USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > The history of Des Moines county, Iowa, containing a history of the country, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers > Part 51
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
John Longley, became separated from the party and lost their way. They con- cluded to encamp for the winter (of 1846-47) where they were, and constructed a log hut. In this they lived, and attached to it the name of " Lost Camp," a title by which the locality is still known and pointed out. In the spring, these men found other Mormons but a few miles from them, in the same county. Ultimately the greater number of the survivors of these several divisions reached the Missouri, where a general halt was made, for the purpose of recuperating their exhausted strength before setting out on the dreary march over the plains.
It was thus that the year 1847 found a large settlement of men in the extreme western part of Iowa. By virtue of their sojourn in the State, they had become legal voters. A town had been by accident, as it were, created there, under the Mormon authority of Orson Hyde. The location of that sect, in so large a body, had naturally attracted to the spot other pioneers, and, in 1847, the colony did what all American pioneers hasten to do, asserted its right of independence as a county. That year, a delegation of representative men came east, and proposed the erection of a new county on the Missouri River.
Here was the aid for which the Democrats had been so earnestly praying. Gen. Dodge became much interested in the matter, forseeing the possible strength such an organization might bring them. Nothing was then done, how- ever, to effect the formation of the county, but the Democrats did not lose sight of the tide of Mormons moving westward, and halting for breath on the shores of the river. In Nauvoo, the Mormon vote had been a powerful ally to the Democrats at general elections, and a continuance of their support was both desirable and reasonable, according to the logic of Gen. Dodge. The organiza- tion of the new county rested with Judge Carleton, of the then Fourth Judicial District, and there is evidence which warrants the belief that the Judge counseled with the General in this matter.
Of course, so serious a matter as the creation of a Democratic county could not be proposed without the Whigs learning of it, and taking council concern- ing its influence on their destiny. The cautiousness with which the Democrats approached the subject naturally awakened a belief that there was a question as to the partisan feeling of Elder Hyde; and that doubt was equivalent to an admission of weakness on the part of the Democrats. So it transpired that the leaders of both parties set to work at once to test the temperament of the Elder. Now ensned a sharp encounter of wits. Gen. Dodge felt that he held the key to the situation, since through him alone could the desired organization be.compassed. The Whigs, on the other hand, apprised themselves of the fact that the Mormons were becoming anxious to show their ill-will toward the Democratic party, as a means of avenging themselves for their expulsion from Nauvoo.
At the time of the occurrence of the events written above, the county of Monroe was composed of all the territory from the west line of Wapello County to the Missouri River. The unorganized counties of Lucas and Clarke had been defined in a manner preliminary to permanent establishment, but the latter, how- ever, was entirely unsettled by white men. The former contained not more than eight or ten families. Practically, Monroe County was political dictator of all that region, and, what was significant, it was in the hands of Democratic county officials.
Such was the political condition of Iowa, when the time arrived to choose a successor to Representative Thompson, in 1848. The Democrats honored the incumbent with a renomination, and the Whigs opposed him with Daniel F. Miller, of Fort Madison.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
In spite of their sore need of help, the Democrats were evidently afraid to establish the new county in the West, and, as they alone had the power to do so, the opportunity passed without the Mormons gaining their point. This distrust of the result may have had its weight with Orson Hyde, as the sequel will show.
As the time of election approached, both parties began to feel carefully for the coveted vote ; but still the Democrats felt secure, since the failure to create the new county did not prevent the extension of the franchise to the Mormons in another way. Monroe County had the power to create a precinct at the river, and thereby bring the Mormons within the pale of citizenhood. The problem to be decided was still as to the advisability of the step. To determine this, messengers were dispatched from both camps to feel the pulse of the people in the West, and each faction returned bearing metaphorical bunches of huge grapes, while their reports were that the land flowed with oil and honey for their respective candidates. In all this bartering there was evidently an under- standing between the Whigs and the Mormons; for a flat refusal on the part of the latter to vote the Democratic ticket would certainly have prevented their voting at all. The powers that were had to be mollified, and a go-between was found to represent to the Democrats the solidity of the proposed precinct. The Whigs, of course, did not openly claim the success of their embassy, but rather played off coyly, with intent to deceive.
