VERDI TOWNSHIP

A petition of voters of township 109, range 46 for the right to organize said township under the name of "Verdi" being granted by the Board of County Commissioners of Lincoln county, the first meeting of Verdi township was held January 30th, 1880 at the home of Patrick McCaffrey for the purpose of electing a Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, together with tow additional supervisors, one clerk, one treasure, assessor, two justices of the peace and tow constables, and to transact any other business that might legally come before the meeting.

The meeting was called to order and Edwin Dake was chosen chairman, J. A. Simons and George McCaffrey chosen as judges of the election and John C. Enke and Thomas Reynolds, clerks. The polls were opened and kept open until five o'clock p. m. when they were declared closed. Upon the votes being counted and canvassed the following were elected to serve as the first township officers: Z. Bailey, chairman of board of supervisors by 15 votes; Thomas Cummings, supervisor by 15 votes; Walter Steven, supervisor by 14 votes; John C. Enke, clerk by 15 votes; Peter Reynolds, treasure by 15 votes; Charles Harvey, assessor by 15 votes; Anthony Duffy, justice of peace by 15 votes; Edwin Dake, justice of the peace by 14 votes; Patrick McCaffrey and James Were, constables, each by 15 votes. Meeting then adjourned on motion. Signed, Edwin Dake, J. A. Simons, George McCaffrey, judges; John C. Enke and Thomas Reynolds, clerks.

Note: It is stated that a cigar box was used as a ballot box at this meeting. Mrs. P. H. McCaffrey, widow of the late P. H. McCaffrey, who took an active part in the organization of the township, is the possessor of an original ballot used at the election upon which the following was transcribed in long hand:

For supervisor - Z. Bailey, Chairman; Thomas Cummings, Walter Stevens. For Clerk - John C. Enke. For Treasurer - Peter Reynolds. For Assessor - Charles Harvey. For Justices of the Peace - J. H. Palmer (erased and E. Dake inserted instead), Anthony Duffy. For Constables, Patrick McCaffrey, James Were.

At a meeting of the town board held February 18, 1880, at the clerk's office, all members being present, the town was divided into tow road districts. It was also decided at this meeting that each voter subject to poll tax be assessed three days work upon the highway annually.

The annual town meeting and election was held at the depot in the village of Verdi on March 9, 1880. The meeting was called to order by the clerk and Z. Bailey was appointed moderator. O. S. Parker and A. H. Gleason were chosen judges of election. The polls were opened and kept open until 12 o'clock and reopened again at one o'clock. John Kruger was elected road overseer for road district No. 1 and Peter Reynolds overseer of road district No. 2. Three public places were chosen (for posting of public notices), vis.: the postoffice, the southeast corner of section 12 near the house of James W. Randall, and the southwest corner of section 8 near the house of John C. Enke. Motions were made and carried to procure tow road scrapers, on for each district, to raise by tax upon the taxable property of the township the sum of $118 for town purposes and $100 for bridge purposes, and that town officers receive $1.50 per day for services.

The polls were closed at five o'clock and the votes counted and canvassed with the result that Z. Bailey was elected chairman by 40 votes: Thomas J. Cummings and Walter Stevens each elected supervisor by 40 votes; John C. Enke, clerk by 40 votes; Peter Reynolds, treasurer by 26 votes; Charles Harvey, assessor by 40 votes. Meeting then adjourned. Signed by A. H. Gleason and O. S. Parker, as judges, and John C. Enke, clerk.

Note - It is presumed that the township was named in honor of Giuseppe Verdi, Italian musical composer, born in 1813, who died in 1901 at the behest of Mr. John C. Enke, one of the active organizers.

Verdi Township

Bailey, Z.

Cummings, Thomas

Cummings, Thomas J.

Dake, E.

Dake, Edwin

Duffy, Anthony

Enke, John C.

Giuseppe, Verdi

Gleason, A. H.

Harvey, Charles

Kruger, John

McCaffrey, George

McCaffrey, P. H.

McCaffrey, Patrick

Palmer, J. H.

Parker, O. S.

Randall, James W.

Reynolds, Peter

Reynolds, Thomas

Simons, J. A.

Steven, Walter

Stevens, Walter

Were, James