USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 2 > Part 8
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 2 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
Returning North, the One Hundred and Thirtieth was ordered via Washington, D. C., to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and to other
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points in succession until it reached Newbern, that State, and Kingston, near which place it encountered the enemy and drove him baek. Shortly after it joined Sherman's army at Goldsboro, which army was soon turned over to General Seliofield, for a short period. On reaching Smithfield, on the 11th of April, 1865, our men received the news of Lee's surrender and the virtual close of the war. During the summer and fall ensuing the regiment was on guard duty at Charlotte, and was finally mustered ont of service December 2, with 27 officers and 540 men.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTIL,
which had a mumber of soldiers from Wells County, was a 100-day regiment. Edward J. Robinson, of North Madison, was Colonel. It was organized and mustered into service at Indianapolis, May 27, 1864, and proceeded to Tennessee. It served more than 100 days, doing duty along the lines of the railroads which supported Sherman in his advance upon Atlanta.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY,
also a 100-day regiment, had three companies from the old Eleventh Congressional District. James II. Shannon, of La Porte, was Colonel. These recruits were organized and mustered into service at Indianapolis May 27, 1864, along with several other 100-day regiments, and did the same service as described above for the One Hundred and Thirty-seventlı.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THIRD INFANTRY contained a full company of volunteers from Wells County,-Company E,-of which Ben- jamin F. Wiley, of Bluffton, was Captain; John M. Henry, of Ossian, First Lientenant, and Marvin W. Bennett, of Ossian, Second Lientenant. Oliver II. P. Carey, of Marion,
was Colonel. This was a one year regiment, wholly from the Eleventh Congressional Dis- triet. It left Indianapolis March 5, 1865, for the battle-field, and operated in Kentucky, skirmishing, fighting guerrillas and guarding the city of Louisville, until September 4 of that year, when it was mustered out of ser- vice.
INDIANA LEGION.
Harrison Guards: Captain Herod T. True and First Lieutenant Picket P. Connett, of Bluffton.
Jefferson Guards: Captain James Gorrell and First Lieutenant John W. Todd, of Ossian.
THE HEROIC DEAD OF WELLS COUNTY.
From the Banner of May 21, 1885, E. Y. Sturgis, editor, we eopy the following list, as complete as could be made, of the soldiers from Wells County who died or were killed in the last war, with their place of burial or the places at which they died:
Officers. - Lieutenant - Colonel William Swaim, Thirty-fourth Infantry, buried at Ossian; First Lieutenant J. Sharpe Wisner, Company A, Forty-seventh Infantry, Bluff- ton; Second Lieutenant John B. Louis, Com- pany A, Forty-seventh Infantry, Bluffton; First Lieutenant Lewis W. Dailey, Company I, Twenty-second Infantry, Murray; Second Lieutenant Uriah Todd, Company K, Seventy- fifth Infantry, Prospect; Captain Sanford R. Karns, Company K, Seventy-fifth Infantry, Bluffton; First Lieutenant Simon Krewson, Company G, One Hundred and First Infan- try, Prospeet; Second Lientenant Abe S. Masterson, Company B, One Hundred and First Infantry, Six Mile; Captain James A. Milliken, Company F, One Ilundred and Thirtieth Infantry, Ossian.
Thirteenth Regiment. - William Allen, killed at Stone River; Ebenezer Taylor,
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
Prospect; J. Lepper, died in Southern prison; Joseph M. Gardiner.
Thirty-fourth Regiment .- George Wilson, Ossian; Sylvester Catton, Prospect; Francis M. Fry, killed at Port Gibson; Richard M. Goshorn, Ossian; Josiah II. Hontz, died in Louisiana; Daniel Kitchen, Prospeet; James McConnell, Ossian; William Ogden, Iowa; James Patterson, killed at Champion Ilills; Steven Parkison, died at Brazos Santiago, Texas; Samuel Richardson, Helena, Arkan- sas; William Alley, mortally wounded at Champion Hills; De Witt C. Clark, James HIagne, Jacob IIess, Leonard Prough, Peter Pence, John West and Thomas Bell, died in Wells County; Warren Housel, died in New Orleans; W. Thompson, died in Helena, Ar- kansas; Joseph Proctor, died at Camp Wiek- litl'e; Miland J. True, drowned in Mississippi River; Othello Welcheimer, died at New Madrid, Missouri; J. Craven, died at Mem- phis, Tennessee; Milton P. Wilson, Nash- ville, Tennessee; Ed. Courtney, Joseph Kline, Henry Hartup, Caleb Ayers, Daniel Justice, Wilson Gibson, William Hammon, L. Ray, Daniel Calkins.
