USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,. > Part 42
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"This being accomplished, they were permitted to proceed on the even tenor of their way.
"Nature seems, and wisely, too, to have constituted all men differently; and, allowing the ' claim jumpers ' to have been 'tenants in common,' and alike partakers in the contents of the jug, the effect produced upon them fully justified that, even in this case, there was no exception to the rule-
346
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
that one, being, in his opinion, much more intelligent, wealthy, generous, and capable than the other, and, in consequence of thus being the tighter, as a matter of course, insisting in his ability, took command of the team, and they thus proceeded on their 'winding way,' anxiously watched by a number of urchins and ' big boys,' to witness their discomfiture.
"Now it so chanced that, when they had driven about a mile, the horses seemed inclined to take a right hand road, which diverged from the right one, slightly at first, but finally led off, and was lost in the bottom timber, such as is very common in that region, and which, more than once, betrayed me, ere I knew it, into a settlement of stumps.
"They proceeded on their wood road out of sight without any disaster, much to the chagrin of many of the watchers, and, after a short walk, I re- turned to the hotel.
"About sunset, my attention was arrested by a shout of boys, and step- ping to the door, I discovered, in the same direction it had come in the afternoon, the wagon-minus, however, both hinder wheels, by reason of which the axles were doing ample justice in the moist earth.
"The wagon being again surrounded, the sober inmate recognized a face among the crowd.
" ' Hello, Young,' said he, 'is that you?'
" ' Aye, aye,' replied Young.
" ' How long have you been here ?'
" 'Do you mean since I came here?'
" 'Thunder! yes.'
" ' About three years.'
" 'Thunder! Young; you needn't think I'm drunk. Didn't I see you in Cambridge to-day?'
"' You did. I think you must have made a quick trip to Fairfield.'
" ' To Fairfield! Why, Young, you must be drunk. Ain't we in Fair- field ?'
"' Fairfield! No, sir; you are in Cambridge.'
"'Cambridge-the devil! Why, Young, you know there's no hillside like this in Cambridge-no, siree! I'm not that drunk yet, Young.'
" 'Indeed, sir,' said Young, "your hind wheels are gone; you are on the level ground-it's only your wagon bed.'
"' Oh, Young, don't be trying to fool a feller this way! That cuss didn't get you to come here to keep us from entering that land?'
"'Just stick your head outside that wagon cover, and satisfy yourself where you are,' replied Mr. Young.
"Crawling up to the end-gate, and taking a view, he began to realize the
347
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
truth, drunk as he was, that they had only been winding about through the timber, and were no further advanced now than in the middle of the after- ncon.
" Turning to his companion: 'Patrick!' shouted he, 'we've played the devil! Here we are in Cambridge yet, and the hind wheels gone-stir up here!'
" Patrick, however, who had some time before released the reins, was close bordering on dreamland, and only muttered out to ' dhrive on, and don't be a-jawin' thravelers.'
" Patrick's companion, finding himself called upon to exercise some judgment to extricate themselves, signified his intention to return on the track of his axles, in search of his wheels.
"Sundry remarks, from the crowd, that they, the men of the two wheeled wagon, were puppies, dogs, cowards, etc., had the effect of bringing Pat- rick's companion on terra firma, and there, divesting himself of coat and hat, very unsolemnly made oath that he could whip any man who said such things of them; and thereupon, elevating both feet from the ground at the same time, he made an effort to smack them together.
" Finding that no one would brave the danger of making any of the charges to his face, he gathered his apparel, and started in search of his wheels.
" Tracing in the dust, and by the aid of a friendly moon, till he could no longer observe the marks, he set about a search for the wheels, and, after a fruitless search of an hour or more, returned to town, to find his wagon upset, and Patrick still in it, and occupying the bows for a pillow; he seemed, however, to be slightly opposed to the inverse plan of bedding, for, on the appearance of his companion, with a 'Haloo, Patrick!' he only stammered out something about a 'long trip,' and 'rough roads.'
" The truth is, that when some of the boys found that the wheels were to be searched for, they made a forced march, found the wheels, and hid them away in the grass, so that a sober man, in day time, would have been excused for not finding them.
" To cut short the facts of the incident, for facts they are, the two team- sters were taken to a convenient branch, and there threatened with imme- diate immersion, if they did not renounce their intentions, which they unhesitatingly did. Patrick, however, was scarcely responsible for his promise on the occasion, even taking the duress out of the question, for, on going to the branch, on which he required a 'right and left scene sup- porter,' he complained that there was 'a divilish crowd wantin' land.'
