son crossed the west line of the county, to school house in Ezra Reid's district, thence northerly to intersect the Lansing road.

County warrant No. 1 was issued December 2, 1851, in favor of Lester W. Hayes, for services as sheriff in summoning Grand and Petit Jury.

Warrant No. 2 was issued to Wm. M. and Jas. C. Smith for laying out a road "from opposite Monona to the old county seat, in June 18 0," and "two days clerk of election in Franklin Township on the first Monday in May, 1851."

Ó. S. Conkey gave bond as deputy sheriff under L. W. Hayes. At the January term, 1852, the county officers presented their accounts and were allowed pay as follows:

E. Topliff, County Judge, to January 1, 1852..

Jas. M. Summer, Recorder...

Thos. B. Twiford, District Clerk (for seven months).

J. W. Remine, Prosecuting Attorney.

Jas M. Summer, account as County Commissioner..

.$58 77

58 77

64 92

15 00

15.00

Jas. M. Sumner produced a statement of his accounts as Treas

Report filed for thorough examination at the next March term. At the April (1852) term, we find a warrant was issued to O. S. Conkey for services as Deputy County Recorder. D. W. Low resigned as Deputy Assessor May 7th; John Sutter appointed Deputy Assessor by Sheriff Hayes.

June term, ordered that Columbus town lots be advertised for sale, on the terms, one-third down, balance in one year, and the proceeds be applied to the erection of suitable county buildings at that place, then the county seat.

At the July term the county officials, it appears, found themselves entitled to a small increase of back pay, as follows:

"It appearing from the census returns of 1851 which have recently been produced by the Sheriff that the population of this county on the first day of August, 1851, was 1117, it was adjudged by this Court that the salaried county officers were entitled to receive $200 per annum instead of $150 as had been hitherto supposed; consequently it is ordered that they be permitted to draw upon the county for as much as will bring their salaries to the legal allowance of $200 per annum.

At the August term T. B. Twiford was appointed deputy Assessor by Sheriff Thompson. Who was the County Assessor at this time we have been unable to ascertain. We find several references to a deputy Assessor, and at the July term, 1853, "Assessors all present but those of Taylor, Fayette, and Paint Creek townships." In the election register we find that John B. Sutter was elected County Assessor at the April election, 1857; but this is the only record in any shape, of such an election.

September 14th, 1852, "petitions were presented by P. P. Cady, John S. Clark, Benjamin Clark and Thos. B. Twiford, asking to be discharged from their liability on the official bond of James M. Sumner, as Recorder and Treasurer of Allamakee County, and the Court being satisfied that the petitioners had good ground of apprehension, ordered that a notice be served on the said James M. Sumner requiring him to file new bonds by the 25th day of Sept. inst., or his office would be declared vacated." What these grounds of apprehension were will sufficiently appear from the fact that one of the very first indictments found by the first grand jury, at the first term of District Court, at Columbus, July 12th, 1852, was against Jas. M. Sumner, for wilfully neglecting and refusing to make report, etc., and it was ordered that process issue against defendant, returnable at next term of court.

On the 23d of September Sumner saw fit to resign his office, and the vacancy was shortly after filled by the appointment of James Bell, who held the office but a few months and at a later year went to Tennessee, and has not been heard from since the war that we know of.

On the 26th day of November, 1852, an order was made that notices should be issued as follows:

"Notice is hereby given that a contract for building a court house on the County square of Allamakee county, in the village of Columbus, in said county, will be let to the lowest bidder on the fifteenth day of December next, at ten o'clock, at my office in said village. Approved securities will be required for the faithful performance of said contract. Sealed proposals will be received until that day. Any person wishing said contract will be furnished with a plan and specifications of said building by calling at my office.

"Given under my hand this 26th day of November, A. D., 1852. [Signed] ELIAS TOPLIFF, County Judge."

On the day specified the contract was let to Thos. B. Twiford, with W. C. Thompson and J. M. Rose as security, his being the lowest bid with security. The. amount of the contract is not stated.

