USA > Iowa > Iowa County > The history of Iowa County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 51
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310.63
Change of venue case
1,180.55
Jurors.
2,969.40
Witnesses, State cases
grand jury cases
310,75
Fuel, lights and repairs
234.18
Insane.
200.25
Treasurer's certificate.
470.93
Printing and blank books
2,567.44
Wolf scalps.
62.00
Court reporters
541.00
Total.
$46,051.28
KEOKUK COUNTY.
Courts.
$ 2,390.34
Supervisors.
765.86
Superintendent schools
980.27
County officers .
2,999.15
Township officers
2,235.66
Roads and bridges
6,270.86
Fuel, light and repairs
873.44
Books and stationery
1,197.20
Sheriff's bailiff's
797.29
Jail expenses .
754.45
Deaf, dumb and insane.
1,705.24
Justices and constables
755.25
E'ection
579.75
Poor-house
2,709.83
Insane building
2,864.20
Poor outside poor-house
1,800.11
Printing
1,463.58
Miscellaneous
204.15
Total
$32,063.16
It may be said in addition to the foregoing that the county is entirely free from debt; no bonds of any kind are outstanding, and county warrants are at par. In this respect the people of Iowa county have great reason to
716.53
Witnesses in justice's courts
1,275.50
407
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
congratulate themselves. Many of the neighboring counties have a heavy. bonded indebtedness, and in many instances county warrants are below. par, thereby making county expenses in the future much higher.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
As before stated, the first election occurred in August, 1845. In those says there were commonly two general elections; one on the first Monday of April and the other on the first Monday of August. This first election in August, 1845, it is hardly necessary to state, had nothing of the nature of a po- litical contest. The object was simply to organize the county, and political differences had not yet appeared. Very soon, however, there came a change, and the political issues between the Whig and Democratic parties, which had hitherto kept the people of older communities in a state of men- tal fermentation, were likewise introduced as an element of discord into this county. At first the citizens were generally quiet, industrious and at peace with one another. Occasional disputes arose, which in the main were soon overlooked or forgotten on account of the necessary and mutual dependence for aid and convenience, as well as for the common defense in their pioneer homes.
Dissensions and enmities, however, began to creep in as the settlements progressed, and these continued to increase in working mischief, very much in proportion as the settlers began to be more independently situated and as they become more devoted to self-interest and advancement. The con- sciousness of dependency goes a great way toward making an individual or a community affable and accomodating, and a long continued period of prosperity has much to do in making people selfish as well as vain.
This unwelcome spirit of dissension began to manifest itself to the pub- lic most clearly about the year 1850, and continued to grow in intensity. There were numerous aspirants who desired to fill the offices made vacant each year; also by reason of the location of the county seat away from the geographical center of the county, was there early manifested a spirit of jealousy between the northern and southern sections of the county. The most bitter and unfortunate controversies which ever occur are those growing out of county seat contests. They engender animosities which are transmitted from father to son, and the strife in which people thereby be- come embroiled, lasts from generation to generation. By reason of the ill feeling thus engendered, the material progress of a communty is retarded, and the evil effects produced on the manners and morals of the people are truly deplorable.
The offices, during the first years, as already as been seen, presented no great inducement for being sought after on account of the salaries; but then the county official did not have much to do, and it was most emphatically true that to whom little was given, of him there was but little required, either in the extent of his qualifications or in the amount of work to be done. Then, too, these offices afforded positions of influence and were marks of preference; they might in the near future prove very covenient stepping-stones to more Incrative and influential positions; beside it was re- ally no small honor to fill for the first time the offices created in the new county. In these respects the county offices of early times afforded consid- erable inducement for being sought after by the ambitious, and even then,'
408
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
as now, they were held out as prizes wherewith to stimulate those who by nature, if not by education, were politicians.
At that time, as well as now, there were many influential citizens, who, so far as their desire for official position was concerned, were entirely dis- interested in the political canvass. These persons sought no such positions and would not have accepted an office of any kind. Public applause and criticism were not at all coveted by them. Nevertheless, they were as deeply interested in the welfare of the county as any other citizen, and had a decided preference as to who should receive their votes. They desired to entrust the county affairs in the hands of efficient and trustworthy men, who were willing to assume the responsibility and capable of conducting the business of the county in a safe and judicious way, while themselves pre- ferred to engage in some other department of industry more congenial to their tastes. On the other hand, there was always a sufficient number to accept these positions, more or less cheerfully, upon being elected to office; indeed it was early the case that the number of offices was not equal to the number of applicants, and the contests as to who should fill them were spirited and not unfrequently acrimonious. Then, as now, the prize did not always fall to the most competent and deserving; the wire-puller and the caucus bummer were developed during the first period of American civilization, and with the star of empire their course has ever been toward the west.
