during the next two years and in July, 1851, Theophilus Bryan was appointed sheriff to organize the county government. At the first election the following officers were chosen: Theophilus Bryan, judge; Silas G. Weeks, clerk; Thomas M. Boyles, treasurer; Michael Messenger, sheriff, and William Carson, prosecuting attorney. The county-seat was named Panora.
When first created the eastern boundaries of the county were six miles east of the present lines. The first term of court was held by Judge McFarland in 1854. In December, 1855, William Tracy established a weekly newspaper at Panora called the Western Pioneer. During the same year a town was laid out near the geographical center of the county and named Guthrie Center. In 1859 it became the county-seat which was two years later removed to Panora but in 1873 again removed to Guthrie Center where it has remained. The county is traversed by the south and middle branches of the Raccoon River and its surface is for the most part rolling with a good supply of native timber. The Rock Island Railroad traverses the southern part of the county, the Des Moines Northern the eastern and the Milwaukee the northern townships.
HAMILTON COUNTY lies in the fourth tier south of Minnesota and in the sixth east of the Missouri River. When first created in 1851 the county was named Risley. The Fourth General Assembly changed the name to Webster. At the same session Webster County was enlarged by consolidating it with Yell county which joined it on the west. In 1857 Hamilton County was created by taking from Webster the territory on the east formerly embraced in Risley. It was named for W. W. Hamilton, then president of the State Senate. The new county of Hamilton contained sixteen congressional townships making an area of five hundred seventy-six square miles. Webster City was made the county-seat.
