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TRAPPING AND HUNTING.

     The sports and customs of the early settlers were not so numerous and varied as at present, but they were no less enjoyable and interesting.
     Hunters now-a-days would be only too glad to be able to find and enjoy their favorable opportunities for hunting and fishing; and even travel hundreds of miles sometimes, counting it rare pleasure to spend a few weeks among the lakes and on the wild prairies and woodlands, in hunt and chase and fishing frolics, where not half so good hunting and fishing sport was furnished as was in this vicinity twenty-five or thirty years ago. There were a good many excellent hunters here at an early day, too who enjoyed the sport as well as any can at the present.
     Wild animals of various kinds were found here in abundance during the time of the early settlement. The prairies, and woods, and streams, and various bodies of water, were all thickly inhabited before the white man, .and even for some time after the white man came.
     Serpents were to be found in such large numbers and of such immense .size that some stories told by the early settlers would be incredible were it not for the large array of concurrent testimony which is to be had from the most authentic sources.
     Deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, and various other kinds of choice game, were plentiful, affording freely and at the expense of killing what are now considered the choice and costly dishes in the restaurants. The fur animals, also, were abundant, such as the otter, beaver, mink, muskrat, raccoon, panther, fox, wolf, wild-cat and bear.
     Deer and elk were quite numerous on these prairies for some lime after the first settlements were made. These various kinds of game afforded not only pleasure, but profit, for those among the early settlers who were lovers of hunt and chase; and skillful hunters were not scarce in those days in proportion to the number of inhabitants. Many interesting incidents and daring adventures occurred in connection with these hunting excursions, which the old settlers who still remain seem never tired of relating, and we here propose to insert a few of these reminiscences, related in the language of the actors of them.
     A gentleman who formerly lived on South Skunk, near the forks of the river, says that in early days the grass and weeds along the river were so tall and the wolves and rattlesnakes so plenty that it was necessary to proceed with great care, and it was not prudent to even start out to hunt the cows without being provided with a large club or other weapon of defence [defense] against these noxious animals. "Often," says he, "have I gone through the Skunk river bottoms in search of my cattle with a large club in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other, the wolves howling on either side and for miles not out of the hearing of' the rattling and hissing of snakes." Mr. Adams informs us that he once stopped over night with two old batchelors, [bachelors] who were living in Washington county, that during the day had killed two hundred twenty-five rattlesnakes, and who were not in the least damaged in their numerous encounters save as to their appetite; there

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membrance of the slimy reptiles, after returning from the slaughter, interfered with the enjoyment of their frugal evening meal.
     Wolves were very numerous and troublesome. It was impossible to raise sheep, and hogs as well as larger animals were not safe from the attacks of these gaunt and ferocious wild beasts. On account of their many and persistent depredations, as well as the fact that the State offered a premium on their scalps, systematic and continued efforts were made by certain individuals to capture them. In some instances poison was used, in other cases steel traps, and others had resort to their dogs and guns.
Joseph Adams, the first settler of Washington, was a mighty hunter. He says that in early days it was no unusual occurrence to see from forty to fifty deer within a radius of one mile from Washington. He never thought it worth his time to leave his blacksmith shop unless there was a fair prospect to bring down at least four or five deer. He regarded it a very easy task, at any time, to take his rifle and kill three or four deer. He generally went on foot, and when a deer came in range it generally was his meat; it was immaterial whether the animal was standing still or running. Sometimes, especially when there was snow on the ground, he would go on horseback, and when he killed a deer it was lashed to his horse's tail, and then, mounting the horse, the rider set out for further conquests. When another animal fell before the unerring aim of his rifle, it was tied on to the other deer, and sometimes he might be seen returning from the chase dragging three or four deer, all lashed to the caudal appendage of his horse.
     David Goble, however spent more time in this manner than any other of the early settlers. Half of his time was probably spent in this way. He trapped and hunted along all the streams of the county, and sometimes would be gone days and even weeks. Sometimes he would start off on a still more extensive expedition up the Iowa River in search of beavers and be gone several weeks. Such trips he found to be profitable as well as interesting pastime. Mr, Hawthorn says, "game was plenty, such as deer, turkeys, prairie chickens and squirrels."

