March 9, 1839 – The Claim Association of Johnson County is created for the purpose of overseeing the 614 square acres of the county. In the absence of an established local government, the Claim Association became “the law”, protecting the land rights of those early settlers who joined the organization.
When it was announced in 1839 that Johnson County would soon become the host for Iowa’s new capital city, land investors and others began flooding into the area. And since the U.S. government had not yet completed the surveying that was required in order to “sell” land, it became necessary for the local citizens to police those “squatters” who would attempt to acquire land without going through the right channels.
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