108 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

CHAPTER XIV.

CIVIL HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.

The Proclamation of Governor St. Clair Establishing the County—Its Vast Boundaries—Other Counties Established—Division of Washington into Townships—The First Court House and Jail—Excitement in Regard to Location of the Present Court House— The Donors of the County Lots—Infirmary—The Children's Home—Roster of Washington County—The Territorial Officers—Representatives in Congress—Members of the General Assembly—Members of Constitutional Conventions—Judges of the Courts—The County Officers from 1788 to 1880.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, originally embracing about half the territory now included in the State. of Ohio, was established by proclamation of Governor Arthur St. Clair on the twenty-sixth of July, 1788.* Following is the law, which contains a full description of boundaries:

"By his Excellency, Arthur St. Clair, esq. governor and commander-in-chief of the Territory of all the United States northwest of the river Ohio,

A PROCLAMATION

To all persons to whom these presents shall came, greeting:

WHEREAS, by the ordinance of Congress of the thirteenth of July, 1787. for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, it is directed that for the due execution of process, civil and criminal, the governor shall make proper divisions of the said territory, and proceed from time to time, as circumstances may require. to lay out the part of the same where the Indian title has been extinguished, into counties and townships, subject to future alterations as therein specified. Now, know ye, that it appearing to me to be necessary, for the purposes above mentioned, that a county should be immediately laid out, I have ordained and ordered, and by these presents do ordain and order, that all and singular the lands lying and being within the following boundaries, viz: Beginning on the bank of the Ohio river where the western boundary line of Pennsylvania crosses it, and running with that line to Lake Erie; thence along the southern shore of said lake to the mouth of the Cuyahoga; thence up said river to the portage between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum; thence down the branch to the forks, at the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence with a line to be drawn westerly to the portage of that branch of the Big Miami on whieh the fort stood that was taken by the French in 1742, until it meets the road from the lower Shawneestown to the Sandusky; thence south to the Scioto river: thence with that river to its mouth, and thence up the Ohio to the place of beginning; shall be a county, and the same is hereby erected into a county named and to be called hereafter the county of Washington; and the said county of Washington shall have and enjoy all and singular the jurisdiction, rights, liberties, privileges and immunities whatever, to a county belonging and appertaining, and which any other county that may hereafter be erected and laid out, shall or ought to enjoy, conformably to the ordinance of Congress before mentioned. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Territory to be affixed this twenty-sixth day of July, in the thirteenth year of Independence of the United States, and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.

(Signed) A. ST. CLAIR."

* The date as given above was discovered by President Andrews, of Marietta college, in an examination of the State papers at Washington to be the correct one. It has usually been stated that the county was erected on the twenty-seventh; Atwaters’ History of Ohio says the twenty-sixth.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 109

The next county proclaimed was Hamilton, January 2, 1790. Then followed the erection from 1790 to 1795 of the counties of St. Clair, Knox, Randolph, and Wayne, lying in the Northwest Territory, and outside of the present limits of Ohio. Adams was next erected July 10, 1797. Jefferson followed in order, being erected July 29, 1797, as the eighth in the Territory and fourth in the boundaries of Ohio. The establishment of the last named materially lessened the size of Washington, as did also the creation of Ross in 1798. Trumbull, the county of the Western Reserve, was not erected until 1800. Belmont was proclaimed in 1801. After the organization of the State government counties were created quite fast, and the old territorial counties were reduced in size correspondingly. Muskingum was formed in 1804; Gallia in 1803; Athens in 1805; Monroe in 1825; Morgan and Meigs in 1819.

The division of Washington county into townships was not effected until December, 1790, and was done by the court of quarter sessions. Marietta, Belpre, and Waterford, including respectively the three settlements, were established and contained immense tracts of country. Marietta extended from the seventh range to the western boundary of the ninth range (twelve miles), and extended south so as to include township No. 2 in the ninth range. Belpre and Waterford were of similar size. Gallipolis was bounded upon the north by a line drawn westward from the north line of township No. 3, in the eleventh range, upon the west by the Scioto and on the south by the Ohio river. In the northern end of the county extending to the lake were two townships—Warren, adjoining Pennsylvania, and Middletown, further west. These townships were taken off by the establishment of Jefferson county in 1797. In December, 1797, the townships of Adams and Salem were established, the latter extending from the donation tract to the north line of the county, and being five miles in width. A new Middletown, embracing nearly all of what is now Athens county, was established in December, 1798. Newtown, formed from the north part of Waterford, and extending to the north line of the county, was formed the same year as the above, also Newport. There were nine townships in the county in 1800, of which six—Marietta, Belpre, Waterford, Salem, Adams, and Newport, were within its present limits, and three—Gallipolis, Middletown, and Newport, outside. To conclude: The dates of the establishment of the townships have been as follows: *

Marietta, Belpre and Waterford, 1790; Adams and Salem, 1792; Newport, 1798; Grandview, 1802; Watertown and Roxbury, 1806; Fearing, 1808; Wesley and Warren, 1810 ; Union, 1822 ; Lawrence, 1815; Aurelius and Barlow, 1818; Ludlow, 1819; Decatur, 1820; Liberty, 1832; Jolly and Independence, 1840; Fairfield and Palmer, 1851; Dunham, 1856; Muskingum, 1861. Of the foregoing twenty-five townships three have ceased to exist, viz: Roxbury, jolly and Union.

