73

WOODBURY COUNTY.

CHAPTER IV.

ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
THE LOCATION-COUNTY-SEAT COMMISSIONERS-FIRST OFFICERS-
TERRRITORY EMBRACED-COUNTY-SEAT HISTORY-COUNTY BUILDINGS-
RENTING OFFICES - PRESENT COURT-HOUSE- THE
POOR FARM- FIRST AND EARLY EVENTS.

WOODBURY COUNTY is situated on the western border of the state bf Iowa, with the Missouri River flowing along the southwestern border, and the Big Sioux on the northwest. It contains twenty-four civil townships, and nearly twenty-five congressional townships of six miles square each. It is, consequently, one of Iowa's four "big" counties: Pottowattamie, Kossuth, Woodbury and Plymouth. For the subdivision of the county into township organizations, the reader is referred to the chapters on township history in this work.

One can scarcely realize the fact that all western Iowa was one vast prairie wilderness forty years ago, but such is true. Five years after Iowa was admitted to the Union, the territory now known as Woodbury county, was established and named Wahkaw. The southernmost tier of townships was at one time a part of Benton county, and the remainder was included in Buchanan.

An act approved January 12, 1853, provided for the organization of the county from and after March 1. Charles Wolcott, of Mills county; Thomas L. Griffey, of Pottowattomie county and Ira Perdue of Harrison county, commissioners appointed to locate the county seat, were to meet July 2. Thomas L. Griffey was made organizing sheriff, and the name given to the new county seat, by the same act of the Fourth general assembly was "Floyd's Bluff."

Prior to this time, this territory had been included in Polk, for revenue, election and judicial purposes. The above act was to go into effect upon its publication in the "Western Bugle." On the same day another act was approved, which changed the name of the county to Woodbury. It was named in honor of Hon. Levi Wood-

74

HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.

bury, of New Hampshire, an eminent man of his time, who succeeded Judge Story on the supreme bench.

At that date the laws of Iowa provided that any organized county might petition the county judge of the nearest organized county, and, by his authority, become attached thereto as a civil township, for judicial purposes. Hence it was that Woodbury took in all northwestern Iowa, each county being a civil township. Cherokee county was the first to be set off and organized, in 1857, as a county by itself, Plymouth following a year later.

Marshall Townsley was the first county judge. Judges Smith, Cook, Campbell and Allison, each serving prior to 1861, when the office of supervisor was created, had much to do with the organizing of the county. Under their guidance the first civil townships were created; the first highways, bridges and schools were all founded by the wise administration of these pioneer county judges.

Woodbury County Court House, Sioux CityWoodbury County Court House, Sioux City
(Click image for full size.)

The County Seat.—The county seat commissioners, before named in this chapter, selected a part of section one, township eighty-eight, range forty-eight, as the place for the seat of justice. . It was styled on the plat books as Floyd's Bluff, and there the first official acts in and for Woodbury county were performed. William B. Thompson and a few other pioneers, named elsewhere, intended to build up a city at that point, but when Dr. John K. Cook came to these parts, in 1854, to survey lands in northwestern Iowa, he saw that near this point, some day, would stand a great commercial center, hence he formed a town site company, platted Sioux City, and, through the aid of Iowa congressmen, succeeded in having the United States land office established at the new town. This naturally brought hundreds of men from all directions, some of whom were impressed with the location, and became citizens and hearty supporters of all measures regarding the advancement of the new town, including the establishment of a postoffice in 1855. This caused the former lively interest in the town site at Floyd's Bluff to slacken somewhat.

About three miles farther down the bank of the Missouri river, another town was platted in 1857, known as Sergeant's Bluff City, which was located on the same quarter-section with another plat styled Sergeant's Bluff. April 2, 1855, a vote had been taken, however, upon the question of the county seat being removed to that point. There were twenty-four votes, all of which were cast in favor of removal.

76

HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.

proposition, however, did not meet with approval, and the people having become tired of paying rent and having no home to call their own, a vote was taken on this question at the October election in 1875. The vote stood largely in favor of erecting a court-house at a cost of $75,000, the fund to be raised by bonding the county. In accordance with that vote, the supervisors at once commenced looking about for plans for the building. The report of their building committee will be found in the "board proceedings" elsewhere in this work.

