Webster City freeman., 1913-11-25
ORGANIZATION ! 4 %
Of Of TOWNSHIPS
All of the Territory in Risley and
Yell Counties Known as
Cass Township in
Early Days.
FIRST ELECTION HELD IN 1852,
Judge Doane Relates Amusing Incl
dent in Connection With
Boundary Line.

From the History of Hamilton
County by F. @. and J. w. Lee: AS
has already been seen, when the first
election was held in 1852, all of the
territory included in both Risley and
Yell counties was called Cass town
ship. There seems to have been nc
legal authority for the use of this
name, but for that matter there was
no legal authority for the election
and the name Cass township was us
ed, probably, because it pleased
those in charge of the election.
In April, 1853. after the organiza'
tion of Webster county, all of the
territory within that county was leg
ally named Washington township
The following August, the entire
southern tier of congressional town
ships (known as township S6) was
detached from Washington township
and given the name of Hardin town
ship, and at the same time the next
tier north. being township 81, was
also detached from Washington and
named Webster. So at the beginning
of the year 1854, Webster county
was composed of three townships,
viz, Washington, composed of the
north half Of the county; Webster,
composed of all congressional town
ships numbered 81; and Hardin
composed of all congressional town
ships numbered Sc.
In 1854, all of that part of Wash.
ington township within the pres
ent limits of Hamilton county was
detached and named Boone, and il
included all congressional townships
numbered SS and SO, in ranges 23
2425 and 26. About the same time
congressional township Sc and 81, in
range % and probably also range
"a, We're detached from Webster and
Hamilton townships and named
Clear Lake. At the time of the or.
ganization of Hamilton county
therefore, it's territory was divided
into four townships, viz, Boone
Webster, Hardin and Clear Lake.
In March, 1858, the congressional
township SO, range %, "a, 25 and
&c, was detached from Boone town
ship and named Cass, and thus some
six years after the name was first us.
ed, it became legally the name of an
organized township.
In 1861, the south line of Cass
township was moved one-half mile
north, and in connection with this
action of the board of supervisors
Isaiah Doane tells the following
amusing incident:
June II, 1861, tn ere was a prop.
rosition presented to the board for re,
moving the south line of Cass town.
ship to a little more respectful dis.
tance from Webster City, as it was
then on the correction line and ran
through the city. There seemed to
be sort of tacit understanding that
the measure would carry, and to the
end that no legal laches might ever
be found TO create litigation. it was
suggested that resolution coverin G
the case should be drawn by an at
torney learned in the law Accord
ingly, one George X. Almond, then
with Jacob Skinner, was called in
and retained for the job. After due
deliberation and look of great
sapiency, he dashed off the following
resolution. the adoption of which
was moved by Mr.. Boak:
Resolved, That all that part of
Hamilton county. Iowa, lying half a
mile north OF the correction line in
said county shall be known as, and
shall constitute. the township of
Cass.
When the question was open for
discussion, the writer, with his
Characteristic want of reverence for
superior talents or position. raised
the point that the resolution. strict
ly construed, would not give Cass
township any territory: that If, as
intended, it cut off all territory
within less than a half mile of the
correction line. ii would as effect
ually cut off all territory lying more
than a half mile from the correction
line, and that thus the township
would be reduced to an imaginary
line half a mile from, and running
parallel with. the correction line
This construction was opposed and
ridiculed with much spirit by the
young attorney; but part of the
members agreed with the objector