense interest, and might be further dwelt upon at great length, especially by anyone who was fa- miliar with the scenes and intimately connected with many of the occur- rences.
The lives of those early settlers, while frought with dangers and dis- couragements and inconveniences, still had their bright spots of encourage- ment and joy.
On account of the high price of corn during the first years, and the great inconveniences of procuring it at distant markets, they were com- pelled to be economical and judicious in the use of it, and used every means and effort within their power in making preparation the first year, so as to be sure of a crop the following year; and for this labor and care they were almost invariably rewarded with an abundant harvest. The la- bor, care and anxiety of one year was generally repaid with prosper- ity, peace and plenty during the next, and the majority of the pioneers found more pleasure in thus having a plentiful supply of the necessaries of life and being able to give of their substance when the occasion re- quired, to those in straightened circumstances around them, than in being dependent and needy themselves, and thus being on the receiving list. Oftentimes, indeed, such persons had the privilege of realizing the truth and beauty of our Saviour's sweet words of comfort, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."
While the early settlers were generally industrious, honest, generous and sympathetic, moving along peaceably in the even'tenor of their ways about their daily duties, and usually temperate in their habits; still their customs and habits were not altogether of the same character as those of the pres- ent day.
Customs and habits that are now looked upon as quite improper and de- grading by society generally, though practiced still by a large per cent of the inhabitants, were considered by many of the early settlers as not so very much out of place, while others of their number-perhaps no smaller per cent in proportion to the population than at present-were faithful to shun and frown down upon all such improper conduct. Still a good many
302
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
of them seemed to deem it eminently proper and quite essential in starting off on a journey to take with them a handy-flask in their pocket, and some- times the "wee brown jug" in their wagons, well filled with something to keep them warm and in bnoyant "spirits," and also to have something along with which to accommodate their particular friends of like tastes and longings whom they might accompany or meet with on the way, and thus be able to sustain their cherished title of "hail fellows well met."
The following little incident as related by Judge L. D. Burnes furnishes a good illustration of that phase of pioneer customs:
" We and Squire Babb were returning from a business trip to the Fort in the winter of 1847-S. We met Corbell on the ridges east of the site of Waukee, going to the the Fort on horseback, for the mail. We had never seen Corbell before. Babb had seen him only once, but had no acquaint- ance with him at all. They stopped mutually and eyed each other for a moment. Squire Babb addressed Corbell thus:
"' It seems to me, sir, that I have seen you before.'
" 'No doubt of it, sir,' replied Corbell, 'I'm Squire Corbell, of Dallas county, have just been appointed postmaster in Penoach by the commis- sioners of the General Land Office, sir, and I'm goin' down to the Fort for the mail matter. What might your name be?'
"' My name, sir, is Squire Babb. I have just come to your county to seek a little rest. I have held many official places of honor and trust in my day. I was appointed by the legislature of the State of Indiana, one of the re-locating commissioners to re-locate the seat of justice of Foun- tain county, Indiana, and sir, By this time Squire Babb was out of the wagon and Corbell was off his horse. They rushed toward each other; they clasped hands and tangled congratulations followed. Squire Babb had brought with him from the Fort a jug of pretty large capacity, well filled with sweetened homiletic elaborator, and in order to cement the friendship just formed with Corbell, he lifted it from its hiding place in the wagon, and with an introductory speech on hygiene, that was inter- larded with affirmative responses from Squire Corbell, it was gracefully given to the latter, accompanied by this laconic sally, 'Squire, let us drink to a better acquaintance in Dallas.' Corbell taking the jug, replied, 'I will never refuse a friend, sir, in such trying times as those.' Babb then politely turned his back, and Squire Corbell proceeded at once to flood his epiglottis. Squire Babb now took the jug, saying, 'here is to my friend, Squire Corbell, great Jupiter, prithee,' he then threw back his head, poised his jug on his pouting lips, a long gurgling current coursed its way toward his plastic epigastrium, and the jug was grounded. Squire Babb then continued the colloquy: 'Now, Squire Corbell, I beg of you not to meu- tion my name in connection with any office whatever. I have come to Dal- las with no such purpose. I want the good people of Dallas county to let me enjoy the sweets of private life on the mellifluous waters of the classic 'Coon, the one great object I had in coming here. Yes, sir, yes, let ine hunt the bear, the elk, the deer, and trap the pretty fur-coated tribes of the woods and waters, and office may go begging for me.' Squire Corbell could hardly see how it was possible to comply, and would not promise Squire Babb. They drank again, they mounted and parted with a wave of the hands."
