THE ELECTIONS OF 1850.

      During this year there were, in all, five different elections held, three of which were special elections called by the board of county commissioners to fill vacancies caused principally by the resignation of officers going to the gold-fields, or, for other reasons, moving away from the county.

     The first election held this year was the one before mentioned as being called by the board to be held February 23, 1850, to elect a sheriff in place of Samuel Marrs, resigned.

     The voting precincts. were three in number, as before, Penoach, Boone and Des Moines.

     There were in all, ninety-two (92) votes cast of which Horatio Morrison (Whig) received 55, Thomas Butler (Dem.) received 36, and Eli Smithson received 1 vote, giving Morrison a majority of 19 votes, and therefore duly electing him sheriff.

     The sheriff elect came here from Missouri with a large family in 1848, and is described by one who knew him well as being "a genial, whole-souled, kindly, loquacious, vis a vis sort of a man, who to be known was to be respected. But alas for poor humanity! The 'social glass,' one of the engines of satan to polute and destroy God's noblest work and world, beset his pathway and quickened his footsteps to the threshold of eternity. Morrison held the office only a few months, he too having resigned, and, in

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company with his son James, went to California in the spring of 1850, a "gold-hunter," where he died a few years later."

     At the April election following, there were ninety-two votes cast, the polling places remaining the same as at the previous election.

     The office of sheriff being again vacant, the board of commissioners ordered that the place be filled at this election.

     A school-fund commissioner was also elected, together with other minor officers of county and townships, the statistics regarding which we have not been able to procure.

     The following table shows the vote as cast for the candidates of the above
named offices:

     It appears a disagreement arose between the members of the board of canvassers, with regard to the poll-book of Penoach township, which resulted in its rejection.

     This did not effect the result with regard to the county officers, but annulled the vote as to some of' the minor offices in that particular township, which caused quite little disturbance and brought the matter to test.

     Eli Smithson had been elected a justice of the peace at this time, and did not feel disposed to submit thus to be counted out and ruthlessly deprived of his honors and profits without ascertaining definitely the reasons why it was done.

     So with his official bond properly made out and duly signed according to law, he appeared with it before S. K. Scovell, clerk, to be qualified and receive his proper commission for said office. The clerk, on his dignity, refused to sign it, or recognize his right to the demands.

     Smithson appealed to the authority of the district judge, Wm. McKay, who straightway ordered the clerk to count Penoach township as in order in the regular election returns.

     But rather than submit to this and thus "come down a peg" from his assumed dignity, Scovell resigned both clerkships which he had so long held, and left the two offices of district and commissioners' clerk vacant.

     On May 13th, following, the board appointed Benjamin Greene to fill his place as commissioners' clerk, and on the same day the rejected poll-book was accepted, Eli Smithson was duly commissioned a justice of the peace, and all the other offices in dispute were declared duly filled by those receiving the majority vote for each respectively.

     The August election of 1850 was also the State election at which time the entire list of State officers were again to be chosen.

     The voting precincts remained as before, three in number, and there were in all one hundred and twelve (112) votes cast in the county, of which

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     Penoach precinct cast fifty-two (52), Boone thirty-four (34), and Des Moines precinct twenty-six (26) votes.

     We have not been able to ascertain the exact number of votes cast for each office, but give below the names of candidates voted for, at this time, indicating the county officers elected.

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     The above are the fullest statistics we have been able to procure with regard to this election. But so far as learned there was no unusual excitement or events of special importance, aside from the usual programme at regular fall elections, and all passed off in a quiet and peaceable manner.

     The election of William Thompson to a seat in the 31st Congress from the first district of Iowa, was contested by his opponent, Daniel F. Miller, which resulted in the unseating of Thompson and the calling of a new election, by the Governor, to fin the vacancy.

     This special election was held September 24, 1850, with the following results:

     Miller was duly elected and took his seat in the second session of the 31st Congress.

