HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - 43

CHAPTER XI.

CIVIL LIST.

On the 24th day of May following the organization of the county, the following record was made in the &art Journal on page one of volume one:

"Be it remembered, that, on the 24th day of May, A.D. 1824, at Elyria, in the county of Lorain, in pursuance of a statute law of the State of Ohio, passed on the 10th day of February in the year aforesaid, entitled an 'Act regutating the time of holding Judicial Court,' the first Court of Common Pleas, in and for said county of Lorain, was opened in due time by the Sheriff thereof, Josiah Harris: holding said Court, George Tod, President of the Court of Common Pleas for the third circuit in said State, in which circuit is the said county of Lorain, and his associates, Moses Eldred, Henry Brown and Frederick Hamlin, before which Court the following proceedings were had, to wit: Woolsey Welles, an Attorney of Record in the Court, was appointed the attorney to prosecute the pleas of the State for this county during the pleasure of the Court."

The first official act of this court was the appointment of administrators upon the estate of Almond Holcomb, deceased. Lucinda Holcomb, widow of the deceased, and Edward Durand, were appointed.

Before the court proceeded to the general business of the session Woolsey Welles was appointed clerk, during the pleasure of the court. The first suit was for the recovery of fourteen hundred and twenty- seven dollars and twenty-seven cents. Simon Nichols, plaintiff, and Thomas G. Bronson, defendant. Judgment was rendered for the plaintiff. The second day of the session Ebenezer Whiton was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas, and Woolsey Welles was discharged from further attendance as clerk.

The following gentlemen composed the first

GRAND JURY,

who were duly sworn, charged by the court, and sent out:

Benjamin Brown, Eliphalet Redington, Heman Ety, Phineas Johnson, Mabel Osburn, Edward Durand, Harry Redington, Gardner Howe, Erastus Hamlin, Simon Nichols, Silas Willmot, Thomas G. Bronson, James J. Sexton, Abraham Moon and Thomas T. Phelps; Homan Ely, foreman.

The grand jury returned into court, and having no business before it, was discharged from further attendance.

Edward Durand was appointed county surveyor.

At the September term, 1824, Lewis Ely, Jr., was appointed deputy clerk.

September term, 1826, Ebenezer Whiton was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas for the period of seven years, "if so long he shall behave well."

At the March term, 1830, Hon. Reuben Wood took his seat as presiding judge, with the same associates as before given. Tiernan Ely became associate judge the fall of 1830. April, 1831, Josiah Harris and E. W. Hubbard, associate judges. Fall of 1833, Hon. Matthew Burchard was presiding judge. Spring of 1834, Hon. Ezra Dean was presiding judge; Heman Ely, Josiah Harris and Franklin Wells associate judges. Spring of 1835, Ozias Long was associate judge. Daniel J. Johns was associate judge in 1837, and from this time until the spring of 1839 the record is missing. 1n 1840, Hon. John W. Witley became presiding judge. Judge Willey died in office July 9, 1841, and the Hon. Reuben Hitchcock was appointed to filt the vacancy until the next spring term, when we find, January 22, 1842, Hon. Benjamin Bissell presiding judge, with Franklin Wells, Daniel J. Johns and Joseph L. Whiton associates. 1n the May term, 1845, Etijah De Witt and Daniel T. Baldwin became associate judges. 1n the April term, 1848, Benjamin C. Perkins was an associate judge., 1n the May term, 1849, Hon. Philemon Bliss was presiding judge, and William Day, associate.

In 1852, upon the adoption of the new Constitution, the office of associate judge was abolished, and that of Judge made elective. The following is a complete list of the gentlemen who have presided as judge, from the above year until the present, with dates of their election:

1852, Hon. Samuel Humphreyville; 1857, Hon. James B. Carpenter; 1858, Hon. Thomas Bolton; 1859, Hon. William H. Canfield; 1862, Hons. John S. Green and Stevenson Burke. The last named resigned in 1869, and Hon. Washington W. Boynton was appointed to fill vacancy, who served, it appeals by the journal, until 1877, when John C. Hale, the present incumbent, was elected; and Mr. Boynton was elevated to the Ohio supreme bench.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

The following residents of Lorain have occupied seats in the lower house of Congress:

1843 to 1845—Edward S. Hamlin.

