efficient and acceptable manner, while they themselves were content to engage in some other department of the county's progress, more congenial to their tastes and dispositions. On the other hand, there were always enough of those who would accept these official positions, more or less reluctantly or cheerfully, if duly elected or urged a little to fill them, so that it was soon found the various offices were not sufficient to give each of the aspirants a position. Evidently some of these must gain the honored distinction, while others must be left out, part of whom doubtless would be disappointed not a little over their defeat.

Who then of these various aspirants were the best qualified to fill these several positions? Who had the most deserved claim on the public support? Who were the shrewdest political tricksters and wire pullers? Who of all the number could wield the most extended and effective influence, either by honorable, or it may be, by unfair means in securing the majority vote? These and many other questions of similar character would quite naturally arise, even in the minds of early settlers, as the memorable first election day drew near, when they must each receive a decisive answer at the ballot box.

COUNTIES AND COUNTY NAMES

There are and have been ever since the 26th day of February, 1857, ninetynine counties in this state. No county has been created under the present constitution of the state, although acts have been passed looking to that end. One enactment divided the county of Kossuth, and out of the three northernmost townships erected the county of Crocker; but the act was subsequently pronounced unconstitutional by the supreme court. Acts looking to the division of Pottawattamie county have also been passed, but, upon submission to the voters of that county, were defeated.

The creation of a county having less than 432 square miles has always been forbidden by the state constitution, and it was because the proposed county of Crocker was obnoxious to this interdiction that the act creating it was declared void. It was found, however, when the present constitution was adopted, that, owing to want of knowledge of the fact that the township adjoining the northern state line (number 100) was one mile short throughout its entire length, several counties, viz: Mitchell, Worth, Winnebago, Emmet, Dickinson and Osceola had each an area sixteen miles less than the required minimum. To remove all doubts likely to arise because of this error, the constitution of 1857 authorized the organization of these counties with their area already defined.

The present constitution further provides that "no law changing the boundary lines of any county shall have effect until, at a general election, it shall be approved by a majority of the votes in each county cast for and against it." An act was passed in 1862 authorizing counties to readjust their boundaries as they might see fit. Under the provisions of this statute, the boundary line of Crawford and Monona counties was removed six miles to the westward. The commissioners who drafted the code, believing the act unconstitutional, recommended that it be not embodied in the code, which recommendation being adopted, the act ceased to have force September 1, 1873.

Two counties were created by the legislative council of Michigan; twenty

two (including three extinct) by the legislative assembly of Wisconsin; and twenty-three by the legislative assembly of Iowa territory; while the general assembly of the state has established in all fifty-nine, of which, however, it has abolished three-Bancroft, Yell and the first Humboldt.

All the counties of the state are now organized and have been so since 1871. The organization of the older counties was provided for by special legislative enactments. But chapter 84, of the acts of the first general assembly, and chapter 12, of the acts of the fourth general assembly, provided modes of proceeding for such organization; and, especially since January 22, 1853, when the latter act took effect, nearly all the counties organized, and since the adoption of the present constitution all of them have followed the mode thus provided.

The statement given below is a brief synopsis of the facts connected with the establishment and organization of the counties, together with the original selection of county seats, so far as the same may be gathered from the various statutes of the several legislative bodies.

The act of the territorial council of Michigan which laid off the counties of Dubuque and Demoine is deemed of sufficient interest to warrant its reproduction entire here:

An Act to lay off and organize counties west of the Mississippi river.

Section I. Be it enacted by the legislative council of the Territory of Michigan, That all that district of country which was attached to the territory of Michigan, by the act of congress entitled "An act to attach the territory of the United States west of the Mississippi river and north of the state of Missouri to the territory of Michigan," approved June twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and thirty-four, and to which the Indian title has been extinguished, which is situated to the north of a line to be drawn due west from the lower end of Rock Island to Missouri river, shall constitute a township which shall be called Dubuque; the said county shall constitute a township which shall be called Julien; the seat of justice shall be established at the village of Dubuque until the same shall be changed by the judges of the county court of said county.

Sec. 2. All that part of the district aforesaid, which was attached as aforesaid to the territory of Michigan, and which is situated south of the said line to be drawn west from the lower end of Rock Island, shall constitute a county, and be called Demoine; the said county shall constitute a township, and be called Flint Hill; the seat of justice of said county shall be at such place therein as shall be designated by the judges of the county court of said county.

Sec. 3. A county court shall be and hereby is established in each of said counties. The county court of the county of Dubuque shall be held on the first Monday in April and September, annually; and the county court of the county of Demoine, on the second Monday in April and September, annually.

Sec. 4. All laws now in force in the county of Iowa, not locally inapplicable, shall be and hereby are extended to the counties of Dubuque and Demoine, and shall be in force therein.

Sec. 5. The inhabitants of the said township may hold an election for their township officers on the first Monday in November, next; all elections in the county of Dubuque shall be held at the following places, to-wit: at Sorimier's store in the village of Dubuque and at Gehon's store in the village of Peru, at the dwelling house now occupied by Hosea T. Camp, near the head of Catfish

Vol. I-6

creek, and at Lore's dwelling house on the Mukkoketta. The elections in the county of Demoine shall be held at the seat of justice of said county. The said elections shall be held by three persons, at each place above mentioned, who shall be elected to perform such service by a majority of the inhabitants then present between the hours of ten and twelve of the said day, and who shall proceed to hold said elections according to the mode prescribed by law for holding township elections, and make return thereof to the justices of the county court of each county respectively, who shall canvass the votes given at the several polls within their counties and declare the names of the persons who shall have been duly elected at such election. The oath of office of the chief justices of the county courts of the said counties may be administered by the person appointed clerk of the respective counties, and the said chief justices shall then proceed to administer the oath of office to the said clerk and associate justices of the county courts according to law.

