Natrona County WY Archives History - Books .....Organization Of Natrona County 1923 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wy/wyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 5, 2005, 6:49 pm Book Title: History Of Natrona County, Wyoming Organization of Natrona County The first step toward the segregation of Carbon county and the establishment of a new county to be known as Natrona was taken when a bill was presented in the Wyoming territorial legislature in 1888, entitled: "An act making divers appropriations, and for other purposes." The act, after being passed by the legislature and engrossed, was presented to Governor Moonlight for his signature, but instead of signing the bill, the governor promptly vetoed it, and when it was returned to the legislative halls with his disapproval, the members of the legislature just as promptly passed the bill over the governor's veto. The next step taken in behalf of the new county was during the latter months of 1888, when a petition was circulated and signed by about two-thirds of the people living in the northern part of Carbon county (now Natrona county). The petition requested Governor Moonlight to appoint Jacob E. Ervay, Nathan S. Bristol and Bryant B. Brooks as temporary commissioners for the purpose of organizing the new county. The segregation would divide Carbon county near the center by a line running east and west, thus giving Natrona county an area of about 5,500 square miles, or seventy-five miles square, the area of Carbon county at that time being 170 miles long and seventy-five miles wide. The petition, containing nearly 300 names, was carried from Casper to Cheyenne by Attorney C. C. Wright on January 31, 1889, and was formally presented to the governor. A man named McCoy, who was at that time booming the townsite of Bothwell, in the Sweet-water country, and who had been in the county less than three months, made the trip to Cheyenne for the purpose of filing a remonstrance with the governor, objecting to the three commissioners being appointed, and he filed affidavits to the effect that many of the petitioners were not legal residents of the county, and therefore, the petition should not be considered by the governor. Governor Moonlight, after the petition and remonstrance had been presented, announced that he would keep the matter open for eighteen days, in order that further evidence and argument might be produced for and against the commissioners being appointed, and after the eighteen days expired he would require eight days more to review the evidence and render a decision. On February 26, 1889, the governor gave notice that he would not appoint the temporary commissioners as requested by the petitioners, and from this decree there was no appeal. Thus the organization of Natrona county was delayed for the time being. Governor Moonlight was removed from office in about thirty days after he vetoed the petition, and on March 22, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Francis E. Warren as governor of the Territory of Wyoming. Then the people of the northern part of Carbon county again circulated a petition praying that Governor Warren appoint George Mitchell, Bryant B. Brooks, and Jacob E. Ervay as commissioners to act in the organization of the county of Natrona. Mr. Bristol declined the honor of having his name on the second petition. In due time the petition was presented to Governor Warren, and on March 3, 1890, the governor made the appointments as requested in the petition. The boundaries of Natrona county, at the time the bill was enacted by the territorial legislature, which have been changed but little since, were defined as follows: "Commencing at a point on the seventh standard parallel north, at its intersection with the western boundary line of the present county of Albany; thence west along said standard parallel to its intersection with the west boundary line of the present county of Carbon; thence north along said last described boundary line to the southern boundary line of the present county of Johnson; thence east along said boundary line of Johnson county to the northwestern corner of the present county of Albany; thence south along the western boundary line of said county of Albany to the place of beginning; being all that portion of the present county of Carbon, Territory of Wyoming, lying north of the seventh standard parallel north." Natrona county derives its name from the natural deposits of natrum or carbonate of soda, which is found in the numerous basins and lakes that abound in the central part of the state. Judge Charles E. Blydenburgh of Rawlins suggested the name "Natrona" as the thirteenth county of Wyoming. Carbon, our mother county, was one of the original five counties of the Territory of Wyoming, and was organized by legislative enactment in November, 1869. Carbon county originally included all that portion of the Territory of Wyoming lying between a point on the Union Pacific railway one-half mile east of Aurora station on the east, and the 107th degree and 30 minutes west longitude on the west, and the north and south boundary lines of the territory. The area of the land embraced was 22,080 square miles, thirty square miles more than are included in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 1879 Carbon county was divided on the parallel of 43 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude, and the north portion was organized under the name of Pease, but was later changed to Johnson county. After this division Carbon county was reduced in land area to 12,816 square miles. Reduced to acres the county contained 8,783,040 acres ofland. Its population in 1877, before Johnson county was segregated, was given as 2,500 and its assessed valuation was $1,900,000. With the two divisions of Carbon county that have been