1851 to 1853—Norton S. Townshend.

1857 to 1859—Philemon Bliss.

1871 to 1879—James Monroe.

Lorain has been represented at Columbus by the following

STATE SENATORS.

1825 to 1830--Reuben Wood.

1830 to 1833—Joseph W. Willey.

1833 to 1835—Frederick Whitttesey.

1835 to 1836—John W. Allen.

1836 to 1838—James Moore.

1838 to 1840—Heman Birch.

1840 to 1842—James S. Carpenter.

1842 to 1814—Josiah Harris.

1844 to 1846—John Codding.

1846 to 1818- Nathan P. Johnson.

1848 to 1850—Harrison G. Blake.

1850 to 1852—Aaron Pardee.

1852 to 1856—Norton S. Townshend.

1856 to 1860—Herman Canfield.

1860 to 1864—James Monroe.

1864 to 1866—Samuel Humphreyville.

1866 to 1870—L. D. Griswold.

1870 to 1874—James A. Bell.

1874 to 1878—Andrew M. Burns.

STATE REPRESENTATIVES.

1825 to 1827—Leonard Case.

1828 to 1829—Josiah Harris.

1829 to 1830—William Eyles.

1830 to 1831—Josiah Harris.

1831 to 1832—Witliam Eyles.

1832 to 1833—Frederick Whitttesey.

1833 to 1834—Duthan Northrup.

1834 to 1835 -Daniel T. Baldwin.

1835 to 1839—Eber W. Hubbard.

1839 to 1840—William Andrews.

1840 to 1842—Albert A. Bliss. 1841—Lorenzo Warner.

1842 to 1843—Richard Warner.

1843 to 1844—Sylvanus Parmely.

1844 to 1846—Nathan P. Johnson.

1846 to 1848—Elah Park.

44 - HISTORY, OF LORAIN COUNTY; OHIO.

1848 to 1849-Norton. S. Townshend.

1849 to 1850--Joseph L, Whiton.

1850 to 1851-Hiram Thompson.

1851 to 1852-Daniel B. Kinney.

1852 to 1854-Aaron Pardee.

1864 to 1856--Walter F. Herrick

1856 to 1860-James Monroe.

1860 to 1862-Walter F. Herrick and John N. Vincent.

1862 to 1866-Sidney S. Warner.

1866 to 1868-W. W. Boynton.

1868 to 1872-Joseph H. Dickson. 1870-J Strong.

1872 to 1874-Heman Ely.

1874 to 1876-John H. Faxon.

1876 to 1878-Lucius Herrick.

TREASURERS.

Upon the permanent organization of the county, E. West was appointed its treasurer, and held the office one year. Following are the names of the gentlemen who have occupied this position, with date of election or appointment: 1825, Heman Ely; 1827, F. W. Whittlesey; 1830, Elihu Cooley; 1835, Charles Chaney; 1840, Elijah DeWitt; 1844, Henry M. Warner; 1815, Henry B. Kelsey; 1849, S. D. Hinman; 1863, C. S. Goodwin (deceased in the spring of 1856 and N. B. Gates was appointed to fill vacancy until the fall election, when John H. Boynton was elected); 1860, William E. Kellogg; 1864, M. F. Hamlin; 1868, John H. Boynton; 1872, 1saac M. Johnsono and, in 1876, the present incumbent, William A. Braman.

PROBATE JUDGES.

