USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,. > Part 49
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
It will be seen from the result of this election that the party lines were not closely drawn. Mr. Ogden was a Democrat, and received seventy-three votes against forty-three for his Whig opponent. Although Mr. Ogden remained firm in the Democratic faith, he was re-elected in 1855. Mr. Wilson, the Democratic candidate for Sheriff received a majority of forty- four votes, over his Whig opponent, but another Wilson, Democratic can- didate for Treasurer, was beaten by Newell, Whig.
We now come to the election of August, 1852, at which time political lines were more closely drawn, especially in the vote for State officers. It will be seen that the two political parties were very evenly divided. As to the candidates for State and National offices, McClarey, Porter, Mor- ris, Henn, Byington and Hutchinson were Democrats; their opponents were Whigs.
SECRETARY OF STATE.
Geo. W. McClarey. 75 J. W. Jenkins. 82
AUDITOR OF STATE.
Asbury B. Porter 79
Wm. Pattee 76
TREASURER OF STATE.
Martin L. Morris 75
Hosea B. Horn. 82
REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS.
Philip Viele 79
Bernhart Henn 78
STATE SENATOR.
Le Grand Byington 72
George D. Crosthwait. 84
STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
Robert M. Hutchinson 85
Albert T. Cross. 63
CLERK DISTRICT COURT.
Charles G. Adams 72
Hiram M. Taylor 48 Stephen Moore 37
429
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
In 1854 Augustus Hall, the Democratic candidate for Congress, received in this county one hundred and four votes, and R. L. B. Clark, the Whig candidate, received an even hundred.
In 1855 was the contest over the prohibitory liquor law. The vote in this county was one hundred and eighty-five in favor of that measure, and one hundred and forty-eight against it.
In 1856 the two candidates for State Senator from this district were J. B. Grinnell and Reuben Mickel. Grinnell received in the county four hundred and eighty votes, and Mickel received three hundred and twelve.
In 1857 the people of the State voted on the proposition to strike out the word " white" in the constitutional requirement for the privilege of suf- frage. In its vote on this proposition, Poweshiek county repudiated the " man and brother " by a vote of nearly twelve to one. The vote in the several townships of the county was as follows:
TOWNSHIPS.
YES.
NO.
Grinnell.
8
10
Jefferson
39
Madison
29
Jackson
12
272
Warren.
3
47
Sugar Creek
26
70
Bear Creek
2
74
Washington
4
48
Deep River.
1
12
Total.
56
601
In 1858 H. H. Trimble was the Democratic candidate for Congress in this district, and Samuel R. Curtis was the Republican nominee. Trim- ble received in this county three hundred and sixty-six votes, and Curtis five hundred and seventy-seven.
In 1860 this county cast the following vote for President:
Lincoln.
721
Douglas. .
483
Breckenridge. 2
At the Presidential election in 1864, the vote was:
Lincoln. 753
McClellan 454
In 1870 the vote for Judge of the Supreme Court was as follows:
430
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Chester C. Cole 1,378 J. C. Knapp. 793
In 1872 the vote for Presidential Electors was:
Grant. 1,956
Greeley. 557
O'Conner 167
In 1874 there were cast in the county two thousand one hundred and forty-seven votes which were distributed between the candidates for Secre- tary of State, as follows:
Josiah T. Young 1,299
David Morgan.
848
At the Presidential election in 1876 the vote was:
Hayes 2,508
Tilden 1,084
Cooper
79
The following is an abstract of the vote cast in the county at the last election, October, 1879:
GOVERNOR.
John H. Gear . 2,215
H. H. Trimble. 785
Daniel Campbell
827
D. R. Dungan.
26
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
Frank Campbell 2,254
J. A. O. Yeoman 775.
M. H. Moore.
833
JUDGE SUPREME COURT.
J. M. Beck
2,254
Reuben Noble. 768
M. H. Jones
844
SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
C. W. von Coelln 2,238
Erwin Baker 768
J. A. Nash
855
431
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS.
W. G. Thompson 2,285
W. H. Calhoun . 1,551
STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
A. J. Wood
. 2,032
J. B. Grinnell. 1,729
COUNTY AUDITOR.
H. B. Muscott
2,121
J. H. Tucker
1,715
COUNTY TREASURER.
Thos. Rainsburg 2,186
A. J. Blakely.
.1,648
SHERIFF.
Elza Sheley . .2,204
Enoch Joy. 1,626
SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS.
A. L. Shattuck.
.2,245
John Hinds
.1,616
SUPERVISOR.
H. J. Davis
. 2,315
Robert Ewart.