" Having, however, obtained their solemn promise not to meddle with
348
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
the ' claim,' they were conducted to my hotel, and provided with comfort- able quarters.
"Next morning, they were duly sober, wagon top undermost, two wheels gore, horses missing, and jug broken.
" The same men who, but yesterday, had helped to do all this, now as- sisted to restore everything that could be done by them, and, the horses having strayed home, the real owner of the 'claim '-who had been about all the time-actually lent them his horse, and procured another from mine host, who, by the way, took no small part in effecting a reconciliation of the parties. They rigged again their team, and claim owner and claim jumpers, side by side, started to their several homes."
Numerous other incidents might be related growing out of these claim difficulties, some of which were even more serious than the ones related, and others which are amusing rather than pathetic.
In an adjoining county, the claim club, having taken possession of two claim jumpers, were escorting them to a calm, sequestered spot, where the tar and feathers could be administered in the most approved method, when one of the prisoners, overcome with a sense of his guilt, and excited to the point of desperation by a feeling of the great disgrace which was to be heaped upon him, stabbed himself, and soon after died from the effects of the wound.
SURVEYS.
The reader is doubtless aware that the original subdivision of land into townships and sections was made under the direction of the general gov- ernment, and was entirely independent of county organization. The sub- division of territory into counties was done by the direction, and under the authority of the Territorial or State Legislature; the subdivision of the counties into voting precincts or civil townships was by the direction and authority of the Board of County Commissioners or Supervisors, but the subdivision of land into congressional townships and sections was entirely independent of all State or county authority, done by deputy surveyors ap- pointed by the Surveyor-General, and generally completed before the county was organized.
The system of land surveys provides for the division of the country into small square portions of uniform size, varying from that shape only when large river, lake or sea borders make it necessary. To begin such a divis- ion of land there must of necessity be some fixed points to measure from. The first lines starting from such points are of two kinds: Principal Me- ridians, running north and south, and Base Lines, running east and west. The surveys, of course, began in the eastern part of the United States
·
349
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
where the country was first settled, and the first line established was called the First Principal Meridian. As the surveys extended further west other Principal Meridians were established. The land surveys of Poweshiek county are reckoned from the Fifth Principal Meridian. The point which fixes the location of this line is the mouth of the Arkansas River; it runs due north through Missouri and the eastern part of Iowa and ends at the bank of the Mississippi River at the boundary line between Clayton and Dubuque counties. At a distance of six miles west of this line ex- tends another line parallel to the principal meridian, and all the land lying between these two parallel lines is called Range One, West. At a distance of six miles from this second line extends another parallel line, and all the land lying between these two lines is called Range Two, West. And so on are these ranges numbered till we come to Poweshiek county, the east- ern boundary line of which is the thirteenth line drawn parallel with the principal meridian. Six miles west of this extends another line and all the land lying between the two is called Range Thirteen, West.
The point which fixes the location of the Base Line is the mouth of the St. Francis River, in Arkansas. This line runs east and west, and six miles north of it extends another line parallel with it; all the land lying between the two is called Township One, North. North of this second line extends a third line, and the land included between them is called Township Two, North, and so on till we come the line which forms the southern boundary of Poweshiek county, which is the seventy-seventh numbering from the base line; six miles north of this extends the seventy- eighth parallel line, and all the land lying between the two parallels is called Township Seventy-seven. It will be observed that these lines cross each other at intervals of six miles, thus forming square parcels of land six miles square. Such parcels are called congressional townships, and in the description of all real estate, the name of the congressional, and not the civil township is used, because the former is unchangeably fixed, while the latter is subject to frequent change of boundary and name.
In surveying lands it is customary and necessary to first run the town- ship lines. Upon investigation we find that the township lines of all the townships in Poweshiek county were run prior to August, 1847. After the township lines were run, then each township was subdivided into sec- tions, which work was usually known as sectionizing. The work of sur- veying the public lands was in charge of the Surveyor-General, who let the work to deputy surveyors. The deputy surveyors, who supervised the work in the various townships of this county, with the date when it was done, and also the time when the work was certified by the Surveyor-Gen-
350
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
eral, is not given as the copy of the original field-notes is not certified. A surveying party usually consisted of seven persons; one chief in charge of the instrument, two chain bearers, one stake driver, one flagman, one wag- oner and one cook. The party generally worked every day, regardless of the state of the weather, and slept at night in a tent with which they were provided. This tent was usually pitched near the center of the township, and here also were the provisions and cooking utensils. They usually took two meals each day, one early in the morning before beginning work, and the other late in the evening after returning to camp.