made from its original area, Natrona is left in the center of the old county, Johnson being to our north and Carbon to the south. Sheridan county was organized from part of Johnson in 1887, and Big Horn county was organized from part of Johnson in 1897. The beautiful valleys of the Sweetwater, Powder and North Platte rivers and the numerous small streams in Natrona county, and the contiguous plains, largely visited by the warm winds from the shores of the Pacific ocean, make this region one of the most desirable locations on this continent. The valleys in this section are so protected by mountain ranges on the immediate south and west that it is signally exempt from the perilous storms which make winter so dangerous and destructive to livestock in the north and east, and the dreadful blizzards which sweep a considerable portion of the United States during the winter months do not reach this section to any appreciable extent. The commissioners appointed by Governor Warren took the oath of office on March 5, 1890, before R. H. Wilbur, a justice of the peace residing in Casper. Immediately after the oath of office was administered, the commissioners designated Casper, in the unorganized county of Natrona, as the place to hold its meetings. The first regular meeting of the new commissioners was held on the 5th day of March, 1890, at 4 o'clock p. m., in the office of the Wyoming Lumber company, George Mitchell being president of the lumber company, and the office was located where the Nicolaysen Lumber company yards are now located. At this meeting Bryant B. Brooks was chosen chairman of the board, George Mitchell, secretary, and F. H. Harvey was appointed attorney for the board. The commissioners then established voting precincts and appointed judges of election for each voting precinct as follows: Casper precinct — Joel J. Hurt, J. A. Casebeer, R. H. Wilbur. Muddy precinct — C. C. P. Webel, Edward Beach, James Milne. Bessemer precinct — Rufus Rhoades, G. W. Johnson, G. C. Riggles. Bates Hole precinct—Joseph Bowie, M. Benedict, Jacob Crouse. Sweetwater precinct—H. C.Wilson,Daniel Fitger, J. H.Omstead. Durbin precinct — LaFayette Griffin, Wm. Hunt, Samuel Johnson. Ervay precinct — J. J. Holliday, D. P. Smith, John F. Landon. The board ordered that an election be held within the unorganized county of Natrona, on the 8th day of April, 1890, for the purpose of electing all county and precinct officers of the said county of Natrona, and for the selection of a county seat for the said county. The notice of the election was ordered published in the Casper Weekly Mail, the first paper published in Casper, and the only one published here at that time. The next exciting event was the county election, held April 8, 1890, and the selection of the county seat was the big drawing card of the day. The contest for the county seat was between Casper and Bessemer from the very moment that it was officially declared that there was to be a Natrona county, and after the smoke of battle had cleared away it was learned that in the entire county Bessemer had received 731 votes, against 353 for Casper. It was claimed by both sides that a great many fraudulent votes had been cast, but it was very evident when the commissioners met to canvass the returns, that Bessemer "overplayed her hand," and the entire vote from that precinct, for the county seat, as well as for all the county officers, was thrown out on the official count, the commissioners reporting that "The official returns from Bessemer made to the board of commissioners, upon being opened, were found to be grossly irregular, no official summary or return being made, or certified to in the poll book, as required by law, nor was the tally list signed or certified to or identified in the manner provided by law, and it is therefore, upon motion, ordered that the said returns from Bessemer voting place be not considered or counted in the canvass." The vote on the county officers and upon the seat of the county government from all the other precincts of the county excepting Bessemer, gave the following totals: Sheriff — W. W. Jaycox, 241; Oliver M. Rice, 177. County Clerk and ex-Officio Register of Deeds — Peter O'Malley, 226; George Mitchell, 193. Judge of Probate and County Treasurer — Bryant B. Brooks, 175; John McGrath, 241. County and Prosecuting Attorney — Alex T. Butler, 176; C. C. Wright, 218. County Commissioners — C. C. P. Webel, 212; A. McKinney, 339; S. A. Aggers, 224; John Greenlaw, 154; J. P. Smith, 218; I. N. Speer, 99. County Superintendent of Schools — Cordelia M. Cheney, 415; Cora Cantlin, i. Coroner — Joe Benson, i; A. P. Haynes, 267; D. L. Clark, 3; R. J. Marsch, 2. Surveyor — J. B. Bradley, 273; Chris Baysel, 145. Assessor — E. L. McGraugh, 202; Allen Cox, 82; William Clark, 131. Justice of the Peace — Fred E. Place, 35; R. H. Wilbur, 284; Ida M. Richards, 2. Constable — Hugh Patton, 282; Jacob Grouse, 18; Norman Calmon, 23. County Seat — Casper, 353; Bessemer, 64. The board of county commissioners, consisting of A. McKinney, S. A. Aggers and J. P. Smith, met in regular session on April 12, and after perfecting their organization, thereupon issued a proclamation which declared that "the county commissioners, the sheriff, the county clerk and ex-officio register of deeds, and the judge of probate and county treasurer, having each severally received certificates of election, and having each duly qualified according to law, did then and there enter upon the duties of their said offices, respectively, and the county of Natrona, Territory of Wyoming, was declared duly and regularly organized." At this same meeting the board of county commissioners leased three rooms in the second story of White & Co.'s building, to be used as county offices, at $450 annually. These are the front rooms in the building on Center street the