USA > Iowa > Monroe County > The history of Monroe County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion > Part 42
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Your petitioners would further say that that portion of country lying west of the geograph- ical center of said county is not settled as fully and as thickly as it is east of said eenter, and for this reason that the east part of the county lies the most convenient to the Old Purchase, on whom most of the settlers are at first dependant for the common necessaries of life ; but that the west portion of the county will compare favorably with any other portion of the county ; that it has fine bodies of timber and good prairie, and will, in all probability, very soon he as densely settled and improved as any portion of Iowa.
Robert Hustead.
Allen C. Phinney.
William Garland.
H. W. Brown.
Christopher K. Wilson.
Nelson Cain.
George Root.
Andrew Gillespie.
E. H. Brandon.
Elijah Johnson.
William Records.
George Cain.
Henry Barnes.
Joseph McMullin.
I. C. Layton.
N. E. Hendryx.
T. G. Templeton.
A. Wilson.
William Hendryx.
Jonas Wescoatt.
Reuben D. Mckinney.
Amos Strickland.
James MeCarroll.
William Murphy.
K. O. Strickland.
H. Runnels.
William Miller.
Joshua Flecheart.
Eliphalet Johnson.
Jeremiah Miller.
George Weaver.
Samuel Tyrrell.
Daniel McIntosh.
John Miller.
Aaron Pickerell.
Daniel Chance.
Job Rogers.
Wm. V. Beadle.
John Sappenfield.
Nelson Wescoatt.
James Anderson.
John Ilammer.
William Bailey.
Orrin Wilson.
Nathaniel P. Jackson.
Michael Blair.
B. F. B. Bates.
Michael Hittle.
John Bougher.
Harry Miller.
James Findley.
John G Epperson.
Daniel Judson.
Orlando Myers.
William Stewart.
Philander L. Tyrrell.
Solomon Robinson.
Oliver Tyrrell.
Josiah Edmonds.
Peter Cain. M. II. Clark.
N. B. Preston.
Lewis Judson.
Henry II. Harrison.
Levi Dungan.
Elam Judson.
George Bougher.
John Stephenson.
Smith Judson.
Wm. H. H. Davis.
James Stephenson.
Charley Bates.
Jacob Hammer.
Roland Ingham.
Homer J. Tyrrell.
Daniel Cone.
Hardin Seavey.
James O. Render.
David Ramsey.
John Bailey.
Lewis M. Bentley.
Mathias Hogg.
H. F. Bailey.
Nathaniel Newman.
Orrin Miller.
Jolin Chance.
Madison Anderson.
Charles Anderson.
John Clark.
Marshall S. Tyrrell.
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
Andrew De Koven.
James Ililton.
Thomas Williamson.
John Stephenson.
Abner Barbour.
Thomas E. Forrest. John Coffe. Willis Stevens.
S. J. Warden.
Jackson Scott.
Otho William.
William Bisland.
Ezra P. Cone.
Jesse Walker.
John M. Mclntyre.
Leonard Coffe.
Allen Williams.
John McGinnis.
Jesse Combs.
Joseph Kerns.
Peter Jolinson.
Samuel Cane.
Mervin Williams.
James Brandon.
Joseph H. P. Stewart.
Walter II. Cross.
Robert Finley.
John H. Wilson.
llarry Cross.
Robert Henderson.
James Stewart.
Thomas H. Broek.
Perry Runnels.
Nathan H. Wilson.
Jacob M. Davis.
Abram Williams.
William Clodfelter.
Samuel Davis.
George Cline.
David Clodfelter.
Jonathan Mason.
James Pomeroy.
Solomon Byerly.
John Davis.
Anson Wiseman.
W. G. Clark.
Wesley Cain.
John M. Wallace.
Thomas Coppedge.
C. H. Brandon.
James R. Bruce.
Isaac Hopper. Ira Beebe.
Willoughby Randolph.
Levi IIagan.