This office was created by the new constitution, and agreeably to its provisions an election was held in October, 1851, at which time Philemon Bliss was chosen to fill it for Lorain County. He was commissioned by Governor Reuben Wood January 17, 1852, and entered upon the duties of the office March 3, 1852. His frrst official act bears date March 5, 1852, and was the granting of a license to the Reverend William O'Conner, a priest of the Catholic faith, authorizing him to solemnize marriage contracts. Judge Bliss was succeeded by William F. Lockwood, whose commission was signed by Governor William Medill, and bears date November 11, 1854. Judge Lockwood resigned, and Lionel A. Sheldon was appointed. His commission, which was signed by Governor Salmon P. Chase, bears date November 20, 1856. Judge Sheldon was succeeded by Charles H. Doolittle, who was commissioned October 26, 1857. His commission was also signed by Governor Chase. Judge Doolittle was foltowed by John W. Steele, who was commissioned December 12, 1867, his commission being signed by Jacob D. Cox, as governor. Judge Steele resigned, and the present incumbent, Laertes B. Smith, succeeded him. Judge Smith was commissioned by Governor Rutherford B. Hayes, May 26, 1871, and assumed the duties of the office June first of that year.

COUNTY CLERKS.

As previously mentioned, Ebenezer L. Whiton was really the first gentleman who filled the position of clerk of the court of common pleas for Lorain county. He served until 1836, when E. H. Leonard succeeded him, and continued to occupy the office until 1844, when George H. Benham was elected to the position. Mr. Benham was succeeded in 1847 by Myron R. Keith, who, in 1852, was followed by Landon Rood. 1n 1858 Roswell G. Horr assumed the duties of the office, and continuing until 1864, when William A. Briggs was elected and the fact of his having held the office continuously until the fall of 1878 is conclusive evidence of his fitness for the place. To him and also to his worthy companion who has ably assisted in the duties of the office, we wish to express our thanks for material aid in the preparation of the official roster. Henry J. Lewis is the clerk elect and will succeed Dr. Briggs.

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.

We have seen that Woolsey Welles was appointed to this position in 1824. He served two years and resigned. Frederick Whittlesey succeeded him. 1n 1832, J. W. Willey was appointed. 1n 1833, Frederick Whittlesey, came in; served two years; was followed in 1835 by E. S. Hamlin; and he, in 1836, by Elijah Parker, for one year. He was succeeded by Joel Tiffany; and his successors are as follows: 1840, E. H. Leonard; 1841, Joel Tiffany; 1842, E. S. Hamlin; 1844, Horace A. Tenny; 1845, Joel Tiffany; 1846, William F. Lockwood; 1850, John M. Vincent; 1854, Joseph H. Dickson; 1856, John M. Vincent; 1858, George Olmsted, who resigned; and W. W. Boynton was appointed to filt vacancy. Mr. Boynton was elected the fall of 1859. He was succeeded by John C. Hale, in 1853. Charles W. Johnston was elected in 1869; and his successor, who was elected in 1873, is George C. Metcalf, the present incumbent, a man every way capable and worthy.

AUDITORS.

Contemporaneous with the birth of the county of Lorain, Sherman Minott assumed the duties and responsibilities of auditor. He retained the position until Henry C. Minott was appointed, and afterward elected. He was succeeded in 1835 by Edward Durand. 1n 1836, Luther D. Griswold was elected; and in 1838, Edward Durand again became the incumbent, and served until 1842, when we find John Sherman occupying the office. The following were his successors: 1n 1844, Landon Rood; in 1851, George Clifton; in 1855, William H. Root; in 1861, Richard Day; in 1863, Mozart Gallup; in 1819, E. G. Johnson; and in 1877, Orville Root, who still retains the office.;