second door south from Second street, on the west side of the street, which for many years were occupied by the Grand Central hotel. But little business was transacted by the board of county commissioners at its first meeting held April 12, except to provide for rooms for the county officers, but on May 5 a contract was made with the board of county commissioners of Converse county "to take and care for any prisoners from Natrona county at the rate of one dollar per day in United States currency for each prisoner, the bills to be paid monthly." On the same date the county clerk was instructed to make an order for the county superintendent of schools to establish the school districts of Natrona county which were to be a part of the records of said county. This was all the business of importance transacted at this meeting. At the meeting of June 3, the board passed a resolution to the effect "that the Casper-Bates Hole road is of sufficient importance to be opened and traveled, therefore, it is ordered that the said road be and the same is hereby established." O. M. Rice was appointed road overseer for the new county. A grand jury was selected at the meeting held July 7, and it was the duty of this grand jury to select a list of sixty names to serve as petit jurors at the term of the district court. The Casper-Muddy road was established October 9, 1890, "commencing at the town of Casper and running in an easterly direction to a point just east of J. A. Stroud's ranch, thence on the road now traveled in a southeasterly direction to John Greenlaw's ranch, thence in an easterly direction to a pass in the hills about one fourth of a mile south of the old traveled road and about one-half a mile west of the TAX ranch, connecting with the said old road about 100 feet above and north of the first bridge on Dry Muddy creek west of said TAX ranch, thence following the old road in an easterly direction to the top of the hill, thence in a southeasterly direction as far as the southwest corner of the OK ranch, thence in an easterly direction to the northwest corner of the Hines and Jaycox ranch on West Muddy, crossing said West Muddy close to Hines and Jaycox ranch, thence southeasterly to a point about one-fourth of a mile from said crossing of West Muddy, thence in an easterly direction to the county line, crossing the Main Muddy creek, on section line between C. C. P. Webel's ranch and the Lajaunesse ranch, immediately south, terminating at the county line." The second election to occur in Natrona county was held on September n, 1890. The republican ticket nominated was: Sheriff, Harry Biggs; clerk, Peter O'Malley; treasurer, W. A. Denecke; attorney, A. T. Butler; clerk of court, C. W. Wixcey; commissioners, B. B. Brooks, P. A. Demorest, Fred E. Place; assessor, Samuel A. Aggers; surveyor, J. B. Bradley; coroner, H. A. Lilly; superintendent schools, Cordelia M. Cheney; justices of peace, R. H. Wilbur and G. E. Butler. The democrats nominated for sheriff, W. W. Jaycox; clerk, Laura E. Stroud; treasurer, John McGrath; attorney, Carl C. Wright; clerk of court, George Mitchell; commissioners, S. C. Leach, J. P. Smith, A. W. Jones; assessor, E. L. McGraugh; surveyor, Chris Baysel; coroner, A. P. Haynes; superintendent schools, Cordelia M. Cheney; justices of peace, J. J. Corbett and Robert Parks. The ticket elected was about evenly divided among the republicans and democrats, the successful candidates being: W. W. Jaycox, sheriff; Peter O'Malley, clerk; John McGrath, treasurer; George Mitchell, clerk of court; B. B. Brooks, Fred E. Place, J. P. Smith, commissioners; E. L. McGraugh, assessor; J. B. Bradley, surveyor; H. A. Lilly, coroner; Cordelia M. Cheney, superintendent of schools; R. H. Wilbur, and G. E. Butler, justices of the peace. W. F. Dunn was elected on the republican ticket as joint representative to the state legislature from Natrona and Carbon counties. Mr. Dunn was the first man from Casper to be elected to that position of honor. On account of the regular election, as provided by the state law, occurring in September of this year, Natrona county's first set of officers was in charge of affairs only from April 9 to December 31. In November, 1890, the business in the county clerk's office had increased to such extent as to make it impossible for one man to do it justice, and, with the sanction of the county commissioners, County Clerk O'Malley appointed J. B. Bradley deputy county clerk. Nothing of importance was transacted by the county commissioners since their meeting in November until the first meeting in January, when the newly-elected county officers were sworn in. At this meeting, January 2, 1891, judgment against Natrona county in favor of Carbon county in the sum of $15,565.71, with interest at the rate of 8 per cent from April 8, 1890, as adjusting debt, was assumed by this county. On February 10, 1891, a special jail fund was created for the purpose of paying for the keeping of committed prisoners and it was, "Resolved that all funds derived from the county clerk's office for the months of January, February, and March, 1891, be carried to the jail fund and the county treasurer is hereby instructed to place to the credit of said jail fund all moneys paid him for the months of January, February, and March by the county clerk." There was now in the county clerk's office $152.80 which was the earnings for the month of January, 1891. This was ordered covered into the county treasury and to be applied on the jail fund. George Mitchell was confirmed as clerk of the district court on February n, 1891, by Judge J. W. Blake. Early in the spring of 1891, William W. Jaycox, who had served as sheriff of Natrona county since its organization and was twice elected to that office, and without resigning from the office or saying good bye to his friends, changed his place of residence. His bondsmen immediately made application to be released, and the county commissioners, having announced that inasmuch as the "said Jaycox had fled the state and left no one in charge of public affairs, the office of sheriff is declared vacant and the bondsmen are discharged from further liability as surety of the said Jaycox as sheriff." Jaycox was an exceptionally good officer and his financial affairs were all straight, but domestic trouble caused him to "flee" from the state. 