GROWTH OF THE COUNTY.

     The official act of the Territorial Legislature naming Washington county and defining its boundaries, was approved January 25th, 1839. The first settlement was made in February, 1836. It will therefore appear that the county of Washington was not named and its boundaries defined until about three years after the first settlement. The Indians had left, and the whites had not yet appeared in large numbers. Although the county contained but few citizens, yet the white man had marked it for his own.
During these years the county was in an undefined state of existence, or non-existence. In one sense it was a county, in another it was not. It was for a while part of Wisconsin, and as such, constituted a part of Louisa county; then it was taken off from Louisa county and called Slaughter county, but its boundaries, as well as its name, were not the same as what is now known as the county named and laid out. So that, in point of fact, there was a region of territory described as Washington county, in the then, unorganized State of Iowa, as early as January, 1838. There was no county organization proper, no county government, and not even many citizens for several months. In a few months, however, the new county gained citi-

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zens, but in other respects it continued for some time in the same undefined state.
     The work of organization was only begun when the county was named and laid out. It remained to hold an election, and organize a county government.
     Thus the early settlers were for a time in a peculiar situation. They dwelt in, but were not properly citizens of, Washington county, since there were no county courts or other authority to control their actions, and they were still, in these respects, under the discipline of another county.
     For judicial and other purposes the new county was still a part of another county, and so continued until its formal organization was completed, It does not appear that there was much call for the exercise of this authority, or that the loose and ill-defined county government produced any bad results. "The laws are for those who need them," and the early settlers; dwelt together in harmony that did not call for the interference of sheriff or judge. This is a somewhat remarkable feature of Washington county, and contrasts vividly with the early experience of some other counties.
     The county seems to have prospered well during this period of loose, half-formed organization. The settlers were too busy with their own affairs to intermeddle with those of others, and so had, little occasion to call for the authority of the law. But it was soon apparent that the business affairs of the community called for a county organization. Roads should be laid out, a county-seat located, and other preparations made for a thriving and prosperous future. So in 1839 the county was formally organized in the manner spoken of more fully under the head of organization.
     The people in the county at the time of the organization were mostly Germans or native-born Americans, and from that time to the present the population has been mostly of that character. The county filled up steadily and rapidly, Nearly always the new-comers were poor in purse. Few men of means came to Washington county, in the early days. But, although they came almost without exception poor in pocket, they brought, with them industry, economy and intelligence, so that, in the course of years, wealth has been the result. The growth of the country never slackened or came to a stand-still, except for a very short time, but continued steadily year by year. The brunt of the pioneer battle was borne by the very early settlers, for within a few years the great hardships of pioneer life had disappeared, and the people lived in comfort.
     At the time of organization in 1839 there were about 300 inhabitants. In 1840 there were 1,571; in 1844, 3,120; and in 1846, when the Territory became a State, and the county had completed its first decade, dating from the first settlement, it contained a population of 3,483. The population of the county, given biennially, was as follows: 1847, 3,518; 1849, 4,434; 1851, 5,079; 1853, 7,560; 1856, 11,113; 1859, 13,366; 1860,14,235; 1863, 15,003; 1865, 15,739; 1867, 17,675; 1867, 18,648; 1870, 18,952; 1873, 18,975; 1875, 19,269. The number of inhabitants at the present time, 1880, will aggregate about 20,500.
     Thus, from the very first, the history of the county shows a steady career of thriving, prosperous growth. The following table of important events shows the general land-marks of the county's career and history from the, beginning to the present time:

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TABLE OF EVENTS.

