CHAPTER 2

When you look at the present growth and condition of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County, you will be astonished to learn how recently the red men of the forests occupied this territory. The writer finds recorded in the Annals of Iowa, that "in 1838, the Government of the United States removed the Pottawatomie Indians from the Platte purchase in Missouri, to the Southwestern part of Iowa, with their headquarters in Pottawattamie County, where Council Bluffs now stands." A number of agents, mechanics and employes accompanied the Indians to their new home, among whom was David Hardin, who was sent by the Government to instruct the red men in the art of farming. Mr. Hardin landed at Traders' Point, with his family, consisting of his wife and seven sons, two of whom, Richard and Martin D., are still residents, and among the oldest white inhabitants of Western Iowa.

This same history informs us that in 1839, two companies of United States troops landed here, having come up the Missouri River on a steamboat. They at once proceeded to erect a fort or block-house, on what is now the eastern part of Council Bluffs.. At about the same period, two Catholic missionaries came to the same point, and at once established a mission among the Indians. These missionaries were permitted to use the block-house for religious meetings, and they erected a log cabin for their own accommodations. As late as 1855, the block-house was still standing, and it was surmounted by a rude cross, emblematic of the faith and zeal of these pious pioneers in this region of country. These Catholics also established a burying-ground in the vicinity of the fort, where the dead received a Christian burial.

The United States Government erected a mill on Musketo Creek, about two miles from the Missouri Valley, with Mr. S. E. Wicks as the miller for the Indians.

The history of the Pottawatomies while in Iowa, is the history of most Indians to the present time. It is said of them, 'they did not make any rapid progress in the arts of civilization.' Their squaws cultivated some small patches of corn, while the men and boys spent nearly all their time in hunting and fishing. Game was plenty, even buffalo and elk were found east of the Missouri River. The Indians remained here till 1846 and 1847, when they sold their possessions to the Government, by treaty, on June 5, 1846, and removed to Kansas, where, what are left of them still remains.

The sale and departure of the Pottawatomies from this section of country, left it open for the settlement of the followers of Joseph Smith, who was killed while in prison in Nauvoo, Ill. These people were called Latter Day Saints, and were very deluded on the subject of religion. It was generally supposed that Joseph Smith, like Brigham Young, was a polygamist, but some of the followers of Joseph, who still live in this county, deny this, and contend that such was not in accord with the supposed saints teachings. His death occurred in 1844, and in a year or two after, the Mormons, headed by Brigham Young, turned their faces westward, crossed Iowa and landed on the borders of the Missouri River. In 1846, Young and his followers again changed their location, and this time settled at what was known as Winter Quarters, on the west side of the Missouri River, where they remained until the following spring, when the saints arose and marched to Salt Lake City, arriving there on the 24th day of July, 1847. Of course, all the Mormons did not go to Salt Lake in this season, for many remained in Winter Quarters, to await the news from those who had gone. These people continued to emigrate for Salt Lake, as the news of the beauty of the country was sounded afar by those who had settled there. The climate was so excellent, and it was not long till Winter Quarters was almost deserted, for many of these people who did not go to Salt Lake moved into Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and some of them are among its most wealthy and respected citizens of to-day.

In 1846, many of the Mormons arrived in this county from Nauvoo in time to plant and secure crops for the season, and many more arrived the following season. They scattered over the county, and many went to the adjoining counties, selecting localities in the groves and near the beautiful little streams and springs of pure waters. It was not long till the timber covering the bluffs, and skirting the water courses, was cut down and converted into cabins and barns by these new settlers. In many cases where timber was scarce, caves were made in hillsides, and were occupied as places of shelter to protect these families from the wild storms that frequently visit these prairies.

A history of this county would be very imperfect unlessit would give an extended history of the eatly settlement of the Latter Days Saints here; and that we may be enabled to more perfectly do this, we will again recur to a statement made by Mr. Bloomer, in the Annals of Iowa, in which he says: "The valley of Indian Creek, with the adjacent bluffs and the high table-lands stretching westward to the Missouri River, were, from the first, the center and headquarters of this new community. Here a village of log cabins speedily arose, numbering its population by the thousands, and here a mammoth tabernacle was erected of logs, capable of accommodating one thousand worshipers. Orson Hyde, priest, editor, writer and lawyer, was installed as President of the quorum of the select twelve, and here his people dwelt for many months, unmolested and undisturbed by the surgings and strifes of the outside world. The wild whistle of the locomotive did not disturb the dreams of these people; even the echo of the stage driver's horn was not heard in these valleys, for the Western Stage Company had not extended their lines thus far. These "Saints" had to depend upon private enterprise for all letters and news from the outside world, the only post office being in Missouri, and one hundred miles away.