0. M. Rice was appointed sheriff by the board of county commissioners to fill the unexpired term. Dr. W. W. Miller was on May 4, 1891, appointed physician and surgeon for the county at a salary of $125 a year. B. S. Ross was allowed $2,517.20 for making the transcript of the county. On July 7, 1891, the county was bonded for $23,000 to pay the Carbon county indebtedness and other accumulated indebtedness. The county was without funds at this time and the fact caused some of the alarmists considerable uneasiness. There were no improvements made or bills contracted except those that were absolutely necessary. By strict economy the county was soon "on its feet," and in commenting on our financial condition, the local newspaper in January, 1892, said: "Natrona county is now not quite two years old. It sprung into life under the most adverse circumstances and many people predicted that its course would be brief and that bankruptcy would be its ultimate end. Yet today there are few counties in the state in better financial condition. It begins the new year with a balance of $5,271 on hand, all bills have been paid up to the fifth of the month and our warrants are sold on the market for ninety-five cents on the dollar. Several large herds of cattle have left our county during the past two years, but in their place have come small ranchmen with small herds, so that the number of head has been but slightly decreased while the additional number of improved ranches makes up the sum of our revenue. Our mineral resources[1] have been developed and received an impetus such as has not been known before in the history of the state. We are witnessing the dawn of a glorious day." [1] The gold, silver, copper, galena, and asbestos mines on Casper mountain were in the height of activity at that time. The road from Casper to the Sweetwater country was established at the meeting of the board of county commissioners held on July 5, 1892. The soda lakes near Independence Rock were the incentive for the expenditure of a considerable amount of money to put this road in good repair. At this same meeting, the Lost Cabin road from Casper was also established. The establishment of county roads was about the most important business to come before the board of county commissioners in those days. The building of a jail for the county and the town of Casper was a subject that taxed the minds of the officials considerably at this time. The town was progressive; a town hall had already been built and the town council had devised ways and means to build a jail to replace the one that Dr. Joe Benson had caused to be destroyed by fire. The proposition was for the town and county to build a union jail to cost about $4,000, the town to pay half and the county to pay half, and on July 27, 1892, the county accepted a proposition from the town of Casper for the building of a union jail by adopting the following resolution: "Whereas, The county of Natrona has no jail or place to confine its prisoners, and it is hereby adjudged and considered that the best interests of Natrona county will be served by accepting the proposition of said town of Casper, and the same is hereby accepted and approved, and the county treasurer in and for said county is hereby authorized, empowered and a copy of this order shall be his authority for doing so, to pay over out of the money remaining from the sale of county bonds to the said town of Casper for the uses of said jail the sum of $2,000 whenever the said town of Casper shall execute to Natrona county a bond in the sum of $4,000 for the building and completion of said jail." The bond was furnished by the town on December 5 and was accepted by the county commissioners, and an agreement was entered into for a union town and county jail. On April 4, 1893, the building was completed and accepted and the contractors paid. The prisoners of the town and county were then relieved of the inconvenience of being transported to Douglas for safe keeping and back to Casper for trial by court, and the town and county were relieved of the expense of taking them to and from Douglas. This union jail was the brick and stone building which stood in the old court house square, immediately in the rear of the new fire house and municipal garage on the west side of David street, between Yellowstone Highway and Midwest avenue. It was torn down late in the fall of 1921. Many noted criminals, such as horse thieves, bank robbers, postoffice robbers, cattle thieves, murderers, and other desperate men, had been lodged in this jail, among them being old Chief Red Cloud, who is said to have caused the death of more white men than any other human being in this part of the country. If the old walls could have talked and revealed the thoughts of some of the men who had been confined there, what a story they could have told. The public road to the Alcova hot springs was established April 6, 1894, and on the same date a contract was entered into with C. R. Countryman to build a bridge across the Sweetwater river at Independence Rock for $267.92, the county to furnish the material. The business of the county steadily increased year after year until the need of a new court house was felt, and at the meeting of the board of county commissioners held in May, 1895, it was decided to put up a new court house on the land