First settler, Adam Richey, February, 1836.
Oldest settler still residing on his original claim, William Moore.
County named and boundaries defined, January 25,1839.
Washington located June, 1839.
County formally organized, 1839.
First white child born, Isabella Ritchey, June 12, 1837.
First marriage, John Hulick and Nancy Goble, 1837.
First term of court in and for the county of Slaughter, May 7, 1838; in and for the county of Washington, June 17, 1839.
First land entered, September 11, 1839, by Matthew Moorhead.
First land transfer, December 31, 1839, C. D. Haskell to Abraham Owen.
First real estate mortgage, October 3, 1839, Matthew Moorhead to David Bunker.
First chattel mortgage, December 14, 1839, Daniel Powers to Allen Phillips.
First mill erected, 1838-'39, by Holcomb & Bullock.
First newspaper published, "The Argus," 1854.
First mail received at Washington, March 10, 1839.
Gold excitements, 1849, 1859, 1876.
Old court-house built, July, 1841.
Celebration of the completion of the first railroad to Washington, September 1, 1858.
     This brief table represents a large amount of history, and will be very instructive to those who may "ponder it fittingly."
     Speaking generally, the growth of the county has been steady and continuous, although there have been, of course, times of ebb and flow. The first period of the county's growth was one of much hardship and privation. The California emigration, however, brought golden days to the county, and prosperity continued in high tide until the panic a few years before the war. These were evil days for Washington county; there was very general discontent, and many business men in the county were ruined. A slow recovery followed and introduced the war-period. From the close of the war up to the panic in 1873, Washington was again in a prosperous condition. The county did not suffer in this directly so much as indirectly, in the general derangement of the business of the country. But the experience was much the same as that in the former period of high times. Property depreciated and become unsalable, and general discontent and uneasiness spread among the people. There has been nothing peculiar to Washington county in this experience-it has been that of the country in general. At the present time the country is fairly started again on a career of prosperity.
     So, in Washington county, good times have followed close upon evil times, and vice versa all through the period of its growth. It would seem that the old sage's thought would be a good thing to keep ever in mind, both in prosperity and distress: "Even this shall pass away." Such a lesson is taught by the experience of the county, from the organization to the present time.
     Having thus definitely, and as fully as the records permit, noted the early

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settlements and the development of the county in its first stages we come to the matter of

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

     It was not long after the first settlement of Washington county before the necessity of county organization in the interests of good government, good roads and the proper management of other local affairs was fully appreciated and agitated. Indeed, steps were taken toward organization during the year 1838, but were not fully carried out for some time thereafter.
     With regard to the origin of dividing individual States into county and township organizations, which, in an important measure, should have the power and opportunity of transacting their own business and governing themselves, under the approval of, and subject to, the State and general government of which they each formed a part, we quote from Elijah M. Haines, who is considered good authority on the subject.
     In his "Laws of Illinois, Relative to Township Organizations," he says: "The county system, originated with Virginia, whose early settlers soon became large landed proprietors, aristocratic in feeling, living apart in almost baronial magnificence on their own estates, and owning the laboring part of the population. Thus the materials for a town were not at hand, the voters being thinly distributed over a great area.
     "The county organization, where a few influential men managed the whole business of the community, retaining their places almost at their pleasure, scarcely responsible at all, except in name, and permitted to conduct the county concerns as their ideas or wishes might direct, was more over consonant with their recollections or traditions of the judicial and social dignities of the landed aristocracy of England, in descent from whom the Virginia gentlemen felt so much pride. In 1834 eight counties were organized in Virginia, and the system, extending throughout the State, spread into all the Southern States, and some of the Northern States; unless we except the nearly similar division into 'districts' in South Carolina, and that into 'parishes' in Louisiana, from the French laws.
     "Illinois, which, with its vast additional territory, became a county of Virginia, on its conquest by General George Rogers Clark, retained the county organization, which was formerly extended over the State by the constitution of 1818, and continued in exclusive use until the constitution of 1848.
     "Under this system, as in other States adopting it, most local business was transacted by those commissioners in each county, who constituted a county court, with quarterly sessions.
     "During the period ending with the constitution of 1847, a large portion of the State had become filled up with a population of New England birth or character, daily growing more and more compact and dissatisfied with the comparatively arbitrary and inefficient county system. It was maintained by the people that the heavily populated districts would always control the election of the commissioners to the disadvantage of the more thinly populated sections-in short that under that system, 'equal and exact justice' to all parts of the county could not be secured.
     "The township system had its origin in Massachusetts, and dates back to 1635.
     "The first legal enactment concerning this system, provided that, whereas,