The desire to hold office is altogether natural and commendable: it be- comes reprehensible only when dishonest means are resorted to. Our gov- ernment was founded upon the principle that it is every man's privilege and duty to hold office, and the many official positions which are held out as prizes for industry and merit have done mnuch to make people intelligent, industrious and loyal.
The adherents of the two old politcial parties, the Whig and Democratic, were very rarely equally divided, but the Democrats had a sufficient ma- jority to insure for them all the county officers provided they were careful to submit for the suffrages of the people, as candidates, men whose record for competency and integrity had not been impeached, and who were com- paratively popular. This state of affairs continued till the practical disin- tegration of the Whig party in the year 1854 when unexpectedly even to the friends of that gentleman, James W. Grimes was elected Governor of the State, not by Whigs, but by the anti-slavery men of both Whig and Democratic parties.
The vote of Iowa county at this election was not of such a pronounced character as to indicate the great change of political sentiment which had actually taken place and transferred the State from the hands of the Dem- ocratic party, where it had been from the first organization of the territory and from which it has gradually become the most pronounced anti-slavery state in the Union.
At the August election, 1856, Timothy Davis was the Republican candi- date for representative to Congress from the second Iowa district, of which Iowa county was a part; Shepard Leffler was the Democratic candidate. The vote of Iowa county was as follows:
Timothy Davis 404
Shepard Leffler 322
Majority for Davis
82
409
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
This was the first campaign after the organization of the national Repub- lican party, and the fact that the county, which until a short time previous had been reliably Democratic, at this first election gave the candidate of the new party a majority of 82 out of a vote of 726, shows how sudden was the revolution in public sentiment and how deeply rooted in the hearts of the early settlers of Iowa county was their aversion to slavery.
The fact that the representative counties of the State have for many years been strongly Republican, can be accounted for on the same principal that a representative county in the State south of us has always been strongly Democratic. When Missouri and Iowa were first settled the question of slavery was the all-absorbing issue in politics. Those who be- lieved in the peculiar institutions usually went to the former State, and those who did not, although perchance Democrats settled in the latter State. In those days it was the policy of the Democratic party to protect the in- stitution and consequently Missourians became Democrats; the Repub- lican party was founded on the platform of hostility to slavery, and many who were originally Democrats and had settled in Iowa because they were opposed to slave labor, fell in with the prevailing sentiment of the com- munity and joined the new party. We can thus readily see why a majority of the people comprising a representative Iowa county should be Repub- licans. It may be said that the issue has long since been changed and that the Democratic party of to-day stands on a platform of principles entirely different from those principles which constituted its platform during the leadership of Stephen A. Douglas. This is emphatically true, but party organizations are very tenacious of life, and, as a rule, men will be found rallying around the same party standard long after the emblems it bears have lost their significance.
The unexpected movement which in 1854 changed the large Democratic majority of the State over to an opposition majority, was forcibly illus- trated by the vote in Marengo township. Marengo township at that time included nearly half of the voters of the county, as will be seen from the following:
Total number of votes cast in county 352
Votes cast in Marengo township. 171
In 1848 there were cast in the county votes to the number of 71; of which Marengo cast 32.
The proportion of the vote of Marengo township to the entire vote of the remainder of the county therefore was in 1848, about the same as in 1854.
In 1848 the most exciting contest was over the office of State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction. Thomas H. Benton was the Democratic candidate and James Harlan was the opposition candidate. The result in Marengo township was as follows:
Thomas H. Benton 19
James Harlan . 14
At the election in 1854 the vote of the township was:
James W. Grimes 117
Curtis Bates. '54
410
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
From the foregoing it will be seen that during these six years the county underwent a complete revolution in politics; whereas in 1848 it gave a de- cided Democratic majority, in 1854 it was overwhelmingly anti-Democratic.
It cannot fail to be a matter of great interest, especially to the older set- tlers, to present the list of voters who voted in the county at these two elections. As the list for the entire county will be rather voluminous, we simply give the names of the voters in Marengo township, in 1848 when it was decidedly Democratic, and in 1854 when it was overwhelmingly anti-Democratic.
1848.