The Poor Farm.—For matters concerning the Woodbury county poor-farm and poor-house, situated near Sergeant's Bluff, the reader is referred to the "Acts of the Board of Supervisors," elsewhere.

First and Other Early Events.-Under this heading is given a number of the more important events that transpired in Woodbury county and Sioux City, in the earlier years of their history.

The first actual settler in Woodbury county was 'William B. Thompson, who located at Floyd's Bluff in 1848.

The first townsite platted was Floyd's Bluff, known as "Thompsontown." It was made the county seat until 1856, although only one log house ever graced the spot.

The first election for county officers was held August 1, 1853, at the house of William B. Thompson, the first settler in Woodbury county, when sixteen votes were polled.

The first bill against the county was made payable to Judge Thomas L. Griffey, for the amount of $18, for services in locating the county seat. It was dated January 27, 1854.

The first post-office in the county was established at Sergeant's Bluff in 1855, with Leonard Bates as postmaster. J. W. Retz brought the mail (not by government contract) from Council Bluffs, as did also Gibson Bates, in an ox wagon, collecting and distributing mail matter along the road to persons whom they knew.

The first saw-mill was constructed at Sergeant's Bluff in 1855, by Thomas Robes, and commenced operations early in September. There was quite an excitement over the event, and a struggle to obtain the first board sawed, and for a long time it was exhibited by its possessor, as being the pioneer saw-cut board made in Woodbury county.

The first foreigner to become naturalized, in Woodbury county, was Clement Lamoreaux, February 4, 1856.

79

WOODBURY COUNTY.

the first presidential election held, was in the month of November, 1856, during the Fremont-Buchanan campaign.

The first steam ferry was operated at Sioux City in 1857, the boat being the "Lewis H. Burns."

The first flouring-mill was run in connection with a saw-mill, by Bedard & Roesch. The saw mill-was commenced in 1859, and the flouring-mill, a small concern, in 1860, near the mouth o£ the Floyd.

The first wagon bridge over the Big Sioux was built by the government in 1866-67.

The first railroad bridge to span the waters o£ the Missouri, was built by the Chicago & Northwestern railroad company in 1887.

Sioux City was platted by John K. Cook, in the autumn o£ 1854, and the work completed early in January, 1855.

The first white man to locate on the plat was the French Canadian, Theophile Bruguier, in 1849.

The first hotel was conducted by the founder of the city, Dr. John K. Cook, in 1854-55. Austin Cole came next. The Terrific and Severe were early hotels, about which many of the old timers now talk, giving many laughable experiences connected therewith.

Cassady, Myers & Moore started the first bank at Sioux City, in October, 1855.

The first attorney was M. F. Moore, who came in 1855. John Cassady came about the same time.

The first regular frame house in the place was erected from a ready-made frame shipped up the river to the tin shop of J. C. Flint and his partner, Daggett, in 1856. John K. Cook had, however, erected what might be termed a "claim shanty," a rough board structure, the year prior to this.

The first brick house was that o£ Liege Robinson, who burned the brick of his own, and enough more to build the Schuster building the first brick business house.

The first marriage was that of Mrs. Lapore to Mr. Charles Sangster in March, 1856.

The first female child was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Cassady, born April 25, 1850. She was born on the original plat, while Charles Dodson was born up the Floyd river, and not then in town.

The first general election was held in the land office building in August, 1856.

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HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.

The first Fourth of July celebration was held in 1857, at the foot of Prospect Hill, within a little clump of native timber.

The pioneer school was taught in 1857 by Miss Wilkins, now of Omaha.

Yankton, Dak., was platted in 1859, by a company partly made up of Sioux City men. It was first spelled in all newspapers and record matters as "Yancton, Dacotah, Ty."

The first account of "picture taking" at Sioux City was in the "Eagle" in 1858, in the way of an advertisement as follows: "AMBROTYPES—G0 to the City Gallery and 'secure the shadow ere the substance fades.' Slade & Dunbar, at the residence of J. R. Sanborn." The art of photography was not developed until about 1863, and ambrotypes were all the rage in Sioux City homes, and they now form antique curiosities, of which this generation know but little.

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