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 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.
80
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: "AMBROTYPESG0 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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