HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY. - 341 CHAPTER VII. THE COUNTY BOARD PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS-STATISTICAL. THE first recorded meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was held April 17, 1820, the following being the only entry found regarding it: "Joel Frankelberger, being appointed Clerk of the Board of Commissioners and duly qualified to office, there is deposited with said Clerk one bond of James Ewing, Sheriff, and one of Joseph Kennedy, Coroner." April 28, 1820, the sum of $1 per month was allowed for the hire of the Clerk's office. May 15, the Commissioners "received pay for William Buram's license as a tavern keeper; also, received pay of Sanders & Davis in the use of the house for cost one year. Received of the county money, in cash, 50 cents." June 5, allowed to Thomas Reynolds, for his services as Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, $40 for one year; also, allowed $5 to Nathaniel Kazar, for making a table for the Clerk of the Court. On page 44, Record No. 1, is the following: "Ordered, by the Commissioners of Union County, that Levi C. Phelps, Surveyor of said county, shall commence running the line around the county on the last week of July, 1820, calculating the variation of the compass in order to run the true course." The business of the early Commissioners seems. from the records, to have been mostly in the line of issuing orders on the Treasury and attending to road matters. The following are among the first allowances recorded: May 15, 1820 To Joseph Williams, Lister of Mill Creek Township ..........................................$3 00 Order by Joshua Ewing on Treasurer .................................................................. 3 75 Order by Philip Hawn, as House Appraiser ......................................................... 1 25 Order by John Reed, as Lister and Appraiser ...................................................... 10 00 Order by James Boal, as Road Commissioner ..................................................... 5 00 July 10, 1820 Order by Thomas Reynolds ................................................................................... 1 50 Order by Henry Sager, as Commissioner ............................................................... 9 00 Order by Robert Nelson, as Commissioner ............................................................ 9 00 Order by David Comer, as Commissioner .............................................................. 6 75 Order by Henry Sager, for running county line ..................................................... 15 00 Order by Joel Frankelberger, as Clerk ................................................................... 5 00 Order by John Porter, as grand Juror ...................................................................... 1 50 Order by Al en Leeper, as Grand Juror ................................................................... 1 50 Order by David Comer, as Grand Juror .................................................................. 3 00 Order by Otis Green, attending on Grand Jury ........................................................ 1 50 Order by Isaac Dodd ................................................................................................ 1 00 Order by William Bodley ......................................................................................... 1 00 Order by Samuel Kazar, Jr., Chain Carrier .............................................................. 6 50 Order by William Leeper, for chain carrying ........................................................... 11 00 Order by David Mitchell, Associate Judge ...................................................................6 72 Order by Nicholas Hathaway, Associate Judge ......................................................... 6 00 Order by William Gabriel, Associate Judge .............................................................. 6 00 Order by A. D. Van Horn, Attorney .......................................................................... 40 00 Order by Nathaniel Kazar, table for Clerk ................................................................ 5 00 Order by A. Gill. Grand Juror .......................................................................................1 50 Order by T. Reynolds ............................................................................................... 10 00 Order by Nathaniel Kazar, for making bench ........................................................... 75 Order by Joshua Ewing, as County Auditor .............................................................. 41 41 The total number of orders issued in the year 1820 was 1.29. 