We see by the recital of this little incident by what means, in two many cases, office, popularity and position were gained even by those who were
303
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
utterly unworthy of any such public trust; and honesty and candor compel the statement that, in this regard, very little if any change for the better has occurred even until the present day.
Though, perhaps, not practiced so openly and above board, yet the deadly deceitful work of the evil practice still prevails.
Too long and shamefully that accursed fiend of intoxication has been the means of placing in many of our important offices of State and positions of public trust, men who were utterly unqualified and unworthy, to the de- triment and disgrace and threatened ruin of our cherished government.
May the day speedily come when this destructive, deadly fiend shall be robbed of his power, and when public men and officers shall be measured in the campaign, and at the ballot box, not only by their intellectual qualifica- tions and statesmanship, but also by their firm adherence to the strict prin- cipals of temperance in all its forms, and when society shall demand the same of all its members, male or female, high or low.
But we are deviating, and already with regard to many of these inci- dents and occurrences have been anticipating as to dates. We must there- fore turn to other items equally interesting and important under the early history of the county, which are, perhaps, of a somewhat different charac- ter; and the aim hereafter will be, as nearly as possible, to weave the various items and events in their chronological order.
ORGANIZATION.
With regard to the origin of dividing individual States into county and township organizations, which, in. an important measure, should have the power and opportunity of transacting their own business and governing themselves, under the approval of, and subject to, the State and general government of which they each formed a part, we quote from Elijah M. Haines, who is considered good authority on the subject.
In his "Laws of Illinois, Relative to Township Organizations," he says the county system "originated with Virginia, whose early settlers soon be- came large-landed proprietors, aristocratic in feeling, living apart in almost baronial magnificence on their own estates, and owning the laboring part of the population. Thus the materials for a town were not at hand, the voters being thinly distributed over a great area.
"The county organization, where a few influential men managed the whole business of the community, retaining their places almost at their pleasure, scarcely responsible at all, except in name, and permitted to conduct the county concerns as their ideas or wishes might direct, was moreover conso- nant with their recollections or traditions of the judicial and social dignities of the landed aristocracy of England, in descent from whom the Virginia gentlemen felt so much pride. In 1834 eight counties were organized in Virginia, and the system, extending throughout the State, spread into all the Southern States, and some of the Northern States; unless we except the nearly similar division into 'districts' in South Carolina, and that into 'parishes' in Louisana, from the French laws.
" Illinois, which, with its vast additional territory, became a county of Vir ginia, on its conquest by Gen. George Rogers Clark, retained the county organization, which was formally extended over the State by the constitu- tion of 1818, and continued in exclusive use until the constitution of 1848.
"Under this system, as in other States adopting it, mnost local business was
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
transacted by those commissioners in each county, who constituted a county. court, with quarterly sessions.
" During the period ending with the constitution of 1847, a large por- tion of the State had become filled up with a population of New England birth or character, daily growing more and more compact and dissatisfied with the comparatively arbitrary and inefficient county system. It was maintained by the people that the heavily populated districts would always control the election of the commissioners to the disadvantage of the more thinly populated sections-in short that under that system, 'equal and exact justice ' to all parts of the county could not be secured.
"The township system had its origin in Massachusetts, and dates back to 1635.
"The first legal enactment concerning this system, provided that, whereas, 'particular towns have many things which concern only themselves, and the ordering of their own affairs, and disposing of business in their own town,' therefore, ' the freeman of every town, or the majority part of them, shall only have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the appurtenances of said town, to grant lots, and to make such orders as may concern the well-ordering of their own towns, not repugnant to the laws and orders established by the General Court.'
"They might also (says Mr. Haines) impose fines of not more than twenty shillings, and 'choose their own particular officers, as constables, surveyors for the highways, and the like.'
" Evidently this enactment relieved the general court of a mass of munic- ipal details, without any danger to the power of that body in controlling general measures or public policy.