But even after the character of the vote was determined satisfactorily to the Democrats, there still remained the question of its legality. If the territory lay west of the last organized county, which was then Monroe, that county had the power to create a precinct. If it did not, then there was an opportunity to contest the validity of returns from the river precinct. The Democrats believed that Kanesville, as the Mormon settlement was called, did lie within the legal territory of Monroe, but a survey was deemed necessary to settle the point. In accordance with that idea, a party was engaged to ascertain the geographical whereabouts of the village, and a random line was run. Subsequent surveys have shown that the line was, indeed, a random one, but that point did not come up in the contest which followed. For all practical purposes, the place lay west of Monroe. In the decision of this question, the Whigs wisely submitted to the Democrats, and the work of establishing the locality was performed by such means as the Democrats could, under no circumstances, thereafter dispute. It was considered highly important for the Democrats to locate Kanesville in Mon- roe territory, because Monroe was then Democratic, and they feared that the Whigs would oppose the organization of so strong a precinct, if they had it in their power to do so. If the village lay north of the upper line of Monroe, it belonged to Marion County, which was then a Whig stronghold. The eager- ness with which the Democrats labored to prove that Kanesville really was several miles south of its actual location, forms one of the grim humors of this contest.
The Whigs, meanwhile, confident of the victory they were to win, offered no objections to the formation of the precinct, but seemed quiescent in the mat- ter. On the 3d of July, 1848, the Monroe County Commissioners issued the following order :
Ordered, by said Board, that that portion of country called Pottawattomie County, which lies directly west of Monroe County, be organized into a township, and that Kanesville be a precinct for election purposes in said township, and that the election be held at the Council- house in said village; and that Charles Bird, Henry Miller and William Huntington be appointed Judges of said election ; and that the boundaries of said township extend east as far as the East Nish-na-bat-na.
This public announcement of the plan warned the Whigs to unmask. Greek met Greek. It was known that the Board, then consisting of Andrew Elswick,
436
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
William McBride and George R. Holliday, with Dudley C. Barber as Clerk, was Democratic. The latter officer made out the poll-books and sent them to the new precinct. Both parties sought the field of battle, and for a time the Mormon element became the favorites of the politicians, since they held the balance of power. The Mormons at home in Nauvoo were Democratic in sentiment, it was argued, and the Democrats were confident of their co-opera- tion in the time of need.
The election took place on the 7th day of August. To the consternation of the Democrats and the joy of the Whigs, the vote of the new precinct was cast almost solidly for Daniel F. Miller, the Whig candidate, and the Democratic candidate, William Thompson, was left out in the cold.
No sooner was the result of the election made known than the Democratic leaders took counsel, one with another, what to do. J. C. Hall, brother-in-law to Thompson, went to Albia from Mount Pleasant, and it is asserted that he and others advised the rejection of the poll-books. The messenger with the returns arrived in Albia, and the canvass of the votes was held on the 14th day of August. Dudley C. Barber, as Clerk of the Board, had a deciding voice in the matter. The canvass was made at his log cabin, one of the three or four buildings then standing on the town plat.
Among the prominent Democrats of Albia at the time was Dr. Flint, who subsequently removed to Wapello County, and became County Judge and State Senator for that county. He was brother-in-law to Barber, and exercised a great influence over him. He urged the arbitrary rejection of the books. Be- side Mr. Hall and Dr. Flint, there was present Israel Kister, now of Bloom- field.
During the heated controversy over the canvass-in which, it is said, an unpleasant suspicion of pistols prevailed-the disputed poll- books suddenly dis- appeared from the table. The confusion which followed the announcement of their loss can be imagined. The men who were nearest the table dared not accuse one another of having stolen them, but there was, unquestionably, con- siderable display of feeling. Of course it was clear that the Whigs had not stolen the books, since it was for their interest to retain them. It rested, conse- quently, with the opposing faction to explain the mysterious disappearance of the documents.