George H. MeLaughlin.
David Cooper.
Peter Wells.
George Cain.
REMONSTRANCE.
To the Honorable Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Iowa in Legislature assembled :
WHEREAS. a petition is gotten up for an act to be passed by your honorable body, for an election to decide whether our county seat shall remain at Princeton or be removed to Clarksville, We, the undersigned citizens of said county, feel it our duty to oppose the same, believing your lIonors will see the propriety of this opposition, in the following reasons, to wit :
We, as a county, petitioned your lionorable Legislature for ( ommissioners to be appointed by them to locate our county seat, which was granted, and according to law they have acted, although the petition aforesaid is said to contain evidence that said Commissioners traveled and labored but two and a half days, it is well known to us to be a misrepresentation. We know they commenced operations on Tuesday in said county, and stnek the stake on Saturday following on the northwest quarter of Section 22, Range 17 west.
We oppose said petition from the fact that at least two-thirds of their signers have never seen the location of either Princeton or Clarksville, and know nothing of the propriety or impropriety of removing it.
Again, many of the names on the petition are under the age of 21.
The northeast corner of the county being more thickly settled than the south, but not likely to be so in future, serious inconvenience will necessarily be suffered by future population. The center of the county is in Cedar bottom, consequently not suitable for a town. Your Commis- sioners located Princeton on the center line of the county running east and west, and the north and south line on the west of the town is just three miles from the center.
Again, the quarter of land Princeton contains is worth at least double to the county what the quarter at Clarksville is worth, from the situation of both. Clarksville is a narrow, crooked ridge, interrupted by sloughs, while Princeton is a beautiful, level prairie. We oppose the un- necessary expense for the county to make an election on the subject.
Your petitioners, therefore, request your honorable body to let the county seat of Kishke- kosh remain at the town of Princeton, according to its location, for which your petitioners would ever pray.
F. R. S. Byrd. Aliathan Newton.
Wm. Bellsland.
Thomas R. Barbour.
Eliphalet Johnson.
Christopher K. Wilson.
Noah Bonebreak.
Abram Tilley.
Abner Harbour.
Jolın Bonebreak. George W. Bethards.
( reath Renfro.
Horace 1. Tyrrell.
William Olney.
Philander Tyrrell.
Josiah C. Boggs. L. M. Boggs.
John A. Massey.
Jeremiah Wilson.
Abraham Webb. Andrew Gillespie.
Oliver Tyrrell. Philander L. Tyrrell.
A. M. Walker. John Walker. Michael Lower. John Sower.
Jonathan Elswick.
I. Beebe. G. Judson. Joseph Bruce.
James MeRoberts.
Calvin Elswick. John Walker.
John Midlam. Wm. McBride.
William Scott. James R. Boggs. Joseph Lundry.
F. New. Jabez Tuttle. Thornton F. Chapman.
George Anderson.
Joab Rogers.
Laurel Tyrrell.
James T. Bradley.
John Renfro. John B. Gray.
F. Healy. Robert M. Hartness.
Andrew Elswiek.
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
John Gunter.
Wm. Buchanan.
Smith Judson.
Israel Green.
George Day.
Harry Miller.
Oliver P. Rowles.
James Gordon.
Charles Bates.
David Rowles.
James McIntyre.
Joseph Franks.
James Hardesty.
Jacob Zigler.
John Webb.
Reuben Mock.
John M. McIntyre.
William Sower.
Thomas McSouth.
John R. Bruce.
Jacob Bonebreak
Ira Beebe.
Mesach Plupps.
MI. Cross.
Peter Miller.
Lawson Bradley.
Alfred Marvin,
Andrew Barber.
Orwin Judson. George Marvin.
B. F. B. Bates.
Wm. Bonebreak.
Foster Marvin.
Charles Anderson.
A. Dorothy.
John Mock.
Wm. H. McBride.
