Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1903-10-29

first corner brick was laid in the wall of
the new court house being built by Judge
Hilton. The first representation from this
county in the general assembly was in the
seventh session of the territorial legisIa-
ture which convened at Iowa city May ;,
lS4J, when we bore the name of Kishkc-
kosh, so called after one of the Indian sub
chiefs of the Sac and Fox tribes Jefferson
Kishkellosh and Wapello counties consti-
tuted one district. William g. Cook, of
Jefferson. represented us in the council
and Reuben Il. Harper in the house.
County Name Changed.
'sIn the eighth session December 1. 1915,
Joseph Flint. of Wapello, represented this
district. IT was during this session that
the pame of This county was changed from
'Sishkekosh to Monroe 1t was done by an
act of the territorial assembly January 10,
1916
In the constitutional convention which
convened in Iowa City May 4, 1916 Ware
ham &. Clark, of this county. represented
Appanoose and Monroe. The constitution
was ratified by the people on the third day
of April, 1S4G, and the state was admitted
into the union on December IS, 1Si6, Feb
ruary H. 1913. Kishkckosh and Wapello
counties were attached TO jefferson for irl-
dicial purposes and we composed part of
the first district and the first election was
at Clarkspoint, August. 1S4i. July /, 1915,
Kishkekosh county was organized. All of
this was during our territorial existence.
"On February 10, 1917. during the first
session under the constitution Monroe coun-
ty was placed in what was then the third
judicial district. February .. 1855 the
ninth district w;ls organized and included
this county. Judge Cyrus Olney, Of Jeffer-
son county. was the presiding Judge from
December {, 1917, and acted as judge for
this county until February l, 1S49. when
it was placed in the fifth judicial district.
District Court Judges.
William Mckay. Of Polk county became
judge of our court and served until Feb
ruary 0, 1858, when it became part of the
ninth judicial district April 4. 1853, John
s. Townsend. of .Albia, was elected Judge
of the ninth district and served until the
adoption of the constitution in 1857 when
it became n part of the second district
and he was elected judge of the second.
October /. 1888, and served until II. III.
Trimble was elected his successor October
IA, 1862. He was succeeded by Judges IL.
Tamchill, NJ. j. Williams. Joseph G..
Knapp. e. l.. Burton. II. c. rravers. Dell
Stuart. Charles %. Daggett, T.. l.. Burton,
w. I, Babb. ] G. Mitchell appointed, w
ID. Tis,lale, NJ A. Roberts, T. NJ. Fee. t.
w. Eichelbergcr, Robert Sloan and c. w
Nermllion
In 1916 the county commissioners com
posed of James S. Bradley, Moses w. Clark
and Joseph McAIullen, built what was
called our log court house. 1t occupied the
site of NIaken's store on the east side of
the public square. 1t was 2ON20 feet of
hewn logs, and with clap board roof.
| The west side of ii was next to Main
street. The celebrated Ross murder case
was tried In it in 1S4a. For some reason
it was not long before 1t ceased 10 be used
hold
pal church building was erected in 1851 =
on the corner of Clinton ana Jefferson
streets. Arrangements We're made and the
I terms of our district court were held in it
until our late brick court house was erect
ed in 1859. Judge Townsend held his first
| term of district court in this church build
| ing.
In this old Methodist church was ad-
mitted to the bar April Is. 1854. In those
days there We're but TWO terms and the
! business was transacted usually within
about one week. | well-fccoliect the law
I yers from outside of the county who at
/ tended our court while IL WIS held in
the Methodist church during the % $
Wright Knapp and Hall. of keosauQua
4 Trimble and Jones' OF Bloomfeld: IIarri,
and Tailnehill. of CentcrvIlc; Ilenlershott
/ George May. S. w. Summers. and james
Baker. of Ottumwa; IL. u. Ives. of Eddy
1 Vile: j. y. Neal, Of Knoxville. Jacol
Webb was then clerk of the court.
.In 1858 James Hilton was elected coun
! ty judge. succeeding Judge ID. \. Richard
| son. tThe county was in great need Of /;
| court house and this fudge Hilton sci
about to build The architect employed
! was C. A. Dunhani. of Burlington. The
1 contract for building was let to John Webi
| Ir. and james Norris TWO excellent mei
I for as / now recollect about Sl0,O00. ls;la,
\ IIardenbrook, father of our mayor, made
IL NJ
completed in 1888 aud served us for cour
house until torn down to admit the cree
4 tion of this splendid ana substantial new
stone structure. far surprising it III COS
and splendor. Thomas BARKER who is pres
J cnt With us today WAS one OF those WI,
4 bore IA conspicuous part in eXcavating ant
laying the foundation for the brick cour
house OF 1858. II served its purpose We'll
Ii WAS built with economy and iudgnen
and Judge Hilton has always becn accord
4 ed great credit for the efficient manner o
its construction.
Early representatives.
"rhe early representatives of Monro
county In the 4Os. after Iowa became
\ state. when the first general ASSEMBLY, con
vened November 30. 1876 when Wapell
and Monroe constituted one senatorial dis
trict was James Davis of Wapello. sena
tor in the house Charles Anderson of Mon
\ roe county.
.Sccond general assembly; December 4
1S4s, iii the senate. Wapello and Monroe
II Barney Royston of Wapello; in the hous
William NJ. Allison of Monroe.
..rirlrd general assembly met Decembe
>. 1880, Wapello, Monroe and Lucas; I
, the senate, H. =. Hcndershott; in tn
house. Monroe and Lucas, \. b. Presto
of Monroe.
'.Fourth general assembly met Decembe
6. 1852, in the senate. Wapello, Monroe
1 Lucas and Clark. II. B. Hendershott; i
the house Monroe. John $. Thompson.
Fifth general assembly met December
!. 1851: in the senate Daniel Anderson; i
, the house Monroe, NJ. A. Goodfellow.
Early Lawyers of Abba.
Il shall now advert to the early lawyer
! of Abba trhe first was II. u, Notson. wh
located here iii 1916. William NJ. Alliso
came TO the county in 1917 and 10 Aibi
in the spring of 1S49. Daniel Anderson |,
Icated permanently in Abba in the sprin
of 1919; William +. Davis the same ycai
. John s. Townsend in 1851: ]. b. Teas |
1853. and / located here iii May of tb
. same year: G. K. Kelsey in 1851; Calvi
+ Kelsey. 1850: James Noffsinger in 1S35
William p Hammond and Henry Eide
shell In 1851: George w. and Is. Il. locui
in 1862: James coeH in 1865, and j. "
iobb in 1870
Mr. Mabry's Address