" Probably also a demand from the freemen of the towns was felt for the control of their own home concerns.
"The New England colonies were first governed by a 'general court,' or legislature, composed of a governor and a small council, which court con- sisted of the most influential inhabitants, and possessed and exercised both legislative and judicial powers, which were limited only by the wisdom of the holders.
They made laws, ordered their execution by officers, tried and decided civil and criminal causes, enacted all manner of municipal regulations, and, in fact, did all the public business of the colony.
" Similar provisions for the incorporation of towns were made in the first constitution of Connectiut, adopted in 1639; and the plan of township organization, as experience proved its remarkable economy, efficacy and adaptation to the requirements of a free and intelligent people, became uni- versal throughout New England, and went westward with the emigrants from New England into New York, Ohio and other Western States."
Thus we find that the valuable system of county, township and town or- ganizations had been thoroughly tried and proven long before there was need of adopting it in Iowa, or any of the broad region west of the Missis- sippi river. But as the new country soon began to be opened, and as eastern people continued to move westward across the mighty river, and form thick settlements along its western shore, the Territory and State and county and township and town organizations soon followed in quick suc- cession, and these different systems became more or less modified and improved, accordingly as deemed necessary by the experience and judg-
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
ment and demands of the people, until they have arrived at the present stage of advancement and efficiency.
In the settlement of the Territory of Iowa the legislature began by organizing counties on the Mississippi. As each new county was formed it was made to include, under legal jurisdiction, all the country bordering west of it, and required to grant to the occidental settlers electoral priv- ileges and an equal share in the county government with those who prop- erly lived in the geographical limit of the county. The counties first organized along the eastern border of this State were given, for a short time, jurisdiction over the lands and settlements adjoining each on the west, until these different localities became sufficiently settled to support organizations of their own; and finally, at the first session of the legisla- ture, after the Indians sold out, the newly acquired territory, including all Northwestern Iowa, was laid off into counties, provisions were made for their respective organizations when the proper time should arrive, and these were severally named.
Dallas was organized as a county, then, in pursuance of an act of the State Legislature of Iowa, approved February 16, 1847. In order to com- plete this organization, under the old Territorial law then in force, it was necessary to elect three county commissioners, one county commissioners' clerk, one clerk of district court, one treasurer and recorder, a sheriff, sur- veyor, judge of probate, prosecuting attorney, coroner, sealer of weights and measures, and a school fund commissioner, with the required number of justices of the peace and constables. For this purpose, at the same ses- sion of the legislature, a sheriff was duly appointed and a special election was provided for, to be held on the first Monday of April, 1847, at which the county officers and such justices of the peace and constables as might be ordered by the organizing sheriff, should be elected. The county officers elected under the provisions of this act were to hold their respective offices until the first Monday of August, 1847, and the justices and constables were to hold theirs until the first Monday of April, 1848.
Eli Smithson was appointed organizing sheriff, to hold office until his successor was chosen, on Monday, the fifth day of April, 1847.
THE FIRST ELECTION
as thus provided for by law, was announced by the organizing sheriff issuing the following
PROCLAMATION:
I, Eli Smithson, being appointed organizing sheriff of Dallas county, in the State of lowa, by the legislature, to organize the county :
Now, therefore, I, Eli Smithson, sheriff aforesaid, do hereby proclaim and make known that an election will be holden in said county on the first Monday of April, 1847, for the pur- pose of electing three county commissioners, one county commissioners' clerk, one clerk of district court, one treasurer and recorder, one sheriff, one county surveyor, one judge of probate, one prosecuting attorney, one coroner, one sealer of weights and measures, one school fund commissioner, one justice of the peace, and one constable;
And I, Eli Smithson, do furthermore order and proclaim that I have named two polling places in the said county, one to be at the house of W. W. Miller, and one to be at the house of Henry Stump;
And I further order and proclaim that the polls will be opened at nine o'clock A. M., and continue open until six P. M. at each of these polling places;
Three judges and two clerks of election will be chosen by the voters, who will be approved
20
306
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
by me. The said judges and clerks will make due return of said election to me, under seal, within five days thereafter, and in this you will fail not, under penalty of the law.