The result of this attempt was the ordering of an election in Kiskkekosh County, as prayed for. From the records of the Legislature, it is learned that the majority deemed it prudent to settle the matter at once.
Chapter 121 of the Territorial Laws of Iowa contains the act, approved January 19, 1846, authorizing the final establishment of the county seat of Monroe County. The act changing the name from Kishkekosh was approved the same day as the law, which accounts for the appearance of the original title in this bill.
Section 1 announces that the purpose of the law is to establish the county seat of Kishkekosh permanently, and provides for an election on the first Monday in April, 1846, at the several precincts, "at which time the qualified electors of said county shall vote for Princeton or Clarksville for the seat of Justice."
Section 2 declares that any one who has resided in the county sixty days, in the Territory six months and is a citizen of the United States may vote upon the question.
Sections 3, 4 and 5 explain how the election shall be held, and are but a statement of the usual method. The town receiving the greater number of affirmative ballots shall be duly declared the seat of justice.
Section 7 provides that any three electors who shall have voted at the elec- tion may, within twenty days, by giving acceptable bonds in the sum of $3,000, or agreeing to pay all costs of suit, contest the election ; publishing notice of such contest in the Iowa Democrat, a paper printed at Keosauqua, in Van Buren County, fifteen days prior to the actual occurrence of contest.
Section 8 empowers the Judge of the District Court to examine the polls and return in case of belief of illegal voting, etc., and decide upon the question as he deems proper.
Sections 9 and 10 provide for the punishment of illegal voters and fraudu- lent officials.
As incidental to the contest, it is related that a bit of wire-pulling was resorted to, even in that early time. The election in April was for more than the decision of the seat question ; certain officers were voted for, among others, a Representative to the Constitutional Convention to act upon the adoption of a State Constitution. There were three candidates for this honor : W. G. Clark, W. H. H. Davis and Mr. Leighton. It is said that an agreement was entered into to the effect that if Mr. Davis, in the north part of the county, would use his influence for Princeton, the latter would vote for him. The Princeton men were Whigs, while Mr. Davis was a Democrat, and this compromise seemed a fair turn-about. Mr. Davis carried out his part of the agreement, but the Whigs could not make up their minds to vote for any Democrat, so they cast their ballots for Leighton. As can be seen from this division into three parties,
369
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
the Princeton men secured the county seat vote-but by the barest majority, of four-while Mr. Clark was elected Delegate by some sixty majority.
The Clarks intended to contest the election on the seat question, but the absence of W. G. Clark, while attending the Convention, and domestic affliction in the family of John Clark, whose young wife died soon after the election, caused an unavoidable delay. The matter was never renewed in legal form, and Princeton held the seat of justice.
At the July term of the Commissioners' Court, July 6, 1846, Smith Judson, Charles Bates and Otho Williams were appointed Viewers to locate and establish a road, commencing at the east line of the county, near Smith Judson's ; thence to Wesley Cain's mill, on Cedar, and to be laid out on the nearest and best ground. That it might not be any expense to the county, the petitioners agreed to be at all the costs of locating it, except the survey. Walter Clement was appointed to survey the road, and the surveyor and Viewers were to meet at the house of Smith Judson on the 27th of August.
At the same meeting, H. B. Hendershott was allowed the sum of $15 for services as District Prosecutor; and the place for holding elections in McIntyre's Precinct was named at Hiram Long's.
July 7th, the Board ordered that the name of the township of Davis be changed to that of Union, and the sum of $1.00 was allowed each of the follow- ing named persons as Judges and Clerks of Elections, at the election of the previous April. Judges-Ira Beebe, Horace J. Tyrrell, Lewis Judson, Philemon Barber, John Wilson, Wm. Miller, Thomas Williamson, Samuel Harbour, James McIntyre, Nelson Wescoatt, Robert Hustead, Wesley Cain, John Hammer, N. Hendryx, Alexander Myers. Clerks-Michael Hittle, James Pomeroy, Dudley C. Barber, Jeremiah Miller, Smith Judson, Philander Tyrrell, Michael Sower, Jonas Wescoatt, Thomas R. Harbour, Hiram Long.