Sylvester Middleworth, David Troup, W. Hench, J. D. Sprague, L. F. Wilson, J. Marfet, J. W. Kitchens, William Greenlee, E. Trublood, C. Kitchens, Win. Crawford, Robert Miller, Amasa Carey, Alfred Meacham, H. H. Hull, A. Hutson, R. Lanning, G. W. Kitchens, R. Walter. S. Chase, Lewis Lanning, Anderson Meacham. A. P. Kitchens, Amos Crocker, J. H. Hollowell, W. Casey, E. Chase, R. Turner, Robert McKee, William Tay- lor, J. L. Hutson, R. B. Groff. J. H. Richardson.
1854.
W. H. Wallace, John C. Been, J. M. Richardson, Wm. Hench, John Mil- ler, M. Hollopeter, W. L. Brown, F. Hechly, W. P. Emry, J. Thompson, E. Talbott, T. Miles, R. A. Readman, A. Stenbarger, Wm. Boze, R. F. Ma- son. G. W. Kitchens, R. M. Merryfield, H. B. Blocheter, H. L. Huff, W. H. Dillon, W. Greenlee, A. Hutson, John Hench, J. H. Richardson, J. Talbott, W. B. Crenshaw, J. Vanscoyoc, L. F. Wilson, J. Gowder, J. M. Kirts, G. W. Stoner, J. W. Athey, J. Hollopeter, J. F. Branon, D. Bryan, D. A. Keneday, D Butler, G. Titler, Isaac Titler, W. Thornton, R. Furnas, G. Babletts, C. Stenberger, B. Owen, J., Bryan, D. Risdon, D. Debia, G. Kemp, M. C. Morrison, D. Troup, H. Risdon, J. L. Gardner, W. Downard, J. Lanning, E. C. Cole, G. O. Hutson, S. Huston, W. Furnas, J. Brown, S. Mills, B. Pierson, J. M. Furnas, U. Hollopeter, H. C. Hutson, J. Athey, J. N. Headley, W. Wilson, A. P. Kitchens, T. Sawder, L. Lanning, J. B. Long, W. Danskin, S. Holopeter, J. Gilbert, A. Snyder, J. Kerns, H. Ros- enberger, S. Watson, J. Bear, C. Marten, J. Bailshop, Isaac Chenoworth, J. Jordan, J. Smith, T. G. Clark, K. Patterson, G. Cavender, J. Bear, R. B. Groff, T. Potter, G. Gowins, A. Rugolds, W. Shoemcht, T. Hench, J. Skinner, M. Mitchell, R. Lanning, T. J. Talbott, J. Umbarger, J. Thorn- ton, A .. Harkess, N. F. Kime, S. Wannemacher, T. V. Clark, A. Crocker, J. W. Johnson, E. Jones, J. Baughman, J. Teeter, L. Martin, J. Skiles, J. E. Stoner, D. Brochea, A. J. Elliott, A. Rosenbarger, S. Howard, C. C. Slocum, E. C. Hendershott, M. Inghram, J. C. McConnell, N. Rosenburger, T. Dillon, E. Hench, A. Hall, M. Jordan, J. M. Salisbery, G. S. Ellis, J. H. Wilson, D. Betts, L. Shodenlem, L. Owen, R. Wilkinson, J. John- son, J. W: Hallowell, H. H. Hull, M. B. Rosenbarger, P. Hull, James Frank, J. Batleff, James Dobbs, J. B. Irwin, Jr, A. Rosenbarger, A. A. Talbott, G. A. Flower, R. McKee, A. Betts, J. Morford G. W. Time, R. C. Matthews, S. G. Murphy, A. Kelley, S. Middleworth, J. Crenshaw, J. Broth- ers, M. H. Worth, R. Townley, R. F. Crenshaw .:
It will be remembered that at this time Marengo township included much more territory than at the present time, and many of the afore-mentioned voters afterward voted in other townships, which were subsequently organ-
411
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
ized. One purpose which the list will serve will be to remind the old set- tlers of many persons, formerly their neighbors and acquaintances, who, now dead or gone elsewhere, have been entirely forgotten.
Passing over a period of five years we come to consider the political af- fairs of the county in 1859, at which time political lines were very closely drawn, especially in the vote for State officers. It will be noticed that there were two candidates for each office, Republican and Democratic.
GOVERNOR.
Samuel J. Kirkwood 765
A. C. Dodge 549
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
N. J. Bush. 757
L. W. Babbitt 544
SUPREME JUDGE.
(Three to be elected.)