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'particular townships have many things which concern only themselves, and the ordering of their own affairs, and disposing of business in their own town,' therefore, 'the freeman of every township, or a majority part of them, shall only have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the appurtenances of said town, to grant lots, and to make such orders as may concern the well-ordering of their own towns, not repugnant to the laws and orders established by the General Court.'
     "They might also (says Mr. Haines), impose fines of not more than twenty shillings, and 'choose their own particular officers, as constables, surveyors for the highways, and the like.'
     "Evidently this enactment relieved the general court of a mass of municipal details, without any danger to the power of that body in controling [controlling] general measures of public policy.
     "Probably, also a demand from the freemen of the towns was felt for the control of their own home concerns.
     "The New England Colonies were first governed by a 'general court,' or legislature, composed of a governor and a small council, which court consisted of the most influential inhabitants, and possessed and exercised both legislative and judicial powers, which were limited only by the wisdom of the holders.
     "They made laws, ordered their execution by officers, tried and decided ,civil and criminal causes, enacted all manner of municipal regulations, and, in fact, did all the public business of the colony.
     "Similar provisions for the incorporation of towns were made in the first constitution of Connecticut, adopted in 1639; and the plan of township organization, as experience proved its remarkable economy, efficiency and adaptation to the requirements of a free and intelligent people, became universal throughout New England, and went westward with the emigrants from New England into New York, Ohio, and other Western States."
     Thus we find that the valuable system of county, township and town organizations had been thoroughly tried and proven long before there was need of adopting it in Iowa, or any of the broad region west of the Mississippi river. But as the new country soon began to be opened, and as eastern people continued to move westward across the mighty river, and form thick settlements along its western shore, the Territory, and State, and county, and township and town' organizations soon followed in quick succession, and those different systems became-more or less modified and improved, accordingly as deemed necessary by the experience and judgment :and demands of the people, until they have arrived at the present stage of :advancement and efficiency.
     In the settlement of the Territory of Iowa the legislature began by organizing counties on the Mississippi. As each new county was formed it was made to include, under legal jurisdiction, all the country bordering west of it, and required to grant to the occidental settlers electoral privileges and an equal share in the county government with those who properly lived in the geographical limit of the county. The counties first organized along the eastern border of this State were given, for a short time, jurisdiction over the lands and settlements adjoining each on the west, until these different localities became sufficiently settled to support organizations of their own; and finally, at the first session of the legislature, after the Indians sold out the newly-acquired territory, including all northwestern Iowa, was laid off into counties, provisions were made for their, respective