Forty-seventh Regiment. - Joseph W. Stout and W. O. Butterfield, died at St. Louis; John Custard, Helena, Arkansas; John S. Devoss, died of wounds received at Chapel Hill; Job I. Devoss, Jefferson Bar- racks, Missouri; David HI. Bender, Bluffton; William HI. Stobie, died in Missouri; Madi- son Ilall, Memphis, Tennessee; William II. Jeffreys, died in the West; Abel S. Johnson, died in St. Louis; Isaac Jolmson, killed in Mississippi; John Jones, Tiptonville, Ten- nessee; Levi Mechling, Mound City, Illinois; Theodore MeLaughlin, Benton, Missouri; Evan II. Phillips, New Orleans; John Snow, Wells County; John Tate and William II. Thorp, Helena, Arkansas; E. Thrailkill, killed in Mississippi; David Updegraft, Wells
County; Thomas J. Helm and John Wilson, New Orleans; Joshua Snider, Prospect; Jonathan Ady, Benton, Missouri; Jesse M. Routh, Bluffton; Marshall Clark, Milliken's Bend; Thomas Boden, Bluffton; William Henley, killed at Champion Ilills; Josiah Singleton, Benton, Missouri; Henry Single- ton, Nelson's Furnace, Kentucky; Robert Walder, Champion Hills; Sanford Witham, Morganza, Louisiana; J. W. Stanton, Roek- ford; Reed Shaw, Michael Hodgson, Thomas Crumley, James Wallace.
Seventy-fifth Regiment .- Ross MeFadden, Munfordville, Kentneky; Abe Wilson, Bluff- ton; J. G. Cartright, Nashville, Tennessee; William Cupp, Louisville, Kentucky; Thom- as Allen, Evansville, Indiana; Patrick Boyle, Ringgold, Georgia; John W. Laneaster, Twi- bell's cemetery; Silas Laneaster, Log Moun- tain, Tennessee; William Brown, Peach Tree Creek; James Burwell, Bluffton; Henry J. Cartwright, Ossian; William Ware, Moss- burg cemetery; John Graham and Silas Smith, Murfreesboro; Andrew J. Harter, Chickamauga; William Mason, Seottsville, Kentucky; John C. Millikin, Ossian; Royal V. Rich, Gallatin, Tennessee; W. Templeton, New Albany, Indiana; J. S. Wilson, Tulla- homa, Tennessee; Columbus Bennett, killed at Chickamauga; O. Wilmington, Gallatin, Tennessee; Leander Slusser, New York Har- bor; Adam Perry, William Powell, J. Dum- ond, Thomas Rieker, D. A. Riley, J. Jellison, William Ware (Company E), William Luckey, William Williams.
One Hundred and First Regiment .- Har- rison Foneannon, Bluffton; J. L. Morgan, Chickamauga; Thomas Lagan, Munfordville, Kentucky; John Glass, Louisville, Kentucky; Francis M. Clark, Andersonville prison; G. W. Barton, Munfordville, Kentucky; Abra- ham Bender, Lonisville, Kentucky; J. S. Clark, Chattanooga, Tennessee ; Reuben
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Crist and J. M. Connett, Murfreesboro; Levi D. Deaver, died of wounds: William Ewing, Lebanon, Kentucky; William Falor, Cowen, Tennessee; William V. Lewis, Murfreesboro; J. Lesh, W. W. Miller and S. Sims, Ander- sonville prison; Charles Miller, John Thomp- son, John R. Weaver, Jacob Bowman, L. D. Harvey, II. B. l'eek, David Sides, George Smith and C. Vandine, Murfreesboro; A. Nevins, Joseph Torrence and William Con- fer, killed at Chiekamanga; Alex. S. Oaks, Danville, Virginia, prison; Jacob Weiser, Munfordville, Kentucky; Harrison Taylor, Jeffersonville, Indiana; L. D. Wilson, In- dianapolis; Lyman M. Peek, Zanesville; R. W. Chalfant and J. P. Cherry, Munfordville, Kentucky; Enos Feltz, Zanesville; Henry Griffith, Sonner's graveyard; A. J. Nash, Gallatin, Tennessee; William Nelson, killed at Milton, Tennessee; Joseph Ormsby, Pros- peet; A. B. Columbus, shot; Jacob l'alm, Ossian; Sanford Nelson, Orlande Leeper, William Ewing, A. J. Barlow, IIugh Ayers, Robert, Abner and Charles Sinkler, Josiah Smith, John Sehoeh, Charles Hixon.