recently acquired by the county. The building was described as "twenty-four by thirty-six feet, two stories, frame, covered with standing seam iron; a large brick vault eight by twelve feet." The contract for the masonry work was awarded to W. F. McMillen for $227 and the carpenter work to E. Erben for $250. The new building was finished the latter part of June and was occupied by the county officers the first week in July, 1895. This building was in the same block with the union town and county jail and at that time was considered a creditable building for the housing of the county officers. It was used for that purpose until March 13, 1909, when the new court house on Center and A streets was occupied. At a meeting held on August 2, 1895, Chairman Charles K. Bucknum was appointed a committee of one to purchase material to enclose the ground of lots 3, 4, 9, n, 12, 15, 27, 28, 31, 39 and 40, in block one, which had been acquired for court house purposes. The bridge across the Platte river at Alcova, owned by the Alcova Hot Springs company, was on July 6, 1897, declared to be in a dangerous and unsafe condition and that loss to life and property might ensue should the structure be allowed to stand. It was therefore condemned and ordered removed within thirty days or the county would remove it as provided by law. The resignation of H. L. Patton as sheriff of Natrona county on June 7, 1898, was accepted and O, M. Rice was appointed by the board of county commissioners to fill the vacancy. Mr. Patton resigned in order to enlist with the Torrey Rough Riders in the Spanish-American war. Ed Crapon was appointed county assessor for Natrona county January 3, 1900. The salary was $650, and it required about three months to do the work. After this year the assessor was elected every two years the same as other county officers and the salary was increased to $125 per month. The foregoing is a brief resume of the most important work done by the county officers for the first ten years of the county's organization. Details have been gone into for the purpose of making a comparison of how the business was transacted in those days and how it is transacted at the present time, as well as to show how we have builded up from the smallest county in Wyoming, both in population and wealth, to the most populous and richest in the state. On the page following will be found a list of the county officers, and the dates upon which they served, from 1890 to 1923, inclusive: Years County Clerk County Treasurer Sheriff Apr. 1890-Dec. 1890 Peter O'Malley John McGrath W. W. Jaycox 1891-1892 Peter O'Malley John McGrath W. W. Jaycox [1] 1893-1894 Peter O'Malley John McGrath Oliver M. Rice 1895-1896 Peter O'Malley W. F. Dunn H. L. Patton 1897-1898 M. P. Wheeler Frank Bull H. L. Patton [2] 1899-1900 Marion P. Wheeler Frank Bull Oscar Hiestand 1901-1902 Marion P. Wheeler Oscar Hiestand W. C. Ricker 1903-1904 Marion P. Wheeler Oscar Hiestand Frank K. Webb 1905-0906 E. B. Shaffner John S. Van Doren Frank K. Webb 1907-1908 F. H. Sawyer Lizzie McDonald J. A. Sheffner 1909-1910 F. H. Sawyer Lizzie McDonald J. A. Sheffner 1911-1912 F. H. Sawyer John T. Scott J. A. Sheffner 1913-1914 F. H. Sawyer John T. Scott J. A. Sheffner 1915-1916 F. H. Sawyer Fred W. Aishton H. L. Patton 1917-1918 F. H. Sawyer [3] M. C. Price H. L. Patton 1919-1920 E. M. Ogburn [4] E. McDonald Pat Royce 1921-1922 Helen Carlson [5] E. McDonald Lee Martin [6] 1923-1924 Alma F. Hawley Agnes M. Clare Perry A. Morris Years Clerk of Court Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Apr. 1890-Dec. 1890 George Mitchell A. McKinney S. A. Aggers J. P. Smith 1891-1892 George Mitchell J. P. Smith B. B. Brooks F. E. Place 1893-1894 John F. Heagney A. W. Jones Robt. White G. S. Martin 1895-1896 M. P. Wheeler C. K. Bucknum Ed. S. White Okley K. Garvey 1897-1898 M. P. Wheeler J. W. Price L. C. Morrison J. P. Smith 1899-1900 Marion P. Wheeler P. C. Nicolaysen Wm. Jones David Kidd 1901-1902 M. P. Wheeler P. C. Nicolaysen D. D. Crum Jake Crouse 1903-1904 M. P. Wheeler T. S. Steed E. L. McGraugh P. C. Nicolaysen 1905-0906 E. B. Shaffner T. S. Steed W. D. Blattenberg L. L. Gantz 1907-1908 F. H. Sawyer L. L. Gantz C. A. Hall C. C. P. Webel 1909-1910 F. H. Sawyer David Kidd C. C. P. Webel James B. Grieve 1911-1912 Fred E. Place James B. Grieve S. W. Conwell A. G. Cheney 1913-1914 Fred E. Place S. W. Conwell R. D. Campbell A. G. Cheney 1915-1916 Fred E. Place John T. Scott R. D. Campbell Chas. Anda 1917-1918 Fred E. Place [9] T. A. Hall A. G. Cheney Chas. Anda 1919-1920 Hazel Conwell T. A. Hall Robt. J. Veitch J. B. Griffith 1921-1922 Hazel Conwell T. A. Hall Robt. J. Veitch Chas. Anda 1923-1924 Hazel Conwell T. A. Hall G. T. Morgan J. E. Scott Years County Supt. County Assessor Constable Prosecuting Att'y Apr. 1890-Dec. 1890 Cordelia M. Cheney E. L. McGraugh H. L. Patton C. C. Wright 1891-1892 Cordelia M. Cheney E. L. McGraugh Alex. T. Butler 1893-1894 Florence Kennedy E. L. McGraugh John McClure Geo. B. McCalmont 1895-1896 Wilhelmina Clark Daniel R. Fitger E. A. Johnson Geo. S. Walker 1897-1898 Wilhelmina Clark Frank Bull E. A. Johnson Eugene D. Norton 1899-1900 James L. Craig Ed. Crapon,-1900 E. A. Johnson Alex. T. Butler 1901-1902 May Hamilton D. P. Smith Alex. T. Butler 1903-1904 May Hamilton D. P. Smith John M. Hench 1905-0906 Effie M. Cummings L. W. Bailey Alex. T. Butler 1907-1908 Effie M. Cummings F. S. Price Truman C. Butler E. Richard Shipp 1909-1910 Kate C. Stannard Frank J. Sturgeon Wm. Jones John B. Barnes 1911-1912 May Hamilton E. L. McGraugh Wm. O. Wilson 1913-1914 May Hamilton E. L. McGraugh Wm. O. Wilson 1915-1916 May Hamilton Chas. M. Hawks R. H. Nichols 1917-1918 May Hamilton W. S. Kimball, Jr. R. H. Nichols 1919-1920 May Hamilton E. L. McGraugh W. H. Patten [7] 1921-1922 May Hamilton Lyle E. Jay A. R. Lowey [8] 1923-1924 May