They lived in the rudest log cabins and subsisted on pork, corn dodgers, whisky and coffee, and such small game as the country afforded.
The first term of court was held at the cabin of Jacob Ross by Judge Sloan in September, 1851. The first attorney in the county was Benjamin Rector who became a prominent lawyer. He raised a company for the Fourth Iowa Cavalry in the War of the Rebellion, was promoted to major, taken prisoner and died at Helena in January, 1863.
Commissioners were appointed to locate the county-seat in 1852 and selected a site on the west bank of East One Hundred and Two River where, by order of the county judge, a town was laid out and named Bedford. O. W. Tenno erected a double log cabin, the first in the town plot, which was used for a store and dwelling for many years. The first newspaper in the county was established in February, 1858, by Joseph H. Turner at Bedford and named the Iowa South West. The Burlington Railroad has a branch running from Creston through Bedford and Tayor County. The county was named for General Zachary Taylor, the twelfth President of the United States.
UNION COUNTY lies in the second tier north of Missouri, in the fourth east of the Missouri River and contains four hundred thirty-two square miles. It was created in 1851 and in the original bill providing for its establishment the county was named Mason, for judge Charles Mason. Just before the passage of the bill in the Senate, upon motion of Mr. Morton, the name Mason was stricken out and “Union” inserted. At that time, after years of better conflict over the institution of slavery which threatened a dissolution of the Union, a compromise had been effected which was believed by many would permanently settle the dangerous controversy and insure the perpetuity of the Union. Hence the name given to this new county. Grand River, Twelve Mile and the Platte are the
