(Source: History of Warren County 1879)
The first court in the county was held September 1849. It was held in the Union Schoolhouse, an old log building. The Grand Jury sat on a fallen tree. William McKAY was the presiding judge. Barlow Granger was appointed prosecuting attorney for the county. No grand jury had been summoned so Sheriff Henderson rounded up the following people to serve on the grand jury: Mahlon HAWORTH, D.A. FELTER, Ulysses BERGER, Samuel HAWORTH, Morman HAWORTH, Henry HAYS, John M. LAVERTY (appointed foreman), Jonathan DILLON, Alfred CLARK, John ADAMSON, Thomas BLACKFORD, Amos BARKER Sr., R.M. HIGHTOWER, G.M. ALDRICH, John S. WALLACE, William Manley, Daniel BARKER.
Cases heard by this court:
Philemon MORRIS vs Thomas J. HILL, an appeal that was dismissed.
State of Iowa vs William W. HURST, a recognizance case that was dismissed.
Franklin BENGE vs Elizabeth BENGE, granted a petition for divorce.
State of Iowa vs Edward BALES and State of Iowa vs James BALES, assigned $200 surety for their appearance in District Court to answer the indictment of an assault with intent to kill.
The second court meet in the courthouse at Indianola, in September, 1850. Madison YOUNG was the special prosecuting attorney for Warren County. The grand jury was composed of Lewis JOHNSON, David McCLURE, William C. SIMMONS, John BRYANT, Thomas J. LINNARD, John CREWS, Enoch GRAHAM, Levi HOLLINGSWORTH, William SHAWVER, Matthew MILLLICAN, Henry HAYS, James ARNOLD, Zachariah NICHOLSON, Thomas BENGE, Daniel BARKER (foreman), Thomas BLACKFORD, and Joel SCOTT.
The first trial by a jury was held during this term. It was The State of Iowa v. Samuel JOHNSON on indictment for petit larceny. He was found guilty, fined $12.50, costs, and 48 hours in county jail.
The first man convicted of a felony in the county was James M. HERN, in 1851 for larceny. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for two years and five months.
The CULLISONS, charged with larceny were acquitted in 1851.
R.W. STEELE was the first regular practioner befor the cour and George BRINKERHOFF was the second.
The first seduction case was seduction case was heard in October of 1852.
The first citizens naturalized in the county were James SERRY and William HASTIE, at the October term 1854 and John WOOD and William RUNCIMAN in the March term of 1856.