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24 - PICTURE OF CARROLL COUNTY’S OLD AND NEW COURTHOUSES CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 25 CHAPTER IV COUNTY GOVERNMENT FIRST STEPS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF CARROLL COUNTY-SETTING THE MACHINERY OF A COUNTY GOVERNMENT 1N MOTION- PLANNING FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS-FIRST TERM OF COURT- COUNTY OFFICIALS LIST COMPLETE FROM THE FIRST OFFICERS WHO SERVED-ASSESSED VALUATION– FINANCES- EXPENDITURES - POLITICAL FIGURES - PERSONAL MENTION - INTERESTING EVENTS-MORGAN'S RAID-CARROLLTON 1N 1816 BUILDING OF COURTHOUSES AND JAILS-THE INFIRMARY-HIGHWAYS. Without much means with which to begin the operation of a county government, and with settlements far between, no roads, bridges or mills within the newly formed county, matters went slow for a time. The commissioners did the best in their power to set in motion the needful machinery of the county. With the passing of years the county commenced to develop into a prosperous community, and farmers began to accumulate money and were liberal-minded as to the taxes to be levied for schools and county buildings, but were not in any way spend-thrifts by any means and wanted full value received for all they paid out. At another point in this chapter appears a list of the county officers as far back as possible to obtain a correct list of them. It will be observed that men of sturdy, honest intentions, were usually selected to manage the affairs of the township and county government. PLANNING FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS In the winter of 1833-34 it was deemed best to have a suitable building for the county officers and for court purposes ; but it being a new county and without much money in the treasury for any purpose, aside from a small amount for current expenses, citizens of the county raised, by a subscription, a fund of $3,000 and deposited it in Kendall Jackson’s safe—a sheet-iron affair-which at that day was counted amply secure. A German architect and builder, Peter Herold, and he with William Johnson made plans and specifications and John M. Lacy of Cadiz was awarded the contract to build. The lot was donated by Hon. Ira Atkinson upon which a brick structure was erected. The following appeared as a subscription list for raising the funds as above outlined: Isaac Atkinson, $500; Kendall Jackson, $500; W. D. Jenkins, $500; Robert McEldery and Alex McDowell, $300; Daniel McCook, $300; H. A. Stidger, $100, the remainder being raised from farmers in sums of $100 or less. 26 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES FIRST TERM OF COURT At a meeting of the associate judges of the County of Carroll, convened at the house of David J. Levy, where later stood the Stockton Bank, was held the first session of the court for this county. This house was built of rough logs ; was subsequently moved to the east end of town and used by Sheriff John H. Hemming. The first entry in the court record reads : "At a meeting of the associate judges of county of Carroll, this the 28th day of January, 1833, were present the Hon. George Davis, George Reynolds. and Robert George, after being duly qualified to administer justice without respect to persons and to do equal rights to the poor and rich, and faithfully and impartially to discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on them as judges to the best of their ability and understanding, and according to their conception of the laws of the State. They then proceeded to appoint Daniel McCook clerk protempore of the court of Common Pleas, who appeared and took upon himself the oath of office and proceeded to discharge the duties of his appointment, whereupon said McCook proposed as his surety Isaac Atkinson, Alexander McDowell and George McCook, who were accepted and his bond ordered to be deposited with Kendall Jackson, after which court adjourned. "GEORGE DAVIS, "ROBERT GEORGE, "Associate Judges." The first entry on