John Clark was also allowed the sum of $20 for services in impaneling jurors, putting up election notices, etc.
Ezra P. Cone was appointed Supervisor of Roads in and for the west part of Pleasant Township; and Henry Levalley was appointed to the same office for the township of Pleasant, with the exception of the west tier of sections.
Marshall S. Tyrrell's returns at Supervisor of Roads for the Township of Mantua were received as lawful; and the Board allowed Jeremiah Miller $4.00 for services as Clerk in the time of court, and Moses H. Clark, $5.00, for servi- ces as Commissioner in time of court. John B. Gray, Joshua C. Layton and Philemon Barber were appointed Judges of Election in Pleasant Township.
The Board ordered a bounty of 50 cents on all large wolves killed in Kish- kekosh County, and a bounty of 25 cents on all small ones.
On the 10th of August, the Board ordered that a tax of 5 mills be levied for county purposes, 12 mills for Territorial purposes, and a poll tax of 50 cents.
On the 17th of August, 1846, the new Board of Commissioners, consisting of Wm. McBride, Andrew Elswick and Smith Judson, with Dudley C. Barber as Clerk, held an extra session at Princeton. The following. plan for a Court House was adopted : The building to be placed on Lots 5 and 6 of Block 7 in said town of Princeton. The body of the building to be 20 feet square and 14 feet in height, and to be composed of logs hewn upon two sides, said logs to be 7 inches in thickness, to be not more than 3 inches apart at the corners of the building; the logs to be notched at said corners in a good and workmanlike manner. The roof of said building to be composed of boards 3 feet in length, nailed upon rafters or ribs hewed upon one side, and in case the boards are
370
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
nailed upon rafters, the building to be weather-boarded at the gable ends ; the building to have 9 joists, 4x7 inches, and 4 sleepers, hewed on one side. The builder to have the said building finished, in manner as aforesaid, on or before the 25th day of the next September, under a penalty of $160.
At the session of the 18th of August, it was ordered that there be a sale of lots in the town of Princeton on the first Saturday in October; the terms to be one-fourth down, one-fourth payable in six months, one-fourth in twelve, and the remaining fourth in eighteen months. In case of failure in any payment, the lots were to be forfeited.
The agent of the county was empowered to employ some person to chink and daub the Court House in a proper manner; and George Deay was em- ployed to lay a floor in the same building, for which he was to be paid the sum of $10 in county orders. Wm. McBride was engaged to furnish fifty lights of window glass, for which he was to receive $2.00.
On the 5th of October, the Board met at the log Court House in Princeton, then not wholly completed. The first business transacted was the laying-out of a road, " commencing eighty rods east of the northwest corner of Section 34, in Township 72, Range 17; thence south before bearing west, or to go west a suitable distance before going southerly to the south line of the county in a direction to meet the Chariton divide, as far east as will be practicable for a good road." John Webb, John T. Ganter and James Hilton were appointed Viewers of the road, and John N. Massey, Surveyor.
The next day, October 6th, Job Rogers was allowed $75 for building the new Court House.
On the 7th, the County Agent was authorized to daub the Court House, and to provide it with one door, two windows (below the loft), and a loft of plank. He was also instructed to employ a man to dig, stone and curb a well on the public square at Princeton, convenient to the Court House.
Charles Bates was allowed $3.84 for forty eight-lights window sash for the Court House.
The Board adjourned until January, but an extra session was called on the 2d day of November, at which time Charles Anderson resigned the Treasurer- ship of the county, and upon settlement with him it was found that the county owed him $1.09.
The Board met at the little log Court House on the 4th day of January, 1847, but "adjourned immediately to the house of John Webb." Whether this adjournment was occasioned by the too thorough ventilation of the build- ing for a cold day, or whether the honorable members found the building other- wise unsuited for the peaceful transaction of business, is not stated. Subsequent proceedings throw some light on the matter.
