NEGenWeb Project
Nance County

 

ately extensive. He did not "stay with" the enterprise long enough to reap any financial profit on his investment, and the cold blasts of the following year sung "requiems to his Industry and forethought."

     Tuesday, November 4th, the first election in Nance county was held in due form, and the face of the returns showed that:

For County Seat	Votes
Genoa received	98
Fullerton	89
East Side Cedar River	15
	___
Total number of votes	202
For County Judge
William Burgess	102
M. S. Lindsay	100
For Sheriff
W. A. Davis	120
W. H. Bowman	82
For Clerk
Martin Patterson	102
J. N. Reynolds	99
For Treasurer
S. L. Surtevant	101
J. F. Ellis	100
For Coroner
J. W. Williamson	105
Davis	97
For Surveyor
G. H. Haskins	202
For Superintendent
C. D. Rakestraw	100
Dan Barker	101
Commissioner--1st Dist.
Geo. E. Willard	109
R. Warn	88
2nd Dist.
Ruby	96
Thompson	100
3rd Dist.
Thos. F. Miller	200

     About the time the county seat fight was warming up to 221 in the shade, and no prospect of cooler weather, J. L. Rood of Monroe, Wisconsin, appeared on the scene, and instead of taking sides in the conflict, went quietly and purchased a trifle over two sections of land near Genoa, for a stock ranch, and the following spring made valuable improvements thereon, and today it is one of the wealthiest ranches in Nance county, well stocked with fine horses, cattle and sheep.

     B. F. Yockum also materialized at this time and purchased a farm on Timber creek, which he has since disposed of to engage in a lucrative livery business at Genoa.

     And last, but not least, Dr. Barnes, a homeopathic physician, set sail from Schuyler and landed at the port of Genoa. He at once engaged in the drug business and the practice of his profession.

     To return to the election matters: On Monday following the election, the county commissioners met at the Pawnee land office to canvass the returns. During the interval between the election and the date of this canvass, M. S. Lindsay applied to Judge Donaldson of Merrick county for a writ of injunction to prevent a count of the returns of Genoa on the ground of fraud. When Genoa's vote was reached, the writ was served, which suspended further action for the time, and the board adjourned.

     The week after election it was learned that G. R. Nunnelly (familiarly known as Antelope Dick), then editor of the Genoa Magnet, had "sold out" to the Fullerton crowd, and threats of violence from some of the Genoa boys encouraged him to surrender his position and take up winter quarters far beyond the uttermost confines of Nance county. It was said at the time that Randall Fuller paid him $100 for his vote and influence in behalf of Fullerton, but there are few who can credit the cash part of the story. It would not be a characteristic transaction on the part of Mr. Fuller. Shortly after the departure of Mr. Nunnelly, Wm. Burgess became editor of the Magnet.

     On the 10th of December, in the district court at Osceola, Judge George M. Post issued a peremptory mandamus commanding the commissioners of Nance county to meet and canvass the entire returns, including the votes of Genoa precinct which were excluded by the injunction. In pursuance of the order the commissioners met on the 13th of December to finish the count, which they did, but the result was not made known at once.

     C. D. Rakestraw, the temporary county clerk by appointment from Governor Nance, for some reason resigned. It is thought, by the uncharitable, that he did so for mercenary considerations, but we who knew C. D. Rakestraw "better than his mother," are inclined to give him the benefit of any lingering doubt as to the rectitude of his motives in throwing up so enviable a position right in his country's crisis, so to speak. But he did resign, and the commissioners unanimously appointed J. N. Reynolds, than whom no more suitable man could have been selected to perform the delicate duties that the interests of Fullerton at that time demanded. After the appointment of Reynolds the abstract of the vote was completed (?) which gave

For County Seat
Genoa	56
Fullerton	89
East Side Cedar River	15
For County Judge
M. S. Lindsay	100
Wm. Burgess	60
For Sheriff
W. H. Bowman	80
W. A. Davis	78

(Continued)

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Page Thirty-seven

© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 by Ted & Carole Miller