RECORDERS

Ebenezer Whiton was first recorder of Lorain county, and his first official act was to record a deed from Benjamin Pritchard to Anna Merrills, conveying a parcel of land containing thirty and three- fourths acres, situated in township number six, range eighteen, in the county of Huron, and being part of lot number thirty-one. This instrument was acknowledged on May 10, 1823, before 1saac Mills, J. P.; was witnessed by I. Mills and Mary Mills, and endorsed "Received April 13, 1821, and recorded May 11, 1824, on page one, book 'A,' Lorain county record of deeds." Mr. Whiton deceased in 1834, and Eliphalet H. Leonard was appointed to fill vacancy ; 1837, E. 0. Foot; 1840, H. B. Kelsey; 1841, Etah Park; 1843, Cyrus E. Bassett; 1849, John B. Northrop; 1852, Henry S. Rockwood; 1861, Henry B. West; 1864, William H. Tucker, and, in 1873, the present incumbent, John Blanchard, was elected. Mr. Btanchard was one of the noble army who went out to do battle for the ftag, and lost his right forearm in its support on the bloody field of Stone river, December 26, 1862.

CORONERS.

The first record we are able to proc ire is in the year 1827. James J. Sexton then filled the office. The following is a complete list: 1830, Edwin Byington; 1832, William N. Race; 1834, Justin Wiltiams; 1836, Orson J. Humphrey; 1838, Otis Briggs; 1843, Ransom Gibbs; 1844, Philip L. Goss; 1846, Hezekiah Brooks; 1849, John S. Stranahan; 1852, William S. Hopkins; 1853, Herrick Parker; 1857, Clark Etdred; 1862, Nahum B. Gates; 1865, Otis Briggs; 1870, John H. Faxon; 1872, Hiram Patterson, who is the present incumbent.

SURVEYORS.

1824, Edward Durand; 1835, J. E. Truman; 1838, John Sherman; 1842, John H. Faxon; 1843, C. G. Cole; 1846, Joseph Swift, Jr.; 1848, Schuyler Putnam; 1855, John H. Faxon; 1856, Joseph Swift, Jr. ; 1877, L. F. Ward, present incumbent.

SHERIFFS.

The name of Josiah Harris, who was first sheriff, occurs the last time October 10, 1833. William N. Race, coroner, acted as sheriff until November, 1834, when the name of E. Griffrth appears as sheriff. Mr. Griffith was succeeded by Edwin Byington in 1836. Nahum B. Gates was sheriff in 1838; E. Byington in 1842; John H. Faxon in 1844; Wiltiam Patterson in 1848; John H. Boynton in 1850; Ashbel Culver in 1854; S. W. Lincoln in 1856; H. E. Burr in 1859; Milo Harris in 1863; resigned, and W. W. Dyer, coroner, filled the vacancy until 1865, when Mark Hitchcock was elected. He was succeeded by X. Peck, in 1869; and he by R. E. Braman, in 1870; and he again by Charles Stone, in 1877, who is the present incumbent. H. E. Corning, sheriff elect, succeeds Mr. Stone January 1, 1879.

COMMISSIONERS.

The first meeting of the commissioners of Lorain county was held at Elyria, on the 21th day of May, 1824. Present: John S. Reid, Ashabel Osborne, and Benjamin Bacon. Their first official act was the appointment of Edmund West as county treasurer, who gave bond in the sum of three thousand doltars, for the faithful discharge of hrs duties. At the following June session, we find the record of the establishment of a road, as follows: "Beginning in the highway, a little easterty of the dwelling house of Watter Crocker, in Black River township, thence running in the most convenient route near the dwellings of Frederick and Daniel Onstine, thence across Beaver creek, near the house of Mr. Rice, thence to intersect the North Ridge road, so called, a littte eastwardly of the dwelling house of Mr. Ormsby." 1827, Judson Wadsworth succeeded Osborne, as commissioner. The entire succession of incumbents to this office is given in the following list: 1830, Bacon, Wadsworth, and Milton Garfield; 1831, Wadsworth , Garfield. and Samuel Crocker; 1832, Wadsworth, Crocker, and George Bacon, Jr. ; 1834, Crocker, Bacon, and John Laborie; 1835, Bacon, Laborie and Jonathan Rawson; 1836, Laborie, Rawson and Conrad Reid; 1837, Rawson, Reid and Leonard