The evening of that day, Barber called to his aid two Justices, and, it is said, with locked doors, made a canvass of the vote of Monroe, throwing out the books from Pottawattamie entirely. This rejection of the western vote secured the election of Thompson, and he accordingly took his seat in the first session of the Thirty-first Congress.
If we may be allowed to parody a classic quotation, uneasy sits the Con- gressman who is not soundly elected ! No sooner was he there than the Whigs made an effort to oust him. The case was laid before a proper committee, and voluminous discussion ensued. Miller proposed to Thompson to submit the question again to the people, but the proposition was rejected. The action of Congress was somewhat governed by well-known precedents, and finally the whole matter was remanded to the United States District Court at Keokuk. Before a decision could be reached, an election took place in the State for State officers and member of the Thirty-second Congress. The campaign was a hot one.
It may be here incidentally remarked that the August election resulted in the seating of Bernhart Henn, of Fairfield, in the Thirty-second Congress from this district, his term beginning in 1851.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
It transpired one day, pending the decision of the case, that Mr. Miller called at Judge Mason's office, in Keokuk. The Judge signified a desire to serve certain papers on him, and the two gentlemen stepped to the rear of the room. There were two or three other men present. Judge Mason handed Mr. Miller, as he supposed, some papers relating to the suit, when, to the sur- prise of Mr. M., he found them to be the long-lost poll-books from Kanesville. Explanations followed, in which Judge Mason proved, conclusively, that the papers came honestly into his possession.
This startling denouement completely upset the Democratic case, and a new election was ordered, to "fill vacancy " in the First District. The election took place September 24, 1850, and resulted in the choice of Mr. Miller, who filled the seat in Congress one session. The vote stood as follows: Miller, 5,463; Thompson, 4,801; Smith, 365.
The question reverts to the cause of the Mormon change of front in 1848. All manner of rumors were afloat at the time, some of them even charging that the Democrats had offered but $1,000, while the Whigs had paid $1,200 for the vote. On the authority of one who admits that he was a party to the barter, we state as fact that the only gift presented to Elder Hyde by the Whigs was a printing office and some ten reams of printing paper and a keg of ink. Hyde wanted an office, and the Whigs were willing to give him one. The materials for the office were shipped to him by the Whigs prior to the casting of the vote. Hyde had a grudge against the Democrats, which he desired to pay, and there- fore refused to listen to overtures of a financial character from them. It was a case of diamond cut diamond, in which the Whigs proved the hardest. It is a fact that in 1848, Orson Hyde began the publication of a paper called the Frontier Guardian, at Kanesville. The county of Pottawattamie was organ- ized in 1848. All the officials were Mormons.
As to the missing books: It is a matter of evidence that Israel Kister placed them in Mr. Hall's saddle-bags, during the heated discussion, probably with no real intent to steal them at the time, but supposing that they would be dis- covered before Hall left. They were not detected and the lawyer rode away with them. It was then too late to acknowledge the error, and so the case stood until accident brought them to light.
The Whig papers made furious onslaught against the Democrats over the affair, and there is but little doubt that it caused a decidedly good political war- cry during those days. Dr. Flint was openly charged with having burned the books, and Barber was figuratively drawn and quartered continuously. The vigorous attacks upon Barber finally undermined his health and he died, a victim of mistaken sense of duty. Dr. Flint is now dead.
THE STATE BOUNDARY DIFFICULTY. .