the county commissioner's book, dated "March Session," 1833, shows the county commissioners to have been : James Ferrell, John Shober and William Davis and clerk McCook was empowered to order a set of county record books. The officers' private buildings were first used. The first county building erected was the jail, the contract for which structure was awarded to Kendall Jackson, the same being completed July 13, 1834. The county now having a building of its own the court sat in the jail until the courthouse was completed for such purposes. The first suit determined in the court of Common Pleas was that of Jacob Oswalt, plaintiff, vs. John W. Russell in which a judgment was rendered for the plaintiff for $357.90 and costs. The first criminal case was that of the State of Ohio vs. William Criss, resulting in an acquittal, July term, 1833. THE PRESENT COURTHOUSE AND JAIL. As before noted, the place of holding early courts in this county was in private buildings and in the county jail after that was erected. Then came the first courthouse built largely by subscription, as has been shown above. Coming down to modern times, the reader is referred to figures on the cost of the present courthouse as recorded by one of the county auditors-L. M. Barrick : CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 27 Amount of original contract - $ 90,516.00 Steel prison work - 1,030.00 Other items named in detail - 13,575.00 Total - $107,534.00 The clock and bell surmounting the courthouse, proper, cost $2,200 and this bill was paid from the general county fund. The present county jail seems to have been constructed at the same date of the courthouse, in 1885. It stands near the courthouse and is a solid brick-stone structure good for many years to come, with the scarcity of criminals these days in this county. The county commissioners, at the date of erecting the present beautiful courthouse were as follows: William Davis, Zepheniah Keyes and John D. George. The architect was Frank O. Weary, and the contractor was J. S. Melbourne. The cornerstone was laid May 22, 1885, in a down-pour of rain. The services were conducted by Carroll Lodge No. 124, F. & A. M., presided over by Joseph Goodspeed, of Cincinnati who, was then Most Worshipful Grand Master of the State of Ohio. Several changes and modern-day improvements have been made to this temple of justice. Waterworks, gas and electric lights have been installed many years, however. COUNTY INFIRMARY Prior to 1836 Ohio did not provide for her pauper poor, only through the various township organizations. Up to that time no system of Poor Houses, Poor Farms or Infirmaries had obtained. It was in the year 1839 that bids were received for the erection of the buildings for the infirmary in Caroll county. One hundred and twenty-eight acres of land were purchased and improved at an expense of $13,700. This farm was utihzed for the maintenance of the unfortunate poor of the county until: 1871. At the date last named this place was sold to A. Bothwell, after which the county purchased the George Ebersole farm of 180 acres. Since then the county has cared for their poor in a very satisfactory manner: while it has been expensive it has been humane. ASSESSED VALUATION BY TOWNSHIPS According to the county auditorls books the assessed valuation of property in Carroll County for the year 1920, by sub-divisions was as follows:

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1884—L. M. Barrick 1887—J. M. Westfall 1890—J. M. West fall 1893-George S. Tinlin 1896—George S. Tinlin 1899—Robert Brothers 1902—N. L. Marshall 1905-N. L. Marshall 1908—Wm. M. Coleman 1912-V. G. Stoody 1914—V. G. Stoody 1916--M. C. Marshall SHERIFFS 1886    John Campbell 1889—John Campbell 1891—W. F. Butler 1893- W. F. Butler 1895- Simeon Ashbrook 1897- Simeon Ashbrook 1899—John M. Downs 1901—John M. Downs 1903-Tip Queen 1905—Tip Queen 1908—Simeon Ashbrook 1912—George Galbreath 1914—George Galbreath 1916—Frank G. Dotts COMMON PLEAS JUDGES 1880—Peter A. Laubie 1887—R. Raley 1895 - Isaac H. Taylor 1896 - Phil M. Smith 1899—Warren W. Hole 1900—R. S. Ambler 1912—Harvey Ake

