Morris tribune., 1922-11-24
STEVENS COUNTY IN THE
MAKING
lContinued from page b


was elected clerk of the district court.
defeating Henry Baldwin at the cleo
ton of that year. He served as clerk
one term of four years, and was then
succeeded by Thomas Thomasson. He
was one of our best citizens and left
behind him at his death record of
things we'll and faithfully done.
w. W. Griswold, who came to the
county from Indiana in 1872 was an
attorney at law, but never engaged
actively in the practice. His cleo
ton as county auditor occurred the
year after he came to thecountry,
and he was reelected for several sue
ceeding terms. He was an active
member of the Congregational
church and with Rev. ]. L. Fonda,
H. w. Stone, A A. Stone, D. T. Whea-
ton, H B. Wolff, DR.. Huburd, and
others, a moving factor in effecting
the organization of the church So
ciety, and in the erection of the
present church building.
Aside from his church and official
work, both of which received proper
attention, Mr.. Griswold was some
guide, philosopher and friend of the
republican party of the county for
a number of years. In fact it was
generally understood during his
official incumbency that to succeed
as candidate for office in the county,
Mr.. Griswold's o. X. was necessary,
at least of potential value. Yet he
was an upright citizen, and whatever
he did in the way of politics, or in
a personal or official way, was in
harmony with his view Of what was
right and proper, and not In
furtherance of personal gain. He
removed from Morris in 1884, re-
turning in 1887, but after a few
years returned to his old home in
the state of Indiana, where he died
many years ago.
]. C. Rue, who followed Mr..
Dragoo as sheriff was a quiet I'M
demonstrative man, but a capable
Officer. He was a veteran Of the
civil war, and held his honorable
discharge as a token of sacrifice and
service to his country cheerfully
rendered. He moved to Glenwood
in the early eighties, and thence
with his wife to the Soldiers Home
near FIT. Smelling, where he was
living a quiet life with comrades Of
the G. A. R., at last accounts. Mr..
Rue surrendered the Office to Henry
T. Lovett in 1874 who in turn handed
1t over to John Landberg after the
election of 1875.
A v. Teepfe was the first county
attorney. He was succeeded by Maj.
George A. ]. Overton by appointment
in 1875. Maj. Overton was elected
to the office in 1875, but was defeat
ed for reelection in 1878 by the late
Col. H. T. Bevans who held the office
for the succeeding two terms. He
In turn was defeated in 1882 by the
writer Of this paper who thereafter
held the office by subsequent relec-
tions until March 10th, 1887 when
he was appointed Judge Of the newly
created 18th Judicial District. He
then resigned and was followed in
the office of county attorney, and
later as Judge of the district court,
by Hon. Stephan A. Flaherty, who
in the latter position has for the past
20 years performed the duties of the
great judicial Office with honor to
himself and to the entire satisfaction
of the people as we'll as the lawyers
of the district.
Major Overton was an early settler
in the territory, and for number OF
years devoted his time and attention
to the work of a civil engineer and
and surveyor, in which he was pro-
fcient and successful. He was fire.
Quently named by territorial and
early state legislation as a commits
sioner with others, to establish and
lay out state highways, and his duties
were we'll performed. He started in
the legal profession late in life and
was somewhat handicapped in per-
fecting himself for that work.
Though as legal advisor Of the coun-
ty he conducted the public business
matters referred to him with credit
he was not success as public pros
ecutor, nor in the conduct of civil
litigation. The Major was a jovial
companion, big hearted and loyal to
his friends. He served in the civil
war and members of the G. A. r. OF
Morris honored him by giving his
name to the local post. He died in
March 1881. The election of Col
Bevans in 1878 was an improvement
for he was better equipped for the
work of the Office, particularly as a
public prosecutor. But Bevans long
suit was not the law but politics, and
to that he mainly turned his atten-
ton. He was appointed in 1882 tt
the position of Deputy U. s. Collect.
or, with headquarters at st. Vincent;
and later became Assistant Adj. Gen.
eral of the state, under Governor
Knute Nelson, which position he
filled with ability. He returned tc