This new village was given the name of Kanesville, in honor of Col. Kane, of Pennsylvania, who visited the Mormons in their early settlement, and who then and in subsequent years proved to be their true friend. The location and limits of this village were identical with the territorial limits of Council Bluffs.

Over four years Kanesville and the entire county of Pottawattamie, with some of the territory of other counties, remained under the exclusive control of the Mormons. They made public sentiment, controlled elections and filled all the public offices. Representatives of their faith sat in two General Assemblies, and it is reported that their influence was the cause of the peculiar provision in the code of Iowa, in relation to prosecution for adultery. At any rate, it is certain that their ideas in relation to a plurality of wives were, in a measure, practiced by not a few of the Mormon leaders with impunity while living in Iowa.

It has been charged that these people were hostile to the United States Government; but it is sstated, in the Annals of Iowa, that "when they were appealed to in 1846 to raise a battalion for service in the Mexican war, they promptly responded, and marched 500 strong, under the command lf Col. Clark, through the Northern States of Mexico, taking part in several battles, and finally closing their campaign in California, where many of them engaged in mining, and secured large fortunes. Among the latter was Mr. William Garner, who returned to Kanesville, and still resides in the county, where he is known as one of its most wealthy and public-spirited citizens. It is claimed, with a reasonable show of evidence, that the first discovery of gold in the banks and waters of the Sacramento was made by one or more members of this battalion.

It is further stated that the Mormon population of the county was larger in 1848 than at any subsequent period, but the State census of 1849, after many had left for Utah, showed it to have been, at that time, 6,552 and in 1850 the census gave 7,828. The limits of the county, at that time, were much larger than at present. It had acquired separate organization in September, 1848. The first Clerk was James Sloan; the first County Commissioners were A. H. Perkins, David D. Yearsley and George Coulson; and its first County Judge, elected in 1851, was T. Burdick. The first term of the District Court was held on the 5th day of May, 1851. James Sloan presided as the District Judge; Evan M. Green was Clerk, and Alexander M'Rae, Sheriff. Mr. Green, Clerk, seemed to have conceived the idea that he was required to keep a full proceedings of all that transpired in court, including testimony of witnesses and the arguments of the lawyers, as well as the charge of the Judge. Judge Sloan was a native of Ireland, and it is stated that he was full of eccentricities and anecdotes, and many stories are told of his conduct on the bench that are quite refreshing. In religion, he professed to be a Mormon, in common with all the officials. After holding the office for a year, Judge Sloan resigned, when the Governor of Iowa appointed Judge Bradford to the place. This gentleman presided until the people elected S. H. Riddle, who did not reach the bench until the Mormon rule was passing away. It is stated that Orson Hyde was one of the first attorneys admitted to practice law before Judge Sloan.

In 1848, Evan M. Green was appointed the first Postmaster in Kanesville, but it was sometime before a regular mail route was established between this point and the nearest post office in Missouri, and four or five years before regular mails began to arrive from the East over Iowa.

Orson Hyde established the Frontier Guardian, in 1848, which paper was published till 1852. It was edited by Hyde and A. C. Ford, and advocated the Mormon religion. This paper, in politics, was Whig, and yet it is stated that the political feelings of Hyde and Ford did not seriously interfere with their actions, for their votes were cast wherever and for whatever party they suppsed would favor them most.

The politicians who always discover the points to be made among a people who have no decided politics, frequently made a pilgrimage across the State of Iowa to secure the Mormon vote, which could change the result of the election. Right in this connection, it was reported that Orson Hyde was appointed to the office of Guardian, for securing very neraly a unanimous vote for a particular candidate for Congress, in 1848, but the poll books were not to be found when the Canvassing Board assembled to make their returns. In the Southern States, in later days, returning boards did not need books.

It is recorded that the first Representative to the General Assembly of Iowa, from this section, was Henry Miller, and the second Archibald Bryant; and Hadley D. Johnson was elected to the State Senate in 1852.

In 1849, the first great rush to California began, and soon Council Bluffs became a noted out-fitting point, where hundreds of teams and thousands of people assembled to lay in feed and provisions for the perilous trip. This tide of emigration continued for a few years, and many merchants reaped large rewards from the passing people. The ferry business became very profitable, and a number of persons went into that enterprise, and all were kept busy during the springs of the years that the people rushed to the California mines, where thousands of fortunes were made and lost.

