of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 422-423
MUSCATINE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. October 9, 1852, at a public meeting called for the purpose, preliminary steps were taken toward organizing a county fair association. Dr. James Weed and James H. Wallace were chairman and secretary, respectively. A constitution and by-laws were adopted and the meeting adjourned until October 23d, at which time a large number of interested persons from various parts of the county assembled in the court house, where the organization was perfected by the election of George Meason, president; Dr. James Weed, vice president; J. H. Wallace, secretary; J. G. Gordon, treasurer. A board of directors consisting of the following named persons was elected: William H. Miller, Bloomington township; Gamaliel Olds, Pike; Henry Y. Iddings, Sweetland; William A. Clark, Wapsinonoc; Richard Sherer, Seventy Six; E. H. Albee, Moscow; Douglas Viele, Montpelier; A. Cone, Cedar; A. Smalley, first ward; J. Bennett, second ward; Samuel Bamford, third ward, Muscatine. The following are the names of the members of the society at that time: James Weed, Joseph Bridgman, Nathan Taber, William Smalley, William H. Miller, Strix & Oppenheimer, George Bumgardner, A. Reuling, Samuel Lucas, S. B. Crane, Henry Y. Iddings, J. S. Hatch & Company, J. H. Wallace, Adam Ogilvie, J. G. Gordon, J. Bennett, J. M. Cummins, Charles Neally, Saul Gilbert, William A. Clark, D. R. Warfield, Thomas M. Isett, Samuel Sinnett, H. N. Sumner, H. H. Garnes, S. M. McKibben, George Meason, William Leffingwell, I. R. Williams, A. T. Banks, A. Cone, J. E. Fletcher, Shepard Smalley, George W. Chase, Richard Sherer, Abraham Smalley, Samuel Bamford, Levi Cross, R. Pritchard, John Critchfield, John A. McCormick, M. W. Byers, James A. Rankin, Richard Lord, Chester Weed, John H. Miller, Williams Watkins, Skilman Alger, A. O. Patterson, E. T. S. Schenck, Joseph Crane, Amos Cooper, Lyan C. Hine, Abraham Keen, D. C. Cloud, S. D. Viele, J. B. Dougherty, A. B. Wiles, S. Heilbrun, William G. Holmes, John Rose, Hiram Gilbert, Richard Cadle, Thomas L. Estle, J. P. Freeman, Henry S. Griffin, Henry Molis, Samuel Littrel, D. Dunsmore, William Lundy, James M. Jarboe, Jesse B. Overman, L. S. Goldsberry, W. Fultz, R. W. Chinn, John Idle, H. W. Moore, Jacob Smetzer, L. D. Palmer, James M. Brockway, W. D. Ament, Cyrus Townsley, J. LaTourrette, William Townsley, Jeremiah Lequat, W. M. Elliott, Charles Newell, George W. Kincaid, William Fryberger, William Moxley, Jacob Butler, Thomas Morford, A. Jackson, Levi Eliason, J. Q. Jennison, John G. Stein, P. Fay, John Leitzinger, Cornelius Nicholson, George Plitt, Suel Foster, T. D. Song, F. H. Stone, John Ward, John Lemp, Thomas Vanatta, D. W. Clover, Edwin J. Browning, Brent, Miller & Company, Oliver Jack, George C. Stone, Jonathan Ady, John Ziegler. In 1853 the membership was increased to 399.
For many years fairs were held, some with enthusiasm and success, others lacking in interest and attendance, until finally, about ten years ago, the grounds were abandoned and the society went out of existence.
Muscatine seems to be a mecca for "secret" societies, fraternal orders and social clubs, as it has many of them. This city has often been chosen for their state conventions, beginning early in its history, for one of the first meetings of this kind held by the Grand Lodge of Masons was at this place. It may also be said of Muscatine that it is the home of the banner lodges of the state: The A. O. U. W., I. O. O. F., Red Men and others of lesser note, supreme and state officers have resided here, and two thirty-third degree Masons, a very high honor, live in Muscatine, in the persons of W. S. Underdonk and A. S. Lawrence.
Back to Historical Index Page