Given under my hand this first day of March, 1847.
ELI SMITHSON, Organizing Sheriff.
There were two polling places named in the sheriff's proclamation, one at the house of W. W. Miller, located at the edge of the prairie on the north side of the road leading east, and about two miles distant from the present site of Adel; and the other at the house of Henry Stump, situated in what is now known as Van Meter township, the identical place now owned and occupied by Eli Golden. These two places were the first polit- ical battle grounds in the county. For the information and interest of the reader we append copies of the original poll-books and election returns of these two places of voting at the first election in Dallas county.
W. W. MILLER'S HOUSE.
"Poll-book of an election held at the house of W. W. Miller, in Dallas county, State of Iowa, on the first Monday, the 5th day of April, 1847. William W. Miller, William Galway, Isaac Tribby and John Miller, judges and clerks of election, were severally sworn by mne, as the law directs, pre- vious to their entering upon the discharge of the duties of their respective offices.
" SAMUEL MILLER, "Judge of Election."
" Samuel Miller, judge of election, was sworn by me, as the law directs, previous to entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office.
"WILLIAM W. MILLER, "Judge of Election."
NAMES OF VOTERS.
Martin W. Miller, Samuel Miller, William W. Miller, William Galway, Isaac Tribby, John Miller, Isaac Miller, Eli Miller-8 votes.
The clerks and judges of election made their official returns to the organ- izing sheriff, of the votes cast in this precinct, as follows:
District Clerk .- Samuel Miller, 2 votes; George S. Hill, 6 votes.
Commissioners .- W. W. Miller, 7 votes; Tristam Davis, 6 votes; John Wright, 3 votes; Greenbury Coffin, 5 votes.
Sheriff .- Eli Smithson, 5 votes; Jesse K. Miller, 3 votes.
Assessor .- Isaac Miller, 2 votes.
Commissioners' Clerk .- John Miller, 4 votes.
Surveyor .- Martin W. Miller, 4 votes. Justice of the Peace .- J. C. Corbell, 4 votes; William Ellis, 3 votes. "Certified by us, this fifth day of April, A. D. 1847.
" ISAAC TRIBBY, "JOHN MILLER, "Clerks of Election."
"Attest: "SAMUEL MILLER, "WILLIAM W. MILLER, "WILLIAM GALWAY, "Judges of Election."
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
HENRY STUMP'S HOUSE.
" Poll-book of an election held at the house of Henry Stump, in Dallas county, State of Iowa, on the first Monday, the fifth day of April, A. D. 1847.
"George S. Hills, Henry Stump, Levi A. Davis and William P. McCub- bin, judges and clerks of an election, were severally sworn by me, as the law directs, previous to their entering upon the discharge of their respective offices.
"ARCHIBALD CROWL, "Judge of Election."
"Archibald Crowl, judge of election, was sworn by me, as the law directs, previous to his entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office.
"GEORGE S. HILLS, "Judge of Election."
NAMES OF VOTERS.
Eli Smithson, James Wright, John M. Davis, John Sharp, John Long- mire, Jesse K. Miller, John Crowl, Shubal Haworth, James W. Black, William Ellis, James Moore, Lewis Stump, Tristam Davis, Levi A. Davis, William P. McCubbin, George S. Hills and Henry Stump-17 votes.
The judges and clerks of election in this precinct made the following returns to the organizing sheriff, under seal, within the specified time:
District Clerk .- Samuel Miller, 10 votes; George S. Hills, 7 votes.
Commissioners .- Tristam Davis, 17 votes; Henry Stump, 9 votes; Green-, bury Coffin, 7 votes; William W. Miller, 12 votes.
Sheriff .- Jesse K. Miller, 10 votes; Eli Smithson, 7 votes.
Recorder and Collector .- L. A. Davis, 13 votes; Samuel Miller, 1 vote.
Assessor (no such office yet) -- Isaac Miller, 12 votes.
Commissioners' Clerk .- Samuel Miller, 9 votes; John Miller, 5 votes. Constable .- George Haworth, 16 votes.
Justice of the Peace .- William Ellis, 15 votes; J. C. Corbell, 9 votes.
Surveyor .- Samuel Miller, 1 vote.
"Certified by us this 5th day of April, A. D. 1847.