FIRST LAND ENTRIES.
Of course no lands could be sold till they were surveyed, and as the sur- veys were not completed prior to the year 1847, it follows that but little land was entered prior to the year 1848.
By examination of the book of original entry, we find that but little land was entered prior to the year 1848, during which year and the one following, considerable land was bought by those who had previouly been residents of the county.
The first parcel of land in Poweshiek county sold by the government is located in the present bounds of Warren township, and is now owned by L. L. Smith and M. J. Cain. It consisted of the east half of the north- west quarter of section 18, township 80, range 13, and was entered by John J. Talbott, August 27, 1847.
The parcels of land as originally bought from the government have, in most cases, been resold and subdivided; few of them, if any, remain in the same shape and the same ownership. It will, nevertheless, be inter- esting to many of our readers to know who were the original land owners, and we have accordingly carefully compiled the subjoined list of all lands entered at the first land sales, together with the date of entry and names of purchaser. The following is the result:
TOWNSHIP 78, RANGE 13.
Robert Taylor; qr. sec. 2, July 2, 1849.
Absalom L. Morgan; w. hf. se. qr. sec. 3, July 2, 1849. Oliver B. Rusedell; w. hf. sw. qr. sec. 3, July 2, 1849. Benjamin O. Payne; lots 5 and 12, sec. 5, July 23, 1849. Jesse Schrader; lots 2, 3 and 7, sec. 6, July 16, 1849. Benjamin O. Payne; lots 8 and 9, section 6, July 23, 1849. William Harklerode; lot 6, sec. 6, October 23, 1849. A. L. Morgan; nw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 10, July 2, 1849.
351
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Robert Taylor; e. hf. and sw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 10, July 2, 1849. Robert Taylor; sw. qr. nw. qr. sec. 11, July 2, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 79, RANGE 13.
William Harklerode; s. hf. ne. qr. and w. hf. se. hf. sec. 21, November 5, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 80, RANGE 13.
Robert Manatt; nw. qr. sec. 17, March 20, 1848.
William Scott; se. qr. and s. hf. se. qr. sec. 17, November 24, 1848.
Charles B. Coffin; ne. qr. sw. qr. sec. 17, July 26, 1849.
William Manatt; ne. qr. sw. qr. and se. qr. of ne. qr. sec. 18, March 20, 1848.
John Manatt; w. hf. ne. qr. sec. 18, March 20, 1848.
Robert Manatt; nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 18, March 20, 1848.
John J. Talbott; e. hf. nw. qr. sec. 18, August 27, 1847.
Edward R. Metcalf; se. gr. sec. 18, March 20, 1848.
John Manatt; e. hf. nw. qr. sec. 19, March 20, 1848. Edward Griswold; ne. qr. sec. 19, May 1, 1849.
James Manatt; e. hf. nw. qr. sec. 20, March 20, 1848.
Thomas Manatt; w. hf. nw. qr. sec. 20, March 20, 1848.
Silas B. Skuls; sw. qr. sec. 20, November 8, 1848.
Robert Manatt, Jr .; e. hf. ne. qr. sec. 20, November 11, 1848.
Thomas Fry; sw. qr. ne. hf. and ne. qr. se. qr. and w. hf. se. qr. sec. 20, May 1, 1849.
Robert Manatt, Jr .; w. hf. nw. qr. sec. 21, November 11, 1848.
William Scott; e. hf. se. qr. sec. 22, November 4, 1848.
Henry Snook; n. hf. sw. qr. and sw. qr- sw. qr. sec. 22, November 4, 1848.
William Scott; w. hf. ne. qr. and sw. qr. sec. 23, November 4, 1848.
John Manatt; se. qr. sw. qr. sec. 23, November 9, 1848.
Jesse Givin; sw. qr. se. qr. sec. 23, November 11, 1848.
John Manatt; w. hf. nw. qr. and ne. qr. nw. qr. sec. 26, November 9, 1848.
Jesse Givin; nw. qr. ne. qr. and nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 26, November 11, 1848.
Vincent G. Smith; n. hf. se. qr. and n. hf. sw. qr. sec. 27, March 20, 1848.
William Scott; e. hf. ne. qr. sec. 27, November 4, 1848.
Henry Snook; w. hf. ne. qr. sec. 27, November 4, 1848.