The Mormons were as quick to see a dollar as the rest of mankind and they settled along the routes to California and established ranches and trading posts, aand made much money. Some of the gold seekers who had not the utmost regard for any religion, frequently made light of the professions of the Mormons, and in fact caused some of the adherents of the cause to forget their professions. Kanesville became a general rendezvous of all the gold-hunting people who crossed Iowa, and this caused the place to grow rapidly. Many who had started for California sold their teams and remained here to make their fortunes, and some of these succeeded beyond their own expectations. The valley along the Missouri River was covered with canvas-covered wagons and oxen, mules and horses, while the streets of the town were thronged by as hardy a lot of men as ever entered upon a frontier life, and some of these were as rough as they were hardy and daring. Among them were all manner of men, traders, gamblers, horse thieves, murderers and desperadoes of every description, and soon every conceivable crime was practiced here. The gambler applied himself to his occupation at every corner of the streets of the village, and drinking was common at every shop. The Sabbath was almost entirely forgotten, and except at the Mormon Tabernacle, where Hyde presided, no word of God or religion was heard. At this early day more than one poor fellow was strung up by the neck to the most convenient tree, by a self-constituted vigilance committee. The return of miners from California, who had accumulated lots of gold, did not abate these crimes, but gambling and drinking seemed to increase, particularly among the Gentiles, who had so sadly demoralized the early settlers."

We will again return to the Annals of Iowa, and transcribe therefrom a chapter on the departure of the Latter Day Saints from Pottawattamie County. It says: "The time had now fully come for the Mormons to follow their great leader to the happy valley among the mountains of Utah. Many had already taken their departure for the land of promise, while fresh trains of newly-converted disciples from the Old and New World were pressing their way to the dominions of Brigham Young. While Hyde's followers in Western Iowa had been gradually diminishing in numbers, those of Young, at Salt Lake, had rapidly increased. In 1852, an order came and was given to all of the Mormons, that all true believers in the creed of Joseph Smith, as taught by his Vice-gerent, Brigham Young, should assemble around the great central temple in Utah. Now came the harvest for the Gentiles. They swarmed into Kanesville, and into all the settlements of the faithful throughout the country. Farms were sold to them for a few hundred dollars; claims were bargained away for a span of horses and a wagon; lots in Kanesville were traded for a yoke of oxen, and cabins and store rooms were exchanged for furniture and a few articles for the journey. During all the spring and summer of 1852, the work of selling out and removing went forward. Long trains of the pilgrims covered all the roads up the Platte Valley, and across the Laramie plains, as they wended their way to the City of the Saints. This migration continued with diminished volume during several succeeding years, until all the believers in the Mormon faith who were willing to acknowledge Brigham Young as the true successor of their first prophet and leader had departed from this country.

Many of these people have since occupied prominet positions in the Mormon heirarchy, and one of Brigham's favorite concubines, was formerly a well-known citizen of Council Bluffs, and was highly esteemed for her beauty and accomplishments. A few of the prominent citizens of this county who were once numbered among Hyde's disciples, renouned their faith altogether and are now among the most respected citizens; while others, refusing to recognize Brigham Young as their prophet, have adhered to the fortunes of Joseph Smith, Jr. These latter have rather increased than diminished in numbers, during the last few years, and they now have a regular religious organization in several of the western counties of this State, and a church in Council Bluffs. These people repudiate the doctrine of the plurality of wives, and believe much in doctrines similar to those taught by the Baptists. They are among the most industrious and respectable citizens.
In 1852 and 1853, the Mormon predominance in Pottawattamie County practicallly ceased, and within a year or two thereafter, the "Gentiles," by which name all others than Mormons were know, acquired entire control of its destinies. In closing the subject of the Mormons in this county, it may be necessary to refer to this matter and people again, for they figured extensively in the early settlement of the county, and in fact were pretty much all of the early settlement, leaving out the Indians.

