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Man is an imperfect being, and, as such, requires that laws shall be enacted for his government. When the Almighty placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he gave the certain laws for their observance, with a penalty attached for their violation. The children of Israel, after leaving the land of the Egyptian, were given the ten commandments, the principles underlying which have been the basis of all laws from that time until the present. The existence of laws necessarily implies the existence of courts wherein all questions of law shall be determined. This fact being determined, the framers of the State constitution instituted certain courts of justice with well defined powers. Changes have been made in the jurisdiction of these courts from time to time, but the rights of every citizen of high or low degree have ever been maintained.

C. E. Woodward, it appears from the records, was a justice of the peace in 1852 and 1853. The only case that seems to have been docketed, in those days, was one in which Thomas Turner and Abram Hursche, then peddlers, but afterwards the first merchants in Panora, Guthrie county, were parties. The following argument of agreement is taken from the docket, and bears date of February 22, 1853, and was done at Indiantown:

"Know all men by these presents, that we, Abram Hursche and Thos. Turner, who have lately been engaged in the peddling business, do agree from this day to withdraw the suit of replevin commenced before 'Squire Woodward, and each share the cost already made, and resume our business, fulfill our former contracts, without violating the late law of the State of Iowa concerning peddlers; and as soon as possible thereafter return to Kanesville, settle up with our creditors, pay off all demands against us, and divide the profits and make a division of the goods left on hand; and from this day we agree to divide all monies received for goods sold every day, and pay half of the expense."

This document was signed by Thomas Turner and Abram Hursche, and witnessed by V. M. Conrad. Mr. Turner was afterwards sheriff of Guthrie county, and is now one of the influential and prominent men of the town of Panora, in that county, where he is still engaged in active mercantile pursuits.

Transcribed by Deb Lightcap-Wagner, February, 2014 from: "History of Cass County, Together with Sketches of Its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens", published in 1884, Springfield, Ill: Continental Historical Co., pp. 373-374.