One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment .- John M. Nash, Charlotte, North Carolina; D. Connett, Andersonville prison; Isaac Cas- ton, killed by guerrillas; George Clark, Nashville, Tennessee; W. R. Gardiner, Chat- tanooga, Tennessee; Lewis Ilendry and Jo- seph King, killed by guerrillas; Joseph Haynes, Knoxville, Tennessee; James Wilson, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Thomas S. Harter, Tullahoma, Tennessee; George Barton, died in Andersonville prison; Henry Connett, Urialı Nash, Thomas Moran.
Other Regiments .- Andrew Byrd, Henry Schell, James Brown, Eleventh Infantry.
Samuel Patterson, J. Arnold, Fifty-first Infantry.
Elmore Johns and Richard Beard, Fifty- seventh Infantry.
William Peppard, Company K, One Hun- dred and Forty-second Infantry.
Robert Campbell, Company K, One Hun- dred and Fifty-third Infantry.
M. V. Davis and Joseph F. Aker, Fifty- third Infantry.
John Iliggs, Company C, Forty-fourth In- fantry.
William and James Allen, Thirteenth Cavalry. .
John Calkins, Fifty-fourth Infantry.
George Roush, Fifty-second Infantry.
Nelson G. Fulton, Twenty-second Infantry, killed at Rome, Georgia.
Thomas Phipps, Twenty-second Infantry, died in Missouri.
John A. Stobie, Thirtieth Infantry, Murray. Jacob Keller, Fifth Indiana, Mexican war. Henry Eehert, Bluffton.
Allen L. Miller, killed at Champion Hills. John Thomas, Six Mile.
Albert Lindsey, Mexican war, old eeme- tery.
William Carpenter, drowned in White River.
Hampton Osborn, died at Louisville, Ken- tueky.
Mont Wilson, signal service, died at New Orleans.
James Jackson, war of 1812, Mendenhall cemetery.
John Jackson, Markle.
Levi Sayler, Chickamanga.
Thomas Deaver, Mission Ridge.
Henry Mossburg, war of 1812, Mossburg cemetery.
Rural Wright, war of 1812.
Charles Sloan, Sparks cemetery.
A. Price and Mr. Diekey, Rockford eeme- tery.
Silas II. Wentz. old cemetery.
Thomas Deaver, William Griffey, David Miller, William Beasley, war of 1812.
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
- PROFESSIONAL. K-
THE BAR.
BY JO8. 8. DAILEY.
4
HE first term of the Circuit Court of Wells County convened at the residence of Robert C. Bennett, where Bluffton is now situated, in October, 1837, with the following officers: Charles W. Ewing, Judge; John Swett and James R. Greer, Asso- ciate Judges; Bowen Ilale, Clerk ; Isaae Covert, Sheriff, and Thomas Johnson, Proseenting Attorney.
The first grand jury consisted of Abraham MeDowell, James Guthrie, James Mace, James Wright, James Cobbnm, David Bennett, Christopher Miller, William Ray, William P'. Davis, Henry Mace, Jeremiah Masterson, Nathaniel Batson, Isaac Dewitt, James Ilar- vey, Isaac Wright, Isaac Lewellyn, Joseph Jones and Buell Baldwin, and petit jurors, Joseph Sparks, John MeCullick, Noah Tobey, John Seek, Newton Putnam, Allen Norcross, Andrew Brown, John Higgins, John Case- beer, Goldsmith Baldwin, Samnel Wallace,
Conklin Masterson, Henry Miller, Henry Myers, Daniel Miller, John C. Whitman, James Jarrett, David Snyder, Mason Powell, William Foncannon, Samuel Myers, Adam Miller, John Swett and James R. Greer, all of whom but Newton Putnam are dead.
The first court entry was made on October 19, 1837.