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organizations when the proper time should arrive, and these were severally named.
     Thus Keokuk and Mahaska counties were originally attached to Washington county for judicial, revenue and election purposes, and previous to that time Washington county had been attached to Louisa county in the, same way.
     The subsequent subdivision of territory into separate and distinct counties was not the work of a day. It was in the interests of the older counties to retain the territory attached to them, and the movement to detach territory and form new counties usually originated with the settlers living, in these sparsely settled regions. Of course these movements were not Successful at first, and sometimes were frequently thwarted. The civil organization of that portion of country now known as Washington county has been changed four times. First it was a part of Des Moines county; second, it was a part of Louisa county; third, it was Slaughter county; and fourth, it became Washington county.
     First. That part of Iowa included in the Black Hawk purchase, together with Wisconsin, was attached to Michigan Territory. This was effected by act of Congress passed in June, 1834. In September, 1834, the Territorial legislature of Michigan subdivided the Iowa district into two counties, for municipal purposes. These two counties were named, respectively, Dubuque and Des Moines, and the country now embraced within the bounds of Washington county, or so much of it as belonged to the United States, became a part of Des Moines county, It was a part of Flint Hills township which extended east to the Mississippi river and south to Missouri. The township contained about 3,000,000 acres of land, and was probably the, largest election precinct on record. The first election was held on the first Monday of November, 1834. The place of voting was at Flint Hills, now Burlington. The people of Washington, in order to have voted, would have been compelled to go a distance of more than fifty miles; but none went, because there were none. Thus was the voter of Washington county spared the expense and trouble of going so far to cast his ballot by coming later in the century.
     Second. In 1836 Michigan became a State, with its present boundaries. The territory west and southwest, which heretofore had been attached to Michigan for municipal purposes, was then organized into a separate territory and called Wisconsin. At the first session of the Wisconsin legislature, held at Belmont, October, 1836, an act was passed subdividing Des Moines county into seven new counties. One of the counties thus provided for was Louisa, and its boundaries defined as follows:
     "Beginning on the Mississippi river, at the northeast corner of Des Moines county; thence up said river twelve miles above the mouth of the Iowa river; thence west to the Indian boundary line; thence with said boundary line to the northwest corner of Henry county; and thence with the line of the same to the northwest corner of Des Moines county; and thence east with the same to the place of beginning."
     From the foregoing it will be seen that Louisa county as organized under the provisions of that law, included within its limits the country now composing Washington county, or so much of it as belonged at that time to the United States.
     Third. The second session of the Wisconsin legislature was held at Burlington, during the winter of 1837-'38, at which time an act was passed,

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providing for the organization of a new county, out of the western part of Louisa county. At that time Wi1liam B. Slaughter was secretary of the territory, and in his honor the county thus to be organized was named "Slaughter." The act defining the boundaries of the new county, fixing its name and locating the seat of justice, reads as follows:
     "The county included in the boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at the north. east corner of the county of Henry, thence west to the northwest corner of the same, thence north to the township line, dividing townships seventy-six and seventy-seven north, thence east with the said line, to the line between ranges four and five west, thence south with said line to the place of beginning, is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Slaughter, and the seat of justice of said county is hereby established at the town of Astoria; and all the territory west is hereby attached to the county of Slaughter for judicial purposes."
     The boundaries of the county, as defined upon the organization of "Slaughter," were not the same as the present boundaries of Washington county, but they included a larger part of what is now Washington county and nearly all of what was at that time settled.
     Fourth. In 1838 the Territory of Wisconsin was divided, the Territory of Iowa formed and an election of territorial officers ordered. The legislature chosen at this election met the following winter, at which time an act was passed changing the name of Slaughter to that of Washington, and the new boundary lines then defined, were the same as those which now include the county of Washington, except in the northeastern part of the county where a change was afterward made, that part east of the Iowa having been taken off and attached to Johnson county.
     The act substituting the name of Washington for that of Slaughter, and defining the boundaries of the county, reads as follows:
     "AN ACT to establish the boundary lines of Washington and for other purposes:
     "SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Iowa, that the county heretofore designated and known as the county of Slaughter, shall hereafter be called the county of Washington, and that the boundary lines of said county are hereby established as follows: Beginning on the range line, between ranges five and six west, where the township line dividing townships seventy-three and seventy-four north, intersects said line, thence west with said township line to the line dividing ranges nine and ten west, thence north on the said line to the line dividing townships seventy-seven and seventy-eight north, thence east with t said line to the line dividing ranges five and six west, thence south to the, place of beginning.
      "SECTION 2. That the said county of Washington shall to all intents and purposes, be and remain, an organized county, and invested with full power and authority to do and transact all county business, which any regularly I organized county may of right do.
     "SECTION 3. That John Gilliland, of the county of Louisa, and Thomas Ritchey, of the county of Henry, and William Chambers, of the county of Muscatine, are hereby appointed commissioners to locate and establish the seat of justice of said county of Washington, first being sworn by any judge or justice of the peace, faithfully and impartially to locate the seat of justice of said county, taking into consideration the future as well as the present population of the said county.