The first court house in Washington county was built in

* For fuller particulars upon this subject the reader is referred to the township histories.

1798, and the following year, under the superintendence of Dudley Woodbridge, esq., and Griffin Greene—the latter being the architect—contracts were made] with Joshua Wells to frame and raise the building; with Joshua Shipman to weatherboard and shingle it; with James Lawton to do the mason work, and with Gilbert Devol, jr., to furnish the iron—grating, spikes, bolts, etc. —in all three throusand weight, for which he was to have sixteen cents per pound. The main building was forty-five feet in length and thirty-nine in breadth, two stories high. The walls were three feet thick and made of double tiers of yellow poplar logs, eighteen inches square, neatly hewed and dovetailed at the corners of the building. The logs were so laid as to break joints like masonry, and were held together by heavy iron bolts. The front room in the upper story was the court room. It was forty by thirty feet in dimensions, lighted by seven windows and heated by two large fireplaces. "Here," says Hildreth, "Paul Fearing, R. J. Meigs, and Jacob Burnet, the earliest attorneys northwest of the river Ohio, displayed their youthful powers and unfolded talents that few at this day can excel. Here Charles Hammond and Philemon Beecher for many years attended as barristers, specially the latter. Here also Thomas Ewing, esq. (the elder), first essayed his mighty powers and began that bright career of popular fame which elevated him to some of the first stations of the government. A host of others have also here commenced their careers in the labyrinths of the law."* The two lower rooms were occupied by the jailer and his family. A passage between them led to the jail in the rear part of the structure, which like the court house proper was very strongly built. No imprisoned malefactor ever broke from this jail. The jury rooms were in the rear of the court room, over the jail. The roof over the old courthouse corresponded with the rest of the building, being constructed of very heavy timbers, and covered with thick shingles, nearly or perhaps quite three feet in length. A cupola surmounted the roof in which was hung the same bell which is in the present court house. For many years this bell was rung regularly at nine o'clock morning and evening and at noon, and was tolled upon the occasion of the death of any inhabitant. It bears the inscription, "1802—Barazilia Davidson, Norwich, Connecticut"—the name being that of the man who cast it.

The oldest portion of the present court house was finished in 1823. As early as 1819 the need of a new building became apparent, and after the subject had been agitated for some time a committee was appointed by a citizens' meeting to report upon the matter. The committee consisted of Governor Return J. Meigs, Hon. Levi Barber, and D. H. Buell, esq. These gentlemen reported in favor of the present location upon the thirteenth of April, and on the following day the county commissioners endorsed their opinion. For two years Rule or no action was taken, but in 1821 the commissioners advertised for a plan, and employed Joseph Holden to col-

*American Pioneer, Vol. I.

110 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

lect the materials for building. It was decided that the building should contain four principal offices, each to be sixteen feet square and, that the dimensions of the whole structure should be forty-eight feet each way: Much opposition to the location arose, and there was considerable discussion as to the relative merits of various sites. The commissioners were annoyed with scores of petitions and personal appeals for location in a dozen different places. Some wished the building to be erected upon the elevated square on Washington street, some upon the lot, where Judge Ewart has latterly lived, then known as the Thierry property, and others on Fifth street, south of the cemetery. In the spring of 1822 it was decided to locate it on Fifth street, but a few weeks later a majority of the citizens assembled at a meeting, and voted in favor of the Thierry property as the location. The commissioners changed their plan in conformance to the general desire, but a few weeks later decided on the corner of Putnam and Second streets, and the work was begun so soon that opponents to that location had no time to effect another change. Governor Meigs' influence secured the building of the edifice at a little distance back from Putnam street. This was done that the view (then a very fine one) from the house of his friend, Dr. S. P. Hildreth, might not be obscured.

The addition upon the north which looks older than the front building, was erected in 1854. The main building was again improved in z876. The lot occupied by the court house was donated by Colonel Ebenezer Sproat.