Although the county of Des Moines, as now defined, does not extend to the southern limits of the State, and cannot, therefore, be strictly classed among the counties affected by the celebrated case growing out of the complications which arose over the boundary line between Missouri and Iowa, the fact that the original county of Des Moines included all of the southern half of the Territory makes the subject an appropriate one to introduce into this volume. Besides, some of the most prominent participants in the controversy or its adjudication resided in Burlington. This was the seat of government at the time the affair originated, and some of the events in the history transpired here.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
In fact, no further explanation need be offered for the presentation of the mat- ter here than the statement that Hon. Charles Mason, Gen. A. C. Dodge, Judge David Rorer, and other Burlington men, took conspicuous action as counsel in the case. It is valuable as a work of reference, and the following clear presentment of the matter, from the pen of Mr. Charles Negus, is given, with the feeling that many will read it who have but an imperfect understanding of the subject now.
"Soon after the organizing of the Territorial Government of Iowa, there arose a dispute between Missouri and Iowa about the jurisdiction of the State and Territoral authorities over a tract of country in the southern part of Iowa, which Missouri claimed as being within the boundary of that State as defined by Congress.
" The act of Congress, passed March 6, 1820, authorizing the Territory of Missouri to form a State government, provided that (if the State should ratify the boundaries) the State of Missouri . should consist of all the territory within the following boundaries : Beginning in the middle of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of 36º north latitude ; thence west, along that parallel of lat- itude, to the St. Francis River ; thence up and following the course of that river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the parallel of 36° 30'; thence west along the same to the point where the said parallel is intersected by a meridian line passing through the middle of the mouth of the Kansas River, where the same empties into the Missouri River ; thence, from the point aforesaid, north along the west meridian line, to the intersection of the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines, making said line to correspond with the Indian boundary line, etc. ; thence east, from the point of intersection last aforesaid, along the said parallel of latitude, to the middle of the channel of the main fork of the said River Des Moines ; thence down and along the middle of the said River Des Moines, to the mouth of the same, where it empties into the Mississippi,' etc. These boundaries, as defined by Congress, were adopted by Missouri through the Convention which formed the State Constitution.
"The northern boundary of the State, which was defined as 'the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines,' though it might have been well understood at the time, was vague and uncertain, and subsequently gave grounds for an open dispute.
" In the treaties made with the Sacs and Foxes and the Iowa Indians, on the 4th of August, 1824, for the purchase of a portion of their lands, it is set forth that they sold to the United States all their lands within the limits of the State of Missouri, which are situated, lying and being between the Missis- sippi and Missouri Rivers, and a line running from the Missouri at the mouth of the Kansas River, north 100 miles to the northwest corner of the State of Mis- souri, and thence east to the Mississippi. The line, as defined in this treaty, commencing at the mouth of the Kansas River, thence running 100 miles due north, and thence east until it strikes the Des Moines River, had been run in 1816, by John C. Sullivan, and duly marked by blazing trees, driving stakes and erecting mounds.
"But in a period of between twenty and thirty years, those marks had become so obliterated that they were not easily to be found, and the rapids of the river Des Moines was so uncertain a place that it was hard for those first settling the country, at the time Iowa was first opened for white settlement, to designate where the northern boundary of Missouri was located. There being several rapids in the Des Moines River, and one of
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
considerable fall, near Keosauqua, in Van Buren County (a fall in eighty rods of twenty-one inches), the Missourians claimed that the latter were the rapids referred to in the act of Congress authorizing Missouri to form a State Constitution as a point in defining their boundaries. And in 1837, the authorities of Missouri, without the co-operation of the United States, or of the Territory of Iowa (then Wisconsin), appointed Commissioners to run and mark the northern boundary.
" The Commissioners so appointed, instead of commencing to run the line upon the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines in the Mississippi, proceeded to search for rapids in the Des Moines River itself, from which to commence. They finally fixed upon the ripples in the great bend in the Des Moines River, in Van Buren County, which they assumed to be the rapids of the Des Moines River named in the act of Congress of 1820, and in the Constitution of Missouri, notwithstanding those ripples had never been known as the ' rapids of the river Des Moines.' From this point, the Commissioners proceeded to run and mark a line, which the authorities of that State claimed was the northern boundary, while the early history of the West showed, and it was subsequently decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, that the rapids of the river Des Moines were in the Mississippi River.