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     SECTION 4. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall meet at the town of Astoria, on the first day of June next, in pursuance of their duty under this act and proceed as soon thereafter as may be, to locate the said seat of justice, and so soon as they come to a determination, the same shall be committed to writing, signed by the commissioners and filed with the clerk of the district court of said county, whose duty it shall be to record the same and forever keep it on file in his office; and the place thus designated shall be the seat of justice of said county; provided, that the seat of justice of said county is hereby temporarily established at the town of Astoria, until the said commissioners shall have located the seat of justice agreeably to this act.
     "SECTION 5. That the said commissioners shall receive as a compensation for their services the sum of three dollars per day, to be paid out of the treasury of the county.
     "SECTION 6. That the territory west of Washington is hereby attached to said county for judicial purposes.
     "SECTION 7. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage."
     During the time that this portion of the country was a part of Des Moines county the seat of justice was at Burlington and official business, had there been any, would have had to be transacted at that place, but there being no one living within the present bounds of Washington county at that time, the county-seat, though fifty miles distant was near enough. The same was true of the country at the time it was a part of Louisa county. There were probably a few settlers located on claims in the eastern part of the county prior to the passage of the act for the organization of Slaughter county, but only for a short time previous and they probably transacted no business at the county-seat of Louisa county, instituted no suits, and paid no taxes. Upon the organization of Slaughter county and for a year thereafter the Indians were the sole inhabitants, with the exception of a few families in the east part of the county on Long creek, where the first settlers located. In 1838, however, as has already been seen, the county began to settle up rapidly and the records of the official transactions of the inhabitants first began to be made. According to the provisions of the act organizing Slaughter county, the seat of justice was located at Astoria. This town was located in Oregon township, near and south of Ainsworth, by some said to have been on the farm afterward known as the McElharen farm. This town, as has already been mentioned, was laid out by three gentlemen from Mt. Pleasant, who had extravagant notions with regard to the future greatness of the town. Their prospective fortune realized out of the sale of town lots was never realized, and at the present time it would be almost as difficult to find the site of Astoria as to determine the precise location of the Cities of the Plain. No plat of this town was ever put on record and but little is known of its history, if indeed it ever had any. Tradition informs us that the proprietors erected a log house about fifteen feet square which they called a court-house, but it was never completed as such and no court was ever held there. On Monday, the 7th day of May, 1838, the first district court was held in and for the county of Slaughter by David Irwin, judge of the second judicial district of Wisconsin territory. The court record says that it was held at Astoria, but from the best information which can be obtained, including the testimony of one individual