Sec. 6. Process, civil and criminal, issued from the circuit court of the United States for the county of Iowa, shall run into all parts of said counties of Dubuque and Demoine, and shall be served by the sheriff, or other proper officer, within either of said counties; writs of error shall lie from the circuit court for the county of Iowa, to the county courts established by this act, in the same manner as they now issue from the supreme court to the several county and circuit courts of the territory.

Sec. 7. This act shall take effect and be in force on and after the first day of October next, and the township officers elected under this act shall hold their offices until the first Monday of April next, and until others are elected and qualified.

Approved September 6, 1834.

The first and second sections of the act were probably intended to divide the territory to which the Indian title had been extinguished between the counties of Dubuque and Demoine; and the first section limits the county of Dubuque to the line of the Indian purchase. The letter of section two does not, however, it will be observed, so limit the county of Demoine, whatever might have been the intention. In the following statement, accordingly, it is assumed that the original county of Demoine comprised all of the present state south of the line now separating Madison and Dallas counties, extended to both rivers. The actual line--one drawn due west from the lower end of Rock Island to the Missouri river was rather more than half a mile to the northward; but the assumed line is believed to be sufficiently accurate for the purpose of this statement.

CHAPTER IV

APPANOOSE COUNTY ORGANIZED-BOUNDARIES OUTLINED COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED TO SELECT COUNTY SEAT-NAME OF COUNTY SEAT CHANGED FROM CHALDEA TO CENTERVILLE-CHIEF APPANOOSE.

Section 2 of Chapter 34, Laws of 1843, approved February 17, reads as follows:

"Sec. 2. That the following boundaries shall constitute a new county, to be called Appanoose, to-wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Davis, and running west to the township line dividing townships 70 and 71 to range 20 west; thence south on said range line to the Missouri state line; thence on said line to the southwest corner of Davis county; thence north to the place of beginning, which county, with that of Davis, and all the territory lying west, shall be attached to Van Buren county for judicial, revenue and election purposes."

Section 12 of the same act required the commissioners of each organized county to have the boundaries of attached counties surveyed, which survey was to remain good until surveyed by government authority.

Section 13 authorized the governor to appoint as many justices of the peace in the newly created counties as he might deem necessary, and each justice so appointed had the power to designate two constables.

Section 15 required the new counties to refund the expenses incurred in the preliminary survey of their boundaries.

Section 13 of Chapter 122, Laws of 1844, approved February 15, attached Appanoose to Davis county for election, revenue and judicial purposes.

By virtue of the above act the commissioners of Davis county erected Appanoose into a voting precinct, and the first election was held at the house of J. F. Stratton, April 1, 1844, at which only nine votes were polled. The judges were J. F. Stratton, William Money, and Joseph Crow; and the clerks, William Crow and John Stratton. The electors were William Crow, Joseph Stratton, John Crow, Stephen Trimble, William Money, John W. Clancy, J. F. Stratton, Samuel Trimble and Jehiel Troxell.

Jonathan F. Stratton was elected justice of the peace for the county, which was precinct No. 5 of Davis county, and Joseph Stratton and William Money were chosen constables. The duplicate poll list of this election was carefully preserved by Mr. Stratton, who stated that there were at the time not more than two or three other voters in the precinct, exclusive of those who lived south of the line claimed by Missouri. It is probable that the Mansons and some others. had not yet returned to their claims.

THE COUNTY ORGANIZED

Chapter 60 of the acts passed by the territorial legislature of 1846, approved January 13, reads as follows:

"An Act for the organization of the County of Appanoose.

"Section I. Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Iowa, That the county of Appanoose be and the same is hereby organized from and after the first Monday in August next, and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to all the privileges and rights to which, by law, the inhabitants of other counties in this territory are entitled; and the said county of Appanoose shall constitute a part of the First Judicial District of the territory.

"Sec. 2. That the first general election in and for said county shall be held on the first Monday in August next, at which time the county officers for said county shall be elected; also such number of justices of the peace and constables as may be ordered by the clerk of the district court of said county; said clerk to have due regard to the convenience of the people.

"Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the district court, in and for said county, to give notice of the first general election in and for said county, grant certificates of election, and in all respects discharge the duties required by law to be performed by clerks of the board of county commissioners in relation to general elections, until a clerk of the board of county commissioners for said county may be elected and qualified.

"Sec. 4. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the district court in said county to perform and discharge all the duties required by law to be performed by sheriffs in relation to general elections until a sheriff for said county shall be elected and qualified.

"Sec. 5. That the term of office of the county officers elected at the first general election, under the provisions of this act shall expire on the day of the general election for the year 1847, and the term of office of the justices of the peace and constables elected, as aforesaid, shall expire on the first Monday in the month of April, 1847.

"Sec. 6. The clerk of the district court for said county may be appointed at any time after the passage of this act.

"Sec. 7. In case of a vacancy in the office of clerk of the district court for said county, it is hereby made the duty of the sheriff of Davis county to perform the duties required by this act to be performed by said clerk.

"Sec. 8. That there shall be no assessment or tax levied by the authorities of Davis county within the limits of said county of Appanoose, for the year 1846, but such assessment may be made by the county assessor elected at the first general election in said county of Appanoose, which assessment may be made at any time prior to the first Monday in the month of October, 1846.

"Sec. 9. That it shall be the duty of the board of county commissioners of said county to hold a meeting on the first Monday of October, 1846, at which time they shall examine the assessment roll returned to them, and levy such a tax for county and territorial purposes, upon such assessment for the year 1846, as may be required by law.

"Sec. 10.

That the time for the treasurer of said county to attend to each