The jail was built in 1848. It occupies the site of the old court house and jail which we have described. This lot was given to the county by Judge Dudley Woodbridge. While the old jail and court house occupied the site of the present jail, the lot on which the court house now stands was in use as the place of punishment for criminals. The pillory, stocks and whipping post stood there, and curious throngs of people assembled around them when either one was in use. The lot was also a pound. It was selected in 1800 for the double purpose by Messrs. Robert Oliver, Griffin Greene and Robert Safford.

The poor were provided for by the township authorities until 1840. Although a law was passed as early as 1816, authorizing county poor houses, no movement was made under it in Washington county until 1835. In that year land was bought of Dr. Jonas Moore for one thousand two hundred dollars, and a contract was made with Messrs. Daniels, Westgate and Alcock to erect a build- ing for the sum of two thousand and forty dollars. Samson Cole, Eben Gates and Wyllys Hall were ap- pointed directors in 1835. In 1838 many petitions were received for changing the location of the poor house, and in conformance to them the present farm was bought— one hundred and ninety-eight acres of land—for two thousand five hundred and thirty-six dollars and fifty-eight cents. In 1850 the name "poor house" was changed by act of the legislature to county infirmary.

The Children's Home of Washington county is an institution which has a peculiar interest, both because of the nature of its beginning and growth, and because the first institution of the kind in the State. Miss C. A. Fay (now Mrs. Ewing) has the honor of being the founder of the Children's Home, and of having given the initial impetus to this branch of charity in the State. Various scenes of distress led Miss Fay to concern herself for the welfare of children, and in 1858, upon the first of April, her plans had been so far realized that she opened a small home or asylum for children upon Moss run, in Lawrence township, about twenty miles from Marietta, where, with her savings as a school-teacher, she had bought twelve acres of land and built a small house. Her plan was to care for orphan children, with some assistance from the county, (her allowance for each child per week never exceeding one dollar and twenty cents,) and from individuals benevolently disposed. She took nine children from the infirmary to begin with, and a few years later had at one time more than thirty, and in the ten years of her service in this charity which she had conceived, she had one hundred and one under her charge, for most of whom she secured homes. Miss Fay's labors were of the heroic kind, were arduous, perplexing, and involved the sacrifice of almost every enjoyment of life, save that of doing good. She was employed almost constantly, but found time while attending to her family of little ones, at the humble home she had provided for them, to exert an influence upon the public mind in favor of legislation for having Children's Homes established and supported by taxation. Finally a bill introduced in the State legislature by Hon. W. F. Curtis, of this county, and given the earnest support of Hon. S. S. Knowles, senator from this district, was passed, authorizing the establishment, support, and regulation of children's homes in the several counties of the State. This act passed in March, 1866, and as amended, April 7, 1867. Very shortly after the former date a purchase was made of the farm of one hundred acres, one mile above Marietta, on the east bank of the Muskingum, on which the fine buildings of the Home now stand. The price paid was eighteen thousand dollars. The property is now valued at upwards of thirty thousand dollars, the increase being largely in the value of the buildings erected. March 1, 1867, Mrs. A. G. Brown, having been appointed matron of the Home, entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office by assisting in preparing and arranging the several apartments of the institution for the reception and care of such children as were ready to be admitted; and on the first of April, 1867, the children from Mrs. Ewing's were brought in, and from that date the Home has been in full operation. Mrs. Brown continued to serve as matron until April 1, 1868, and was succeeded by Rev. Ira M. Preston and wife as superintendent and matron, who served one year, whose successors were Dr. Simeon D. Hart and wife, who have served as superintendent and matron since the first of April, 1869.

Since its organization upwards of five hundred children have been admitted to the institution. The institution, a direct outgrowth of Mrs. Ewing's Home, was the first organized in the State, under the law. It has re-

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 111

ceived the benefit of careful attention from the friends of the poor in Washington county, has most of the time had about a hundred inmates, and has been productive of an immense amount of good.

CIVIL ROSTER. *

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

After the adoption of the second grade of territorial government, in 1799, the whole Northwest Territory was represented in Congress by a single delegate. William Henry Harrison, of Hamilton county, was the first, and was succeeded, in 1800, by William McMillen, of the same county. Paul Fearing, of Washington county, was elected in 1802 and served until 1803. State government was then organized, and Jeremiah Morrow, of Warren county, was the sole delegate until 1813. From that time until 1823 Washington county was an integral part of the Third Congressional district, of which the following gentlemen were the representatives for the terms indicated:

William Creighton, jr., of Ross, 1813-17; Levi Barber, of Washington, 1817-19; Henry Brush, of Ross, 1819-2r ; Levi Barber, of Washington, 1822-23.

Until 1833 Washington county was a portion of the Seventh district, and was represented:

Samuel T. Vinton, of Gallia, 1823--33.

From 1833 to 1843 the county was in the Sixth district, and represented as follows:

Samuel F. Vinton, of Gallia, 1833-37; Calvary Morris, of Athens, 1837-43.

