Among the democrats were such prominent men as Colonel I. M. Preston, S. H. Tryon, S. W. Durham, H. W. Gray, Dr. T. S. Bardwell, T. J. McKean, J. C. Barry, James Green, L. M. Strong, C. T. Williams, and James Brown.
During the territorial days Robert Lucas was a democrat, while John Chambers was a whig, succeeded by James Clarke, another democrat. During these early territorial days Linn county cut very little figure in the affairs of the newly organized territory, as the river counties had most of the settlers and otherwise controlled political affairs in general. In the first assembly which met at Burlington, November 11, 1838, this county was represented by Charles Whittelsy in the council, and by Robert G. Roberts in the house. The district then was composed of Cedar, Johnson, Jones, and Linn counties.
The second assembly met at the same place November 4, 1839, this district being represented in the council by Charles Whittelsy, and by George H. Walworth in the house. The district this year was composed of Cedar, Jones, and Linn counties.
The third assembly convened at Burlington November 2, 1840, and now, for the first time, Linn county was represented in the council by a resident of the county, in the person of George Greene. In the house sat George H. Walworth and H. Van Antwerp.
The fourth assembly convened at the newly selected capital at Iowa City, and in the council or upper house sat again George Greene, and in the house were Thomas Higginson and Thomas Denson.
In the fifth assembly sat J. P. Cook in the council and George H. Walworth and J. C. Barry in the house, the latter being a resident of Linn county.
In the sixth assembly sat J. P. Cook in the council, George H. Walworth and Robert Smythe in the house, Smythe being a resident of the county. For many years he was a prominent politician in Iowa, and sat in the lower and upper houses for many years.
In the seventh assembly, which convened at Iowa City in May, 1845, sat William Abbe in the council, and Joe K. Snyder and John Taylor in the house. William Abbe was the first actual settler in the county and one of the best known persons in eastern Iowa in early days. Mr. Abbe also sat in the assembly which met at Iowa City in December, 1845.
Linn county was also represented by able men in the constitutional conventions, and no doubt the members from this county did much in the adoption of our constitution. In the first constitutional convention which convened October 7, 1844, there sat as members from this county the following persons: T. J. McKean, L. M. Strong, and S. W. Durham, all democrats. This convention numbered fifty-three democrats and seventeen whigs. In the second constitutional convention, which met at the seat of government May 4, 1856, Linn and Benton counties were represented by Socrates H. Tryon, of Marion. In this convention, which was smaller than the first, the party vote stood twenty democrats and ten whigs.
In the third constitutional convention, which met January 19, 1857, there sat H. W. Gray, of Marion, as a member of the convention, and Ellsworth N. Bates, of Cedar Rapids, as assistant secretary, a young man of brilliant parts.