Ralph P. Lowe 759
L. D. Stockton. 671
Caleb Baldwin 674
T. S. Wilson . 645
Charles Mason
551
C. C. Cole. 645
STATE SENATOR.
H. M. Martin 683
J. J. Watson 621
STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
H. B. Lynch 674
John Morrison
633
COUNTY JUDGE.
Wm. H. Wallace 666
Dewey Welch
629
TREASURER AND RECORDER.
J. C. Beem . 734
N. B. Vineyard 558
SHERIFF.
N. B. Holbrook 681
J. M. Richardson
609
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
D. D. Dilaine
579
C. S. Jennis 682
26
412
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
SURVEYOR.
G C. House 664
H B. Risdon 630
CORONER.
Joel Burdick 554
A. W. Childress 754
DRAINAGE COMMISSIONER.
Robert Grimes 649
In 1860 was the exciting election for President. We give the vote on President and also on Congressmen and clerk of District Court.
PRESIDENT.
Lincoln 782
Douglas. 681
Breckenridge. 11
CONGRESS.
William Vandever 781
B. M. Samuels. 685
CLERK.
A. J. Morrison 801
C. D. Hostetter 755
In 1862 Mr. Morrison was again a candidate for the office of clerk, and had for an opponent as candidate for the same position, William G. Springer. The result of the official canvass was as follows:
Whole number of votes cast. 1611
Of the votes cast in county Morrison received 685
Springer received . 648
Of the soldier vote Morrison received 82
Of the soldier vote Springer received 179
Springer's majority, according to the canvass, was 60
The canvass was made on the first day of December, 1862, and on the same day Morrison filed a notice of his intention to contest the election. The record is as follows:
"And now; to-wit., on the first day of December, 1862, came A. J. Mor- rison and filed with the county judge his statement, for the purpose of con- testing the election of. William G. Springer to the office of clerk of the District Court, under an election held Oct. 14, 1862.
" On the 8th of January Mr. Springer selected Obadiah Dillon as one of the judges to try the case, and on the 10th of the same month Mr. Mor- rison selected Alexander Patterson as one of the judges; the county judge being ex officio judge of contested election cases, the tribunal consisted of Messrs. Dillon, Patterson and Judge Wallace. The case was set for hear-
413
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
ing on Friday, the second day of January, 1863. R. A. Redman was ap- pointed clerk to make record of the proceedings.
"The court met according to order and after considerable legal tactics in the pleadings the case was continued till the 23d of January. On the 23d of January the court again met and after certain pleadings had been disposed of an adjournment was taken till the 4th of February.
" On the 4th day of February, the case was submitted to the court for final decision which was as follows:
" We the court find on the issue made as follows; to-wit.,
" 1st. That the whole number of votes cast for clerk of the District Court of Iowa county, Iowa, within the limits of said county, at the various election precincts therein at the election held on the 14th day of October, 1862, was in all one thousand three hundred and forty-eight, of which A. J. Morrison, contestant, had six hundred and eighty-five votes, and William G. Springer, incumbent, had six hundred and forty-eight votes, and Thomas Boyle had fifteen votes, being a majority of thirty-seven votes for A. J. Morrison.
"2d. That there were cast for said office of clerk of the District Court at the various places where elections were held in the military camps, quar- ters and stations within the State, all being outside of Iowa county, one. hundred and seventy-seven votes, of which A. J. Morrison received seventy- two, and William Springer had one hundred and five, being a majority of thirty-three for William G. Springer.
"3d. That A. J. Morrison had a clear majority of four votes of all the votes cast within the State of Iowa.
.
" 4th. That there were cast in all without the State of Iowa, and in other States where elections were held in the various military camps, stations and quarters for said office, eighty-five votes, of which A. J. Morrison had six- teen votes, and William G. Springer had sixty-eight votes, and John Galiger had one.
" And thereupon the court, being fully advised in the premises, do find that the act entitled ' An act to amend title No. 4 of the Revision of 1860, so as to enable the qualified electors of this State, in the military service to vote at certain elections,' approved September 11, 1862, to be unconstitu- tional, so far as it was designed to have an extra-territorial effect, and that all votes cast at said election, outside the limits of the State of Iowa under and by virtue of said act were illegal and unconstitutionally cast, and should not have been cast, counted or allowed for either the contestant or incumbent or any one else.