From 1843 to 1853 the county was a portion of the Thirteenth district, which was represented as follows:

Perley B. Johnson, of Morgan, 1843-45; Isaac Parrish, of Morgan, 1845-47; Thomas Ritchie, of Perry, 1847-49; William A. Whittlesey, of Washington, 1849-51; James M. Gaylord, of Morgan, 1851-53.

From 1853 to 1863 the district was the Sixteenth:

Edward Ball, of Muskingum, 1853-57; Cydnor B. Tompkins, of Morgan, 1857-61; William P. Cutler, of Washington, 1861-63.

From 1863 to the present the district has been the Fifteenth, and represented as follows:

James R. Morris, of Monroe, 1863--65; Tobias A. Plants, of Meigs, 1865-69; Eliakim H. Moore, of Athens, 1869-71; William P. Sprague, of Morgan, 1871-75; Nelson H. Van Vorhes, of Athens, 1875-79; Adoniram J. Warner, of Washington, 1879-81; Rufus R. Dawes of Washington, 1881.

MEMBERS OF STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.

Ephraim Cutler, Benjamin Ives Gilman, John McIntire, Rufus Putnam, 1802; Thomas W. Ewart, William P. Cutler, 1850-51; Harlow Chapin, 1873-74.

MEMBERS OF TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.

(Senators.)

Robert Oliver (president), 1799-1803.

(Representatives.)

Paul Fearing, Return J. Meigs, 1799-1801; Ephraim Cutler, William R. Putnam, 1801-1803.

* From appendix to Centennial Historical address, by President Israel Ward Andrews-with additions to date.

MEMBERS OF STATE LEGISLATURE.*

(Senators.)

Joseph Buell, 1803, First; Joseph Buell, Elijah Backus; 1803, Second; Joseph Buell, 1804, Third; Joseph Buell, Hallam Hempstead, 1805, Fourth; Hallam Hempstead, 1806, Fifth; John Sharp, 1807-1808, Sixth and Seventh; William Woodbridge, 1811-12-13, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth; William R. Putnam, 1814, Thirteenth; John Sharp, 1815-16, Fourteenth and Fifteenth; Sardine Stone, e, 1817-22, Sixteenth to Twenty-first; Ephraim Cutler, 1823-24, Twenty-second and Twenty-third; William R. Putnam, 1827--28, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh; Arius Nye, 1832-32, Thirtieth and Thirty-first; Isaac Humphrey, 1839-40, Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth; Rufus E. Harte, 1845-46, Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth; George W. Baker, 1849-50, Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth; Harley Lalflin, 1854, Fifty-first; Davis Green, 1858, Fifty-third; William F. Curtis, 1864, Fifty-sixth; Samuel S. Knowles, 1866, Fifty-seventh; Rodney M. Stimson, 1870-72, Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth; Perez B. Buell, 1874, Sixty-first; John Irvine, 1878,

(Representatives.)

William Jackson, 1803, First and Second assembly; Seth Carhart, 1804, Third; Levi Barber, 1806, Fifth; Joseph Palmer, 1807, Sixth; William Woodbridge, 1808, Seventh; William R. Putnam, 1809, Eighth; S. P. Hildreth, William R. Putnam, 1810, Ninth; S. P. Hildreth, 1811, Tenth; Sardine Stone, 1812-13, Eleventh and Twelfth; John Sharp, 1824, Thirteenth; Henry Jolly, 1815, Fourteenth; Sardine Stone, 1816, Fifteenth : Nathaniel Hamilton, 1817, Sixteenth ; Joseph Barker, 1818, Seventeenth; Ephraim Cutler, 1819, Eighteenth; Timothy Buell, 1820-22, Nineteenth and Twentieth; Ephraim Cutler, 1822, Twenty-first; William Skinner, 1823, Twenty-second; John Cotton, 1824. Twenty-third ; William R. Putnam, 1825-26, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth; Arius Nye, 1827-28, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh; Joseph Barker, jr., 1829-30, Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth; James M. Booth, 1831-32, Thirtieth and Thirty-first; Silas Cook, 1833, Thirty-second; Joseph Barker, jr., 1842, Thirty-third; Isaac Humphrey, 1835-36, Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth; Walter Curtis, 1837-38, Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh; William A. Whittlesey, 1839, Thirty-eighth; Arius Nye, 1840, Thirty-ninth; Truxton Lyon, 1842, Fortieth; George M. Woodbridge, 1842, Forty-first; William Glines, 1843, Forty-second; William P. Cutler, 1844-45-46 (Speaker in 1846), Forty-third, Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth; George W. Barker, 1847, Forty-sixth; Seth Woodford, 1848-49, Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth; Ebenezer Battelle, jr., 1850, Forty-ninth; Levi Bartlett, 1852, Fiftieth; Thomas Ross, 1854, Fifty-first; Samuel Hutchinson, James Lawton, 1856, Fifty-second; A. S. Bailey, 0. Lewis Clark, 1858, Fifty-third; John Haddon, 1860, Fifty-fourth; 0. Lewis Clark, 1862, Fifty-fifth; Mark Green, 1864, Fifty-sixth; A. L Curtis, A. L. Haskin, James B. Green (to fill vacancy caused by death of Mr. Haskin), 1866, Fifty-seventh; Samuel M.

