CHICKASAW COUNTY
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CHICKASAW COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS
As Recorded In Early County Records.
(Also Read Early County Management).

The first entry in the records of the county court of Chickasaw County, describes the boundaries of the county, and recites the order for the organization of  the county.  This and other matters pertaining to the organization is fully detailed.  The record of this session is signed by J. LYON, county judge and S. C. GODDARD, clerk.

5 September, 1853, appears first record of a marriage license. Granted to JOSEPH WING and ELIZABETH GERRARD, and these parties have the distinction of being the first to enter the state of matrimony in the County of Chickasaw. Marriage ceremony was performed by  JAMES LYON, county judge, September 5, 1853. The first seven marriages in Chickasaw County, were legalized by JUDGE LYON.

7 November, 1853, a petition for a road from West Union to Bradford, to be called the West Union and Bradford Road, was presented by JOHN BIRD, ANDREW  SAMPLE,   E.A. HASKELL and others. 

2 January, 1854,  JOSEPH ANDREWS  was appointed selecting agent for swamp lands.

10 February, 1854S. E. HACKLETON  was granted a peddler's license good for three months

30 April, 1854.  a petition signed by D.A. BABCOCK,  S.C. HAYES  and JOSEPH ANDREWS, was present asking for a road to be called West Union and Bradford Road.  At the May term the petition was granted for the road to be sixty-five feet wide and all roads thereafter should be the same width.

23 July, 1855, at special term of court, the following tax rates were established for the current year: For state purposes, 1 1/2 mills; for county purposes, six mills;  for roads. three mills; for schools 1 1/2 mills; and a poll tax of fifty cents. Order issued for for an election of county officers, and at the same time ordered that a vote be taken on the question of restraining hogs from running at large, after 1 April 1856,  and also a vote on the question of vacating Greenwood Village.  This election to be held on the first Monday in August, next, and that Brink precinct be attached to Chickasaw for election purposes.

20 August, 1855, it was ordered by the court that Greenwood Village be vacated. Same date, HAZARD GREEN was appointed to sell intoxicating liquors in the Obispo Precinct, for medical, sacramental and mechanical purposes, only.  A similar was made with reference to J. A. BIRD, in the Town of Bradford.

1 October, 1855, the first entry of Chickasaw county judge, B.E. DePUY appears in the record. It has reference to the appointment of a commissioner to locate a road known as the Waucoma Road.

1 April, 1856, records the resignation of  B.E. DePUY as county judge and W.E. ANDREWS, prosecuting attorney, became county judge, ex-officio.

May term of court, W.E. ANDREWS, appears in the record as judge, and among other business transactions, SAMUEL P. ELDER was appointed liquor agent for the Town of Bradford, at an annual salary of $100, and it was ordered that any liquor agent now acting in said county, or hereafter appointed, shall charge 25 per cent profit on the cost of any intoxicating liquor.

July term of court, it was ordered a road poll tax of $2 be laid on each person liable to pay county poll tax.  The total tax levy for 1856 was 8 1/2 mills.  At this session the court ordered an election be held on the 15th of October 1856, to take a vote of the people on the question of granting aid to a certain railroad.

15 September, 1856 there was placed in the hands of the county treasurer for collection, the sum of $9,045.74 divided as follows: Amount of tax on property, $8,841.74 and on poll tax $204.00.

22 October 1856, record of the first naturalization in county where it appears JAMES PRIOR, a native of England, declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States.

November term of court,  S. B. CARPENTER was appointed liquor agent for Richland and adjoining townships, at a salary of $70 per annum.

December term of court, 1857, it was ordered that $1,000 of the special property tax be expended to construct a bridge across the Big Cedar, at Nashua. This is the first appearance of any mention of Nashua, in the county court records;  it was at that time scarcely more than a location on the Big Cedar.

12 April, 1858, for a brief time the county seat and place of official business of the county was located in Forest City.

12 May 1858, the board of equalization met at Forest City and among other business, reduced the assessment of 1857 upon real estate 60 per cent.

3 November 1858,  FREDERICK PADDEN  resigned as sheriff and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of CHARLES E. ZWICKS.    W.S. MOWER  was appointed deputy sheriff, and E. M. AIKEN was appointed deputy clerk by C. O. CASE.

1859 by act of the Iowa State Legislature a board of supervisors in each county was created, consisting of one member to be selected from each township. This board superseded the county judge in the management of Chickasaw County affairs.

CHICKASAW COUNTY MAIN PAGE

Source: Summarized From History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties
Chapter Four, County Government