342 - HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY. June 2, 1823, the Commissioners met at Marysville,, and appointed Richard Gabriel, Esq., Treasurer for that year, and John Reed, Collector for the same time. June 4, 1827, George Reed, Henry Sager and James Hord, Commissioners, met and proceeded, with the Auditor, to form a Board of Equalization. "Andrew Noteman's house, appraised to $400, reduced to $300; Reuben P. Mann's two lots, formerly in the name of Samuel Kazar, and one house, all formerly appraised to $260, reduced to $150." June 5 , 1827, "The Commissioners of Union County accepted a certain license for vending goods, bearing date, October term, A. D. 1825, for the term of one year, granted to Lanson Curtis. A law being passed, at the session of the winter previous. altering the mode of collecting taxes, commencing and taking effect on the 1st day of March, 1826, the above laid over for further consideration." Under the same date, the record says: "The foregoing license given to Lanson Curtis, the Commissioners of Union County, after a full investigation, agree to allow and refund back to the said Curtis the amount of the proportion which would accrue on said license for six months, amounting to $7.50." At the same date the Commissioners, having been notified of a vacancy in the office of County Auditor, appointed Levi Phelps as Auditor pro tem. 'November 4,1828, by order of the Commissioners, Levi Phelps began surveying the boundaries of the townships in Union County in the following order: Union, Darby, Jerome, Allen, and the line between Liberty and Leesburg. June 6, 1827, a tax of three mills on the dollar was levied for road purposes, and four mills for county purposes. March 3, 1828, the bond of County Auditor Levi Phelps was received, he having been elected to the office in October, 1827. March 4, " Ordered, by the Commissioners of Union County, that Levi Phelps, Surveyor of Union County, proceed to establish the Pastern boundary of Union County, to commence on the 24th of this instant." Also, same date, ordered " that notice be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners of Delaware County notifying them of their intention of establishing the above-mentioned boundary line, commencing on the above mentioned [date], to meet at Ephraim Markley's, on Scioto, on said day." March 5, 1828, Stephen McLain was appointed to the office of County Sealer, and Levi Phelps was authorized to cause all necessary repairs to be performed on the court house and present his account to the next Board of Commissioners. June 5, 1828, the Commissioners placed the tax for that year at three mills to the dollar on the grand levy, and four mills for county purposes. At the same date, Levi Phelps was ordered to proceed to survey and establish the cast line between the counties of Franklin and Union, and also establish the southeast corner of Union County agreeably to an act of the Legislature, passed January 10, 1820, erecting the county of Union; to commence on the third. Monday in July following. Notice of said step was ordered to be forwarded to the Clerk of the Commissioners of Franklin County. It was also ordered that Mr. Phelps proceed to establish the lines of the several townships, the lines between Union and Marion, and Union, Hardin and Logan Counties, and give the required notice to the Commissioners of the different counties. December 2, 1828, Mr. Phelps having been unable to complete the surveys of the aforementioned county and township lines, was ordered to complete the unsurveyed balance, instructions being given him as to the manner of procedure. He had not quite finished his work in March, 1829, and was given further time. March 3, 1829, ordered that Silas G. Strong receive $14 in advance toward his salary for 1829; also, ordered that a sum not exceeding $15 be advanced by the Treasurer, on the order of the Auditor, for the purpose of procuring a litigation record. May 4, 1829: " On a special call by the Jailer of Union, County, on ac HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.- 343 count of an insane person by the name of Joseph Bishop, the Commissioners met and proceeded to business. Present, Henry Sager, James Herd and Elias Robinson. Said Commissioners called to their assistance Reuben P. Mann and Ira Wood, physicians, for the purpose of examining said Bishop; whereupon, on examination of said Bishop, as aforesaid, said physicians and Commissioner are of opinion that medical aid is at this time unnecessary, but are of opinion that it would be unsafe and inexpedient that said Bishop run at larks. Therefore, resolved, that said Bishop be kept in close confinement under the direction of Ira Wood, one of the aforesaid physicians, for such a time as in the opinion of said physician shall be necessary for the public safety." June 2, 1829, it was ordered that John Stewart, then a resident of Paris. Township, should be "attached for all purposes to the township of Union." On the following day, the Commissioners settled with Stephen McLain, County Treasurer, and found a balance in favor of the county, for county road and school purposes, of $1,826.435. June 6, authorized Levi Phelps to procure a map of the county, to be used in the Auditor's office. June 9, 1830, it was found that there was a balance in the Treasury of $1,957.773. June 10, allowed Levi Phelps, for salary as Auditor the previous year, $50; also, $40 for a county map. June 11, Silas O. Strong sent in his resignation as County Recorder, and the Commissioners appointed Robert Andrew to fill the vacancy. June 25, notice having been received from the Commissioners of Logan County that they intended to proceed to establish. the line between Logan and Union Counties, from the Greenville treaty line north, on the second Monday in July, Levi Phelps, Surveyor of Union County, was ordered to proceed to, assist them in the work. March 5, 1832, Levi Phelps was ordered to procure 600 feet of flooring plank, one inch thick. 