FIRST COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT. The act providing for the holding of an election for the county seat on the third Monday in February, 1838, also provided for an election two weeks afterward for county officers, at which election Rockingham elected her candidates.  The commissioners elected were B. F. Pike, Alfred Carter and A. W. Campbell, with Ebenezer Cook for county clerk.  The first session of the Commissioners' court was held at the store of J. W. Higgins, in Rockingham.  The following are the proceedings of this first meeting: "Present - Benjamin F. Pike and Andrew W. Campbell. "The board proceeded to the appointment of a clerk. "Ordered - That Ebenezer Cook be appointed clerk to the board. "Ebenezer Cook having appeared in pursuance of his appointment, and taken the oath of office, entered upon his duties as clerk. "Ordered - That clerk take the necessary steps to procure from the secretary of the territory a seal for the use of this board. "Ordered - That this board do meet, at its April session, in the town of Rockingham. "Ordered - That Benjamin F. Pike be allowed $3 for one day's service as county commissioner. "Ordered - That Andrew W. Campbell be allowed $3 for one day's service as county commissioner. "Ordered - That Ebenezer Cook be allowed $3 for one day's service as clerk. "And the board adjourned to session in course." At the April session, 1838, the county was divided into election precincts, and polls were ordered open at Rockingham hotel, Rockingham, and Marmaduke S. Davenport, William Lings, Lewis Ringlesby, appointed judges of election; at Davenport hotel, Davenport, Ira Cook, John Forrest, Adam Noel, judges of election; at house of Caleb H. Gardener, West Buffalo, Elias Moore, M. M. Bosworth, James Williamson, judges of election; at house of Roswell H. Spencer, Pleasant Valley, Stephen Henley, Jabez A. Birchard, John Work, judges of election; at house of Thomas Hubbard, Elizabeth City, Josiah Scott, William Rowe, Daniel Hyers, judges of election; at house of Ezra Allen, Allens Grove, Lester Hines, John K. Spicer, Isaiah Hurlburt, judges of election. Christopher Rowe was appointed county treasurer, but failing to qualify, Ira Cook was appointed at the May term of the board, and at once entered into bonds and the discharge of the duties of the office. At this same session Ira Cook was appointed and qualified as assessor in place of Joseph Mounts, who had previously been appointed, but failed to qualify. The editor of the Iowa News, published at Dubuque, was allowed $6 for advertising an election to be held for the location of the county seat. At this session the board took it upon itself to regulate the price of ferriage across the Mississippi and Wapsipinecon rivers, the rates of which may be found in another chapter of this work. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L