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Edward Griswold; s. hf. nw. qr. sec. 27, November 1, 1849. Edward Griswold; ne. qr. se. qr. sec 28, May 1, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 81, RANGE 13.
John W. Moore; w. hf. ne. qr., se. qr. ne. qr., ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 9, No- vember 24, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 78, RANGE 14.
William Harklerode; lot 3, sec 1, October 23, 1849.
William H. Wilson; lots 1, 2 and 8, sec. 2, July 16, 1849.
William McVey; lots 11 and 12, and n. hf. sw. qr. sec. 4, October 9, 1848.
Gideon Wilson; lots 1 and 8, sec. 4, December 5, 1848.
William Hawkins; lots 5, 6, 11 and 12, sec. 5, October 9, 1848. Wm. Coplinger; se. qr. sec. 5, October 9, 1848.
William McVey; lots, 7, 8, 9 and 10, sec. 5, October 9, 1848. Benjamin O. Payne; sw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 5, February 8, 1849. James W. Wilson; n. hf. sw. qr. sec. 5, June 20, 1849.
Simeon Johnson; lots 3, 4 and 5, sec. 6, December 4, 1848. Benjamin O. Payne; s. hf. se. qr. sec. 6, February 8, 1849. A. Bryan; lots 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9, sec. 6, November 30, 1849. Martin Servell; lots 6, 10, 11 and 12, sec. 6, June 14, 1849. James W. Wilson; n. hf. se. qr. sec. 6, June 14, 1849.
Mary S. Legari; sw. qr. sec. 6, August 20, 1849.
Isaac G. Wilson; ne. qr. sec. 7, December 5, 1848.
Jesse Soey; nw. qr. sec. 7, February 8, 1849.
Mary S. Legari; w. hf. se. qr., e. hf. sw. qr. sec. 7, August 31, 1849.
Benjamin O. Payne; nw. qr. nw. qr. sec. 8, February 8, 1849.
Gideon Wilson; sw. qr. ne. qr., se. qr. nw. qr., nw. qr. se. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr., e. hf. ne. qr., e. hf. se. gr. sw. qr. se. qr. sec. 18, December 5, 1848.
Gideon Wilson; nw. qr. ne. qr., ne. qr. nw. qr., w. hf. nw. qr., s. hf. ne. qr., se. qr. nw. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr., se. qr. sw. qr., w. hf. se. qr., se. qr. se. qr. sec. 19, December 5, 1848.
Samuel McPheeters; sw. qr. se. qr., se. qr. sw. qr. sec. 29, June 11, 1849.
Gideon Wilson; e. hf. ne. qr., nw. qr. ne. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr. sec. 30, De- cember 5, 1848.
Samuel McPheeters; nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 30, June 15, 1849.
Samuel McPheeters; ne. qr. and w. hf. nw. qr. sec. 32, June 11, 1849.
353
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
TOWNSHIP 79, RANGE 14.
Matthew Hardin ; n. hf, ne. qr., e. hf. nw. qr. sec. 19, June 20, 1849. Wm. B. Hawkins; ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 19, October 30, 1849.
Wm. B. Hawkins; w. hf. nw. qr., nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 20, October 30, 1849.
A. Bryan; s. hf. se. qr. sec. 31, November 30, 1849.
Alanson Bryan; sw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 32, November 30, 1849.
Gideon Wilson; ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 33, December 5, 1848. Gideon Wilson; sw. qr. sw. qr. section 34, December 5, 1848. Wm. H. Wilson; e. hf. se. qr., nw. qr. se. qr. sec. 35, July 16, 1848. Wm. H. Wilson; nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 36, July 16, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 80, RANGE 14.
Gideon Wilson; lots 1 and 8, sec. 4, December 5, 1848. James Manatt; se. qr. se. qr. sec. 10, July 13, 1849. Robert Manatt; w. hf. sw. qr. sec. 13, November 4, 1848. John J. Talbott; se. qr. sec. 13, November 9, 1848. Joshua C. Talbott; se. qr. ne. qr. sec. 13, May 26, 1848. John Manatt; e. hf. sw. qr. sec. 13, July 13, 1849. John M. Talbott; sw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 14, May 26, 1849. Charles B. Coffin; nw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 25, July 26, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 81, RANGE 14.
James Grigg; sw. qr. sec. 24, October 20, 1849. James Butcher; sw. qr. sec. 23, October 20, 1849. James Butcher; ne. qr. nw. qr. sec. 26, October 22, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 78, RANGE 15.