It may be well to give a little of the early political history of the State and county, and to do so we will refer to some facts found in the Annals of Iowa as presented by Charles Negus. It is here stated that "in 1848, there were two elections - one in August, at which there were to be elected two members of Congress, the State officers and members of the Legislature; and in November, for the first time, the electors of Iowa had an opportunity to take part in a Presidential election. Lewis Cass was the Democratic candidate, and Zachary Taylor the Whig nominee, and the political excitement ran high, and greater efforts were made by both parties than were ever made before in Iowa. For the August election, the Democrats nominated all the old State officers, with the exception of Cutler, the Secretary of State, who, form his course, pursued toward Harlan, or for some other reason had become unpopular with the people. Josiah Bonney, of Van Buren County, was nominated in his place. A. C. Dodge, Lincoln Clark, John Selmon and Joseph Williams were nominated by the Democrats for Presidential electors; and Fitz Henry Warren, William H. Wallace, Jesse Bowen and Thomas I. McKean were nominated as the Whig electors." Here, again, "the Mormons who had settled on the western slope of the State, had become quite numerous, became important factors to both political parties, and it was a question with each party how best to manage this large vote. It was discovered by the Democrats that Orson Hyde, who was the Presiding Elder over the Mormons in Iowa, nad had the superintendence of this part of the church, visited Burlington early in the season, and had a long interview with Warren, one of the Whig candidates for elector, and it was currently circulated that he had received some personal favors from and had pledged himself to Warren that the Mormon vote should be cast for the Whigs at the coming election, if they were permitted to vote. At this period, it was supposed there were from 8,000 to 10,000 Mormons in the western part of the State, and that they would at least cast 800 or 1,000 votes, if they were all brought to the polls , a vote which would probably carry the election in the First Congressional District, if not the State, and elect the Whig candidates in the western districts to the Legislature. When it became understood that these people, at the coming election, would vote the Whig ticket, there was great anxiety, on the part of the leading Democrats, to counteract the influence of this vote. Judge Carlton, whose duty it had been made by law to appoint a Sheriff for the purpose of organizing Pottawattamie County, whenever he should think the public good required it, had appointed William S. Townsend, a Democrat, Organizing Sheriff, and had ordered than an election should be held on the first Monday in April, 1848. But when it was ascertained that the Mormons would probably vote with the Whigs, Townsend declined to act, and consequently the county was not organized, and without an organization of some kind they could not vote at the coming election. After the Mormons found out that Townsend was not going to organize the county, they petitioned the County Commissioners of Monroe County to "grant them a township for the purpose of electing two Justices of the Peace and Constables, as they labored under much disadvantage for the want of legal authority among them, and that the election might be held at the council house in Kanesville (now Council Bluffs City.)

On the 3d of July, the Board of Commissioners of Monroe County ordered, "That that portion of the country called Pottawattamie County, which lies due west of Monroe County (at that time it was supposed that Kanesville was due west of Monroe County), be organized into a township, and that Kanesville be a precinct for election purposes in said township, and that the boundaries of said township extend east as far as the East Nishnabotna;" and they also ordered, "That that portion of the country called Clark County, lying immediately west of Lucas County, to what is called East Nishnabotna, be organized into a precinct for election and judicial purposes."

The organization of these precincts became a matter of much concern to the Democrats; and the securing or defeating the Mormon vote was a matter of vital interest to both parties. After the election was over, about the time it was supposed the poll-books would be returned to the Clerk's office in Monroe County from Kanesville precinct, quite a number of active politicians from both parties assembled at Albia, the county seat of Monroe County. Among those most active, were James B. Howell, the editor of the Whig paper at Keokuk, on the Whig side, and I. C. Hall in behalf of the Democrats. James Sloan, one of the Clerks, brought the poll-books of the Kanesville precinct to Albia, where there arose quite a spirited discussion about the Clerk's receiving them. Howell contended that they ought to be received and counted by the Clerk, and Hall opposed it. Sloan, in his deposition, taken afterward, in relation to the matter, in speaking of the Clerk, said: "He (the Clerk) received the poll-books by reaching out his hand and taking them. I informed him what it was. He looked at the parcel on both sides, and reached out his hand to return it to me. I declined accepting it. He afterward went partially around the table and put it under some newspapers, where lay some books, close by where a gentleman sat, who, I was informed, was Dr. Flint, with his left arm resting on the table. I requested the Clerk to endorse the poll-books, stating who had brought them, and how far I had come. He declined doing so. I told him I was bound to deliver the poll-books; that I had understood there was a heavy penalty if I neglected to do it, and that I now whished to get my pay; also, that I had performed by duty, and I would not carry them back or receive them, and told the Clerk that we had no use for them. Mr. Hall told the Clerk he might sweep them into the street (in reply to a question as to what should be done with them), and I replied he might for aught I cared, as it did not concern me; I had done my duty."

The Clerk refused to receive the Kanesville poll-books on the ground that the County Commissioners of Monroe County nad no right to organize the township, and the Mormon vote was not counted in canvassing the votes. The room where the parties had assembled was a log house, with the floor laid down with loose boards, and while the contest was going on about what was to be done with the poll-books, they fell down from the table on the floor, and probably, by the aid of some one's foot, got through a crack in the floor, and were missing. After the crowd had dispersed, Israel Keister, learning where the poll-books were, went and got them from under the floor and put them into Hall's carpet sack. Hall, on his way home, found the poll-books in his possession, and dit not make it public, and there were many surmises for a long time, as to what had become of them.