On the third day of the January session (January 6th), the Board appointed Jeremiah Miller Assessor for Monroe County. Although there is no record to that effect, it is probable that Mr. Miller would not serve, for at the March term A. M. Walker was appointed. The following townships were combined to form a separate precinct : Township 72, Range 18; Township 72, Range 19; Township 71, Range 18, and Township 71, Range 19, and this was to be called Records' Precinct, and it was ordered that elections in that precinct were to be held at the house of William Records.
At the April election in 1847, a vote was taken upon the issuance of licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, which resulted in a vote of 82 for license and 42 against. A tabulated statement of the township votes appears in the records of the session of the Board of April 12th.
371
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
Three men, respectively, Asa Epperson, N. R. Teas and Simon Cochran. were awarded bounties for wolf scalps-the first $1, the second $1.50, and the last 50 cents, which seems to indicate the size and general obnoxiousness of the animals captured. J. N. Massey was ordered to survey a portion of town lots in Princeton. The county was divided into three Commissioners' Districts, as fol- lows : The northern tier of townships to constitute the First District, the middle tier to constitute the Second, and the southern tier to constitute the Third Dis- trict for the election of County Commissioners.
At the July session, the townships of Monroe and Urbana were organized ; James Hilton was appointed Supervisor of Roads of the former, and Archibald Dorothy and James McIntyre of the latter. John Webb was employed to con- struct a table for the Court House, to lay the loft, and to furnish a stove and pipe.
A REMINISCENCE OF SLAVERY.
On the original Commissioners minutes are transcribed, at the July session, 1847, the following papers, which are reminders of the old times, when colored people were subject to molestation unless their freedom was an established fact. The documents were designed to serve as guarantees against interference with the personal liberty of the parties lately in slavery, and were brought by them to this county from the first free home enjoyed by them in Illinois.
Ordered, By said Board that the certificates and other papers relating to the freedom of cer- tain persons of color, and presented by one of said persons, be recorded upon our books forthwith :
At a regular term of the County Commissioners' Court of the County of Warren, Illinois. begun and held at Monmouth, on Monday, the 5th day of December, A. D. 1836. Members pres- ent : John B. Talbot, Samuel B. Morse and Alexander Trumbull, County Commissioners ; Daniel M. Neil, Jr., Clerk, and Ira F. M. Butler, Sheriff.
On motion, ordered that the penal bond of Edward Blackstock, W. D. Henderson, and James F. Martin, in the sum of $3,000, conditioned that certain negroes, therein named, shall not become a county charge, and this day approved by the Clerk of this Court, be filed.
COPY OF BOND.
Know all men by these presents, That we, Edward Blackstock, William D. Henderson and James F. Martin, of the County of Warren, and State of Illinois, are held and firmly bound to the County Commissioners of Warren County, and the State aforesaid, and their successors in office, in the sum of $3,000, to be paid to the County Commissioners of said county, or their successors in office, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, jointly and severally, and our, and each of our heirs, executors and and administrators firmly by the presents. Sealed with our seals, dated the 28th day of November, 1836.
The condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas it appears that there are three persons of color in the bounds of this county, to wit : Dick, Rose and Amy, who came to the State with the said Blackstock. Now, if the said negroes shall behave themselves peaceably towards all the people of this State, and shall not become a county charge to said County of War- ren, or any other county in this State, then, and in that case, the above obligation to be void : otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
EDWARD BLACKSTOCK. SEAL. ]
W. D. HENDERSON. SEAL. ] JAMES F. MARTIN. [SEAL. ]
STATE OF ILLINOIS, WARREN COUNTY, SS. : Personally appeared before the undersigned, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Edward Blackstock, William D. Ilenderson and James F. Martin, whose names appear to the above obligation, and severally acknowledged that they had signed, sealed and delivered the same freely and voluntarily for the use and pur- poses therein mentioned.