SURVEYORS 1816-22—D. R. Blythe 1882-Eli D. Shaw 1891—J. R. Lane 1894—J. R. Lane 1901—Eli D. Shaw 1905-Eli D. Shaw 1908—R. H. Lee PROBATE JUDGES 1881 - James Holder 1886—James C. Ferrall 1890—James C. Ferrall 1893—U. C. DeFord 1896—U. C. DeFord 1899-Robert E. McDonald 1902—Robert E. McDOnald 1905-Fred W. McCoy 1907—Fred W. McCoy 1912-James Holder 1916-William Maffett

CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 31 COUNTY TREASURERS 1887.-John R. Van Fossen 1889-D. O. Rutan 1891-D. 0. Rutan 1893-James Denny 1895-James Denny 1897-Oliver Allen 1899-Oliver Allen 1901-Jesse Marshall 1903-Jesse Marshall I905-L. W. Cooper 1908-L. W. Cooper 1912-Conley Patterson 1914-Wm. Westcott COUNTY RECORDERS 1882-Milton McOuilkin 1891-Will J. Baxter 1894-C. A. Tope 1897-C. A. Tope 1900-A. R. Roudbush 1903-A. R. Roudbush 1906-Ira M. Downs 1908-Ira M. Downs 1912-Virgil Stockon 1914-L. E. Price 1916-L. E. Price 1918-John Hough 1920-John Hough PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS 1880-H. J. Eckley 1882-I. H. Blythe 1891-R. E. McDonald 1894-E. M. Adair 1897-E. M. Adair 1900-Robert Thompson 1903-Robert Thompson 1906-William Maffett 1912-I. H. Blythe 1914-Fred W. McCoy 1916-Fred W. McCoy 1918-J. C. Oglevee 1920-J. C. Oglevee CLERK OF THE COURT 1882-H. B. Gregg 1891- Neely 1894-A. H. Myers 1897-A. H. Myers 1900-H. B. Gregg 1906-F. L. Krieg 1908-F. L. Kreig 1914-H. L. Rock 1916-H. L. Rock T. E. George was appointed upon the death of Mr. Rock in 1918 and is still clerk. CORONERS 1880-David S. Keeles 1882-James Stackhouse 1889-H D. Dunlap 1891- Dodd 1892-J. R. Williams 1894-J. R. Williams 1896-C. C. Bolen 1898-C. C. Bolen 1900-Dr. H. McGarvey 1902-Dr. H. McGarvey 1903-S. Q. Morrow 1905-J. J. Hathaway 1908-J. J. Hathaway INFIRMARY DIRECTORS 1880-Charles Johnson 1882-Emmett H. Fletcher 1884 David G. Workman 1887-John Eick 1889-John Eick 1891-C. C. Adams 32 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES 1892—L. F. Smeltz 1893-William M. Tope 1894—J. D. Weir 1895—Sylvester Tripp 1896    W. M. Tope 1897-James R. Wier 1898—Sylvester Tripp 1899—Thomas Rainsberger 1900—David Blazier 1901—S. L. Anderson 1902-Thomas Rainsberger 1903—David Blazier 1905—J. H. McCort 1906—William M. Smeltz 1908—William M. Smeltz, Jr. (Office now abolished) COUNTY COMMISSIONERS While this may not be a correct list of all county commissioners serving since 1880, it is approximately correct-at least these were all elected whether serving out term or not: 1880    Z. Keyes 1882—William Davis 1884—John D. George 1887—James Murray 1889-James H. Rhinehart 1890 - Z. Wathey 1891 - Stewart 1892 - I. B. Woods 1893—Z. Wathey 1894 - B. F. Clark 1895—Ira B. Woods 1896—W. S. Kirkpatrick 1897-Robert F. Clark 1898—William A. Boyd 1899-George Leyde 1900—John Smith 1901-William A. Boyd 1902-William S. Kirkpatrick 1903—W. F. Holmes 1904—T. B. DeFord 1905—J. H. Brooks 1906-W. F. Holmes 1908—J. H. Brooks 1910—Henry Permar, Samuel Shotwell and Conley Patterson 1912-Ferrall and Patterson 1914—Fawcett and Permar 1916-Adams and Wible 1918—A. 0. Wible, E. J. Adams and N. E. Slates 1920—N. E. Slates, J. H. Roudebush, James Cameron POLITICAL FIGURES Without going into detail as to the various political campaigns in Carroll County, the sub-joined figures will give the reader an idea what the political complexion Of the county has been at various periods: Lincoln and Hamlin carried Carroll County in 1860 by 725 majority. In 1884, James G. Blaine received 2,314 Republican votes as against 1,665 for Grover Cleveland on the Democratic ticket. In 1892. Benjamin Harrison received 2,261 Republican votes as against Grover Cleveland's 1,880 Democratic votes. In 1900, President William McKinley, Republican, received 2,668 votes. while the Democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan, received 1.720. By years the party vote in Carroll County was:

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