"Gen. Pike, who first explored the Upper Mississippi, after the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase by the United States, in his journal, kept while ascending the river in 1805, says he 'arrived at the foot of the rapids Des Moines at 7 o'clock,' and thus goes on to give an account of the difficulties he had in getting over those rapids with his boat, on his way up the Mississippi River. And, after passing the rapids, in writing to Gen. Wilkinson, he dates his letter, 'Head of the Rapids Des Moines.' Also, in his map of the Upper Mississippi, Pike lays down the Rapids Des Moines as being in the Mississippi River, a short distance above the mouth of the Des Moines River. And, before the United States acquired possession of this territory in 1779, Zenon Tendeau, acting as Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana, in one of his official acts, says : ' It is permitted to Mr. Lewis (Fesson) Honore to establish himself at the head of the rapids of the river Des Moines.' Upon this grant, Honore made an actual settlement and improvement immediately upon the banks of the Mis- sissippi River, at the head of the Des Moines Rapids in that river, some eighteen or twenty miles above its mouth.
" These, with other references, go to show that, at an early day, the rapids in the Mississippi opposite the southern extremity of Iowa, were known as the · rapids of the river Des Moines,' but the authorities of Missouri claimed and contended for many years that the rapids referred to by Congress, and in their Constitution were in the Des Moines River and near Keosauqua. The northern boundary of that State, as long as there were no settlements there, was a matter of little consequence to her citizens, and there was no one to dispute their claims until after the Black Hawk Purchase, which was made in 1832.
"The Territory of Wisconsin, in organizing the county of Van Buren, made her southern boundary extend to the southern line, and the same bound- aries were claimed by Iowa as soon as she assumed a territorial government. The territorial government of Iowa went into operation on the 4th day of July, 1838, and at that time the boundaries between Missouri and Iowa had not been settled, and there was a strip of Government land about ten miles wide which both governments claimed. The county of Van Buren, as organized by the Legis- lature of Wisconsin, before Iowa assumed a territorial government, embraced within her boundary a portion of this disputed tract of land.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
" The County Court of Clarke County, Mo., in levying the taxes for that county, enrolled the settlers on this disputed tract, as being citizens of that State and belonging to that county, and, having placed their names upon the tax-list, ordered Uriah S. Gregory, the Sheriff of that county, to collect the taxes. Accordingly, the Collector of Clarke County went on the disputed tract to collect the taxes, but the tax-payers refused to pay, and the officer undertook to collect them by levying upon their property ; but while endeavoring to do this. some of the citizens of Van Buren County sued out a warrant from a magistrate and placed it in the hands of Henry Heffleman, the Sheriff of Van Buren County, who arrested the Missouri officer, and, there being no jail suit- able for retaining prisoners nearer than Muscatine, he was taken to that county and there lodged in jail.
"This act aroused the citizens of Clarke County, and an application was made to Gov. Boggs, of Missouri, for the military power of the State to aid the civil officers in maintaining their authority, and to enforce the law of Mis- souri over the disputed tract. He accordingly dispatched Gen. Allen, with a thousand men, to the place of contention.
" Gov. Lucas, of Iowa, was as determined and fixed in his purpose to main- tain the rights of his State as the authorities of Missouri were to exact theirs, and for this purpose, ordered Maj. Gen. J. B. Brown to call out the militia and march with his forces to Van Buren County to protect the citizens.
" At this time, the militia of Iowa was poorly organized ; but Gen. Brown gave orders to his subordinates to beat up for recruits, and the citizens were not backward in enrolling themselves by voluntary enlistment, and, in a short time, about five hundred men, with arms, were assembled in Van Buren County, and others were on their way, amounting, in all, to about twelve hundred men, and the gathering of military forces had all the appearance of a fierce and bloody civil war. But before there was any collision between the two forces, Gen. Brown, from his officers, selected Gen. A. C. Dodge. of Burlington, Gen. Churchman, of Dubuque, and Dr. Clark, of Ft. Madison, as an embassy to the enemy to try to negotiate a peace.
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