Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-03-18
In the Fall Of 1854 Wilson Brewer
and VIM. Frakes Plated
the Town and Sold Some
Lots.
THE. FIRST SCHOOL ORGANIZED.
Contest Over County Judge-Prohi-
bition Sustained in the
County.

From the History of Hamilton
Z County: In the fall Of 1854 Wilson
Brewer and VIM F'rakes laid out
the town of New Castle, now part OF
Webster City, and began selling
lots. 1t was located on the west side
of Boone river and consisted OF
eight blocks, lying between Division
street and the Illinois Central r. r.
and east of Superior street as now
seen on the maps of Webster City.
The plat was two blocks wide and
four blocks long and was the sec
ond town laid out in the county.
The laying out of this town and
giving the place a name tended to
bring this place into more notoriety,
! and homeseekers heard of it as they
journeyed westward, and made it a
point to pass through on their way.
Many arriving in that way being
pleased with the location and sur
r0undings concluded to stay and be-
came permanent settlers.
During the year 1854, Francis Es-
lick was elected district clerk; John
III. Golfer, prosecuting attorney
Samuel Eslick, sheriff; and Henry B.
Martin, surveyor.
For senator, Theophalus Bryan re-
ceived "a votes and James Gordan,
10 votes.
For representative in state legis-
lature, Samuel Mccall had 81 votes
Granville Burkley had 33 votes;
. Franklin Thompson had 10 votes.
Phineus Cassidy received SO votes
for district judge and VIM Mckay
II.
The vote for governor in the
county gave Curtis Bates 104, and
James w. Grimes, %. .a.....
From the above vote it will be
seen that the population of the
county in August, 1854, was about
600 and that politically the county
was largely democratic as is shown
by the vote for governor, Bates be-
ing the democratic candidate.
Settlers were coming in, singly
and in groups, during all of this
year and while a larger proportion
than common stopped within the
present limits of Hamilton county,
the larger number went into the
present limits of Webster county.
In the fall of 1854, the Frakes.
Downings, SINNERS, Segars, Paynes
and probably Storys, organized a
school district and built a log
schoolhouse on the present site of
the White Fox schoolhouse. Josie
r. Middleton was employed as the
first teacher and as there was no
school being taught at Webster City,
the Lyons and Brewers also attend
ed there. This was the first school
in the northern part Of the county,
and one Of the first in the county.
The same winter a school was
taught at Homer by Mr.. Alcott, and
another north of Hooks Point was
held in claim cabin, taught by
Miss Audience Bell,-now Mrs.
Woolford, of Boone county. These
were the first schools taught within
what is now Hamilton county.
At the April, 1854, election there
were 213 votes cast and the follow
ing officers were elected: N. W.
Meservey, county judge; Granville
Burnley, county attorney; D. Car
roll, drainage commissioner. A.
Gaines, coroner.
For district judge, w. w. Will
hanson had 1913 votes and C. j. Nc
Farland, 70 votes. Mcfarland was
elected in the district but it will be
seen from the vote at the different
elections in Webster county that he
was not popular with the voters and
never carried a majority of the
pOlcS. Hc DOdI vi loI
this election were Judge Pierce and
Justices of the Peace L. Miracle and
e. Russell.
The question of prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors came up
at the April election of this year
and resulted as follows: For prohibit
ton, 80; against prohibition. 76.
The democrats were prohibitionists,
and the wings were for license
though the vote shows that not all
of the democrats voted for prohibit
ton, and 1t is probable that some of
the wings voted for it. About one
fourth of the voters refrained from
voting on the question at all.
The iscond election of the year