Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Political Economy, Explanatory, Township System, County Officers, and Resume

From the organization of the county in the spring of 1839 to August, 1851, the management of county affairs was vested in a board of three Commissioners chosen by the people, and was recognized and known as a Board of County Commissioners. This system of county management originated with Virginia, whose early settlers soon became large landed proprietors, aristocratic in feeling, living apart in almost baronial magnificence on their own estates, and owning the laboring part of the population. Thus the materials for a town were not at hand, the voters being thinly distributed over a great area. The county organization, where a few influential men managed he whole business of the community, retaining their places almost at their pleasure, scarcely responsible at all, except in name, and permitted to conduct the county concerns as their ideas or wishes might direct, was, moreover, consonant with their recollections or traditions of the judicial and social dignities of the landed aristocracy of England, in descent from whom the Virginia gentlemen felt so much pride. In 1634, eight counties were organized in Virginia, and the system extending throughout the State, spread into all the Southern States and some of the Northern States, unless we except the nearly similar division into "districts" in South Carolina, and into "parishes" in Louisiana, from the French laws.

In 1851, a County Court was created (see Code of Iowa, 1851, chap. 15). The act creating the Court gave the County Judge jurisdiction of probate affairs and clothed him with all the powers previously exercised by the Board of County Commissioners. In short, it legislated the Commissioners out of existence.

On the 22d of March, 1860, the State Legislature passed an act entitled an act creating a Board of Supervisors and defining their duties (see Revision of Iowa, page 48). This law went into effect July 4, 1860, and provided for the election of one Supervisor from each civil township. When assembled together for the transaction of county business, these town representatives were known as the Board of County Supervisors.

The township system had its origin in Massachusetts, and dates back to 1635. The first legal enactment concerning this system provided that, whereas, "particular towns have many things which concern only themselves, and the ordering of their own affairs and disposing of business in their own town," therefore, "the freemen, of every town, or the major part of them, shall only have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the appurtenances of said towns, to grant lots, and to make such orders as may concern the well-ordering of their towns, not repugnant to the laws and orders established by the General Court." They might also impose fines of not more than 20 shillings, and "choose their own particular officers, as constables, surveyors for the highways, and the like." Evidently this enactment relieved the General Court of a mass of municipal details, without any danger to the powers of that body in controlling general measures of public policy. Probably, also, a demand from the freemen of the towns was felt, for the control of their own home concerns.

Similar provisions for the incorporation of towns were made in the first Constitution of Connecticut, adopted in 1639; and the plan of township organization became universal throughout New England, and came westward with the emigrants from New England into New York, Ohio, and other Western States, including the Northern part of Illinois; and there being a large New England element among the population of Iowa, it is fair to presume that their influence secured the adoption of this system in Iowa, as created in the act already quoted. One objection urged against the county system was that the heavily-populated districts would always control the election of the Commissioners to the disadvantage of the more thinly populated sections -- in short, that under that system, equal and exact justice to all parts of the county could not be secured.

It seems, however, that the township system did not find general favor with the people of the State, for in 1871, the system was almost entirely abrogated. At least the law was so far repealed or modified that the Board of County Supervisors was reduced from one member from each civil township, to three members (see Code of Iowa, chap. 2). From the time this law went into effect in 1871, there has been no change in public management. The County Auditor is Clerk to the Board of Supervisors.

William Bonafield, the first Surveyor, has been succeeded by John Ross, D. Switzer, S. Whitmore, Robert H. Greenland, Samuel Jacobs, John Snook, A. R. Fulton, H. R. Skinner, A. R. Fulton, Isaac H. Crumley and Charles Reed.

J. W. Sullivan, the first Treasurer, has been succeeded by Willis C. Stone, J. T. Moberly, J. Ratliff, Greenup Smith, Jesse Woollard, Anson Ford, Samuel H. Bradley, H. P. Warren, T. B. Shamp, Robert Brown, Joseph A. McKemey, Geo. W. Pancoast, William S. Moore, L. P. Vance, Ira G. Rhodes, L. P. Vance and Samuel K. West.

James Saunders, the first Recorder, has been succeeded by W. Y. McGaw and Anson Ford. In 1851, the office was consolidated with that of Treasurer. The following Treasurers performing the duties of Recorder: Samuel H. Bradley, H. P. Warren, T. B. Shamp, Robert Brown, Joseph A. McKemey and George W. Pancoast. Since the separation of the office from that of the Treasurer in 1865, Samuel H. Bradley, George H. Case, D. B. Miller, H. C. Rock and J. A. Montgomery. R. H. Stephenson elected in October, 1878, to succeed Montgomery.

The County Assessors were R. B. Allender and David J. Evans. In 1851, the system was changed and Township Assessors elected.

In 1851, Charles Kyle was elected County Road Supervisor; but this office was abolished in about two years, and the present system of District Supervisors established.

During the continuance of County Commissioners, John J. Smith, Daniel Sears, B. F. Chastain, William Hueston, Henry B. Notson, Robert Brown, Ezekiel H. Gillham, B. S. Dunn, Thomas Mitchell, Smith Ball, William A. Hendricks, William Brown, A. L. Connable, William Judd, Daniel Mendenhall, George Hannewalt and James H. Turner were members of the Board. The Board was abolished in 1851.

