of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 92-94
THE SUPERVISOR SYSTEM. Ten years' trial of the county court seems to have been sufficient for the people to determine that the best means of running the affairs of the bailiwick had not been adopted. It was far from being satisfactory. Many of the early taxpayers claimed that the judge of the court had altogether too much power and that the general interests of the community were continually in peril. Then the township or supervisor system came to the fore by legislative enactment, and in 1861 the first board of township supervisors was elected, each township being entitled to one member. This plan prevailed until 1870, when again the system was changed. In the last mentioned year the general assembly passed an act which made it optional with the people whether they elect three or five members, to compose the board of supervisors, provided for in the previous year. Muscatine county chose to have a board of three members and that was its strength and numbers until 1895, when, after an abortive attempt in 1894, the number of members was increased to five and continues at the present time. Below is given a complete list of those who have served as members of the board of supervisors:
1861---John B. Dougherty, Evans B. Burgan, Elijah Younkin, Silas Ferry, Joseph Crane, Vernet Tracy, Michael Price, John Zeigler, John R. Merritt, R. H. Patterson, J. E. Robb, Henry Resley, Andrew Heberling, William C. Evans.
1862---John B. Dougherty, E. F. Burgan, Elijah Younkin, Silas Ferry, Joseph Crane, Vernet Tracy, Michael Price, Marshall Farnsworth, J. E. Robb, William Hoyt, R. H. Patterson, William C. Evans, George W. Hunt, Andrew Heberling.
1863---Joseph Crane, Thomas M. Isett, E. F. Burgan, R. H. Patterson, John Fullmer, Silas Ferry, A. Heberling, E. Younkin, G. W. Hunt, William C. Evans, J. E. Robb, William Hoyt, Vernet Tracy, Marshall Farnsworth.
1864---Joseph Crane, E. Younkin, Vernet Tracy, George Chase, John Fullmer, M. Farnsworth, R. T. Thompson, Richard Musser, J. E. Robb, William D. Viele, Thomas M. Isett, George W. Hunt, William D. Cone, E. F. Burgan.
1865---R. F. Thompson, J. D Walker, William F. Tolles, William D. Viele, M. Farnsworth, George Chase, J. A. Purinton, Michael Price, William H. Stewart, Richard Musser, A. Cone, William H. Hazlett, George W. Hunt, Thomas Boggs.
1866---James E. Robb, Stephen Herrick, Nathan Brown, R. T. Thompson, Charles Page, Andrew Dobbs, C. M. McDaniel, William H. Hazlett, J. A. Purinton, A. Cone, Michael Price, J. D. Walker, William H. Stewart, George Chase.
1867---James E. Robb, Nathan Brown, George Chase, A. Cone, Charles Cope, Andrew Dobbs, William H. Hazlett, Stephen Herrick, Charles Page, J. A. Purinton, Jacob Snyder, W. H. Stewart, J. E. Walker, James A. Eaton.
1868---J. D. Walker, A. Cone, B. S. Cone, Charles Cope, Andrew Dobbs, J. A. Eaton, E. E. Edwards, Caleb Elliott, W. H. Hazlett, C. C. Horton, George Metts, J. A. Purinton, Jacob Snyder, W. H. Stewart.
1869---W. H. Stewart, Charles Cope, J. A. Eaton, E. E. Edwards, Caleb Elliott, H. S. Griffin, Daniel Harker, W. H. Hazlett, J. A. Purington, C. C. Horton, Mathew Porter, Joseph Nelson, J. S. Riggs, A. Dobbs.
1870---J. A. Parvin, Byron Carpenter, James A. Eaton, Daniel Harker, H. S. Griffin, William Fultz, W. H. Hazlett, C. C. Horton, Joseph Nelson, J. A. Purington, M. Porter, J. S. Riggs, W. H. Stewart, Alonzo Shaw.
In 1871 the system was changed to one similar to the original commissioners' plan. By legislative enactment it was made optional with the people whether they had three or five commissioners or supervisors, as they are called. This county chose the small number.
1871---William H. Stewart, Byron Carpenter, James E. Robb.
1872---William H. Stewart, James E. Robb, Byron Carpenter.
1873---A. F. Demorest, J. E. Robb, Byron Carpenter.
1874---A. F. Demorest, J. E. Robb, Byron Carpenter.
1875---A. F. Demorest, Thomas Birkett, J. E. Robb.
1876---J. E. Robb, Thomas Birkett, I. L. Graham.
1877---Thomas Birkett, A. Cone, I. L. Graham.
1878---I. L. Graham, Thomas Birkett, A. Cone.
1879---Thomas Birkett, A. Cone, Cornelius Cadle.
1880---Thomas Birkett, C. Cadle, B. H. Garrett.
1881---Thomas Birkett, C. Cadle, B. H. Garrett.
1882---Thomas Birkett, C. Cadle, B. H. Garrett.
1883---Thomas Birkett, William P. Crawford, B. H. Garrett.
1884---B. H. Garrett, William P. Crawford, Henry Will.
1885---B. H. Garrett, Henry Will, Frederick Huttig.
1886---Henry Will, Frederick Huttig, Harvey Baker.
1887---Ira J. Nichols, Harvey Baker, J. H. Scott.
1888---Harvey Baker, B. F. Neidig, Ira J. Nichols. Vacancy caused by Nichols' death filled by appointment of P. R. Evans.
1889---Harvey Baker, John H. Hooley, B. F. Neidig.
1890---Harvey Baker, B. F. Neidig, John J. Hooley.
1891---Harvey Baker, B. F. Neidig, John J. Hooley.
1892---B. F. Neidig, John J. Hooley, Alfred Tunison
1893---B. F. Neidig, Alfred Tunison, Charles Schulte.
1894---Alfred Tunison, Charles Schulte, John W. Rice.
1895---John W. Rice, Charles Schulte, Ira Hendrix.
1896---J. W. Rice, S. M. Hoskins, Ira Hendrix.
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