.1,553
SURVEYOR.
D. S. Morrison
. 2,263
A. F. Meredith
.1,588
CORONER.
E. R. Potter. 2,253
O. M. Wheeler . 1,342
G. H. Trasher
277
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY.
The following official directory contains a full and accurate list of the officers of Poweshiek county from 1851 to the present time; it contains, also, the names of some of the men who have been elected from the county to the State Legislature, the names of all the State Senators and Repre- sentatives not being given, from the fact that the county was at various
432
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
times united with other counties in a senatorial and representative district, and from the fact that the records of the county do not contain the vote of the other counties composing the district we are unable in some instances to determine who were the successful candidates. From 1848 to 1851 there- is no record of officers elected, and the list is incomplete, and may possibly be incorrect, as we have had to depend on the statement of individuals who did not reside in the county at the time. It should be remembered in. consulting this directory that the dates have reference to the time of elec- tion, the persons named assuming the duties of their respective offices on. the first Monday of January following:
1848.
County Commissioners-Jacob Yearger, Martin Snyder, Richard B. Og- den. County Clerk-Stephen Moore. Sheriff-William English. Sur- veyor-Mahlon Woodward. Treasurer-Stephen Moore. Probate Judge- Isaac G. Dement. Prosecuting Attorney-Conrad Swaney.
1849.
Treasurer and Recorder-Isaac G. Wilson. Sheriff-Wm. J. Lyons.
1850.
County Commissioners-Thomas Fry, Robert Taylor, Richard B. Og- den. Clerk-Stephen Moore.
1851.
County Judge-Richard B. Ogden. Sheriff-James W. Wilson. Re- corder and Treasurer-Joseph Newhall. Surveyor-William R. Cassidy. County Road Supervisor-John Farmer. Coroner-John Redmund. School Fund Commissioner-Wm. H. Barnes.
1852.
Clerk-Charles G. Adams. Prosecuting Attorney-Hiram M. Taylor. 1853.
Recorder and Treasurer-Hiram M. Taylor. Sheriff-James W. Wil- son. Surveyor-William R. Cassidy. Coroner-Joshua Sheek. School Fund Commissioner-Wm. H. Barnes.
1854.
Clerk-Charles G. Adams. Prosecuting Attorney-E. F. Whitcomb.
433
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
1855.
County Judge-Richard B. Ogden. Recorder and Treasurer-Milton A. Malone. Sheriff-William S. Guffy. Coroner-James G. Reatherford Surveyor-Thomas Holyoke.
It will be proper to state here that Mr. Malone was the incumbent of the Treasurer's office at the time of his election in 1855. Mr. Taylor, who was elected in 1853, died in the fall of 1854. On the 23d of October, 1854, the County Judge appointed John W. Carter to fill the vacancy; in the spring of 1855 Carter died, and on the 20th of June the County Judge appointed Milton A. Malone to fill the vacancy.
1856.
Clerk-George F. Lawrence. Prosecuting Attorney-M. E. Cutts.
1857.
County Judge-Alanson Jones. Treasurer and Recorder-Wm. M Head. Sheriff-W. S. Guffy. Surveyor-George E. Holyoke. Coroner -James A. Craver.
1858.
Superintendent of Schools-L. F. Parker. Clerk-George F. Law- rence.
1859.
Representative-A. M. Cowing. County Judge-John M. Talbott. Re- corder and Treasurer-Wm. M. Head. Sheriff-W. S. Guffy. Surveyor- O. Langworthy. Coroner-Charles Comstock. Superintendent Public In- struction-L. F. Parker.
1860. -
Clerk-George F. Lawrence. 1861.
Representative-Thomas Holyoke. County Judge-Wm. M. Head. Treasurer and Recorder-H. A. Guild. Sheriff-George Mclaughlin. Surveyor-T. J. Drain. Coroner-James A. Craver. Drainage Commis- sioner-Reuben Sears. Superintendent of Schools-Wm. R. Lewis.
Mr. Mclaughlin having enlisted in the army shortly after entering upon the duties of his office, Angus McDonald was appointed to fill the position till the next general election.
434
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
1862.
Clerk-W. R. Lewis. Sheriff-Angus McDonald.
1863.
Representative-Reuben Sears. County Judge-James H. Tilton. Treasurer and Recorder-Henry A. Guild. Sheriff-Angus McDonald. Surveyor-T. J. Drain. Superintendent of Schools-John M. McConnell. Coroner-James B. Naylor. Drainage Commissioner-E. Hibbard.
1864.
Clerk-John W. Cheshire. County Judge-George F. Lawrence. Re- corder-George F. Lawrence.