1,600 feet of "sealing" plank and 150 feet of 4-inch plank, for the purpose of repairing the jail. June 7, 1832, upon settlement with the County Treasurer, it was found that the balance of funds in his possession amounted to $6,149.143. On the same day, the Commissioners employed Adam Wolford to repair the jail, "by laying floors and partitions, agreeably to an article of agreement entered into, for the sum of $23; and also directed the County Auditor to pay the said amount for the performance of the said work, and also for the materials, to be paid out of the County Treasury." March 5, 1833. ordered that the Auditor procure weatherboard strip "for the jail-house." June 2, 1834, the Commissioners settled with the County Assessor, allowing him $55.50 for thirty-seven days' services, and $1 for duplicate. June 5, 1835, an appropriation of $55 was made for framing a bridge over Mill Creek on the Marion State road, north of Marysville.(1) March 7, 1837, the Commissioners appropriated $300 for the purpose of building a bridge across Darby Creek, on the State road near Milford, said sum to be expended under the direction of Jacob Fairfield. A small appropriation was subsequently made for finishing the work. June 7, 1838, the following attorneys, residents of Union County, were taxed 50 cents each by the Commissioners: W.C. Lawrence, P. B. Cole, Augustus Hall, John F. Kinney. The same amount was taxed against each of the following physicians: Winthrop Chandler, Benjamin Davenport, Reuben P. Mann, Ira Wood, David Welch, John P. Brookins; the latter was at the time one of the County Commissioners. The rates of taxation for that year were: For school purposes, two mills on each dollar of valuation; for county purposes, four mills; for court house purposes, two mills; for road purposes, three mills; for State and canal purposes, four mills. (1) A new wooden bridge was built at the same place in 1855. 344 - HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY. Numerous appropriations were made daring 1838 for building bridges over the streams of the County. June 3, 1830, the board ordered that a certain saw-mill in Jerome Township, charged on the duplicate to Dandridge and Daniel Hemmenway, be omitted from the now duplicate, as it had gone out of existence. At the same time it was ordered that Samuel Martin's mill be valued at $100.. Silas 0. Strong resigned as Auditor, October 3, 1830, and on the 12th of the same month the Commissioners appointed Silas G. Strong Auditor pro tem.; he was elected to the office for the succeeding term. June 7, 1841, Thomas F. Woods, County Assessor, was allowed $110.3712 for his services. March 7, 1843, the Commissioners ordered the County Surveyor to act in conjunction with the Surveyor of Franklin County in establishing the line between the two counties, and also to establish the southeast corner of Union County. March 2, 1847, the County Recorder was authorized to transcribe, from the records of title deeds in Madison and Ross Counties, all pertaining to Union County, for record in the latter. The work was done under the supervision of William M. Robinson, then Recorder. The taxes assessed in 1847 were in amount as follows: For county purposes ...............................................$2,660 For road purposes .................................................. 1,660 For bridge purposes ............................................... 400 For school purposes ............................................... 660 Total ...................................................................... $5,380 June 6, 1849, ordered that the bounty on wolf scalps be increased to $3.50 on each wolf under six months of age, the county paying the excess of $2.50. June 6, 1850, the Commissioners authorized the levy of $4, 000 in Paris Township for aid to the Marysville& Delaware Plank Road Company, $4,000 in the same township for the Clark & Union Turnpike Company, and half the same sums in Union Township for the same roads, with further orders for levies in 1851. Neither this plank road nor any other was ever built in the county, and the taxes levied were not collected. April 7, 1851, the voters of the county, by a vote of 1,212 to 779, decided to raise a tax of $75,000 for stock in the Springfield & Marysville Railroad, and $12,500 in the Indiana, Piqua. & Columbus Railroad, should the latter be constructed through Milford Center, with other provisions. Subsequent, to this election, the Commissioners subscribed the above amounts in the bonds of the county, those officers at the time being