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - 45

H. Loveland; 1838, Reid, Loveland, and Ashley S. Root; 1830, Loveland, George Sibley, and William Day; 1840, Sibley, Day,and Rehisa and Close , 1841, Day, Close, and Simon Nichols; 1842, Close, Nichols, and James M. Clark; 1844, Clark, C. Ormsby, and Uriah Thompson; 1845, Clark, Thompson, and Eliphalet Redington; 1846, Thompson Redington and John Conant; 1847, Redington, Conant, and Harry Terrell; 1848, Conant, Terrell, and George Bacon; 1849, Terrell Bacon, and Samuel Knapp; 1850, Bacon, Knapp and O. J. Humphrey; 1851, Knapp, Humphrey, and John B. Robertson; 1852, Humphrey, M. B. Belden, and Asa Hamilton; 1853, Belden Hamilton and Otis Briggs; 1854, Hamilton, Briggs, and J. H. Dudley; 1855, Briggs, Dudley and C. G. Cote; 1856, Briggs, Cole, and J. H. Dudley; 1857, Cole, and Darwin Dyer; 1858, Briggs, Dyer, and A. Lumm; 1859, Dyer, Lumm, Wiliam Patterson; 1860, Dyer, Patterson, and Charles S. Aiken; 1861, Dyer, Patterson, and Tabor Wood; 1862, , Wood, and Thomas Churchward; 1863, Wood. Churchward, and Darwin Dyer; 1864, Wood, Dyer, and George Clifton; 1865, Wood, n, and Reuben Eddy; 1866, same; 1867, Clifton, Eddy, and B. S. Coning; 1868, Eddy, Corning, and Wiltiam A. Braman; 1869, Corning; Laurel Beebe, and L. W. Bates; 1870, same; 1871, Corning, and Lucius Herrick; 1872, same; 1873, Corning, Herrick, and James Lees; 1874, Corning, Herrick, and William H. Root; 1875, Corning. Herrick. and Charles S. Mills; 1876, Herrick, Mills, and S.B. Dudley; 1877, Mills, Dudley and A. D. Perkins.

COUNTY INFIRMARY.

On March 17, 1866, Tabor Wood, George Clifton and Reuben Eddy, county commissioners, purchased of Joseph Swift, Jr., one hundred and sixty-one acres of land in Carlisle township, for an infirmary farm, paying therefor ten thousand five hundred dollars. On January 8, 1867, the contract for the erection of a suitable building for the use of the poor of Lorain county, was awarded to John Childs, of Elyria, and Samuel C. Brooks, of Cleveland, for the sum of thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, and on September 10,1868, the building was completed and accepted by the commissioners. The contractors, however, having done extra work, were paid thirty eight thousand and five hundred dollars. The main building is one hundred and twenty-three by forty-six feet, three stories in height. In the center and rear of the main building is a wing thirty-two by seventy-five feet and two stories high,-the whole containing one hundred and twenty rooms.

INFIRMARY DIRECTORS.

The commissioners appointed in 1868, Isaac S. Metcalf, Samuel Plumb, and Lucius Herrick, directors; 1869, Metcalf. Herrick, and Joseph Swift, Jr., were elected; 1870, Metcalf, Swift, and J. H. Hurlbert 1871, same; 1872, same; 1873, Swift resigned and John Chamberlain was elected to fill the vacancy-the others were Metcalf and Joseph B. Ctark; 1874, same; 1875, Ctark, S. D. Bacon and 1saac S. Straw. These gentlemen still occupy the position.

SUPERINTENDENT OF INFIRMARY.

September 11, 1868, Tabor Vincent was elected, and be contined as such until March, 1876, when he died, and was succeeded by the presen superintendent, Hiram Patterson.