Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-08-04
THE COUNTY'S StMI.CENTENNIAL.
Fiftieth Anniversary Of the Organiza.
tion Of Howard County.

A few days ago Edmond Gillett re-
minded US that Aug. 9th was the 5Oth
anniversary of the organization ofHow
ard Co. and the date of it's first elec-
tion, and as..Mr' Gillett was the COM
missioner appointed to organize the
county, which had up to this time
been attached for voting purposes to
Chickasaw county, we requested him
to give US some personal reminiscent
ces of this historical event, and the
narrative which follows is prepared
from his personal recollections.
Some time previous to the date Of
the election, preliminary mass
meeting was held at the log house
occupied by Geo. w. Schofeld, the
only building in New Oregon. At
this meeting Mr.. Gillett was almost
unanimously chosen as commissioner
to organize the county, and accord
ingly went to Bradford, then the
county seat of Chickasaw county, to
receive the necessary authority from
Judge Lyon, the county judge of
Chickasaw. The trip was taken on
horseback over the unbroken prairie,
with no house from New Oregon un.
TIL the settlement at. t."Pettibone s, -
just north of where Elma 10 now To-
Gated, was reached. His sole guide
on the trip west from New
Oregon was "watcn for three big
trees" and then turn south to the
settlement at Howard, where he
stayed all night. The three trees were
located near what is now the Merry
farm, north of Lourdes, and where the
elder Merry built in 1856. The three
trees were landmarks and served to
aid travellers to both Howard and to
Riceville and Usage. Leaving Howard
Mr.. Gillett again had no road until
reaching the government road from
Dubuque to Bradford.
Arriving at Bradford, Mr.. Gillette
was given his commission as the first
sheriff and consequently the first off,
Ger of the new county, and returning
posted three notices Of the organiza-
tion and election, one at Howard, one
at New Oregon and one at Riceville
where the family of man named
Van Houten were the only residents.
In accordance with the proclama-
tion, the first election was held at
New Oregon at Geo. Schotield's, on
Aug.s6, 1855, and the following officers
were elected. Il
judge. g. Upton.
Clerk, Edmund Gillett.
Sheriff, John Harlow,
Recorder and Treasurer-Wm. Wood
ward.
Surveyor-M. V. Burdick.
School Fund Commissioned. S.
Burdick. (Tbis officer had much the
same duties as our present county
superintendent, but with the added
care of school fund money.
Coroner-A Mr.. Arnold living near
the Iowa river.
County Assessor Charles Thurber.
Only three of the county's first officers
are now living, Mr.. Upton and Mr..
Gillette, both residing at Cresco, and
VIM. Woodward, OF Dell Rapids, S.
d.
According to Mr.. Gillett's best rec
ollection the only persons now living
and voting at the first election are
VIM. Blackburn, S. M. Cole, Thos.
Lewis, j. g. Upton, VIM. Woodward,
and G. W. Ostrander OF Elma, and
himself. H.E.Ober, of Lime Springs,
was In the county but did not vote.
70. #. Webster had been in the county
previous to the election but was alb
sent at this time.
Not to exceed 40 families, and
an estimated population of 200 were
in the confines of the county, one
family at Riceville; George Cote and
Arnold among the few settling near
the Iowa; the families of Oscar and
Oliver Cheesebro, MN. Marsh. Ado.
Knowlton, Alexis, White, O.. @. Hew-
ett and Mr.. Goss in the vicinity OF