It will be seen that Mr. Lawrence was elected to the office of Judge and Recorder at the same time. Mr. Tilton, who was elected Judge in 1863, re- signed to enter the army, and Lawrence was appointed to serve till the gen- eral election in the fall of 1874, when he was elected to fill out the remain- ing year of the unexpired term for which Tilton had been elected.
1865.
County Judge-J. Walter Dalby. Treasurer-Sylvester Bates. Sheriff -Nicholas Carr.
1866.
Clerk-John W. Cheshire. Recorder-John Hall.
1867.
County Judge-L. C. Blanchard. Treasurer-Sylvester Bates. Sheriff -Nicholas Carr.
1868.
Clerk-John W. Cheshire. Recorder-John Hall.
1869.
Representative-Erastus Snow. Auditor-J. F. Head. Treasurer- George W. Kierulff. Sheriff-A. M. Hardin. Superintendent of Schools -L. F. Parker. Surveyor-Wm. R. Cowley. Coroner-Wm. S. Green.
1870.
Clerk-John W. Carr. Recorder-S. S. Snider. County Supervisors- A. J. Wood, C. G. Carmichael, David Vanderveer.
435
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
1871.
Representative-L. E. Cardell. Auditor-Geo. W. Crain. Treasurer- Geo. W. Kierulff. Sheriff-A. M. Hardin, Surveyor-John A. Griffith. Superintendent of Schools-G. W. Cutting. Coroner-M. B. Johnson. Supervisor-Thomas Harris.
1872.
Clerk-John W. Carr. Recorder-Silas S. Snider. Supervisor-Joshua A. Leonard.
1873.
State Senator-John Conaway. State Representative-John Moore. Auditor-F. L. Pierce. Treasurer-Geo. W. Kierulff. Sheriff -- John W. Farmer. Superintendent of Schools-J. R. Duffield. Supervisor-Thomas Morgan. Coroner-M. B. Johnson. Surveyor-John A. Griffith.
1874.
Clerk-J. W. Carr. Recorder-S. S. Snider. Coroner-E. R. Potter. Supervisor-Henry Sherman.
1875.
Representative-Charles A. Craver. Auditor-H. B. Muscott. Treas- urer-Thomas Rainsburg. Sheriff-John W. Farmer. Coroner-M. B. Johnson. Surveyor-John A. Griffith. Superintendent of Schools-W. R. Akers. Supervisor-James A. Sanders.
1876.
Clerk-Philander D. Burton. Recorder-S. S. Snider. Supervisor- Joshua Leonard. Coroner-E. R. Potter.
1877.
State Senator-R. M. Haines. Representative-A. J. Wood. Auditor -- H. B. Muscott. Treasurer-Thomas Rainsburg. Sheriff-Elza Sheley. Supervisor-Chas H. Spencer. Superintendent of Schools-W. R. Akers. Surveyor-J. A. Griffith. Coroner-E. R. Potter.
1878.
Clerk-Philander D. Burton. Recorder-C. B. Crane. Supervisor --- James A. Sanders.
1879.
Representative-A. J. Wood. Auditor-H. B. Muscott. Treasurer-
436
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
Thomas Rainsburg. Sheriff-Elza Sheley. Superintendent of Schools- A. L. Shattuck. Supervisor-H. J. Davis. Surveyor-D. S. Morrison. Coroner -- E. R. Potter.
It will be seen from the foregoing, that in many instances the county officers held their position for two terms. There are several cases when they were elected for a third term. The officer who appears to have been the longest time continuously in office was S. S. Snider, who filled the office of Recorder for four terms, from 1870 to 1878. Of the county Judges, Richard B. Ogden held the office for the greatest length of time. He held the office for one term of four years and one term of two years.
Of the Clerks there were three, Geo. F. Lawrence, John W. Cheshire and John W. Carr, who held the office for three terms each.
Of the Treasurers, George W. Kierulff held the office three terms, and Thomas Rainsburg is now serving his third term.
But one Sheriff has held that office for three terms, Wm. S. Guffy.
Of the Auditors, none have served more than one term, except Mr. Mus- cott, who has already served two terms and is now serving his third term.
The business of being a county official would seem to be a healthy one, as few men have died in office. Two deaths have occurred in the Treasurer's office, Hiram M. Taylor and John W. Carter.
Two county officers resigned in order to enter the army, George Mclaughlin in 1861, and James H. Tilton in 1864.
One Superintendent, Mr. Lewis, resigned to become the successful candi- date for a better office, and two other Superintendents were afterward pro- moted to good positions. These were L. F. Parker, who became Professor in the State University, and Mr. von Coelln, the present State Superintend- ent of Public Instruction.