The following spring the county seat was located at Waukon, as elsewhere narrated, and to accommodate the District Court, which was to sit in June, the residents of that place put up a

temporary court house in the shape of a small log cabin, in which the court was held. And at the September term of the County Court for that year a contract was made for a new court house, as follows:

"On this 6th day of September, A. D. 1853, being the day (by previous arrangement) for entering into a contract for putting up a county building, the proposition of William Ramsdall being the lowest bid, it was ordered by the court (by said Ramsdall giving sufficient security) that the said William Ramsdall should have the contract, which contract was entered into for the amount of three hundred and twenty-five dollars."

This was the first of the two small frame buildings on the east side of Allamakee street, the second of which was built alongside of it in 1857. About this time the town lots of Waukon

were offered for sale.

At this term a license was granted to Wm. C. Thompson to establish and run a ferry between a point on the west side of the Mississippi river, generally known as the "Red House Landing," (in the south part of Section 22, Fairview township), and the east side of said river, at or near Prairie du Chien.

October 2d a license was granted to Jas. Brookman to ferry across the Iowa river on the southeast quarter of section 15, township 100, range 4.

TOWNSHIPS.

The county records are very incomplete as to the organization of the civil townships, and in some instances further light is thrown on the subject by consulting the township records. The substance of all we have been able to ascertain in the limited time at our disposal will be found as follows:

Post Township was organized in 1851.

At the February-1852-term of the County Court, Judge Topliff, a petition was presented praying for the organization of the township of Lansing and defining its boundaries.

At the March term, 1852, a petition was presented for the organization of the township of Makee, and in accordance therewith a commission was issued to Israel Devine to call an organizing election on the first Monday in April following.

At the same term a commission was issued to Ezra Reid to call an election for the organization of Ludlow township.

Also a commission to call an election on the first day in April Union Prairie township for its organization. The court record fails to give the name of the party to whom the commission was issued, but by those who recollect the circumstances it is said to have been Geo. Merrill.

A commission was issued to Ensign Chilson to organize Union City township, by an election on the first Monday in April.

Lafayette township was bounded and commission issued L. W. Low, to call an organizing election at the house of Thos. B. Twiford on the first Monday in April.

At the April term, 1852, a petition for the organization of township 96, range 4, was rejected "for reasons too numerous to mention."

The course of Paint Creek was officially recognized as the division line between Linton and Taylor. A petition for the divis

ion of Linton township was rejected.

In the record of the July term there appears a beginning of an entry as follows: "Bunker Hill Township." No township of that name was ever organized, but the uncompleted entry suggests that an attempt was made to organize Linton under that name.

At the December term, 1853, we find that boundaries were established for the following townships: Linton, Taylor, Paint Creek, Jefferson, Franklin and Post. All these townships had held elections previous to this date however, as we have returns from each of the twelve so far mentioned, at the county election of Aug. 1st, 1853, but no account of election of township offi

cers.

At the March term, 1855, the boundaries of Hanover township were defined, and a warrant issued to Marshall Cass to organize. Fairview bounded and ordered to be organized, same term. Iowa township the same, and warrant issued.

May 7, 1855, the name of Paint Creek township was changed to Waterville; but two years later, March 2, 1857, it was again changed to Paint Creek, upon petition of its citizens.

At the March, 1856, term of county court an order was issued for the organization of what is now Center township, under the name of Village Creek. O. Deremo was the organizing officer, and "the first election was held at the house of Eric Sund, 8th of April, 1856. Officers chosen as follows: Trustees, E. Sund, C. J. Drake, Thomas Gordan; Clerk, A. Drake; Assessor, O. Deremo. Justices of the Peace, Thomas Smith, A. Drake."

According to Mr. Deremo, who has taken pains to investigate and look up these matters, the following are some of the "first things" of Center township:

He en

"The first funeral was that of Jos. Reynolds, a soldier of the war of 1812. The sermon was preached by Mr. Howard. tered the N. W. and S. W. sec. 33, and was buried thereon. "The first church was built by the Lutherans; it was commenced in 1857 and finished some years later, and stood where the east church now stands.

"The first school meeting was held at the house of E. Howard, May 14th, 1855, J. Reed, was secretary.

"The first school was taught in the winter of 1855-56 by Miss L. Stillman. The school-house was a log building situated in what is now sub-district No. 4.