Given under my hand and seal, this 28th day of November, A. D. 1836. WILLIAM R. JAMISON, [SEAL. ]
Justice of the Peace.
Endorsed, filed in open Court, and bond approved by the Clerk, December, 1836.
D. M. NEIL, JR., Clerk.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, WARREN COUNTY, SS .: 1, Daniel M. Neil, Jr., Clerk of the County Com- missioners' Conrt, in and for said county and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a full and perfect copy of all the proceedings had before the County Commissioners' Court, in and for said county, in relation to Edward Blackstock and certain negroes as appears to be of record in my office.
372
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said county, at Monmonth, this 11th day of November, A. D. 1844. DANIEL M. NEIL, Clerk.
February 25, 1837.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, WARREN COUNTY, SS. : I, Edward Blackstock, do hereby certify that Dick, Rose and Amy, the persons named in the bond given by me to the County Commissioners of Warren County, were brought to this county by myself, for the purpose of liberating them from slavery. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.
EDWARD BLACKSTOCK. [SEAL. ]
Their ages as near as near as can be ascertained-Dick, 44 years ; Rose, 38 years; Amy, 14 years.
Endorsed. Filed April 29, 1837.
D. M. NEIL, JR., Clerk.
E. B.
At the October session, George R. Holliday took his seat as Commissioner, in place of Smith Judson.
The chief business of the January session of the Commissioners in 1848, was the laying-out of roads. It was at the April term that arrangements were made for building a jail in Princeton. It was to be one story high and sixteen fcet square. The walls, loft and floor were to be composed of logs one foot square-the walls to be single, the roof to be composed of shingles. At this same time George R. Holliday was employed to furnish six chairs for the Court House, and Scott Arnold to furnish a table for the same, four feet wide and six feet long. For this table he received $3.50.
At the regular session for July of this year, the Board organized a portion of Pottawattamie County lying directly west of Monroe, intoa township, with Kanesville for a precinct, and Charles Bird, Henry Miller and William Hunt- ington as Judges of Elections. The boundaries of that township extended as far east as the East Nishnabatna. They also organized that portion of the country called Clark County, directly west of Lucas, into a precinct, and named Elias Adams, Edwin Whiting and Stephen R. Perry for Judges of Elections. They established another precinct, called White's Creek Precinct, in Monroe and Lucas Counties.
On the 5th of July, an order was drawn upon the Treasurer of the County for $75, in favor of Job Rogers, for building the Court House. Another bounty of $1.00 for a wolf scalp was paid Thomas W. Arnold. Further action was taken in regard to the jail. The Board stipulated that the logs composing said jail were to be of oak, the sleepers to be founded upon good substantial logs, the aperture for the window to be 14x16 inches, the window to be secured by one horizontal and two perpendicular bars, said bars to be of iron 1x2 inches, and to be fixed four inches into the logs at each end; the door to be plain batten, with the battens on the inside, and to swing by iron hinges of blacksmith's work. The Commissioners were to advance money sufficient for the purchase of lock and iron, and the amount of bond to be required was double the amount of bid. Finally, the cracks between the walls were to be not more than one inch in width, filled with lime mortar.
This year a tax of 4 mills was levied for county purposes, 2} for State, and 50 cents for poll tax.
At the October term, John Clark took the place of Andrew Elswick upon the Board. The order for organizing a township in Pottawattamie County was revoked. Here we first find the name of Albia instead of Princeton, in the order of the Board to draw up a contract with Alpheus F. Miller and Doster Noland to build a jail "on Lot 2 of Block 6 of the town of Albia." These contractors were authorized to furnish said jail with one window and one door, and to procure and fix in the center of the floor a staple and ring suitable for such jail. The County Agent was required to pay the contractors "out of the town lot fund a sum of money sufficient to purchase a suitable lock to secure
373
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
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