This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE

This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Pardon an old historian but I want to take you back quite a few years to a very important moment in the life of the little town of Linkville.

It was Sunday, January 31, 1875, Linkville was the only town of any consequence in the area. In all the area there were about 900 people, but less than 250 in the town itself.

Residents who wanted to transact any county business had to endure a trip mostly by horse over the mountains to Jacksonville, the county seat.

They decided on a bold venture in 1874, and began to build support for the establishment of a new county. They appealed to their State Representative in the area, a D. W. Cheesman to again introduce a bill to establish the area as a new county. Their first effort a year before had been denied.

Cheesman introduced the measure in which the new county would become Crook County. It passed the Legislature on October 24, 1874.

The bill changed the name of the county, however, to Lake County since another county had the Crook name.

It also stated the the Governor, Grover, would appoint the new officers of the county. They were to hold office until the general election of 1876.

A section of the measure said: “The temporary county seat of Lake

County shall be located at Linkville, in said county, until a permanent location is adopted.”

That wording received little attention since Linkville was the only town in the prescribed county boundaries.

On Monday, February l, 1875, Lake county came into existence. The meeting was held at the home of George Nurse in the vicinity of what is now Main and Third streets.

The Governor had appointed a Goose Lake rancher, E. C. Mason as the County Judge and Henry Fuller County Commissioner. Willam Roberts was sworn in as County Clerk and Thomas Mulholland the Sheriff. A building was rented from William Angle at the rate of $15 a month at about where the Blue Ox restaurant used to be on Main Street.

Total taxable property for the entire county amounted to about $469,000.

Historians have since wondered why George Nurse….who started the town and who owned most of the main property of the town...was not included in the officers.

One can only surmise that Nurse was not interested in holding a public office. A man who loved horses perhaps shied away from public office.

At any rate….the town of Linkville now was the Lake County seat and the town celebrated. It was a great day.

But…..that little phrase about an election in 1876 to formalize the county seat…...would come home to haunt the Linkville residents and prove to be a devastating blow to their county seat hopes. But that’s another story for another time.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Text Box:
This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Pardon an old historian but I want to take you back quite a few years to a very important moment in the life of the little town of Linkville.
             It was Sunday, January 31, 1875, Linkville was the only town of any consequence in the area.   In all the area there were about 900 people, but less than 250 in the town itself.
             Residents who wanted to transact any county business had to endure a trip mostly by horse over the mountains to Jacksonville, the county seat.
They decided on a bold venture in 1874, and began to build support for the establishment of a new county. They appealed to their State Representative in the area, a D. W. Cheesman to again introduce a bill to establish the area as a new county. Their first effort a year before had been denied.
Cheesman introduced the measure in which the new county would become Crook County.   It passed the Legislature on October 24, 1874.
The bill changed the name of the county, however, to Lake County since another county had the Crook name.
It also stated the the Governor, Grover, would appoint the new officers of the county. They were to hold office until the general election of 1876.
A section of the measure said: “The temporary county seat of Lake
County shall be located at Linkville, in said county, until a permanent location is adopted.”
That wording received little attention since Linkville was the only town in the prescribed county boundaries.
On Monday, February l, 1875, Lake county came into existence. The meeting was held at the home of George Nurse in the vicinity of what is now Main and Third streets.
The Governor had appointed a Goose Lake rancher, E. C. Mason as the County Judge and Henry Fuller County Commissioner. Willam Roberts was sworn in as County Clerk and Thomas Mulholland the Sheriff. A building was rented from William Angle at the rate of $15 a month at about where the Blue Ox restaurant used to be on Main Street.
             Total taxable property for the entire county amounted to about $469,000.
             Historians have since wondered why George Nurse….who started the town and who owned most of the main property of the town...was not included in the officers.
             One can only surmise that Nurse was not interested in holding a public office. A man who loved horses perhaps shied away from public office.
At any rate….the town of Linkville now was the Lake County seat and the town celebrated. It was a great day.
But…..that little phrase about an election in 1876 to formalize the county seat…...would come home to haunt the Linkville residents and prove to be a devastating blow to their county seat hopes.   But that’s another story for another time.
This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.