J. W. Robinson, M. H. Wadhams and William T. Fulton. June 5, 1851, the Commissioners directed the Sheriff to " keep the door of the court room closed, and exclude therefrom all shows and exhibitions for gain; provided, however, that agricultural exhibitions and lectures on the arts and sciences are not to be excluded, on proper occasions, for the use of said room." December 8, 1852, further action was taken in the matter, which resulted in the promulgation of the following order; "It is hereby ordered that the court room be closed against all meetings, excepting political meetings, wherein three or more townships may be represented, and in all such meetings the carpet is to be carefully removed; also, that the rooms in the lower story of the court house, not now occupied by county officers, be immediately vacated; also, that it is contrary to our views of propriety for officers who are entitled to rooms in the court house to rent the same to be used for any kind of business, or to receive an inmate, as a joint occupant of their room, when such inmate is not a county officer. The County Sheriff to enforce these regulations, so far as they relate to the second story of the court house, and the County Auditor to enforce them so far as they relate to the lower story." Page - 345 - Picture of Joseph K. Richey Page 346 - Blank HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY. - 317 March 9, 1853, the Commissioners ordered that the line between Union and Madison Counties be surveyed and marked, agreeably with an act of the Legislature passed April 9, 1852. June 8, 1853, an order was issued for the incorporation of the village of Milford, in accordance with a legislative act dated May 3, 1852, August 4, 1866, a petition having been presented at a previous term, the Commissioners issued another order for the incorporation of the place, under the name of Milford Center. June 2, 1857, it was ordered that $100 of the county fund be set aside for the support of a County Teachers' Institute, said money to be used in accordance with the provisions of the statute for the support of such institutions. June 3, 1863, " allowed Dr. Hamilton $5 for dissecting a cat and delivering the stomach and bowels to Prof. Wormley. " December 5, 1865, the Auditor was authorized to contract to rent a room for the use of the County Treasurer. safe for that at office was purchased of Joseph L. Hall & Co., of Cincinnati, March 7, ISM, costing $1,200 delivered on the cars at that city. This safe was used until the now one was purchased in 1878. March 8, 1875, a survey of the line between Union and Champaign Counties was ordered, to settle a dispute regarding it among property owners along the line. The boundary between Union and Logan Counties was finally settled March 8,1877, the Commissioners of the two counties meeting, at Bellefontaine, Logan County, in joint session on that day, and receiving the reports of the Surveyors who had run the line. It was found that lands supposed to be in Union were in Logan, and the former had expended $733.23 in improvements, which sum was paid back by Logan County. Unionville Center, in Darby Township, was incorporated by order of the Board of Commissioners on the 5th of May, 1879. At a joint session of the Commissioners of Union, Marion and Hardin Counties, hold at Richwood, May 16, 1879, a re-survey of the boundaries between Union and the other counties was ordered. to settle dispute over said lines. The surveyors made their report June 6, 1879, and it was found that the lines differed materially from the supposed boundaries, whereupon the Commissioners of the three counties ordered the lines run and permanently established. On the 9th of February, 1881, there being considerable uncertainty as to the boundary between Union and Delaware Counties, the Commissioners of the two ordered a survey thereof, with establishment, and, as elsewhere seen, their orders were carried out. POPULATION. The first census of Union County was taken in 1830, and the returns showed that 3,192 people were then residents of its territory. In 1840, the population had increased to 8,443, distributed among the then existing townships as follows: Allen, 741; CIaibourne, 497; Darby, 736; Dover, 459; Jerome, 868; Paris, 1,151; York, 439; Jackson, 352; Leesburg, 720; Liberty, 992; Mill Creek, 524; Union, 894; Washington, 154, Taylor Township was formed later. In 1840, Marysville had 360 inhabitants, three small dry goods stores and two churches-Presbyterian and Methodist. Milford was then a flourishing village, transacting the heaviest business in the county, and had 400 inhabitants, two churches and three stores. Essex had a population of 34; Pharisburg, 20; Newton, 44; Richwood, 99. In 1850, the population of the county had swelled to a total of 12,204, including 128 colored persons, as follows: Allen. 979; Claibourne, 919; Darby, 881; Dover, 700; Jackson. 436; Jerome, 1,249: Leesburg, 701; Liberty, 1,257; Mill Creek, 726; Paris, 1,587; Taylor, 400; Union, 1,205; Washington, 333; York, 831. 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