The official returns for Congressman for the First District gave William Thompson, Democrat, 6,477 votes, and Daniel F. Miller, Whig, 6,091 votes. The Kanesville Precinct, which was not counted in this result, gave Thompson thirty votes, and Miller 493 votes. If the Mormon votes had been counted, it would have elected Miller by a small majority, but as it was not counted, he was defeated by almost 400 votes. Mr. Miller concluded to contect the election of Thompson, and during the contest, the Kanesville poll-books were found in Judge Mason's office, but the Judge refused to tell how they came there, only saying "they came into my hands honestly." The Whigs made a great handle of the discovery, and the Whig papers were full of bitter denunciations of the Democratic party in relation to "the stolen poll-books."

When the Whigs acertained how the Mormons voted at the August election, they thought if all the settlements on the western slope were organized into precincts, so that all could easily get to the polls, that with the Mormon vote they would be able to carry the State at the November elections, and there was a great anxiety on the part of the Whigs to have Pottawattamie County organized. Fitz Henry Warren, who was regarded as one of the best managers in the State, had been made Chairman of the Whig Executive Committee of Iowa, and had been entrusted with the funds raised to defray the expense of the campaign. He undertook to have Pottawattamie County organized and laid off into suitable precincts, so as to hve the vote of every voter. Warren found in the person of one William Pyckett, whose family were living in Kanesville, as he thought, a suitable person to organize the country purchased from the Pottawatomie Indians, into a county, as provided for by the Legislature; and as a inducement for him to undertake it, he gave him $140 from the Whig funds in his hands, which he was to receive for his services, over the fees allowed by law.

Pyckett, having been known for some time previous as a Democrat, and professing to be desirous for the success of the Democratic party, and claiming he could induce the Mormons to vote the ticket, and it not being known that he was in the pay of Warren, succeeded in getting some influential Democrats to recomment the organizing of the western slope of Iowa into a county, and Pyckett as a suitable person to do it, and upon this recommendation he received the appointment. Pyckett did not have the prudence to keep these matters to himself, but on his way back, while at Burlington, told that he had received a commission from Judge Carleton to organize Pottawattamie County, and that warren had given him $140. When it was discovered he was working under the pay of Warren, some of the Democrats who had signed his recommendation were very much chagrined, and the leading Democrats about Burlington determined to defeat his undertaking, if possible.

The law authorizing the appointment of an Organizing Sheriff, required that the person appointed, before he should be qualified to enter upon the discharge of the duties of his office, should file his bond and oath of office in the Clerk's office of the District Court of Polk County. I. C. Hall was dispatched to go forthwith to Polk County and get the Clerk to resign, so that the appointed Organizing Sheriff couuld not qualify. Pyckett, not suspecting any attempt to defeat him in his undertaking, and not being in a hurry, took things so leisurely that when he got to Polk County, he found that Hall had been there two or three days previous to his arrival, and by this maneuver Pottawattamie County was not organized in time for the settlers on the western slope to vote at the Presidential election.

With the exception of Thompson, the Democrats this year were triumphant, both at the August and November elections, and elected the congressional, State and electoral tickets by decided majorities, and also had the ascendency in both branches of the Legislature, and in joint ballot a majority of nineteen. This established the fact that the Democrats could elect two United States Senators and Supreme Judges, and these offices elicited much interest among the politicians, and at the convening of the Legislature there were a great number of the leading Democrats, from all parts of the State, assembled at Iowa City, each using his best efforts to get himself or his particular friend elected to the United States Senate or as Judge of the Supreme Court.

It was not long after the organization of the Legislature till the Democrats held a caucus, and nominated Gen. A. C. Dodge and George W. Jones as candidates for the United States Senate, and then adjourned till next day to nominate candidates for Supreme Judges. As soon as the result for Senators was known, shouts of joy went forth, and a large number of the friends of the candidates repaired to a saloon, where there was a general time of rejoicing. Oysters, wines and other liquors were dealt out with profusion, for which the candidates paid $300, an extraordinary treat for Iowa in those days. On the following day, the Democratic caucus put in nomination, Joseph Williams for Chief Justice, George Green and John F. Kinney for Associate Justices. Thus ended the political and Mormon conflict for the time.

End of Chapter 2

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