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IOWA. 



On the 10th of June, 1851, a number of citizens and farmers resident in the 

 neighborhood of Mineral Point, assembled at that village, in consequence of a 

 public call having been made upon them, in order to ascertain the feasibiHty of 

 establishing an Agricultural Society with an annual Exhibition and Fair, for 

 stock, articles of domestic manufacture, implements of husbandry, mechanical 

 productions and improvements, and all the cereal crops of the agriculturist. At 

 this meeting there were a number of horses and cattle of excellent breed, and in 

 fine order, brought to the ground; and from the general good feeling on the 

 subject of the organization of an Agricultural Society for the county of Iowa, as 

 expressed at this meeting, it was determined by the citizens and farmers then 

 present, that an adjourned meeting should be held at the Court House, in Mine- 

 ral Point, on Saturday, July 19th, 1851, for the purpose of completing an organi- 

 zation of the "Iowa County Agricultr.ral Society," and a Committee consisting of 

 Gen, Wm. R. Smith, Hon. Mortimer M.Jackson, Samuel Crawford, Montgomery 

 M. Cothren, Henry M. Billings, John Hand, H. L. Leffingwell, Levi Sterling and 

 George Goldthorp, was appointed to report " Articles of Association, Rules and 

 Regulations of Premiums, and nomination of officers of the contemplated 

 Society." 



On Saturday, July 19th, 1851, the first meeting of the Society was held at 

 Mineral Point, at which meeting Francis J. Dunn, Esq. presided ; and General 

 Smith was appointed Secretary. 



The Committee appointed to report Articles of Association, Rules and Regula- 

 tions of Premiums, and nomination of officers of the Society, made Report by 

 their chairman, Wm. R. Smith, of the " Articles of Association of the Iowa 

 County Agricultural Society," which were severally considered, amended, and 

 unanimously adopted. 



By these articles the Society was to be organized by the election, yearly, of a 

 President, six Vice Presidents, a Secretary and Treasurer; and their several 

 duties were prescribed. The members were to consist of such persons as should 

 pay into the treasury the sum of one dollar annually : a failure to make such pay- 

 ment would work a forfeiture of membership. All persons competing for pre- 

 miums at any Exhibition or Fair of the Societ}'-, would be admitted as members 

 of the Society for the time, on payment of one dollar into the treasury ; and this 

 payment was made imperative on the person so competing for premiums. 



Two semi-annual Cattle Shows and Fairs were to be held in each year, at 

 Mineral Point, or elsewhere, in the county of Iowa, as might be determined on by 

 a vote of the Society. The prescribed days for holding such Shows and Fairs 

 are the second Fridays and Saturdays in the months of May and October in each 