* Washington county has at times been associated with others both in the election of senators and representatives. We give only the names of those who were residents of the county.

112 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

Richardson, Perez B. Buell, 1868, Fifty-eighth; John A. Brown, 1870, Fifty-ninth; William G. Way, 1872, Sixtieth; John Varley, 1874, Sixty-first; Henry Bohl, Gilbert Smith, 1876-78, Sixty-second and Sixty-third; Thomas W. Moore, 1880.

JUDGES OF THE GENERAL COURT.

Samuel H. Parsons, October 16, 1787, died November 17, 1789; James M. Varnum, October 16, 1787, died January 10, 1789; John C. Symmes, February 19, 1788, to 1803 (State formed); Greene Turner, September 12, 1789, resigned in 1798; Rufus Putnam, March 31,1790, resigned December 22, 1796; Joseph Gilman, December 22, 1796 to 1803 (State formed); R. J. Meigs, jr., February 12, 1798 to 1803 (State formed).

JUDGES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper, Archibald Crary, Joseph Gilman, Dudley Woodbridge, Robert Oliver, Daniel Loring, John G. Petit, Isaac Pierce, Griffin Greene, Ephraim Cutler, Peregrine Foster.

JUDGES OF THE COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE.

Joseph Gilman, Isaac Pierce, Robert Oliver, Dudley Woodbridge, Josiah Munroe, John G. Petit, Griffin Greene, William R. Putnam, Samuel Williamson, Joseph Barker, Ephraim Cutler, Henry Smith, Philip Whitten, Alvin Bingham, Thos. Stanley, Seth Cathcart, Robert Safford, William Harper, William Burnham, Joseph Buell.

JUDGES OF PROBATE COURT.

Rufus Putnam, October, 1788, resigned December, 1789; Joseph Gilman, December, 1789, resigned December, 1796; Paul Fearing, March, 1797, to March, 1803 ; T. W. Ewart, February, 1852, to October, 1852; Davis Green, October, 1852, to February, 1855; William Devol, February, 1855, to February, 1858; C. R. Rhodes, February, 1858, to February, 7866; C. F. Buell, February, 1861r, to February, 1864; L. W. Chamberlain, February, 1864, to February, 1870; A. W. McCormick, February, 1870, to February, 1876; C. T. Frazyer, February, 1876, to February, 1882.

PRESIDENT JUDGES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS IN

THE CIRCUIT INCLUDING WASHINGTON COUNTY.

(Under the State Constitution of 1802.)

Calvin Pease, 1803-08; William Wilson, 1808-19; Ezra Osborne, 1819-26; Thomas Irwin, 1826-40; John E. Hanna, 1840-47; Arius Nye, 1847-50; A. G. Brown, 1850-52.

ASSOCIATE JUDGES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

Griffin Greene, 1803-08; Joseph Buell, 1803-10; Joseph Wood, 1803-08; Esekiel Deming, 1808-24; William Hempstead, 1808-10; Paul Fearing, 1810-17; Thomas Lord, 1810-17; Henry Jolly, 1817-24; John Sharp, 1817-23; J. M. Chamberlain, 1823-24; Walter Curtis, 1824-37; Henry P. Wilcox, 1824-25; Alexander Warner, 1824-30; John Cotton, 1825-47; Joseph Barker, 1830-43; Oliver Loring, 1837-47; Isaac Humphreys, 1843-43; Ebezener Gates, 1843-44; Joseph Barker, jr., 1844-52; Bial Stedman, 1847-52; William R. Putnam, jr., 1847-52.

Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in the subdistrict composed of Washington, Athens, Meigs, and Gallia counties:

Simeon Nash, 1852-62; John Welch, 1862-65; E. A. Guthrie, 1865-74; William B. Loomis, 1868-73; T. A. Plants, 1873-75; L B. Hibbard, January, 1875, to October, 1875; J. T. Cartwright, February, 1875, to October, 7875; J. P. Bradbury, October, 1875, to February, 1882; S. S. Knowles, October, 1875, to February 1882.

PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.

This officer was appointed by the courts under the territory. The State law of 1803 gave the appointment to the supreme court, and that of 1805 to the court of common pleas. From 1833 the people have elected. The term is two years.

