nal intimacy. The report, at the time unfounded and untruthful, was freely circulated. Mr. Gilbert having compassion for the woman, and being ashamed to return to his home, took her under his charge. Things had come to such a crisis that they now resolved to elope, and did so, going to St. Louis.

At the April election in 1854, John McKay was re-elected School Fund Commissioner, over I. I..Stewart.

Elijah Middlebrook was elected Sheriff, by 20 majority, over James S. Van Pelt.

Nelson Burdick was elected Recorder and Treasurer, over Wm. F. Kimball, by 73 majority. Mr. Burdick filled the office acceptably. He was continued in office until 1859.

Wm. Painter was elected Drainage Commissioner.

At the sixth election, held in August, 1854, there were 262 votes cast for the office of State Representative, of which number James D. McKay received 194, and his opponent, Wm. H. Morrison, 68. James D. McKay was declared elected.

Aaron Newell was elected Clerk of the District Court over Daniel Carrier.

Albert B. Webber was elected Prosecuting Attorney over Calvin Farnsworth.

The newly elected Prosecuting Attorney failed to qualify. The County Judge appointed Dryden Smith to fill the vacancy, and he, too, resigned. J. T. Atkins was appointed, accepted and served through the term.

In 1854 James D. McKay (who had previously been Prosecuting Attorney) at a District Convention called at Waukon (the district then was composed of Allamakee and Winneshiek counties), was nominated for Representative, and elected. In the legislature he favored the "Maine Liquor Law," which was adopted by the Jowa State Legislature. In this election he ran on the Republican ticket, which was successful, not only in the district, but throughout the state, so much so that the former power held. by the Democrats was wrested from them. A Republican Governor was elected in the person of James W. Grimes, and a majority secured on a joint ballot in the General Assembly. He was born in Livington county, New York, on the 24th of February, 1815. Until 16 years of age he was taught the common branches of an education by his father, when he was sent to the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, situated at Lima, New York, to be fitted for the ministry. He also studied law under James Butler, a cousin of Gen. Butler. At the age of 21 he became acquainted with Julia Stone, to whom he was married September, 1836. He immigrated to Winneshiek County in October, 1851, and settled on the S. W. Q. of section 15, township 97, Range 7, where he still resides. He has served the public as Prosecuting Attorney and member of the Assembly.

In the seventh political contest held in the county, April, 1855, a vote was taken on the prohibitory liquor law. The result stood as follows: for the law, 167; and against it, 169.

Hon. E. E. Cooley was elected Prosecuting Attorney, over Levi Bullis, J. B. Onstine and William Bailey.

At this contest there came upon the stage as leading actors, two men who arrived here the previous year and who have been leaders in repeated political campaigns, some of them bitterly waged, and whom now stand in the front ranks as able attorneys as well as leading citizens of the county. They were Levi Bullis and Ezekiel E. Cooley. Mr. Bullis arrived here in May, 1854, and Mr. Cooley in October, of the same year.

Of the political contests in which these gentlemen were leaders of the opposing parties, many amusing incidents might be told over, and some exciting ones.

"Levi Bullis was born April 5, 1828, in West Plattsburg, New York. He lived in Plattsburg until 26 years of age. and there acquired his education. He early attended the Balston Springs Law School, and acquired a legal education. In 1853 Mr. Bullis left his old home and came to Illinois, where he remained about a year; when he was induced, by the flattering reports he received from Averill, an old schoolmate, to emigrate from there to Iowa. He reached Decorah May, 1854, and immediately commenced the practice of his profession. The first week after his arrival he tried a case and won it. Mr. Bullis was elected one of the original members of the Board of Supervisors in 1860. Although active in politics in the county, yet this is the only office he was ever elected to. It was his friends that he worked for in politics, and not himself, and not unfrequently have they succeeded through his instrumentality. Mr. Bullis is characterized with a rough exterior and a warm heart. He has aided more young men to position, and placed them on the road to success, than perhaps any other man in the county. He was married in 1864 to Abbie R. Dibble, of Whitehall, New York."

Mr. Bullis stands high in his profession, and is well posted in matters in general, as well. He has a large and valuable library of general literature, besides his extensive law library; has an interesting family, and is a devoted husband and father; is true to his friends and has many warm ones.

"Ezekiel E. Cooley was born in Victory, Cayuga county, New York, Jan. 12, 1827. He received an academic education, and at the age of 17 commenced teaching school, which occupation he followed five years. In 1847 he emigrated to Kentucky, where he taught, and read law with Judge Trimble, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. He returned to New York, and from there emigrated to Decorah in October, 1854, where he has ever since continued the practice of his profession, with an exception of one year spent in the army. In 1857 he was elected member of the first Legislature,

In

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. 1866 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, Államakee, 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.