River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-30
HISTORICAL INCIDENTS OF TRIMBELLE.

At the first town-meetng, the following
persons were elected to the various Offices
Chairman, Franklin Otis; Supervisors, Hiram
McAllister and c. A. Tabor; Clerk, John
McEwen; Treasurer, Franklin Otis; Supt. of
Common Schools, Hiram McAllister; Justices
OF the Peace, John McEwen, c. A. Tabor
and Lewis Sperry; Constable, Noah Trip;
Overseer Of Highways, John Beardsley. The
amount of tax voted to defray the expenses in
the ensuing year was s25
In 1856 II. Felt afterward widely known Of
the county as a local politician, was elected
Chairman; in 1851, L. S. Falkenburg was elect
ed in 1858, C. p. Sargent; in 1859, Ii. Bennett;
in 1860, II. Felt again elected; in 1861, NJ. b.
Williams; in 1862, +. Otis; in 1868, T. Otis; in
1864, A. Cornelison in 1866, c. NJ Stafford;
in 1866, +. Otis; in 1867, R. S. Marden; in
1868, A. Cornelison; in 1869, Jonathan
Barns; in 1870, J. L. Dale; in 1871, J. N.
Whipple; in 1872, J. N. Whipple in 1873,
J. II. Collins; in 1874, c. B. Ferguson in 1875.
c. B. Ferguson. John Mclaughlin is serving
his eighth term as Town Treasurer, and d.
w Kinnie his seventh term as Town Clerk.
Soon after the organization of the town the
political parties fixed upon it as the most con-
venient place for holding county conventions
and from that time until the. location of the
county seat at Ellsworth, it became the battle
field Of "the elements" politically speaking.
Pierce county has always been famous for its
uncertain, mixed, miscellaneous and lively
politics, and in tn Sc fresh, frontier times it
developed good deal of
"Boil and bubble,
Toll and trouble"
In 1853 the Republican Convention was held
here in a building occupied as a store by C. P.
Sergeant. But little interest was manifested in
the work of nominating, until the convention
balloted for candidate for Sheriff Henry Dow.
OF Hartland, was the favorite of the ring known
as the "Waukegan Clique" and controlled
ten votes; e. n. Reimon, Esq, had ten votes;
and there were six scattering. Balloting COM
menced at little past two o'clock, p. NJ, and
continued with no change in results, until
about seven in the evening, when T. L. Nelson
then living in Isabelle and having come to
the convention expressly 20 beat Dow, with
that cool sagacity that has characterized him
in later years, sprang upon the counter and
proposed the name of II. p Ames Mr.. Ames
was then new conner in the county and but
little known, hence general cry Of "Who is
H. P. Ames!' Mr.. Nelson referred the dele
gates to Uncle Frank Otis, who gave Mr.. Ames
a cordial endorsement which resulted in his
nomination on the second ballot Mr.. Ames
uas Aacfad bv- a rousfnO ,na;nr;,v -,o,,;,,.-
largely ahead of his ticket. Mr. Falkenburg
was the candidate of the Democrats.
In l360the conventions were again held here.
The Republican was held in John Martins
building. This proved to be one of the most
exciting Of the conventions in the history of
the county 1t was the occasion OF the grand
and final fight between the" WeGhes al Clique"
and all the rest Of the world. The candi iates
for nomination on the pvt of the Clique
were, for Treasure, J. H. Southwick: Tor Clerk
OF the Board, Oliver Gibbs; for Register OF
Deeds; G. w Cairns. These we're the incum-
bents of the Office to which they sought
election, and better corps of officers neither
this nor any other county ever had. Never
theless the opposition also very fortunate in
there selection Of candidates, were victorious
II. p Ames was nominated for Treasurer,
Osborn Strahl for Clerk OF the Board, and
Selah Strickland for Register of Deeds. Geo
A. Dill was nominated for Sheriff, being sup
ported by both Republican factions
This convention was composed Oft the follow
ing delegates: Clifton w Bascom, Mo
Kay; Diamond Bluf,-C. H. Grant Il Quinn
by; Ellsworth, WIN Teare, Wilsox KinneyiEl
Paso, -George Walker, NJ. d. Mcintyre
IIartland.-G +. Fletcher, Joseph Sleeper;
Isabelle, Il. d. Phillips, A w Parker; Maid
en- Rock. d. Tumbull, J. R. Barton;
Martell, j Warner, J. Prescott; Oak Grove,
J. L. Dale, Alva Beardsley Prescott, First
Ward, Rufus Perkins; Second Ward e A.
Meacham; River Falls,-Abner Morse, c. b.
Cox; Trenton, -E. II Boustead, H. Pumpkin;
Tnmbele, Franklin Otis, H. Felt A good
" number OF these men are still with us OF
the number ,twenty-six in all, seven appeared
in one or the other of the conventions of the
fall Of 1875. The Democrats put into the field
as candidate for Sheriff, against Mr. Dill, J r,
Freeman. The convention was held in Mr.
Corneison's dwelling house. This Inaugural
ateo one O. the liYeiest campaigns IN he his
tory Of the county George was very popular,
but was defeated on the poverty-sympathy
dodge