History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/3/Counties/Madison
MADISON COUNTY which was at one time a part of the original county of Demoine, was established in January, 1846, lies in the third tier north of the Missouri line and in the fourth east of the Missouri River and was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States. It is traversed by the North, Middle and South rivers along which are borders of native forest.
The first settler in the county was Hiram Hurst who came from Missouri in May, 1845, and took a claim in Crawford township. In May, 1846, Joel, Isaac and Charles Clanton and Caleb Clark with their families settled along Clanton’s Creek. About the same time Samuel Guye and family located on the divide between Middle and North rivers. Crosby B. Jones and Seth Adams took claims near Middle River. Alfred D. Jones opened the first store at a place called the “Narrows” about four miles east of where Winterset stands. The first post-office was established at this place with Mr. Jones postmaster.
In July, 1849, the commissioners chosen for that purpose selected a site for the county-seat on a farm owned by John Guiberson who sold it to the county. The day was cold for midsummer when the commissioners assembled at the house of Enos Berger to agree upon a name for the new town. One of them suggested “Summerset.” William Combes who had been fortifying himself with “sod corn juice” against the cold, exclaimed “We had a site better call it Winterset”; his colleagues at once agreed and that became the name of the new county-seat.
The first county officers were chosen in April, 1849, consisting of G. W. McClellan, clerk; P. M. Boyles, recorder; Joseph K. Evans, treasurer; A. D. Jones, prosecuting attorney, and William Combes, David Bishop and William Gentry, county commissioners. The commissioners caused a double log house to be erected for the use of the county officials and courts. Judge William McKay held the first court in May, 1849, in a cabin used for a store and saloon. Enos Barger built the first house in Winterset and became the first postmaster. He also built a log house for a hotel in 1849 which was the largest building in the town. John A. Pitzer the following year built the first frame house in the county. In 1856 James Ilor brought an old printing press and type in a wagon from Sandusky, Ohio, and began the publication of a weekly newspaper called the Iowa Patriot which afterwards became the Winterset Madisonian. The Rock Island road runs through the northern part of the county with a branch to Winterset.