Paul Fearing, September 9, 1788 to 1794; Return Jonathan Meigs, jr., 1794 to 1798; Matthew Backus, 1798 to 1808; William Woodbridge, 1808 to February 6, 1815; Caleb Emerson, February 6, 1815, to April 10, 1821; John P. Mayberry, April 10, 1821, to October 30, 1829; Arius Nye, October 30, 1829, to August 17, 1840; David Barber, October 26, 1840, to April 3, 1845; Arius Nye, April 3, 1845, to March 8, 1847; William D. Emerson, March 8, 1847 to March, 13, 1848; William S. Nye, March 13, 1848, to March, 1850; Davis Green, March, 1850, to April 5, 1852; Rufus E. Harte, April 5, 1852, to October 4, 1852; Samuel B. Robinson, October 4, 1852, to January, 1855; Charles R. Rhodes, January, 1855, to January, 1857; Samuel B. Robinson, January, 1857, to January, 1859; Charles R. Barclay, January, 1859, to January, 1861; Frank Buell, January, 1861, to April, 1867; Melvin Clarke, April, 1861, to October 1861; William S. Nye, October 11, 1861, to January, 1862; David Alban, January, 1862, to January, 1868; Walter Brabham, January, 1868, to January, 1870; Reuben L Nye, January, 1870, to January, 1872; Walter Brabham, January, 1872, to January, 1874; Samuel B. Bobinson, January, 1874, to January, 1876; Frank F. Oldham, January, 1876, to January, 1880; David Alban, January, 1880.

CLERKS OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

Under the territory the title for clerk of the court of common pleas was prothonotary. This officer and the clerk of the court of quarter sessions were appointed by the governor. (Under the State constitution of 1802 the court appointed its own clerk for seven years. Under that of 1851 the people elect, for three years.

Return Jonathan Meigs, September 9, 1788-June 9, 1795; Benjamin Ives Gilman, June 9, 1795-July, 1803; Edward W. Tupper, July, 1803-October 31, 1808; Giles Hemstead, October 31, 1808-January 1, 1809; Levi Barber, January 1, 1809-March 1, 1817; George Dunlevy, March 1, 1817-October 31, 1836; Thomas W. Ewart, October 31, 1836-October 21, 1851; William C. Taylor, October 21, 1857-February, 1852; George S. Gilliland, February, 1852-July, 1852; William C. Taylor, July, 1852-February, 1854; 0. Lewis Clarke, February, 1854-February, 1857; Jasper S. Sprague, February, 1857 February, 1863; Willis H. Johnson, February, 1863-Febru-

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 113

ary, 1866; Jewett Palmer, February, 1866-February, 1872; Daniel P. Torpy, February, 1872-February, 1878; Christian H. Etz, February, 1878-February, 1881.

SHERIFFS.

Under the territory the governor appointed. Under the State the people elect, for two years. Sheriffs are eligible only four years in six.

Ebenezer Sproat, September 2, 1788-18o2; William Skinner, 1802-3; John Clark, 1803-10; William Skinner, 1810-12; Timothy Buell, 1812-14; Alexander Hill, 1814-16; Timothy Buell, 1816- October, 1820; Silas Cook, October, 1820-October, 1824; Jesse Loring, October, 1824-October, 1828; Robert R. Green, October, 1828-October, 1832; Jesse Loring, October, 1832-October, 1834; Benjamin M. Brown, October, 1834-October, 1838; John Test, October, 1838-October, 1842; George W. Barker, October, 1842-October, 1846 ; Junia Jennings, October, 1846-October, 1850; Jesse Hildebrand, October, 1850-January, 1853; Marcellus J. Morse, January, 1853-January, 1857; Mark Green, January, 1857-January, 1861; Augustus Winsor, January, 1861-January, 1865; Jackson A. Hicks, January, 1865-January, 1869; Samuel L. Grosvenor, January, 1869-January, 1873; George Davenport, January, 1873-January, 1877; William T. Stedman, January, 1877, January, 1879; Daniel B. Torpy, 1879.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Provision was made for three such officers by a law adopted from the Pennsylvania code by the governor and judges in 1795, and confirmed by the territorial legislature in 1799. They were to be appointed by the court of quarter sessions. The State law of 1804 provided for their election by the people, one each year, the term of office being three years.