Gideon Wilson; se. qr. sw. qr., lots 9, 10, 11 and 12, sec. 1, December 5, 1848.
John Cassidy; lots 3, 4 and 6, sec. 2, October 10, 1849.
John Cassidy; sw. qr. se. qr. sec. 3, October 9, 1848. Hannibal Sutton; lot 9, section 4, October 10, 1849. George Wasson; w. hf. se. qr., e. hf. sw. qr. sec. 5, June 29, 1849. George Wasson; e. hf. se. qr. sec. 6, June 29, 1849. John McIntire; w. hf. ne. qr., e. hf. nw. qr. sec. 7, June 11, 1849. James McIntire; e. hf. se. qr. sec. 7, June 11, 1849. John McIntire; e. hf. ne. qr. sec. 7, June 11, 1849.
R. Franklin Steel, nw. qr. se. qr. sec. 8, October 21, 1848.
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Wm. A. Woodward; e. hf. se. qr. sec. 8, October 21, 1848.
Wesley McVey, ne. qr. sec. 8, July 23, 1849.
John McIntire, w. hf. nw. qr. sec. 8, July 23, 1849.
Adam A. Brown; w. hf. sw. qr., sec. 8, June 11, 1849.
William A. Woodward; sw. qr. nw. qr., nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 9, October 9, 1848.
Joseph Hall; se. qr. ne. qr., ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 9, November 7, 1848.
John J. Dungan; sw. qr. ne. qr., w. hf. se. qr., se. qr. se. qr. sec. 9, April 27, 1849.
John Cassidy; w. hf. ne. qr., se. qr. ne. qr. sec. 18, October 9, 1848. Joseph Hall; w. hf. nw. qr., sec. 10, November 7, 1848.
James K. Phillips; sw. qr. section 10, December 11, 1848.
John H. McVey; se. qr. sec. 10, June 24, 1849.
Isaac G. Wilson; e. hf. se. qr., sw. qr. se. qr., se. qr. sw. qr. sec. 11, De- cember 5, 1848.
Nathan A. West; sw. qr. sec. 12, December 2, 1848.
Mary S. Legari; s. hf. ne. qr., e. hf. nw. qr. section 12, August 31, 1849.
Nathan A. West; s. hf. ne. qr. sec. 14, December 2, 1848.
Simeon Johnston; sw. qr. sec. 14, December 4, 1848.
Benjamin O. Payne; e. hf. nw. qr., sw. qr. nw. qr. sec. 14, June 24, 1869. William McNabb; n. hf. ne. qr., n. hf. nw. qr. sec. 15, October 21, 1848. Felix Cheeseman; s. hf. ne. qr. sec. 15, June 29, 1849.
William H. Barnes; w. hf. sw. qr. sec. 17, August 20, 1849.
Adam A. Brown; w. hf. nw. gr. sec. 17, June 11, 1849.
Samuel G. Dement; e. hf. sw. qr., w. hf. se. qr. sec. 17, June 25, 1849.
Jacob Rivers; w. hf. ne. qr., e. hf. sw. qr. sec. 18, October 21, 1848. James McIntire; e. hf. ne. qr. sec. 18, July 14, 1849.
William H. Barnes; ne. qr. ne. qr. sec. 19, August 20, 1849.
Richard B. Ogden; e. hf. ne. qr., e. hf. se. qr. sec. 20, October 9, 1848.
William H. Barnes; nw. qr. nw. qr. ec. 20, August 20, 1849.
Samuel D. Dement; s. hf. sw. qr., w. hf. se. qr. sec. 21, April 19, 1849. Felix Cheeseman; ne. qr. sec. 21, June 23, 1849.
John A. McVey; ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 21, October 17, 1849.
John H. McVey; nw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 22, October 17, 1849.
Gideon Wilson; nw. qr. se. qr., w. hf. ne. qr., se. qr. ne. qr. sec. 25, De- cember 5, 1848.
Samuel McPheeters; s. hf. se. qr., ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 25, June 15, 1849. William Sheeley; sw. qr. sec. 25, June 15, 1849.
Daniel Satchell; se. qr. sw. qr., sw. qr. se. qr. sec. 26, February 23, 1849.
355
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
· Samuel Smith; se. qr. ne. qr., n. hf. se. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr. sec. 26, Decem- ber 29, 1849.
John W. Hall; e. hf. se. qr., nw. qr. se. qr. sec. 27, June 8, 1849.
Isaac G. Dement; w. hf. ne. qr., w. hf se. qr. section 28, June 25, 1849.