The grand jurors previous to the April term, 1839, failed to present any one for erime, but at this term Jehu T. Elliott, of New Castle, Indiann, afterward supreme judge, appeared as proseenting attorney, and the first indictments in the county were then found and presented, and the court made the following entry in relation thereto, which will be found on page 21, Minute Book " A": "Ordered by the court that in all bills of indietment found at the present term of this court for assaults and batteries, betting, and selling and giving spirits to Indians, the defendants be required to enter into reeog- nizanee in the sun of $25 each and security in a like som and in all indictments for grand larceny and for suffering gaming in grocery
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or taverns the defendants be required to enter into recognizanee in the sum of $100 each with security in a like sum."
At the September term, 1839, Ewing was succeeded on the bench by Hon. David Kilgore, of Muncie, afterward speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and subse- quently for two terins a member of Congress from the "Old Burnt District." At this terin, among others, the famous Moses Jenkin- son, Judge Jeremiah Smith, of Winehester, and Judge Jacob B. Julian, now of Indianap- olis, were admitted to practice in this court. The first criminal proceeding tried was against Associate Judge Jaines R. Greer, who entered a plea of guilty to a charge of betting and was fined one dollar. It seems that the judges in those days dealt out justice impar- tially and in proof of this made one of their own number the first vietim of the majesty of the law. At this term John Brownlee, of Grant County, since a leading member of the Marion Bar, and who is still living, was the proseeuting attorney. The criminal doeket contained fifty-two causes, of which forty-tive were for betting, and most of the prominent citizens of the county were placed under indictment.
At the Mareli terin, 1840, the late Jere- miah Smith appeared as prosecuting attorney.
At the October term, 1840, the first divorce petition in the county was filed. Prior to that event domestic bliss and felicity seem to have reigned supreme.
At the April term, 1841, Samuel Ogden sneceeded Jolin Swett as associate judge, and at this term John P. Greer, still living at an advanced age at Topeka, Kansas, became the first resident member of the Wells County Bar and was one of its leading lights until his removal from the State in 1857. The first entry in the probate docket of the county was made by William Wallace, probate judge,
on November 10, 1841, ordering a writ of habeas corpus for the body of one Martin Perry.
At the March term, 1842, James W. Bor- den, of Fort Wayne, succeeded to the judge- ship and Lueien P. Ferry of the same place appeared as proseenting attorney. Borden, though only a moderate lawyer, was a man of fine physical proportions, an excellent con- versationalist, and spent the subsequent years of his life in office, having been a member of the constitutional convention, judge of the Court of Common Pleas, minister to the Sandwich Islands under Buchanan, again common pleas judge, and he died in the har- ness as judge of the Allen Criminal Court about six years ago. The court as then con- stituted had an equitable but arbitrary way of apportioning eosts, and at this term, in the case of " Andy " Ferguson v. Ahnon Case, where the jury found for the plaintiff in the sum of 82, the court ordered " that each party pay one-half the costs."
At the September term, 1842, the name of Horatio M. Slack, the second resident attorney of Bluffton, appears of record. At this term William II. Coombs of Fort Wayne appeared as prosecuting attorney. After having practiced at that eity for more than one-half of a century, he rounded off his career by a brief service on the supreme beneh, and is now living at a " green old age," but retired from business eares. During this term the judge and ex-Prosecuting Attorney Ferry were jointly indieted on the novel charge of " aiding in the escape of a pris- oner."
At the March term, 1843, the venerable David H. Colerick, still in life, appeared as prosecuting attorney. He was at his prime a man of excellent delivery and surpassing eloquence, and several of his sons have in- herited great ability in these respects. At
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
this term John W. Dawson, afterward editor of the Fort Wayne Times, and subsequently Governor of Utah Territory, was admitted to the bar. Ile was a ready writer and a strong, aggressive man, but his pilgrimage closed about ten years ago. Two important events occurred at this term, viz., the convie- tion of Associate Justice Greer for violating the revenue laws, and the indietment of S. G. Upton, the third resident attorney admitted to the bar, for barratry, but for the credit of the fraternity let it be said that he was acquitted of the charge.
At the September terin, 1843, Robert B. Turner became associate judge with Greer, and Lewis Lynn was then sheriff.
At the March term, 1844, Lysander C. Jacoby was special proseentor. During this session Ezekiel Parker was convicted of ob- taining goods under false pretense, which was the first snecessful proseention of a felony in the eonnty.