Hamilton Lyle E. Jay E. H. Foster [1] Declared vacant; O. M. Rice appointed. [2] Resigned; O M. Rice appointed. [3] Died; E. M. Ogburn appointed. [4] Resigned; Helen Carlson appointed. [5] Resigned; Catherine Dunn appointed. [6] Resigned; J. L. Marquis appointed. [7] Resigned; A. R. Lowey appointed. [8] Resigned; M. W. Purcell appointed. [9] Resigned, November 1917; Warren L. Bailey appointed. Natrona County's Senators and Representatives in the Legislature Year Elected Representative State Senator State Legislature 1800 William F. Dunn 1892 Bryant B. Brooks Joel J. Hurt 1804 Patrick Sullivan Joel J. Hurt 1806 John S. Warner Robert Taylor 1898 Patrick Sullivan Robert Taylor 1900 Edward S. White [1] Patrick Sullivan 1902 Donald A. Robertson Patrick Sullivan 1904 Charles K. Bucknum Patrick Sullivan 1906 Charles K. Bucknum Patrick Sullivan 1908 Hugh L. Patton Patrick Sullivan 1910 Patrick O'Connor Patrick Sullivan 1912 Robert Grieve Patrick Sullivan Stephen Tobin 1914 Robert Grieve Patrick Sullivan Stephen Tobin 1916 W. W. Sproul Patrick O'Connor L. C. Mills 1918 J. William Johnson Patrick O'Connor Leslie L. Gantz 1920 Harry N. Free J. William Johnson J. E. Frisby 1922 M. L. Bishop, Jr. J. William Johnson E. A. Froyd Harry N. Free C. W. Mapes M. C. Price J. H. Jeffrey [1] Edward S. White, Natrona county's representative in the lower house of the sixth session of the Wyoming state legislature, died in Cheyenne on January 14, lyoi. Mr. White occupied his seat only three days when he was stricken with pneumonia, and his death resulted after being confined to his hotel but a few days. At the time of his death the members of the house and seriate were on a special train going to Rawlins, Laramie, Rock Springs and Evanston, to make a personal inspection of the state penitentiary, the university, the state hospital, and the hospital for the insane. Senator Patrick Sullivan, and Chief Clerk Alfred J. Mokler, both of Casper, were on the special train and the news of Representative White's death cast a gloom over all those on board the train, for it had been announced that the patient's condition was greatly improved when the special train left Cheyenne that morning. The members returned to Cheyenne the second day following the death of their colleague and funeral services were conducted in the capitol building by the members of Wyoming Consistory of Masons. The body was brought to Casper and very impressive funeral services were held here by the Masonic bodies, of which the deceased was a member. Four deaths occurred among the members of the legislature during the sixth session and the flag on the capitol building floated at half-mast during most of the session. After Mr. White's death, Natrona county had no representative in the lower house during the remainder of the session. The representatives and senators were elected in November and took the oath of office the following January. Bryant B. Brooks of Casper was elected governor of the state of Wyoming in 1904 and again in 1906, serving as chief executive six successive years. Charles E. Winter of Casper was elected congressman from the state of Wyoming for the 1923-4 term. NATRONA COUNTY'S JUDGES OF THE DISTRICT COURT If the regularly elected and appointed judges of the district court who have presided at the sessions of court held in Natrona county could and would tell some of their experiences what interesting tales they could unfold. There have been many criminal cases tried in Natrona county. A record of about all of them may be found elsewhere in this volume, but the story told by a layman does not give the inside history that could be related by the presiding judge. In addition to the criminal cases there have been hundreds and hundreds of civil cases heard by these judges. Some of these cases provoked amusement for the spectators as well as the court, and many, many of them carried sadness, disappointment and sometimes financial ruin to the losing side, and few, indeed, were those who gained a great deal, either in wealth or reputation, even though the case was decided in their favor. From 1890, when Natrona county was organized, until 1913, Albany, Natrona and Fremont counties comprised the Second judicial district. All the judges during that time come from Albany county, not because Albany had any better material than Natrona or Fremont county for a presiding judge, but because there were more voters in Albany county than the combined votes of Natrona and Fremont counties. J. W. Kingman of Laramie City was the first man to preside over the court in the Second district, and his successors on the bench were the following- named gentlemen, all from Laramie City: Judge E. A. Thomas, Judge J. B. Blair, Judge N. C. Sauffly, Judge J. W. Blake, Judge J. H. Hayford, Judge Charles W. Bramel, Judge Charles E. Carpenter and Judge V. J. Tidball. In February, 1913, our state legislature created the new Sixth judicial district, comprising the counties of Natrona, Fremont and Converse. Judge Charles E. Winter, who had located in Casper on the 6th day of January, 1913, was appointed during the first part of March, 1913, by Governor Joseph M. Carey, the first judge of the district, and later resigned from the bench to enter private practice. Judge Winter was very popular while on the bench and was elected in 1922 to represent the state of Wyoming in the lower house of congress. Governor Robert D. Carey appointed Ralph Kimball of Fremont county as Judge Winter's successor, and Judge Kimball resigned to be elevated to the supreme bench of Wyoming, and Judge C. O. Brown of Converse county was appointed to succeed Judge Kimball. At the general election in the fall of 1922 Judge Brown was elected to succeed himself. In the thirty-two years of Natrona county's organization she has furnished but one resident judge, Hon. Charles E. Winter. NATRONA