The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-04

ANNALS on IowA.-The January number il
received. Prof. Parvin has been succeeded
in the editorial department BY Dr.. Lloyd.
The one before ~ contains several interesting
articles. Captain Horn continues his clever
sketches Of Davis county. We will CLEAN
therefrom. How did it come by its name
That is the query which Capt Horn discusses
in genial style, canvassing the claims Of all
the Davises from the nearest accessible
Adamic dates down to this present, not for
getting JEFF. and including A. j., not the
spirit seer, but him of Iowaville, and John n.
Davis, of Bloomfield, who invented corn
cultiyator. He couldn't decide the matter,
and so he wrote to DR.. ]. D. Ebert, of Van
Buren, county, and his reply and other mat
tiers shall follow. Said the Doctor:
"Mr. James Jenkins and myself were mem
hers of the territorial council at the time
Davis county was organized. The name was
adopted at the suggestion Of some Of us Ken
tucklans, who wanted to honor distinguished
politician and Congressman by the name of
Garrett Davis, of Lexington (ky.) district,
who had endeared himself to
the west, and was thought worthy of the
honor"
From Captain J. H. Bonney, of Keosauqua,
(who was at the Capital at the time our coun-
ty received its name, and from Hon. James
NJ. Wray, Hon. David Ferguson and others Of
our county, learn that after the close OF the
Territorial war between the citizens of the
State of Missouri and the Territory of Iowa,
those persons in this Territory who were or
dered to march to the seat of war by the Ter
ritorial Governor and United States Marshal,
made application to Congress for compensa-
ton for their time and money spent IN the
defense of their homes. The application was
referred to the committee on claims, OF
which Mr. Davis was chairman. Regarding
their claims just, Mr.. Davis reported to the
House bill appropriating sum sufficient to
compensate them, and otherwise took an
active part as also did Gov. Wise of Va, J
in favor of making the appropriation. Du-
ring the tendency of Mr.. Davis bill in the
House, the Territorial Legislature of Iowa
was in session, and passed an act defining the
boundaries Of our county, and named it
Davis. So it turns out that our county was
named for Hon. Garrett Davis, at present
one Of the L. S. Senators from Kentucky.
Thus, upon good authority, it is now settled
that it was not named for Joe, whom the
Indians killed in battle, nor for honest John,
of Massachusetts, nor uncle Dickey who
traps thinks on the Charlton, nor for JEFF.
who runs bogus machine at Richmond, nor
A. J. who makes whisky at Iowavile, nor
John r., who invented the corn cultivator !.
And | must confess, since | have ascer-
tanned to certainty for whom it was named,
that | am truly glad that it was not called
Smith this say, however, without intend
ing any disparagement to the Smith family,
or in any way endorsing the general course OF
Senator Davis. But for this reason am
glad: IL, in their wisdom, majority of the
members Of the General Assembly of the
Territory of Iowa in 1874, had solemnly en-
acted that our county should be called Smith,
in digging after the origin of the name,
might have traced it back to Deldzon, the lost
minister to South America, whom Senator
Benton compared 10 the man who went into
Sims Hole or Extra Billy, Of Virginia,
neither of whom would have reflected hall
the lustre upon the bright escutcheon of a
great country like ours, that John would
As illustrating the country and the admin.
istraton of justice at an early day, the fol
lowing, of Davis Justice of the Peace, is
told by DR.. Ebert:
A man by the name of English was among
the first appointed magistrates of Gov. Cham
| beers, and this was at the instance of Var
Caldwell. an old and respectable citizen
Caldwell had a claim in dispute, and before
he went to Burlington to have English ap
pointed, took care to know how he stood or
the claim question.
Chambers swore he would not appoint him
because he was drunkard, and that Caldwell
must name some other man. Caldwell swore
I L
qualified, and that there might be difficulty
IN that matter, for he had two wives. Eng
lish was appointed, and Caldwell gained his
land suit