John A. Pitzer, Samuel Shuffleton, James T. Hardin, John Shields and Samuel H. Bradley served as Clerk to the Board of Commissioners.

In 1851, Henry B. Notson was elected Probate Judge. He was succeeded by Charles Negus and Barnet Ristine.

The County Judges were Moses Black, Thomas McCulloch, Samuel H. Bradley, William K. Alexander, A. R. Fulton and Thomas Morgan.

The Board of Supervisors was then established. J. H. Allender, M. W. Forrest, W. T. Burgess, Thomas Pollock, R. T. Gilmer, H. B. Mitchell, Thomas Charles and Robert Dougherty have served as Supervisors.

The office of County Auditor was also established. Thomas Morgan, D. B. Miller and S. M. Boling have filled this office.

The office of School Fund Commissioner existed from 1847 to 1857, Robert Brown, F. M. Allen, W. C. Jones and W. K. Alexander serving successively in that capacity.

The system of County Superintendent of Schools being adopted, the office has been filled by Reed Wilkinson, Robert S. Hughes, S. V. Sampson, David Heron, J. N. Edwards, W. H. McCrackin, T. A. Robb, MeKenney Robinson and John Grinstead, the present incumbent.

The first meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was held at the village of Lockridge, on the 8th day of April, A. D. 1839. Only two of the Commissioners, as appears from the entry in the old journal, were present when the first order was made. That order is in the words following:

Ordered, That John A. Pitzer be appointed Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, in the county of Jefferson.

Mr. Pitzer subscribed to the following oath:

TERRITORY OF IOWA, Jefferson County:
I, John A. Pitzer, do solemnly swear that I will truly enter on record all the orders and proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of Jefferson County, and that I will faithfully and impartially perform all the duties of Clerk of said Board, while I shall remain in office, to the best of my abilities. So help me, God.

(Signed) John A. Pitzer.
Sworn and subscribed before me this 8th day of April, A. D. 1839.
Daniel Sears, J. P.

The Board was then declared to be fully organized according to law, and ready for the transaction of county business, when it was

Ordered, That the Surveyor of Henry County be employed and ordered by the Clerk to attend on Wednesday, the 17th day of April, A. D. 1839, for the purpose of surveying and laying out the town of Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson.

It was further ordered that there be a sale of lots in the county seat of Jefferson County, on Wednesday, the 15th day of June, 1839, and that the sale be advertised in the towns of Fort Madison, West Point, Salem, Mount Pleasant, Keosauqua, at Pickerell's Mill, Farmington, Lockridge, William Vinson's, John Mellen's, Henderson's Mill, John Morgan's, Enos Elmaker's shop, Moffatt's Mill, and by four insertions in the Burlington Gazette. B. F. Chastain was directed to post up the advertisements at Pickerell's Mill, John Millen's, John J. Smith's, Enos Elmaker's and John Morgan's. Daniel Sears was directed to post notices of the sale at Salem and Henderson's Mill. John J. Pitzer, the Clerk, was directed to "have the same advertised at Mount Pleasant, Fort Madison, Farmington and Keosauqua."

Terms of Sale.--One-third of the purchase money to be paid in six months, and the balance in twelve months, with bond and approved security. In case of failure of the purchaser to meet the payments, the property to be held responsible for the purchase money.

This "order" bears the signature of all the Commissioners.

The oath of John A. Pitzer, as Recorder, was next entered of record, when it was

Ordered, That all taxable property in this county be taxed at the rate of 50 cents per $100.
Ordered, That Samuel Moor be paid $26 for summoning grand and petit jurors, advertising election and notifying Commissioners to locate the county seat of Jefferson County.
Ordered, That the Board of Commissioners adjourn -- fees to be reduced to $2.00 per day, and that the Board adjourn until Wednesday, the 17th inst., at 10 o'clock A. M.

(Signed)
John J. Smith,
Daniel Sears,
B. F. Chastain,
Commissioners.

If a meeting of the Commissioners was held on the 17th, no record was made of their proceedings. The next meeting of which any record appears, was held on the 1st of May, when it was

Ordered, That Alexander Kirk and Baker Alender be appointed Constables until the next general election.
Ordered, That County orders be issued to the amount of $50, for stationery for the use of the county.

William Bonafield filed his official oath as County Surveyor.

There is no entry showing when this session adjourned. The journal entries abruptly terminate with the record of Bonafield's official oath. The next order appears under date of May 17, when it was

Ordered, That James M. Snyder be paid $68 for services in laying out the town of Fairfield.

After which the Board adjourned until the 25th of May. At that meeting it was "Ordered, That the liberty-side of a dime be the seal of said Board." It was also

Ordered, That William Olney be paid $200.

There is nothing on the journal to show for what purpose this order was issued; but it is learned from other authority that it was in part payment for the erection of the first Court House, which was built on Lot 8, Block 14, at the southwest corner of the park, on the lot now occupied in part by Allmayer's clothing house. The old "temple of justice" was completed and ready for occupancy in December, 1839. This building served the purpose for which it was erected until the present brick Court House was built. When the business of the county began to demand more business houses, the old frame building was removed to the corner directly west of its original position, and is now occuped by J. J. Gibson as a cabinet-shop.