At the March term, 1845, Jonathan Gar- ton became associate judge, and continued in this capacity with Greer until the office was abolished by the adoption of the new Consti- tion in 1852. At this term James R. Slaek, a Union General during the Rebellion and afterward judge of the Twenty-eighth Judicial Cireuit, acted as prosecuting attorney. IIe was a man of rugged sense and old-fashioned honesty.
At the August term, 1845, and March term, 1846, Elza A. McMahon, afterward judge of this eireuit, but long a resident of Minnesota, acted as proseenting attorney.
In 1847 Isaac Covert again became sheriff, but with this exception the same judges and officers continued until March, 1848, when Samuel G. Upton was commissioned prose- enting attorney. Ile was a straight dignified New Yorker, prematurely gray, who thought his frosty head was the result of hard study,
but who never was a lawyer " to hurt." He engaged for a number of years in editing and publishing the Bluffton Banner, and was for a time postmaster at this place, but ended his career about three years ago at New Or- leans, Louisiana, at the advanced age of seventy-five years. In 1849 Isaac Covert re- tired from the shrievalty and was succeeded by Amza White.
At the December term, 1849, James L. Worden acted as proseenting attorney. Ile was born in Massachusetts in 1819, but lost his father in infancy, removed to Portage County, Ohio, when a child and was deprived of the advantages of an early education. He was largely self-taught, and removed to In- diana during his early manhood, where, by his real merits, he gained rapid promotions, first to the office of proseenting attorney, next to the nisi prius beneh, and afterward to the Supreme Bench of Indiana, where he remained nineteen years, and his opinions were so much regarded that he was styled the " old reliable " and the " John Marshall " of that court.
At the March term, 1851, the accomplished and persuasive John R. Coffroth, who needs no introduction to our people, was admitted to practice liere. Judges L. M. Ninde, Will- iam W. Carson and Jacob M. Haynes and Isaae Jenkinson were admitted at the same time, and Benedict Burns was added as the fourth resident member of the bar.
At the March term, 1852, Amza White, an original character in his day, and Arthur W. Sanford, afterward a prominent clergyman of Marion, Indiana, but now of Michigan, were admitted to the force of local counsel. At this term James L. Worden acted as prose- enting attorney, and in March, 1853, he prodneed his commission and qualified as prosecutor. William Porter was then added to the list of resident attorneys. In the
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earlier court practice they disposed of busi- ness in a summary manner after the fashion of the old English " dusty foot " court, and while it was rough on the victim, little com- plaint was made of the law's delay. One notable instance of this kind was the trial of Detro and Brown, in 1851, for the larceny of a horse belonging to Daniel Miller. They had taken the stolen property into Ohio. The vigilance committee got upon their trail, pursued them to near the city of Day- ton, captured the thieves with their plunder, aud re-crossed the State line without the aid of a requisition, brought the captives to Bluffton, and on the day of their arrival they were indicted, tried, convicted, sentenced to the penitentiary and on the morning of the next day the sheriff started with his prisoners to Jeffersonville to execute the judgment of the court. It was claimed that this was done in obedience to that clause in the organie law of the State which declares that " justice shall be administered speedily and without delay."
At the August term, 1853, Edwin R. Wil- son, whose biographical sketch will be found elsewhere, was admitted and became a resi- dent member of the bar. Michael Miller succeeded White as sheriff, and at the Feb- ruary term, 1854, Edwin R. Wilson was proseenting attorney.
At the February term, 1855, his brother, John L. Wilson, recently on the common pleas beneh at Morrow, Ohio, was placed on the roll of local attorneys, and also the name of John N. Reynolds, an anetioneer and petti- fogger of great tact, who "lost his grip " when he reached the Circuit Court.
At the August term, 1855, James L. Worden qualified as circuit judge, and in the November following George McDowell, a brother of the late Hon. James F. McDowell, of Marion, succeeded Bowen IIale as clerk
(who had retired after a service of seventeen years).
At the February term, 1857, Robert E. HIutcheson, afterward somewhat distinguished at the Columbus, Ohio, bar, was added to the list of resident counsel, but he remained only a brief time. At this term David T. Smith was admitted to practice, and he has been here continuously ever sinee.
