under the new State constitution, and served with marked ability. He was appointed postmaster at Decorah in 1861, and held the office until he resigned, in 1863. In September, 1864, President Lincoln appointed him commissary of subsistence, with the rank of Captain of cavalry. He was brevetted Major for meritorious conduct, and was honorably discharged in November, 1865. In 1868 and 1870 he was warmly supported by the Republicans of his county for the nomination to Congress, but the other counties of his district carried the majority for his competitor. Mr. Cooley was married at Dubuque, in 1856, to Miss Jane M. Rhodes, then of that city. In the legal profession Mr. Cooley has few peers in Northern lowa, and few have made themselves a better public and private record. He has ever had the interest of his city and county at heart, and has been identified with many of the enterprises that have proved beneficial to the community in which he has so long resided."

In the latter part of 1879 Mr. Cooley was appointed by Governor Gear to the position of District Judge of the Tenth Judicial District, consisting of Winneshiek, Howard, Chickasaw, Fayette, Clayton and Allamakee counties, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Reuben Noble. In November, 1880, he was elected to the same position for the regular term of two years. He has a beautiful home, an unusually fine library, and his social and domestic relations are of the pleasantest. He has two sons, the elder of whom, C. M. Cooley, is married to the daughter of Rev. H. B. Woodworth, for a number of years pastor of the Congregational Church in Decorah, and now lives in Dakota. Previous to his election as Judge, Mr. Cooley was elected to and discharged the office of Mayor of Decorah for two successive terms, with honor to himself and credit to the city.

The eighth election was held on the 6th of August, 1855. Nelson Burdick was elected Recorder and Treasurer, over N. Otis, by 102 majority.

James Van Pelt was elected Surveyor, and Philip Morse, Coro

ner.

In this election there were no less than five candidates for the office of County Judge. The canvassing board returned the following count: Joseph Gibbons had 205 votes for the office, while his opponents in the race had the following number of votes respectively: J. T. Atkins, 195; William Painter, 10; David Reed, 9, and N. Otis, 1.

An informality in this election caused it to be set aside, as far as Judge was concerned, and Mr. Reed was continued in office for another term of two years. The particulars are given in the preceding chapter, introductory to the county seat contest.

On the 1st of April Aaron Newell resigned the office of Clerk of the District Court, and Nathaniel Otis was appointed in his stead.

In the April election of 1856 there were 816 votes polied. The only officer elected was School Fund Commissioner. There were plenty of candidates in the field willing to assume the responsibilities of this office, as the following list will show: J. E. B. Morgan, Elijah Middlebrook, J. P. McKinney and Thomas Bell. J. E. B. Morgan was elected to fill the office by forty-eight majority. This office was discontinued during Morgan's term.

L. Butler resigned the office of Liquor Agent on the 26th of June, 1856, to which office he had previously been appointed. The duties of this officer were to superintend the sale of liquors in the county, that is to see that no one trafficed in liquors except those who sold it for medicinal purposes. Butler's resignation was accepted, and H. C. Bulis appointed to fill the vacancy, on the 30th of June, 1856. This office was discontinued at the expiration of his term.

The tenth election was held in August, 1856.

L. W. Griswold was elected Prosecuting Attorney, over S. A. Tupper.

Nathaniel Otis was elected Clerk of the District Court, over S. D. H. Hughes and G. W. Esty. Previous to this election the county had been organized into eleven voting precincts.

This election gave to Winneshiek County her first Senatorial officer, in the person of J. T. Atkins. At this date Winneshiek county was but a portion of the 34th Senatorial District, which was composed of the following counties: Winneshiek, Allamakee, Howard, Floyd and Mitchell. The total vote of this entire Senatorial District was 2,331,of which number J. T. Atkins received 1,599, as against 716 for Edward Ellis, his opponent.

J. T. Atkins was born in Phillipstown, Worcester County, Mass., April 4, 1811. The early part of his life was spent in the Eastern States, where he followed steamboating as a vocation during the season when navigation was open, and taught school during the winter months. He received a common school education. Mr. Atkins immigrated to Indiana in 1835, where he commenced a real estate brokerage business. In 1851 there was much talk of the "new purchase," a part of which was Winneshiek County. The Judge contracted the fever, and came to Winneshiek County, Iowa, in the autumn of that year. Here he resumed his old business, that of land speculating, and also practiced law for several years, but not being a resident at the county seat, he concluded to abandon his profession and give his attention solely to his speculations. October 19, 1854, he was appointed Prosecuting Attorney and Enrolling Officer, by Gov. Kirkwood. He was elected County Judge, at one time, but failed to qualify. In 1867 he was chosen to represent this county in the State Legislature. He has for some years past been a resident of Decorah.

The first special election was held on the 10th of October, 1856. The question at stake was whether the county should vote $100,000 in aid of the Northwestern Railroad. There were 926 votes cast in favor of it, and 505 against.

The eleventh election was held in April, 1857, in which contest James B. Smith was elected to the office of Sheriff. George N. Holway was elected to the office of County Assessor.

George N. Holway was born in Sandwich, Mass., September 29, 1826. He received his education at Sandwich and Providence. He immigrated to Iowa in 1852, and made a permanent settlement at Hesper. He soon afterward became indentified with the political affairs of the county. He was first elected County Assessor. He has been elected to the office of Treasurer, Supervisor and County Superintendent. He is now (1882) engaged in mining in one of the western territories.

James E. Simpson was elected to the office of Drainage Commissioner.