The office of Recorder became separate from that of Treasurer in 1864, and the office of Superintendent of Schools was established in 1858.
Mr. Lawrence held two offices at one time. They were the offices of County Judge and Recorder, from 1864 till 1865.
Among those who early served the county in an official capacity but one remains, Charles G. Adams, who was Clerk from 1852 till 1856. Mr. Adams was an efficient and faithful officer, who might have served in that position much longer but for the fact that he was on the unpopular side in politics. Among those whose names constitute the long and honorable list of Poweshiek's official directory, there is no one which represents more unswerving devotion to principle than that of Adams.
437
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
CHAPTER VIII.
SCHOOLS.
THE following chapter we have found to be most difficult to write, owing to the difficulty of obtaining full and accurate information. It should be the most interesting of all the chapters of the book. We have endeavored to remain in the realm of the real and to deal as little as possible with the ideal and imaginative. With regard to the schools of Poweshiek county, the people should be told that they have been peculiarly fortunate. The management of the schools seems to have early been committed to men of more than ordinary ability and genius for the work. The very full and well arranged records of educational conventions and teachers' institutes, held from 1860 to 1873, speaks well for the industry and energy of Powe- shiek county's teachers. From 1873 till the present, there has been a sys- tem of county normal schools, and a more rigid system of State supervision, whereby the records in all the counties are full and reliable. By con- sulting the old school records of Poweshiek county, we find that the edu- cators who in early times were earnest and industrious in those more cir- cumscribed fields of labor, have since been promoted to more honorable stations, where the range of their influence is co-extensive with the State. Especial reference is had to Prof. L. F. Parker, now of the State University and Hon. C. W. von Coelln, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Not only have the public schools of the county been most fortunate in their management and been characterized by rapid growth and continuous pros- perity, but the same may be said of the higher institution of learning, Iowa College, located within the bounds of the county. But thirty years ago the whole region of country in and around the present seat of Iowa College was a howling wilderness. From its humble beginnings, twenty years ago, in this small village of Grinnell, that institution has grown to the full stature of a college, which is the peer of any throughout the country. The career of Iowa College has been truly a most remarkable one; its success has been such as to far exeeed the most sanguine expectations of its founders and most hopeful friends of early days.
It is not our purpose at this place to write a history of Iowa College; that will appear in connection with the chapter devoted to the city with which its fortunes have been linked from the first. At this place we propose to speak of the public schools of the county in general.
The schools of the county are sharing with the contents of the newsboy's bundle the title of the universities of the poor. The close observations of"
438
HISTORY OF POWESHILK COUNTY.
working of the public schools shows that if the induction of facts be com- plate, it could be demonstrated that the public schools turn out more better fitted for business, and for usefulness, than most of our colleges. The free- dom and liberty of our public schools afford less room for the growth of effiminacy and pedantry; it educates the youth among the people, and not among a caste or class, and since the man or woman is called upon to do with a nation in which people are the only factor, the education which the public schools afford, especially where they are of the superior standard reached in this county, do fit their recipients for a sphere of usefulness nearer the public heart than can be attained by private schools and acade- mies.
The crowning glory of American institutions is the public school system; nothing else among American institutions is so intensely American. They are the colleges of democracy, and if this government is to remain a re- public, governed by statesmen, it must be from the public schools that they must be graduated. The amount of practical knowledge that the masses here receive is important beyond measure and forms the chief factor in the problem of material prosperity; but it is not so much the practical knowl- edge, which it is the ostensible mission of the public schools to impart, that makes this system the sheet anchor of our hope; it is rather the silent social influence which the common schools incidentally exert.
It is claimed for our country that it is a land of social equality, where all have an equal chance in the race of life; and yet there are many things which give the lie to this boasted claim of an aristocracy of manhood. Our churches are open to all, but it is clear that the best pews are occupied by the men of wealth and influence. The sightless goddess extends the scales of justice to all, but it will usually appear that there is money in the de- scending scale. It requires money to run for office, or, at least, it takes money to get office.
The first experiences of the American citizen, however, are in the public school. If he is a rich man's son his classmate is the son of poverty. The seat which the one occupies is no better than that occupied by the other, and when the two are called to the blackboard the fine clothes of the rich man's son do not keep him from going down, provided he be a drone, neither do the patches on the clothes of the poor man's son keep him down, provided he has the genius and application to make him rise. The pam- pered child of fortune may purchase a diploma at many of the select schools of our land, but at the public schools it is genius and application which win. That State or nation which reaches out this helping hand to the chil- dren of want will not lack for defenders in time of danger, and the hundreds
439
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
of thousands of dollars annually expended for the common education of children is but money loaned to the children, which they will pay back with compound interest when grown to manhood.