The following were appointed under the law of the territory: William R. Putnam, Paul Fearing, Oliver Rice, Gilbert Devol, Jonathan Haskell, Simeon Deming, Isaac Pierce. Of these, Isaac Pierce served until 1804, W. R. Putnam until 1805, and Simeon Deming until 1806. The list of those elected in successive years is as follows:

Nathaniel Hamilton, 1804; John Sharp, 1805; Paul Fearing, 1806; Nathaniel Hamilton, 1807; Joseph Barker, 1808; Paul Fearing (resigned), 1809; John Sharp (for two years), 1809; Nathaniel Hamilton, 1810 ; Daniel Goodno, 1811; Henry Jolly, 1812; Nathaniel Hamilton, 1813; Daniel Goodno, 1814; William Skinner, 1815; Titan Kemble, 1816; John B. Regnier, 1817; Daniel Goodno, 1818; Titan Kemble (resigned), 1819; John B. Regnier (died), 1820; Samuel Beach (two years), 1821; Amzi Stanley (one year), 1821; Daniel Goodno, 1821; Joseph Barker, 1822; William R. Putnam, 1823; Daniel H. Buell (resigned), 1824; Joseph Barker, 1825; Thomas White (one year), 1825; William Pitt Putnam, 1826; Silas Cook (one year), 1826; Anselm T. Nye, 1827; Seth Baker (one year), 1828; Joel Tuttle, 1829; Jabish F. Palmer (two years), 1829; Anselm T. Nye, 1830; Jabish F. Palmer, 1831; Ebenezer Battelle, 1832; William Pitt Putnam, 1833; John D. Chamberlain, 1834; Robert K. Ewart, 1835; Daniel H. Buell, 1836; John D. Chamberlain, 1837; William Dana, 1838; Daniel H. Buell, 1839; John D. Chamberlain, 1840; James Dutton, 1841; Douglas Putnam, 1842; Hiram Gard, 1843; William West, 1844; Douglas Putnam, 1845; Boylston Shaw, 1846; Lewis H. Greene, 1847; Douglas Putnam, 1848; John Breckenridge, 1849; George Stanley, 1850; Douglas Putnam, 1851; Walter Curtis, 1852; Benjamin Rightmire, 1853; William Mason, 1854; Walter Curtis, 1855; Charles Dana, 1856; William R. Putnam, 1857; Joseph Penrose, 1858; Zachariah Cochrane, 1859; James McWilliams, 1860; J. J. Hollister, 1861; William Thomas, 1862; Anthony Sheets (resigned), 1863; J. J. Hollister, 1864; George Benedict, 1865; James Little, (one year), 1865; James Little, 1866; Seymour Clough, 1867; George Benedict, 1868; Thomas Caywood, 1869; Mark Green (resigned), 1870; Joseph Penrose, 1871; Cyrenius Buchanan (two years), 1871; John Hall, 1872; Pemberton Palmer, 1873; John Pool, 1874; John Potter, 1875; Moses A. Malster, 1876; John Hoppel, 1877; Philip Mattern, 1878; Robert Mullenix, 1879; William Thompson, 1880.

COUNTY AUDITORS.

The office was created in 1820. The general assembly appointed the first auditor. In 1821 the auditor was required to be elected by the people each year. In 1824 the law made the term two years.

The successive auditors have been: Royal Prentiss, 1820-5; William A. Whittlesey, 1825-38; James M. Booth, 1838-40; Joseph P. Wightman, 1840-2; James M. Booth, 1842-6; Sala Bosworth, 1846-54; Horatio Booth, 1854-6; Frederick A. Wheeler, 1856-64; Zadok

G. Bundy, 1864-8; John V. Ramsey, 1868-70; John T. Matthews, 1870-6; Benjamin J. McKinney, 1876-81.

COUNTY RECORDERS.

Under the territory the recorder-styled register till 1795-was appointed by the governor. By the law of 1803 the associate judges appointed, for seven years. By the law of 1829 the people elect, for three years.

Enoch Parsons, 1788-90; Dudley Woodbridge, April, 1790-June, 1807; Giles Hempstead, June, 1807-June, 1814; George Dunlevy, June, 1814-June, 1817; Daniel H. Buell, June, 1817-October, 1834; James M Booth, October 1834-November, 1837; Daniel P. Bosworth, November, 1837- October, 1843; Stephen Newton, October, 1843-November, 1855; William B. Mason, November, 1855-January, 1862; Manly Warren, January, 186-May, 1864; William Warren (appointed), May, 1864-January, 1865; George J. Bartmess, January, 1865-August, 1866; A. T. Ward (appointed), August, 1866-January, 1867; James Nixon, January, 1867-81.

COUNTY TREASURERS.

The governor appointed till the formation of the State. By the law of 1803, the associate judges appointed. By the law of 1804, the commissioners appointed annually. Since 1827 the people have elected, for two years. By the constitution of 1851 the treasurer is eligible only four years in six.