James E. Simpson was born in New York City, August 10, 1833. He received his education in the public schools of that State. He immigrated to Allamakee County in 1855. In that county he was engaged in teaching school and surveying until the summer of 1856, when he moved to Decorah, and that winter taught the public school of the latter place. That spring he was appointed Deputy County Surveyor, in which position he continued as Deputy and County Surveyor until 1860. In 1860 he was appointed Deputy Clerk under S. W. Paul. He was elected County Superintendent in 1861, which office he resigned to enter the United States service. He enlisted in Co. G, Twelfth Iowa Volunteers. He was made Orderly Sergeant, and promoted to Second Lieutenant. He resigned his lieutenancy during the summer of 1862, on account of ill health. On his return home he again resumed the office of County Superintendent. In 1863 he was appointed Deputy Provost Marshal of Winneshiek County, which office he filled until mustered out of the service in 1865. In 1866 he was appointed United States Revenue Inspector of the Third Iowa District. In 1868 he was retained as one of the twenty-five United States Revenue Agents, and remained in the service until September, 1876. He was married to Mary A. Rankin, of Frankville, in July, 1860.

Mr. Simpson was, several years ago, appointed United States Revenue Collector for this district, with headquarters at Dubuque, to which place he thereupon removed, though socially as well as in property interests he is still identified with Decorah,

L. W. Griswold resigned the office of Prosecuting Attorney, July 11, 1857. Dryden Smith was appointed to fill the office made vacant by Griswold's resignation, July 21, 1857, and was elected as Prosecuting Attorney in the October election, 1857. The following winter this office was abolished.

The next election was held August, 1857, at which there were 894 votes cast for County Judge. L. W. Griswold was the successful candidate for this office over S. A. Tupper.

J. B. Smith was re-elected Sheriff over E. M. Farnsworth.

Nelson Burdick was re-elected Recorder and Treasurer over J. Oleson.

L. W. Ludlow was elected County Surveyor over David Gorsuch.
Amos Hoag was elected Coroner over George Cooney.
There were 345 majority for the new State Constitution.

In the October election following, E. E. Cooley was elected State Representative by a majority of 512, over William F. Kimball.

Dryden Smith was elected Prosecuting Attorney by 481 majority, over S. A. Tupper. Dryden Smith was an Indianian. He early came to the county, and figured quite prominently in political affairs.

The spring election of 1858 was held on the 14th of April. The only county officer elected in this contest was that of Superintendent of Public Instruction. It was the first office of this character elected in the county, and H. C. Bulis was the man on whom this honor was conferred by the people.

Hon. H. C. Bulis was born in Chazy, Clinton County, New York, on the 14th of November, 1830. He studied medicine in Vermont, with Dr. A. C. Butler, and graduated at the Vermont Medical College, Woodstock, Vt. He came to Winneshiek county a young man, in October, 1854, and taught the first month of the second term of school that was taught in the village. Politically, the doctor was a strong Clay Whig, and latterly as ardent a republican. Previous to his being elected County Superintendent he had been appointed commissioner for the sale of intoxicating liquors, by Judge Reed. At the expiration of his term this office was discontinued. He was next elected a member of the Board of Supervisors, and was made its president. In 1865 he was elected State Senator, and served his constituency four years in this capacity, during which time he was elected a trustee of the lowa State University. In 1869 he was returned to the State Senate. He served one year of his second term, during which time he was elected President pro tem. by the House of Representatives. In 1871, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of the State. His thorough knowledge of parliamentary rules peculiarly fitted him for this new responsibility. He discharged the duties of this office honorably, efficiently and faithfully. August, 1876, he was appointed by President Grant a member of the Indian commission, whose duty it was to treat with the Sioux Indians for the purchase of the Black Hill sterritory. Dr. Bulis was absent five months on this mission. The object of the commission was, finally, successfully accomplished.

In

Dr. Bulis, was elected to the office of Mayor of Decorah, in 1880, holding that position for two successive terms, performing the duties with honor to himself and with credit and benefit to Decorah, of which he is ever an enterprising and public-spirited citizen, his wife being an active helper in every good work.

In the October election of 1858, there were 1,305 votes polled for Clerk of the District Court. S. W. Paul was declared elected to the office, over K. K. Buckman, by 190 majority.

J. E. Simpson was elected County Surveyor, over David Gorsuch. In the elections of 1859, the following officers were elected: Erick Anderson, Sheriff; S. W. Matteson, Clerk; T. W. Burdick, Recorder and Treasurer; A. K. Averill, County Surveyor; John R. Howard, Coroner; W. F. Coleman, County Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In the fall election of 1860, which took place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, S. W. Matteson was re-elected Clerk of the District Court.

With 1860 was inaugurated a change in the administration of County affairs, a Board of Supervisors, one from each organized township, taking the place of the County Judge in these matters, in January, 1861, although the County Court continued to exist for probate and some other matters till the foundation of the Circuit Court, referred to in succeeding pages.

This Supervisor system gave place in 1870 to the County Commissioner system, the officers still being termed, as they now are, Supervisors, of which there were three. In 1872 the number of Supervisors was increased to five, the County being divided into five districts-the number at present existing.

And as the Courts of the county form a prominent part of its history, we here briefly trace their successive Judges, completing first the roll of County Judges till that office was abolished by the organization of the Circuit Court, about the close of the year 1868.

COUNTY JUDGES.

Our previous record shows that L. W. Griswold was elected County Judge in 1857. He held the office to January 1st, 1860. His successors were as follows:

D. H. Hughes, who held the office two years, commencing Jan. 1st, 1860.

Jno. DeCow, two years, commencing Jan. 1, 1862.

G. R. Willett, four years, commencing Jan. 1, 1864.

E. Cutler assumed the office Jan. 1, 1868, and held it till the close of that year, when it gave place to the Circuit Court, (referred to a little later), which attended to Probate business. The duties of the County Auditor had hitherto been performed by the County Judge, and Mr. Cutler therefore became County Auditor, ex-officio, to the end of his term and was then twice re-elected Auditor, as referred to hereafter.