Then, too, in a modest, unassuming way, our schools inculcate lessons- of common honesty. The boy hears his father make promises and sees him break them. Mr. Brown is promised ten dollars on Tuesday, but Mr. Brown calls on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday, and finally gets the ten dollars on Saturday; the boy goes with his father to church, and frequently gets there after the first prayer. In vain does that father teach that boy lessons of common honesty when the boy knows that the father three times disappointed Brown, and never gets to church in time. The boy soon learns at the public school that punctuality and promptness are cardinal virtues; that to be tardy is to get a little black mark, and to be absent a day is to get a big black mark. A public school in which punctuality and prompt- ness are impartially and fearlessly enforced is a most potent conservator of public morals.
The public schools of America are a grand success; this as a rule has very few exceptions. Should we take but a superficial view of the public school system, and by taking as example some schools which are properly termed poor ones, and estimate their worth simply from the useful results obtained in a given time, we might be inclined to say that the public school is a failure; but viewed in a more thorough manner, and taking into ac- count all its bearings, and then estimating its worth from results through a series of years, and then making a general average, we must say-an un- prejudiced and unbiased mind must say-that even the poorest of our schools are good, and no other investment of public funds is so carefully managed and so profitably applied.
The public schools of Iowa are properly termned the best in the Union, and if Poweshiek county should undertake to enter the lists in any con- test with the other counties of the State, we would suggest that her public schools will not suffer by comparison or contrast.
Poweshiek county educational affairs are in a flourishing condition- the contrast between the settler's school and the present accommodations has been marked. The puncheon floors and desks and doorless aperture for entrance, have given place to more finished edifices, in some cases elegant ones, possibly not more thoroughly ventilated, but more comfortably so.
The county has now become well supplied with comfortable, commodi- ous school-houses, and good schools are taught in all the townships and towns, sufficiently numerous and convenient for the accommodation of all parts of the county. Educational interests have been considered of the
440
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
highest importance by the majority of the citizens, and means and efforts have not been spared to make their public schools a success, and under the efficient management of those who have held the office of superintendent for quite a number of years, the schools and educational interests are attain- ing a high standing.
The county teachers believe in the interchange of thought, also in the community of effort, and are making the profession of teaching a study as well as practice. Teachers' institutes are now becoming of regular and fre- quent occurrence, and are well attended by those who take special interest in the work. The superintendent's examination grade is now of such a standard that all applicants do not attain it, and for those who are success- ful, after diligent study and preparation, it shows a much more creditable standing, besides furnishing a more efficient class of teachers.
There has been as great a change in the character and qualifications of the teacher as there has been in the architecture and arrangements of the school-houses. Formerly schools were held at the residences of the settlers or else in cabins whose external appearance and internal arrangement very closely resembled the pioneer cabin; the teacher also very closely resembled the early settler, for, as a rule, he was a settler, that is he devoted a great portion of his time and energy in making rails, grubbing hazel-brush and attending to his stock and crops, while teaching was simply accidental or incidental. Teaching has now become a profession, and, as a rule, the teacher devotes his entire time to that business. We would not be under- stood as saying that both the old-fashioned teacher and school-house were anything but respectable, useful and of good reputation; on the contrary, they were all this; but we would say, that with an increase of wealth and population we have increased facilities for increased needs.
The first schools of the county were held in houses to suit the times. some idea of these school-houses can be gathered from the following de- scription of a typical one:
It was built of round logs, the space between them chinked and then daubed with mud. About five feet from the west wall on the inside, and about five feet high, another log was placed, and running clear across the building. Puncheons were fixed on this log and in the west wall on which the chimney was built. Fuel could then be used of any length not greater than the width of the building, and when it was burned through in the middle the ends were crowded together; in this manner was avoided the necessity of so much wood-chopping. There was no danger of burning the floor, as there was none. The seats were made of stools or benches, con- structed by splitting a log, hewing off the splinters from the flat side, and
. .
441
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
then putting four pegs into it from the round side for legs. The door was made of clap-boards. On either side a piece of one log was cut out, and over the aperture was pasted greased paper, which answered for a window. Wooden pins were driven into the log running lengthwise immediately beneath the windows, upon which was laid a board, and this constituted the writing desks. The school district in which this wonderful structure stood extended from the east part of the county to the adjoining township line, and from Skunk River on the north as far south as one could see. Since the day of school-tax levies the people are a little more definite in defining their subdistricts.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.