| Independence Newspapers | |
|---|---|
| Independence Civilian (1855–1927+) | Democratic. Established May 17, 1855 by B.F. Parker & James Hilleary. Later owners/editors included S.S. Allen, S.J.W. Tabor, G.W. Barnhart, J.S. Cornwell, Cornelius Hedges, O.H.P. Roszell, Lewis W. Goen, S. Miller, and Warren F. Miller. |
| Independence Conservative | Adopted in 1864 under G.W. & W. Barnhart. |
| Quasqueton Guardian (1856–1866) | Republican. Moved to Independence in 1858 → became the *Independence Guardian*. |
| Independence Guardian | Sold to S.B. Goodnow in 1864; merged into the *Independence Bulletin* in 1866. |
| American Eagle (1859–1865) | Republican. Renamed *Rising Sun* in 1861; discontinued 1865. |
| The First Election – August 1848 | |
|---|---|
| Officers Elected | Clark, Colyner, McBane, Beardsley, Phelps, McGonigal, Brewer, Stoughten, Greeley. |
| Votes Cast | 62 total votes |
| Precincts | Washington, Liberty, Spring |
| Earlier Elections | Quasqueton served as the precinct for the entire county and all land north/west “as far as the Rocky Mountains.” |
| First Courts | |
|---|---|
| First Session (1848) | Held by Judge Grant **in his buggy** in front of the clerk’s office. |
| First Regular Term (1849) | Held in the log cabin of Rufus B. Clark. |
| Later Locations | Brazelton storeroom → schoolhouse → various buildings → courthouse (1857). |
| County Buildings | |
|---|---|
| Courthouse (1857) | Two‑story brick; cost $12,000; built under Judge H.P. Roszell. |
| Jail (1870) | Built of Anamosa stone; walls 8 ft thick; cost ~$20,000. |
| Poor Farm | 200 acres; 3 miles NE of Independence; cost ~$8,000. |
| Independence State Hospital (1868–1873) | |
|---|---|
| Legislation | Authorized 1867–68; $125,000 initial appropriation. |
| Site | 320 acres donated; west of river; elevation 50–100 ft above valley. |
| Construction | Limestone & granite; advanced ventilation; steam heat; gas lighting. |
| Capacity | 450 normal; up to 600 crowded. |
| Cost | Total appropriations: $583,900; final cost ~$900,000. |
| Middlefield Township | |
|---|---|
| Organized | September 21, 1858 |
| First Settler | Patrick Dunn (April 2, 1850) |
| Early Families | Leatherman, Stoneman, Broadstreet, McWilliams, Berry |
| First Birth | Edward Leatherman (April 4, 1855) |
| First Wedding | Willard S. Blair & Permelia Ann Leatherman |
| First School | Taught by Malinda Gageby; paid by subscription. |
| Independence Steamboat Company | |
|---|---|
| April 13, 1898 | The steamboat Iowa was repaired, refitted, and relaunched on the Wapsipinicon River. |
| The Old‑Time Fanning Mill | |
|---|---|
| Description | A wooden device with a metal crank, sliding drawers, rounded edges, carrying handles, and sometimes lathe‑turned knobs. Often mistaken for furniture. |
| Purpose | Removed straw, chaff, stones, dirt, dust, weed seeds, and immature seeds from grain (wheat, oats, rye, barley, etc.) to ensure clean flour, better storage, and viable seed. |
| Why It Mattered | Provided cleaner grain than threshing machines and was far more efficient than hand‑winnowing in the wind. Transcribed by Cindy Marshall from Historys Attic |
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