William J. Lyons; e. hf. se. qr. sec. 33, November 11, 1848.
William J. Lyons; w. hf. sw. qr. sec. 34, November 11, 1848. John W. Hall; ne. qr. se. qr. sec. 34, June 8, 1849.
Samuel Smith; se. qr. ne. qr. sec 34, December 29, 1849.
Daniel Satchell; n. hf. nw. qr. sec. 35, February 23, 1849.
Jesse Hiatt; se. qr. se. qr., w. hf. se. qr. sec 35, May 12, 1849.
Simeon Johnston; e. hf. se. qr., sw. qr. se. qr., se. qr. sw. qr. sec 36, Oc- tober 9, 1848.
Jesse Hiatt; sw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 36, May 12, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 79, RANGE 15.
John Cassidy; s. hf. se. qr. sec. 34, October 10, 1849.
John Cassidy; nw. qr. sec. 35, October 9, 1848.
John Cassidy; e. hf. sw. qr., w. hf. se. qr., w. hf. sw. qr. sec. 35, October 10, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 80, RANGE 15.
Benjamin Hobson; nw. qr. se. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr. sec. 12, September 10, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 81, RANGE 15.
None prior to the year 1850.
TOWNSHIP 78, RANGE 16.
Walter Turner, Jr .; lot 4, sec. 6, November 18, 1847.
Conrad Swaney; nw. se. qr. sec. 21, July 5, 1848.
John McDowell; sw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 22, July 5, 1848. William English; nw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 22, July 6, 1848. Joseph Robertson; sw. qr. sw. qr. section 25, October 27, 1848.
William English; w. hf. nw. qr., se. qr. nw. qr., sw. qr. ne. qr. sec. 26, July 6, 1848.
John McDowell; nw. qr. nw. qr., sw. qr. sw.qr. sec. 27, July 5, 1848. John McDowell; se. qr. se. qr. sec. 28, July 5, 1848.
Daniel Dolph Orcutt; e. hf. ne. qr., sw. qr. ne. qr., se. qr. nw. qr. sec. 33, June 12, 1849.
John Claud Dog; w. hf. se. qr., se. qr. se. qr., se. qr. sw. qr. sec. 33, June 30, 1849.
356
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Benjamin Snow; nw. qr. nw. qr. sec 34, November 16, 1848. Joseph Robertson; ne. qr. ne. qr. sec. 35, October 27, 1848. Joseph Robertson; se. qr. sec. 36, October 27, 1848.
TOWNSHIP 79, RANGE 16.
Ephraim Stevens; nw. qr. sec. 5, October 31, 1849. James W. Stevens; sw. qr. sec. 5, October 31, 1849. James Jenkins; s. hf. nw. qr., n. hf. sw. qr. sec. 7, November 8, 1849. George W. Beeler; s. hf. sw. qr. sec. 14, October 27, 1849. Albert H. Carpenter; e. hf. ne. qr. sec. 22, October 27, 1849. Albert H. Carpenter; n. hf. nw. qr. sec. 23, October 27, 1849.
TOWNSHIP 80, RANGE 16.
Nathaniel J. Lattimer; sw. qr. sw. qr. sec. 29, October 31, 1849.
James F. Robberts; s. hf. nw. qr., ne. qr. sw. qr., nw. qr. se. qr. sec. 30, July 16, 1849.
David M. Rutledge; ne. qr. ne. qr. sec. 31, November 20, 1848.
David M. Rutledge; nw. qr. nw. qr. sec 32, November 20, 1848.
TOWNSHIP 81, RANGE 16.
No entries prior to the year 1850.
FIRST RECORDS.
With the exception of the record of the proceedings of the Board of County Commissioners, from the organization of the county in 1848 to the incoming of the county judge system in 1851, the old records of the county are still in existence and in a good state of preservation. The record of the proceedings of the first Board of County Commissioners contains some im- portant history, and it is to be regretted that it is lost. The probate record, marriage record, a manuscript record of the first tax list and court records are in good shape; the real estate records are of course in good condition.
The original real estate records are still in existence, although the records have been transcribed and are also to be found in books of the most durable and approved pattern. The book in which the records were first kept is an ordinary blank book of about one hundred pages, such as country debating societies are accustomed to use for recording the minutes, and whose prob- able cost was fifty or seventy-five cents. Here are to be found, promiscu- ously recorded, claim deeds, claim mortgages, bills of sale and chattel mortgages, powers of attorney, indentures of apprenticeship, warranty
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