     Soon afterward three other vacancies in the county offices occurred on account of the resignation of Andrew Schouten, district clerk, Samuel

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Dilly, treasurer and recorder; and S. K. Scovell, county surveyor. To fill these vacancies, another special election was called by the board of commissioners, which was held November 19, 1850. The townships remained as before—Penoach, Boone, and Des Moines--and there was only twenty-one (21) votes, cast in all. S. K. Scovell was elected to fill the two offices of district clerk and treasurer and recorder, receiving eighteen (18) votes for the former and twelve (12) votes for the latter office; and O. D. Smalley was duly elected surveyor by seven (7) votes. This was the fifth and last election held in Dallas county during the year 1850.

     We have aimed to follow the elections, during the first four years of the county's existence and history, as accurately and minutely as possible, in view of the great difficulties under which we have labored in tracing these up and obtaining the necessary statistics. Doubtless, occasional mistakes and omissions will appear, which it has been impossible to prevent, but in main the above report is correct.

     To follow this plan through, year by year until the present, giving the minutiae of all the election returns, would require much more space, time and labor than can possibly be devoted to it in this work. Besides, it would neither prove interesting nor profitable to any of the parties concerned to pursue such a statistical course.

     The particulars of these first few years have been given, thinking they would prove of especial interest to each reader, but quite enough of this has already been given to show the youthful condition and growth of the county.

     We insert, further on, the substance of election abstracts of a few years later, and also the general result of the last year's election, to show the rapid increase of voters, population and general growth of the county, together with a full list of county officers from the first to the present.

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THE FIRST PROBATE.

     Probate business was not very extensive during the' first years of the county's existence. In fact, no cases appear on record as having been adjusted until after the office of probate judge was abolished and the duties pertaining to it were turned over to the county judge in 1851.

     Lloyd D. Burns was elected the first county judge in August, 1851, and by him, on the 12th day of September following, was the first probate on record in the county, which was the appointment of William W. Miller as the guardian of the minor children of Eli Smithson, deceased; Solomon Runyan as the administrator of the estate, and Rice R. Turner as the general executor.

     The first will admitted to probate was that of Massom Bilderback, the duplicate of which appears in full on the probate record in the clerk's office as the first one recorded in Dallas county. It was made October 14, 1851, and recorded November 17, 1851. A number of others soon followed, however, and probate business of different kinds has filled many pages of the county records from that until the present time.

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THE FIRST FERRY.

     On March 6, 1850, license was granted by the board of county commissioners for running the first ferry boat in the county, as is shown by the following order copied from the minute-book in the auditor's office:

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     Ordered, That Horatio Morrison be, and. he is hereby, licensed and permitted to keep a ferry across the North Raccoon river, where the State road runs across said river, at the town of Adel, for the term of five years, from the 6th day of March, 1850, by the said Horatio Morrison paying into the county treasury of said county two dollars annually, and obtaining a license from the clerk of said board; and the rates established for ferrying by said board, as follows, to-wit:

For a four-horse team and wagon……………………………….. 50 cents.
For a two-horse team and wagon…………………………………………………………………………….35 cents.
For a horse and man……………………………………………………………..15cents.
For a footman……………………………………………………5 cents.

     In January, 1851, this ferry changed into the hands of Eli Smithson, who obtained permission to run it on pretty much the same terms for ten years, only the board took pains to specify that "the ferry was to be supplied with one good boat, at least thirty-five (35) feet long by nine (9) feet wide, to be propelled by hand-power or rope; also one skiff or canoe, good and sufficient."

RATES OF FERRIAGE.

For footmen each…………………………5 cents
Man and horse ,.............................. 10 "
One-horse carriage ...................... 25 "
Two horses and wagon................... 35 "

Same for oxen as horses.
Neat cattle, per head ......................5 "
Sheep and swine, per head .............3 "

     "The applicant to give bonds in the penalty of three hundred ($300) dollars."

     This ferry afforded the first, and for a long time the only, means in the county for crossing the river otherwise than by fording, which was often impracticable as well as dangerous on account of high water. Smithson died in the following August, and this ferry again changed hands.

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VALUATION OF OUT-LOTS.