COUNTY'S ASSESSED VALUATION Most important for the maintenance of a county government is the taxation levied upon the property of the citizens of a county, and, probably, among the most interesting documents stored away in the "dead" vault in the Natrona county court house are the tax schedules for the year 1890, being the first year that our county was segregated from Carbon. A great many people who have taken up their residence here in recent years are of the opinion that this part of the state was then an exclusive cattle country, but, according to the assessor's figures, there were then 28,901 sheep in the county, valued at $44,184, against 28,029 cattle, valued at $295,660. The valuation of the cattle per head, as placed by the state board of equalization, ranged from $10 to $25. There were ninety people in the county that year who owned cattle, the largest number owned by one person being 4,000 head; another person owned 3,500 head; another 3,000 head, a number of others were assessed for 2,500 head. There were but ten people in the county who claimed that they were the owners of sheep. George Ferris had 6,000 head, and they were assessed at $9,000, or $1.50 per head; Tom Hood had 2,040 head; C. P. Dasch, 4,598; Wm. Madden, 1,500; John Morton, 5,250; Woodruff Bros., 9,500, and then there were thirteen more sheep in the county divided among four people as owners. There were 2,432 head of horses in the county, valued at $52,762, and no mules and asses, valued at $5,625. There was not a dog or a hog in the county, according to the records of the assessor. There were 158 carriages, valued at $6,690, and the farming utensils and mechanics' tools were valued at $8,305. There were but forty-seven people in the whole county who owned clocks, watches and jewelry that seemed to be worth assessing, and the valuation placed upon all of them was $1,817.15. Fifteen people owned musical instruments, the most valuable one being assessed at $150, and the one of the lowest value being placed at $10, the whole being valued at $935. There were two law libraries in the county, one owned by Alex T. Butler, valued at $100, and C. C. Wright was the owner of the other, valued at $50. Fourteen people in the county owned household furniture valued at more than $100, the whole being assessed at $980. The capital employed in manufacture was assessed at $21,755. But one merchant in the county had store fixtures that were worth assessing, and that went in at a valuation of $200. Three people owned stocks and shares in corporations, the valuation of the whole going in at $180. There was $3,377.13 in moneys and credits put in to be assessed, divided among eight people. One merchant had $1,200 in moneys and credits; another had $1,000, another $500, another $230, another $200, two men had $100 each, and the lowest amount turned in was $47.13. The total valuation of all the personal property in the county turned in to be assessed was $6,731, divided among ninety-six people, the highest amount being $1,000 and the lowest five dollars, there being four people coming in at the five-dollar assessment, one at six dollars; more than a dozen at ten dollars and a great many at twenty-five dollars and up to one hundred dollars. The total assessed valuation for the whole county was $449,151.28. To compare the above with the assessment made in 1921, which is published at the conclusion of this chapter, will show to some extent how the county has grown in valuation and the wonderful change that has taken place in the short space of thirty-one years. With each succeeding year the county enjoyed an increase in its assessed valuation, but even with the increase year after year the county in 1895 showed less than a million dollar valuation. To be exact it was $958,724.92. The town lots and improvements thereon within the county in 1895 showed an assessed valuation of $11,231.75. There were 11,527 head of cattle in the county at that time; 257,273 head of sheep; 2,460 horses; twenty swine, and three dogs. In five years, or in 1900, the total assessed valuation of the county had increased to $1,359,313.76.* The town lots and improvements were assessed at $191,992.50, showing an increase of $180,760.-75. There were 8,917 cattle, 3,207 horses, 297,717 sheep and thirty-three swine. In 1901 the total valuation for the county was $1,794,-514.48; and in 1902 the total was $1,766,973.63, with 364,037 sheep, and 11,968 cattle. In 1903 town lots and improvements were assessed at $216,532, and there were 499,557 sheep listed for assessment, 16,103 cattle and 5,000 horses. In 1907 the total assessment had increased to $2,998,371, with town lots and improvements assessed at $361,750. There were 24,274 cattle, 4,636 horses, 538,876 sheep and 153 swine. In seven years, or in 1914, the total assessed valuation was increased to $12,373,273, divided as follows: Acres of land, 177,629, $1,223,322; town lots and improvement, $3,531,557; cattle, 12,685 head, $372,550; sheep, 352,567 head, $1,181,080; horses, 5,601 head, $249,540; mules 113, $10,325; swine, 544 head, $2,978; personal property $2,281,078; dogs, Sio; oil output, 2,284,843 barrels, $1,142,421; railroads, telegraph and telephone, $2,292,316; private car lines, $5,996. In 1918 the total was $27,286,676, and in 1919 an increase was made to $33,600,178; 1920 showed an increase to $47,723,518, and in 1921 the total was $61,070,426, an increase over 1920 of $13,346,908, divided into the following classes of property: Number acres patented land, 243,918, $1,536.920; improvements on land, $1,261,939; improvements on land, not taxable, $331,974; value town lots, $6,332,339; value improvements on town lots, $9,794,477; equities in state land, $15,309. Total real property in Natrona county, $19,272,958. Cattle, 22,096 head, valued at $819,500; sheep, 270,093, $1,176,671; horses, 