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who was there at the time and who still resides in the county, it appears that the court was held on the farm of David Goble. As before mentioned, Mr. Goble had a double log house, in one room of which the records were kept and the writing was done. The sessions of the court were held under some trees north of the house and the grand jury sat on a log in a neighboring slough.
     Thomas Baker was appointed clerk of the court; he gave a bond of $2,000 for the faithful discharge of his duties, with Nelson Ball and David Goble as sureties. The United States Marshal is not mentioned in the records, although he seems to have been present and summoned the jury. A temporary seal was ordered, an impression of which appears on record and was taken from an old styled ten cent piece. No indictments were found and no case contested. After ordering allowance for one day's services to the officers and jury the court adjourned until the next term.
     On the 22d of October, 1838, the second term of court was held under a proclamation of the Governor, by Joseph Williams, judge, who appointed Thomas Baker clerk. G. A. Hendray, deputy marshal was present, and the record says, "No person appearing, either parties, attorneys or jurors," the court was adjourned till the next term. This term of court was held in ,and for the county of Slaughter and the "next term" to which it was adjourned never was held, for the reason that by the act of the territorial legislature, which met the following winter, Slaughter county was legislated out of existence and in its stead was formed the county of Washington.
     The act organizing Washington county provided for the selection of a seat of justice by a commission of three persons. These persons, as before mentioned, were John Gilliland, of Louisa county, Thomas Ritchey, of Henry county, and William Chambers, of Muscatine county.
     On the 1st day of June two of these commissioners, viz.: Gilliland and Ritchey met at Astoria, according to the provisions of the legislative act; and having been sworn, as required by said act, proceeded to select a location for the seat of justice. They made a tour of the county and carefully examined the locations proposed by various parties. As has proved to be invariably the case in the solution of such questions, several locations were suggested, and the friends of each were prepared with arguments in favor of their own favorite site. Taking into consideration whatever weight justly attached to these arguments, and guided by their own individual preferences, it is not at all remarkable that these two gentlemen did not agree when they began to compare notes and undertook to make a decision. Mr. Gilliland favored a location at the geographical center of the county and the site where he wished to locate the county-seat was one mile northwest of Washington, and Mr. Ritchey fixed upon a location about one mile southeast of the place where the county-seat was finally located. Neither was disposed to surrender his position and for a time it was feared that the seat of justice would remain in the [the] eastern part of the county, for by the terms of the legislative act it was ordered that the county-seat should remain at Astoria until a new location was fixed upon by the commissioners. Finally a compromise was effected and the present site of Washington agreed upon.
     The site for a county-seat having been officially selected, it now remained to enter the land, survey and plat the town site, and order a sale of lots.This duty devolved upon the old board of county commissioners. Under

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the old organization, Joseph Neal and Joseph B. Davis constituted this board and they held the first meeting on May 5, 1839, at the house of Richard Moore, about four miles southeast of Washington. Among the first acts of the board was an order dividing the county into election precincts. The precincts thus formed were as follows:
     First. East Fork, townships 74 and 75 of range 6; elections to be held at the house of John W. Neal.
     Second. Crooked Creek, township 74, range 7; elections to be held at the house of Milo Holcomb.
     Third. Skunk River, all the country south of Skunk river; elections to be held at the house of Orson Kinsman.
     Fourth. Walnut Creek, the country included between Skunk river and the centre of the prairie between said river and the west fork of Crooked creek; elections to be held at the house of Robert Risk.
     Fifth. Washington, the county included between the centre of the prairie between Skunk river and the west fork of Crooked Creek, and the centre ,of the prairie between the west fork aforesaid and English river; elections to be held at Washington.
     Sixth. English River, the country between the northern boundary of said county and the centre of the prairie between the waters of English river and Iowa and the waters of Crooked creek; elections to be held at the house of Simon P. Teeple.
     The boundaries prescribed were rather indefinite, but as most of the people in the county had settled along the streams of water, the "middle of the prairie" was a convenient and probably as definite a boundary line as could have been selected.
     The regular time for holding Territorial and county elections was the first Monday in August, and consequently the first officers to serve under the new organization were elected the following August. John Buckhanon, William Mire, Colwell Neil, M. Moorhead, Asa Webster, John Neil, Joel Long, John Brier, Joseph Neal, Jesse Hiatt, John Wassan, R. B. Davis, John O'Laughlin, L. A. Houston, Isaac Waldrip, Jeremiah Grant, Abraham Owen, Cyrus Cox, Thomas Houston, Wesley Rumble, Joel P. Blair, John W. Houston, C. D. Haskell, John W. Neil and James Reed, were appointed and served as judges and clerks of the election, and each was allowed one dollar for his services.
     At this election Nathan Baker was elected probate judge, David Goble treasurer, Reuben Hiatt coroner, J. B. Davis, surveyor, Richard Moore, Simon P. Teeple and Morgan Hart members of the board of county commissioners.

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