     The following order of the board of commissioners, fixing the price of town lots in Adel, issued July 7, 1851, shows their valuation at that time:

     Ordered, That the out-lots in the town of Adel be valued at the following prices, to-wit: That Lots Nos. 6 and 16-28 be valued at ($20) twenty dollars each. Lots Nos. 4, 5 and 8-14 be valued at ($30) thirty dollars each. Lot No.3 at ($25) twenty-five dollars. Lot No. 1 at ($12) twelve dollars. Lot No. 2 at ($10) ten dollars. Lots Nos. 7 and 11 at ($15) fifteen dollars each. And that Lot No. 15 is granted to the M. E. Church at Congress price. (Paid.)

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STATISTICS.

     It will be remembered that at the first election in Dallas county, April 5, 1847, there were only (25) twenty-five votes cast; and at the first presidential election, November 7th, 1848, there were (57) fifty-seven votes cast; while in August, 1850, at the State election, there were (112) one hundred and twelve votes cast.

     There is a missing link in the election returns, after the year 1850, caused by a failure to record or preserve some of the abstracts during that time, so that we have been unable to procure the complete returns. The following abstracts show the healthful increase of votes in the county during the succeeding six years:

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THIRD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Abstract of votes cast November 4, 1856.

STATE OF IOWA, }.
                              }ss.
DALLAS COUNTY. }

     The undersigned Board of County Canvassers for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that we have this day duly canvassed the returns of the elections held in the several townships in said county, on the first Tuesday following the first Monday, the 4th day, of November, A. D. 1856, and find the result for electors of President and Vice-President of the United States as follows to-wit:
     Whole number of votes cast for electors of President and Vice-President (826) eight hundred and twenty-six; of which J. C. Hall and James Grant, senatorial electors, each received (319) three hundred and nineteen votes.
     D. O. Finch of First Congressional District, and A. H. Palmer of Second Congressional District, each received (319) three hundred and nineteen votes.
Daniel F. Miller and Henry O'Conner, senatorial electors, each received (487) four hundred and eighty-seven votes.
     Wm. M. Stone of First Congressional District, and Samuel A. Russell of Second Congressional District, each received (487) four hundred and eighty-seven votes.
John P. Cook and Wm. F. Gaff, senatorial electors, each received (20) twenty votes.
S. G. McAchran of First Congressional District, and Isaac Booth of Second Congressional District, each received (20) twenty votes.
     In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our official signature and caused to be affixed the seal of the County Court of said county, at Adel, this eighth day of November, 1856.
LLOYD D. BURNS, County Judge,

STEPHEN PEABODY, J. P., County Canvassers.
NATHAN B. NICHOLS, J. P.,

"ABSTRACT

     Of the election held in the several townships in the county of Dallas; in the State of Iowa, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, A. D.1856, for electors of President and Vice-President of the United States" :

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convention from the twenty-seventh senatorial district-consisting of Polk, Dallas and Guthrie counties-of which

     M. M. Crocker received 327 votes, and Thomas Seeley received 485 votes. The following table, as taken from the abstract on file, shows the entire vote of the senatorial district:

Pages 362 and 363 (tables)

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At the election previous, held August, 1856, the following vote was cast for the respective candidates and offices:

Fillmore and Donaldson.

     Cole Noel was duly elected district clerk by a majority of 62 votes, and Jeremiah Perkins, prosecuting attorney, by a majority of 132 votes.

     Benjamin Greene received a majority of 107 votes in his own county, and a much larger one in the District, which included Dallas, Polk and Guthrie counties, and altogether gave him 1539 votes, to 1242 cast for Mr. Henderson, securing Greene a seat in the Assembly.

     The board of county canvassers at this election were, L. D. Burns, County Judge; David M. Starbuck, J. P.; John T. Alexander, J. P.

     The population, at that date, would number at least four thousand, and the general cultivation and improvement of the county had advanced in proportion to the greatly increased number of inhabitants.

     Reaching forward, then, from the date of the Presidential election in 1856, over a scope of twenty years, to the eighth Presidential election held in Dallas county, and noting the Presidential vote, the following results.

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LIST OF COUNTY OFFICERS.

