Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-02-18

known across the entire state from
Davenport to Council Bluffs as we'll
as outside the state. A post office was
established there called s'Hamlin's
Grove and he was the first postmas-
ter i'm the County, receiving his COM
mission under President Zachary Tay-
lol and held the Office until removed
for political reasons in 1861. The Wes-
tern Stage Company soon established
station at his place of which he was
the agent. and which continued until
the advent of the railroad in 1869.
He acquired a large tract of the
best land around him and was extern
sively engaged in farming, employed
much help and was the most prosper
Gus man in the county for many years.
His situation enabled him to dispose
of ali surplus farm products, even the
wild hay to emigrants, for more than
the usual prices: and for a time he
kept store goods for sale. He also had
the first blacksmith shop in the coun-
ty, in partner ship with Mr.. Charles,
Marsh. He had a large herd of horses.
and mules, which ran over the prairie
about Indian Grove and Crooked creek
besides many cattle and hogs. During
| the war, he. with g. II. Poage and
Levi Zaner operated the steam flour
and saw-mill for several years at old
| Louisville, one of the busiest places
| in the county.
In 1865 he was elected County Trea-
surer and Recorder,-the office being
one at thatperiod-and held the Office
until 1864. For several years he was
one of the trustees of Audubon town
ship, when it embraced the entire
least part of Audubon county.
| We remember an incident in his
official career, which illustrates his
Characteristic honesty and fairness.
In 1868 he was one of the Judges of
Election. Audubon Township was
strongly democratic and the county
nearly equally divided in politics.
John w. Scott was running for Clerk
of Courts. John NJ. Griggs for Coun-
! ty Judge and the writer hereof for
Recorder, ON the Republican ticket
The board convened in the Hamlin
Schoolhouse and received votes until
noon and adjourned to Mr.. Hamlin's
for dinner. We suppose they had a
good dinner as was usual there, with
the trimmings that went with it. Mr..
| III
also a member of the board. They
took the ballot box with them, fash
toned from a cigar box with Slit cut
in the top for receiving the ballots.
It was fragile affair and the custO-
dian had taken too much dinner-or
something, and crushed the box while
carrying it under his arm, and some
OF the ballots dropped out without
being noticed. But on arriving at the
voting place to renew business, the ac-
cident was discovered and the Judges
We're in a dilemma how to proceed.
''By gr-r-r-aciousi What shall we
do?" said Mr.. Jardine, and they
discussed the matter "Ill be gained.
Sir. III tell you what we will do,"
said Mr.. Hamln. Examine the
names on the Poll book and see how
many Democrats and how many Re-
! publcans have voted. ut was not
= difficult, for men did not scratch tick
cts much those days, then open the
ballot box and see how many ballots
:. of each kind are lost and put in
!. enough of each kind to make the
count good"
!, And it was done. When the vote
/, of the county was canvassed Griggs
! and myself were defeated by a small
majority. 1t was proposed to contest
the election and throw out the vote
Il of Audubon township, which would
u have elected the Republican ticket by
a handsome majority. But better
judgement prevailed; while the action
e of The judges was clearly illegal in
e tampering with the ballot box no ac-
tual fraud was intended, and / have
no reason to doubt that the result
" was as the voters intended.
70 CONTINUED Next Week.