Jonathan Stone, 1792-1801; Jabez True, 1801-17; Joseph Holden, 1817-28; Weston Thomas, 1828-30; Royal Prentiss, 1830-2; Michael Deterly, 1832-6; Eben-

114 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

ezer Gates, 1836-8; Robert Crawford, 1838-50; Abner L. Guitteau, 1850-6; Stephen Newton, 1856-8; Ebenezer B. Leget, 1858-60; William B. Thomas, 1860-2; Rufus E. Harte, 1862-6; William B. Mason, 1866-8; Lewis Anderson, 1868-70; Ernest Lindner, 1870-74; William S. Waugh, 1874-8; William R. Goddard, 1878-80; John Moist, 1880.

COUNTY COLLECTORS.

For some years prior to 1804 there were township collectors, and they performed some service in 1805. The office of county collector was abolished in 1827.

Nathaniel Cushing, 1804-6; William Burnham, 1806-7; Obadiah Lincoln, 1807-8; Timothy Buell, 1808-20; Jesse Loring, 1820-2; Timothy Buell, 1822-3; Jesse Loring, 1823-7.

CORONERS.

Provision was made in 1788 for a coroner in each county, to be appointed by the governor. The first State constitution also provided for one to be elected every two years by the people, and a law of 1854 continued the provision. The list appended is believed to be correct from 1812 to the present time; there is some uncertainty as to the previous periods.

Charles Green (territory); Joel Bowen, 1803; Joseph Holden, 1806; Alexander Hill, 1812; Silas Cook, 1814; Samson Cole, 1816; Silas Cook, 1818; John Merrill, 1820; Griffrn Greene, 1824; Francis Devol, 1834; Warden Willis, 1836; Lawrence Chamberlain, 1838; John T. Clogston, 1844; Lawrence Chamberlain, 1846; Chauncey T. Judd, 1850; Finley Wilson, 1852; James H. Jones, 1853; Chauncey T. Judd; 1855; Benjamin F. Stone, 1857; Louis Soyez, 1859; Allen M. Creigbaum, 1860; Lemuel Grimes, 1864; Simeon D. Hart, 1866; Herman Michaelis, 1868; Philip Emrich, 1870; Marcellus J. Morse, 1872; T. C. Kiger, 1874; Conrad Krigbaum, 1876; J. Fullman, 1880.

COUNTY SURVEYORS.

From 1803 to 1831 the surveyor was appointed by the court of common pleas, and commissioned by the governor. Since 1832 the election has been by the people, for three years.

Levi Barber, November, 1805-July, 1816; William R. Putnam, July, 1816-October, 1826; William R. Browning, February, 1827-May, 1832; Benjamin F. Stone, May, 1832-November, 1841; Levi Bartlett, November, 1842-October, 1851; L. W. Chamberlain, October, 1851-December, 1862; R. W. St. John, December, 1861-December, 1864; Charles E Gard* (appointed) January, 1865- December, 1865; John A. Plumer, February, 1866-January, 1875; J. P. Hulbert, January, 1875-1881; D. F. Differ, January, 1881.

INFIRMARY DIRECTORS.

These officers were appointed by the commissioners from 1836 until 1842, when they were required to be elected by the people, one each year, to serve three years.

Samson Cole, 1836-42; Eben Gates, 1836-42; Wyl-

* Samuel N. Hobson was elected October, 584 but resigned.

lys Hall, 1836-42; James Dunn, 1842-9; Thomas F. Stanley, 1842-44; William R. Putnam, jr., 1842-5; Samuel Shipman, 1844-7; Brooks Blizzard, 1845-51; John Collins, 1847-59; James M. Booth, 1849-50; James Dunn, 1850-62; James Dutton, 1850-3; James S. Cady, 1853-6; Robert T. Miller, 1854-60; Levi L Fay, 1856-62; Robert B. Cheatham, 1860-3; Junia Jennings, 1861-70; John Dowling, 1862-5; William West, 1863-6; James Dunn, 1865-8; F. A. Wheeler, 1866-75; Samuel E. Fay, 1868-71; H. W. Corner, 1870-3; Charles Athey, 1871-4; George W. Richards, 1873-6; William Caywood, 3d, 1874-80; John Dowling, 1875-8; Charles A. Cook, 1876-9; John Dowling, 1878-82; John Strocker, 1879-82; Charles Athey, 1880-3.

TRUSTEES OF THE CHILDREN'S HOME.

By the act of March 20, 1866, five trustees were to be appointed by the county commissioners, to serve one year each. By the act of April 10, 1867, the number of trustees was reduced to three, and the term of service extended to three years.

Douglas Putnam, June, 2866, to March, 1868; William R. Putnam, June, 1866, to March, 1877; Frederick A. Wheeler June, 1866, incumbent; William S. Ward, June, 1866, to May, 1871; Augustin Dyar, June, 1866, to March, 1868; Wylie H. Oldham, June, 1871, to June, 1875; W. Dudley Devol, September, 1875, incumbent; George Benedict, March, 1877, incumbent.