6,340, $202,125; mules, 40, $3,765; swine, 234, $1,785; goats, 7, $35; dogs, 23, $1,130; carnages, wagons and vehicles, $54,999; automobiles, $1,132,258; motor cycles, $1,425; farming utensils and mechanical tools, $355,313; clocks and watches, jewelry, $47,775; musical instruments, $158,775; private libraries, $4,500; law libraries, $19,395; household furniture, $572,- 026; average capital in merchandise, $2,621,527; average value employed in manufacture, $151,966; office and store fixtures, $409,171; stock and shares in corporations, $610,400; money and credits, $72,372; other property not herein enumerated, $7,773,265; private car companies, $157,670; railroad companies, $5^55,673; telegraph and telephone companies, $232,148; pipe line companies, $1,042,120; mining companies, $7,467; oil companies, $19,304,391; gas companies, $123,741; public utility, $839,131. Natrona county in 1921 showed the largest assessed valuation of any county in the state and also had the largest number of sheep listed of any of the several counties in Wyoming. It will also be noted that the assessed valuation had increased from less than half a million dollars in 1890 to more than sixty-one million dollars in 1921. This phenomenal increase was due mostly to the development of the oil fields and construction of the oil refineries, which, in addition to the money invested in the development of the oil fields and the building of refineries, was the incentive for bringing many other industries, with additional mercantile houses and professional men to the county, but considerable credit is also due to the stock raising industry which is yet responsible, and always has been, for no small amount of the county's taxes. EARNINGS IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE The earnings in the office of the county clerk during the year 1917 reached its highest peak, and was more than the earnings in any other county clerk's office in the state for any year, the amount being $23,679.90, as against $5,500.05 for 1916. A total of 16,390 instruments were filed for record, as against 3,595 for the previous year. For 1918 the earnings in this office showed a decided falling off with a gradual decline with each year following. COUNTY'S BUDGET FOR 1922 In making up the budget for the year 1922 the board of county commissioners estimated that there would be an income of $252,350, $10,000 of which would be derived from the earnings in the county clerk's office, $2,000 from the office of the clerk of the district court, and $240,350 from taxation. Of this amount it was estimated that the salaries of officers and deputies would amount to $68,000, transportation and contingent expense for the various departments, $8,000; district court expense, $14,750, justice court expense, $4,550; coroner's expense, $3,350; printing and records, $6,500; court house and jail expense, $20,000; criminal costs, $15,000; roads and bridges, $29,500, and miscellaneous expense $82,500. The salaries for the officers and deputies were divided as follows: Sheriff, $9,000; county clerk, $9,000; county treasurer, $6,000; county attorney, $6,500; superintendent of schools, $1,500; assessor, $13,000; county commissioners, $3,000; clerk of the district court, $4,000; county physician, $2,500; county agent, $2,500; health officer, $4,000; miscellaneous expense to be divided among the several offices, $7,000. The general miscellaneous expense was estimated as follows: Poor and pauper, $20,000; county hospital, $18,000; premium on official bonds, $1,500; election expense, $5,000; contagious disease, $5,000; postage and freight, $1,000; telegraph and telephone, $4,000; inspection of horses and cattle, $1,500; mothers' pensions, $3,500; county poor farm, $1,000; clinic, $4,000, and to cover the 1920 deficit, $18,000. THE COUNTY POOR FARM The poor and pauper and "widows' expense" of Natrona county is an annual burden to the taxpayers of more than $25,000, and on account of the liberality of the members of the board of county commissioners the amount is rapidly increasing, and it is truly said that many of the people who are kept by the county eat better food, wear more expensive clothing and live in better houses than many of the laboring class who "earn their bread by the sweat of their brow." At one time the county clerk had published in the official proceedings of the county commissioners the names of those who received alms from the county, and the amount given them, but such a protest was made against the action of the clerk in the publication of the names of those who were classed as "poor and pauper," that the commissioners ordered the clerk in the future to forego the publication of the names, "because of the extra advertising expense." On April 29, 1919, the board of county commissioners bought from N. S. Wilson 870 acres of land situated four and one-half miles east from the city of Casper. Two hundred acres of this land was under irrigation from water supplied by Elkhorn and Cloud creeks. The improvements on the farm included a six-room house, stables, garage, electric light and water systems, private telephone connecting with the Casper exchange, and many other conveniences. It was the intention of the commissioners to send the county's indigent to this farm where sustenance would not be so great, but they refused to go to the farm, and for a short time some of them did not apply for aid. In a few months, however, they were on the county pay roll again and some of them have been there ever since, and they continue to live in the city with all the comforts and conveniences that a liberal county administration can provide for them. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wy/natrona/history/1923/historyo/organiza2gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wyfiles/ File size: 50.2 Kb