"Attest: "WILLIAM P. MCCUBBIN, "L. A. DAVIS, "Clerks of Election."
"HENRY STUMP, "GEORGE S. HILLS, "ARCHIBALD CROWL, "Judges of Election."
The above returns of said election being duly made to the organizing sheriff, this official proceeded with the county canvass, it seems, without calling to his assistance two justices of the peace, as required by law, and gave the result in an abstract, of which the following is a copy :
STATE OF IOWA, COUNTY OF DALLAS. S
Abstract statement of the whole number of votes given for county officers at a special elec- tion in Dallas county, on the first Monday, the 5th day of April, A. D. 1847, wherein the sev- eral places of holding said election are distinguished :
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
NAMES OF CANDIDATES
Henry
Stump's
House
W. W. Miller's
House
Total
Majority
District Clerk:
George S. Hills
7
6
13
1
Samuel Miller.
10
2
12
Commissioners :
William W. Miller
12
7
19
Tristam Davis.
17
6
23
4
Greenbury Coffin
7
5
12
3
Henry Stump
9
3
3
Assessor :
Isaac Miller
12
2
14
Clerk:
Samuel Miller
9
9
John Miller.
5
4
9
Sheriff :
10
3
13
Eli Smithson
7
5
12
Recorder and Collector :
Levi A. Davis.
13
13
Samuel Miller
1
1
Surveyor :
Martin W. Miller
4
4
Samuel Miller
1
1
Justice of the Peace :
William Ellis. .
15
3
18
5
Joseph C. Corbell
9
4
13
Constables :
George Haworth.
16
16
16
STATE OF IOWA,
DALLAS COUNTY. SS.
I, Eli Smithson, sheriff in and for Dallas county, do hereby certify that the above and fore- going contains a true abstract of all the votes given in each precinct in this county, for county officers, together with the names of persons voted for, as appears from the returns of the elec- tion held in said county, on the 5th day of April, A. D. 1847.
Given under my hand this 12th day of April, 1847.
ELI SMITHSON,
Organizing Sheriff and Ex-officio Clerk of Dallas county, Iowa.
The two candidates for county commissioners' clerk each received nine votes. Being a tie, neither one was elected, and their case, according to law, must be determined by lot before the organizing sheriff.
For this purpose, the sheriff issued the following notice:
STATE OF IOWA, { & ss. DALLAS COUNTY. S
To SAMUEL MILLER,
Sir :- Whereas, at the election holden in Dallas county, on the first Monday of April, 1847, you and John Miller were a tie for the office of county commissioners' clerk; Now, therefore, you will appear before me at my residence on the third Monday, the 19th day of April, A. D. 1847, and there determine by lot your claims to the office.
ELI SMITHSON, Organizing Sheriff, Dallas county, Iowa.
April 12, A. D. 1847.
A copy of the above notice was served on each party, and they appeared at the appointed time and place to meet the decision.
It appears that in this case there was no serious rival between the two contestants, for by some mutual arrangement between John Miller and the sheriff, the lot fell to Samuel Miller, and he was accordingly declared duly
7
John Wright.
9
14
Jesse K. Miller
1
12
3
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HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
elected to the office. He qualified, entered upon the duties of his new office, and served out his full term as the first county commissioners' clerk of Dallas county; and the first records now appear in his handwriting over' his official signature.
It will be noticed that there were only eight votes cast at the house of William W. Miller, and seventeen at the house of Henry Stump, making twenty-five votes, all told, as the total number cast at the first election in Dallas county, and the entire population of the county at that time would not number more, perhaps, than about seventy-five or eighty persons.
These were located in at least six different settlements, distributed around at various points in the county, each a considerable distance from the other; and yet they seemed much closer together in common sympathy and fellowship, and better appreciated each other's value as neighbors, though far apart, during their trials and deprivations of frontier life, than they now do when closely packed and comfortably fixed in their elegant liomes, with all the modern improvements and conveniences of civilization.
The citizens were then generally quiet, industrious and peaceable with one another. Occasional differences and disputes arose, which, in the main, were soon overlooked, or forgotten on account of their necessary and mutual dependence for aid and convenience, as well as for common defense in their pioneer homes.
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