At the February term, 1858, Renben J. Dawson, of Albion, Indiana, became circuit judge, James F. McDowell, subsequently a member of Congress from this district and a man of charming eloquence, was admitted to the bar, and George S. Brown, a scholarly man of fine appearance, located here and was also admitted to the bar. Ile subsequently located at Huntington, Indiana, where he for a time was engaged in business with Col- onel L. P. Milligan, one of the finest logi- cians of the Wabash Valley, and from there he removed to Topeka, Kansas, where in the midst of an extensive and growing practice he died of blood cancer. During this year Newton Burwell, a fluent speaker, ready writer and well-read man, was admitted to the bar, and for many years was identified with inneh important litigation in our courts, but the hand of business adversity was laid heavily upon him, and after following a diver- sity of pursuits and rowing against the tide, he at last took up the line of march and drifted to Rapid City, Dakota. At this term Nicholas Van Horn commeneed the practice here, but being of a somewhat notional dis- position, he has been alternately lawyer, preacher and doctor, and is now trying his hand at a variety of vocations in Texas. During this term one of the most impor- tant criminal trials occurred that has ever transpired in the history of the county. One Moses T. Murphy, a merchant of Vera Cruz, had gone into the country for the purpose of
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
procuring teams to haul wheat to Fort Wayne, and while in the woods between the residences of John Linn and Harvey Risley, he was słain. His continued absence excited the suspicion of his family, friends and neigh- bors, who instituted a thorough search for him. His body was found with marks of violence upon his head, indicating that he had been felled by some blunt instrument, and upon eloser inspection it was ascertained that his jugular vein was severed. A club bespattered with blood and hair was also found near the body. Suspicion at once, whether justly or otherwise, rested upon Dr. William Freeman, who was Mr. Murphy's neighbor. Ile was arrested and indieted for the crime, and after an exciting trial, was acquitted. The ease was ably prosecuted by Sanford J. Stoughton, prosecuting attor- ney, assisted by Messrs. Ninde and Wilson, and was defended by Messrs. MeDowell, Mil- ligan and Coffroth. Edwin R. Wilson be- came judge at the December term, 1858, and James M. Defrees, of Gosheu, who long since died, prosecuting attorney. Thomas L. Wisner became elerk in November, 1859.
At the February term, 1860, Jolin Cole- rick, a man of magnetic and persuasive elo- quence, succeeded to the office of prosecutor, and in February, 1861, was in turn succeeded by Augustus A. Chapin, present judge of the Allen Superior Court.
On August 23, 1861, Thomas W. Wilson became a member of this bar, and Nathaniel De Haven became sheriff. In November, 1864, James II. Schell became prosecutor and in the following February Robert Lowry, a member of the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth Congress from the Fort Wayne District, took his seat upon the bench. The chief business transacted in the courts of this county from the years 1861 to 1867 inclusive, was by some general divorce agents residing at Fort
Wayne, who operated for the Middle, Eastern and New England States and Canada. Di- vorces under the lax laws then existing were ground out by the half-bushel.
During the subsequent years of our juris- prudence the circuit court has been provided with officers as follows: Judges-Robert Lowry until April, 1873, when he was suc- ceeded by Jacob M. Haynes, who continued until November, 1878, when his successor, James R. Bobo, qualified, and continued as such until April, 1885, at which time he was sneceeded by Henry B. Sayler, present judge. James R. Mccleery succeeded Wisner as clerk in November, 1867, and continued as such until his death in April, 1875. Thomas L. Wisner was commissioned as his successor and held until November, 1875. William J. Craig was clerk from November, 1875, to November, 1883, since which John II. Ormsby has filled the trust. Manuel Chal- fant was sheriff from 1865 to 1867, and from 1869 to 1871, Isaialı J. Covanlt from 1867 to 1869 and from 1871 to 1873, William W. Wisell from 1873 to 1877, James B. Plessin- ger from 1877 to 1881, Marcellus M. Justus from 1881 to 1885, and since then Henry Kirkwood has been sheriff. This court has been supplied with the following proseentors during the interim named: Thomas W. Wil- son from November, 1866, to November, 1868; Joseph S. Dailey, from November, 1868, to November, 1876; Joshna Bishop from November, 1876, to November, 1877; Luther I. Baker from 1877 to 1880; John T. France from November, 1880, to November, 1884, and since then Edwin C. Vaughn has been prosecutor.
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