Page [37]

                  CHAPTER SEVEN
                        The Bar
    One of the first acts of the commissioners of Manitowoc
county after its organization in 1839 at which time the first
election was held, was to erect a county building at the
Rapids. Here the county offices were located and records
kept, but it did not attain the dignity of a "courthouse" until
1848 when, as stated, the judicial power which had been re-
tained by Brown county was bestowed upon us. The original
"county house" cost the sum of $650. When it became a
'courthouse" it was enlarged and changed somewhat, and
that indispensable annex to a well ordered judicial system-
a county jail, was built on. It had been used also as a school-
house and hence the early records, speak of Justice Stow and
Judge Howe, holding court in the schoolhouse. On April 30,
1852, it was destroyed by fire and advantage was taken of
the fact to bring about the removal of the county seat to
Manitowoc. This was duly accomplished in 1858 and there-
after the courts were held in that village. The sessions were
held in various temporary places. Once at the private resi-
dence of Col. Peleg Glover, other times in the South Side
school house and the dance hall of George Dusold at the
corner of Seventh and Jay streets, until the courthouse was
completed in 1856 on the site now occupied by the present
county building.
    The first two chapters of this series brought the history
of the bar to the year 1854, at which time it consisted of six
mnembers, three of the original four present at the organization
of the court in 1848 and the addition of George Reed, Nic
Wollmer and S. A. Wood. Meanwhile the county had been
developing rapidly. The flood of German immigration brought
many desirable citizens, some of them persons of considerable
wealth and also good business ability. This was supplemented
by a considerable Bohemian immigration which settled up a
large tract of territory now comprised in the towns of Kos-
suth, Franklin and Gilbson. All this made for business and in
one way and another the little bar had plenty of profitable
work.
    But 1854 was a tragic year in the legal history of Mani-