" We do therefore find, order and adjudge and decree that inasmuch as the said contestant, A. J. Morrison, has received a majority of all the votes cast within the county and State that he, the said A. J. Morrison, has been duly, legally and constitutionally elected to said office for and during the term of office by law prescribed, and that the incumbent, William G. Springer pay all the costs except such as have been heretofore assessed against the contestant.
" WM. H. WALLACE. "A. PATTERSON."
" R. A. REDMAN, Clerk."
414
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
It was held by Springer's attorney that the tribunal was not competent to decide on the constitutionality of a law enacted by the legislature. So Mr. Springer himself thought and many of his friends. The case was therefore appealed to the District Court.
Upon the case coming up before Judge W. W. Isbell, a decision was rendered in favor of Mr. Morrison.
In the closing paragraph of his decision, Judge Isbell said:
" Beliving the clause requires a voter to claim his vote in the county of his residence, we must hold such as were cast outside illegal; and therefore reject them. We come to this conclusion reluctantly for the reason that we hold it eminently just that those noble men who have been drawn away to peril their lives to maintain law should not be deprived of this high and distinctive right of citizenship, except for cogent reasons, and because it becomes the modesty of an inferior judicial tribunal to bow to the wisdom of the Legislature, leaving to the courts of last resort the task of deciding their acts unconstitutional unless they are palpably so. To the soldier we- have no apology believing that no class of men are more desirous than they that the constitution should be faithfully maintained."
The case was then appealed to the Supreme Court, and on the 10th of December, a little more than one year after the contest was instituted Mr. Springer received a favorable decision and took possession of the office.
Judge Wright wrote the decision and after reviewing the arguments of counsel at some length and citing numerous cases he concludes as follows:
" But suppose no penalty was provided for false swearing or illegal vot- ing; or that those, if any, guilty in these respects, cannot be punished, does it therefore follow that in a proceeding of this character we would be jus- tified in declaring the whole act void? If the Legislature in the general election law should fail to provide a penalty for illegal voting, would the result be that the act should have no operation and that all the votes cast. would be illegal?
" It seems to us most clearly not. Then, again. in what does legislation differ from those acts found in all States, authorizing the appointment of commissioners abroad to take depositions, acknowledge deeds, and the like; as also the taking of depositions in other States to be used in our courts? Can these swearing falsely in such cases be punished in this State? If not, is the testimony therefore to be rejected? This has never been the holding of any court to our knowledge.
" Looking, therefore, in conclusion, to both the letter and the spirit of the constitution, only anxious to view the question as one of legal or con- stitutional right, discarding all thoughts of expediency, all consideration touching the justice of the law, as anxious as any other tribunal that 'a free and honest suffrage' shall alone be provided for and sustained, keeping in view the great principles and even the lesser rules governing our action,. we feel constrained to say, 'in fidelity to the oath we have sworn' that that: law can be and should be upheld.
" The case is reversed."
At the election in October, 1863, the vote in Iowa county was very close on Governor. The result was as follows:
William M. Stone 763 James M. Tuttle. 742:
-
415
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
For county officers the vote was not so close; we give the result in part:
COUNTY JUDGE.
A. H. Willits
926
Robert McKee 764
TREASURER AND RECORDER.
Homer C. Paige 886
Joseph Talbott. 764
SHERIFF.
George C. House. 888
E. D. Akers 765
At the Presidential election in 1868 the vote of the county was:
Grant.
1,490
Seymour 1,164
In 1872 the vote was:
Grant.
1,493
Greeley
906
O'Connor
34
In 1876 the vote was:
Hayes
1,871
Tilden
1,348
Cooper 151
In 1880 the vote was:
Garfield
1,788
Hancock
1,286
Weaver
335
It will be seen by this that ever since 1860 the county has given a de- cided majority in favor of the National and State Republican tickets, while on county matters the elections have been at times closely contested. This brings us to notice the second renowned contested election case.
The second contested election case came up in the fall of 1877. In or- der to more fully understand the matter, it will be necessary to return to the election of 1875. The Republican candidate at that time was W. B. Taylor and the Democratic nominee was A. J. Morrison. Taylor was elected, and during the second year of his term was apprehended in the commission of gross irregularities, and was deposed from office. Thus it was that in the fall of 1877 there were two auditors to be elected, one for the unexpired term ending January 1, 1877, and the other for the full term beginning January 1, 1878, and ending January 1, 1880.
The Republicans nominated J. G. Berstler both for the vacancy and for the full term. The Democrats and Greenbackers nominated G. W. Wilson. The canvass was a very exciting one and the result was very close.
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