     The aim in the following is to give as complete a list as possible of the various county officers and representatives, with their respective dates of election, as taken from the records of elections. Some of the abstracts of the earlier elections are missing, so that it has been a difficult task to trace out this list of' names, and impossible to find some that should appear here. But with the exception of' the few missing links, the list will serve to give a condensed and classified view of all the important officers chosen at the regular annual elections, in their order of succession, under their respective headings, together with the length of time that each one served, following the dates of' election and not of inauguration.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

     The financial affairs of' the county were first managed by a board of
county commissioners, consisting of three in number, which, except the first board elected, were chosen for terms of one, two ,and three years respectively, thus adding one new commissioner each year, and retaining two of experience on the board all the time.

     These successive boards were as follows:

April to August, 1847-William W. Miller, Tristram Davis, Greenbury Coffin.

August, 1847, to August, 1848-Noah Staggs, Wm. W. Miller, O. D. Smalley.

August, 1848, to August, 1849- William P. McCubbin, Wm. W. Miller, Tristram Davis (the last mentioned was elected also the April previous, to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Noah Staggs).

August, 1849, to August, 1850-Wm. W. Miller, Wm. P. McCubbin, Tristram Davis.

August, 1850, to August, 1851-J. C. Corbell, Wm. P. McCubbin, Tristram Davis.

     This was the last board of county commissioners elected. By an act of the legislature the county affairs were then managed by a county judge.

COUNTY JUDGES.

     L. D. Burns, August, 1851, to Oct., 1859. Henry Thornburgh, Oct. 1859; resigned January, 1861. Jeremiah Perkins, appointed to fill vacancy, January, 1861. He was elected October, 1861, and served in that capacity until the office was abolished.

     The management of county affairs, however, was virtually taken out of the hands of the county judge in 1861, being given into the hands of a board of supervisors, which should consist of one supervisor elected from each civil township in the county, according to sections 3 and 4, Article 11, Chapter 22, of the Revised Code of Iowa, and the judge's office was continued to probate business.

SUPERVISORS.

     Dallas county, at that time, only having ten organized civil townships, was therefore entitled to but ten supervisors to constitute their board, of

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whom one-half were elected for two years, and the remainder for one year, divided by lot before the proper authorities.

The following table shows the names of the first board, and the last board of 16 county supervisors. Their first meeting was held January 1, 1861:

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     The last board of sixteen (16) supervisors, under the old system, consisted of the following named persons:

1869-1870.

Benjamin Greene, Chairman.

     S. H. Vestal, L. D. Bullis, Ohas. B. Snow, B. W. Thomas, L. S. Wells, B. F. Sincoak, David J. Pattee, G. S. Mitchell, J. W. Redfield, Wm. Davidson,. G. W. Hermon, W. E. Tolle, O. D. Smalley, Jacob Stump, Wm. Jenkins.

     In 1870 the supervisor system was changed and the number reduced to three, who should be elected by the county at the general election. The law provided that the first board of three supervisors should be elected to serve one, two and three years respectively, their several positions to be determined by lot, before the proper authorities. Afterward one new supervisor was to be elected each year for the term of three years, leaving two old members on the board constantly, except in cases of resignation, when others must be elected, or appointed to fill vacancies.

     October 11, 1870, the first board of three supervisors was elected by the county, which consisted of the following named persons: David Smart, three years term. William Ellis, two years term. J. W. Redfield, one year term. J. R. Van Meter, March 23, 1871, by appointment; vice, Ellis, resigned.

AFTERWARD ELECTED.

     O. D. Smalley, Oct., 1871, to fill vacancy. Abe. Smith, Oct., 1871, full term. S. W. Gilliland, November, 1872. J. O. Goodson, October, 1873. Benjamin Greene, October, 1873, to fil1vacancy. L. Warford, October, 1874. L. D. Burns, October, 1875. Jacob Stump, November, 1876. Wm. B. Ellis, October, 1877. L. D. Burns, October, 1878.

      Others may have been appointed to fill vacancies whose names we have not been able to learn.

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