Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Monks, Leander J. (Leander John), 1843-1919; Esarey, Logan, 1874-1942, ed; Shockley, Ernest Vivian, 1878- ed
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis : Federal Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 586


USA > Indiana > Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume II > Part 34


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).


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John M. Smith November 8. 1898-November S. 1904.


John F. Lafollette November 8, 1904-November 17. 1910.


James J. Moran November 17, 1910; resigned in February, 1915, to become Appellate Judge in place of Frank I'ow- ers. deceased.


Jacob F. Denney Appointed February 10, 1915: term expires Novem- ber 17. 1916.


PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


John B. Chapman January 19, 1833-August 11, 1834, resigned. Eighth circuit.


Samuel C. Sample Appointed August 11, 1834-July 5, 1836, resigned. Joseph L. Jernegan Appointed July 5. 1836-December 10, 1836: trans- ferred to Ninth.


Thomas Johnson December 10. 1836-December 3, 1838. John W. Wright December 3. 1838-January 28, 1839. The act of January 28, 1839, put Jay in the Eleventh.


Jehu T. Elliott Appointed February 18, 1839-August 30, 1839, re- sigued.


John Brownlee Appointed August 20, 1839-December 5, 1839.


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


Jeremiah Smith December 5, 1839-December 15, 1841.


John M. Wallace


December 15, 1841-November 14, 1843, resigned.


John Davis Appointed November 14, 1843-September 7, 1846.


Joseph S. Buckles. September 7, 1846-September 7, 184S.


William Garver


August 20, 1851-October 12, 1852.


Silas Colgrove October 12. 1852-November 7, 1854. Seventh cir-


cuit.


Elijah B. Martindale __ November 7, 1854-October 20, 1855. The act of February 9, 1855, took Jay out of the Seventh and put it in the Thirteenth. This act transferred Mar- tindale from the Seventh to the Thirteenth.


Thomas M. Browne. October 20, 1855-October 22, 1861.


James N. Templer October 22, 1861-November 23, 1867.


Daniel M. Bradbury


November 23, 1867-October 24, 1870.


Elisha B. Reynolds


October 24, 1870-October 21, 1872.


Daniel W. Comstock


October 21. 1872-March 6, 1873. The act of March 6, 1873, put Jay in the Twenty-sixth and trans- ferred Comstock to the Seventeenth and Dailey from the Eighth to the Twenty-sixth.


Joseph S. Dailey March 6, 1873-November 3, 1876.


Joshua Bishop November 3. 1876-December 29, 1876.


Luther I. Baker


Appointed December 29, 1876-October 26, 1880.


John T. France October 26, 1880-November 17, 1884.


Edwin C. Vaughn November 17, 1884-March 3, 1885. Transferred to Twenty-eighth by act of March 3, 1SS5.


Oscar H. Adair Appointed March 9, 1885-November 17, 1888.


Richard H. Hartford __ November 17. 1888-November 17, 1890.


George T. Whitaker.


November 17. 1890-November 17, 1892.


Richard H. Hartford.


November 17, 1892-November 17, 1894.


F. H. Snyder November 17. 1894-November 17, 1896.


David E. Smith November 17. 1896-March 1, 1897. The act of


March 1, 1897, made Jay the sole county in the newly created Fifty-eighth, where it has since re- mained.


Daniel E. Greiner Appointed March 23, 1897-January 1, 1901.


Adelma Dargoo January 1, 1901-January 1, 1903.


Roscoe D. Wheat


January 1, 1903-January 1, 1907.


James R. Fleming January 1, 1907-January 1, 1911.


Malcolm V. Skinner. January 1, 1911-January 1, 1915.


John J. O'Neill. January 1, 1915; term expires January 1, 1917.


JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Jefferson county was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature on November 23, 1810, but the act did not be- come effective until the first of the following February. Prior


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to that time the county had been a part of Clark county, the latter being organized on February 3, 1801. The county seat was located at Madison the same year the county was organ- ized and no other town in the county has ever been considered as the seat of justice.


Madison was laid out by John Paul, Jonathan Lyon and Lewis Davis, the plat being recorded on June 12, 1812. The land on which the town stood was bought by Paul from the United States government in 1809 and he at once planned to establish a town on the site. He sold the first lots in Febru- ary, 1811, immediately after the county was formally organ- ized. Later in the same year he sold part of the town site to Jonathan Lyon and Lewis Davis and the three men became the proprietors of the newly-selected county seat. This part- nership was dissolved in 1820, when Lyon and Davis sold their entire interests in the town to Jacob Burnett, of Cin- cinnati, and J. F. Canby, of Madison.


Jefferson county was under the territorial government of Indiana for six years (1810-16) and during this time all of the local officials were commissioned directly by the Governor of the territory. The names of these territorial officials, to- gether with the dates of their commissions, have been taken from the Executive Journal of Indiana territory, a large ledger which is kept in the secretary of state's office, Indian- apolis. This list includes the judges, prosecuting attorneys and justices of the peace and is here given in the order in which they appear on the original record :


TERRITORIAL JUDICIARY.


December 13, 1810 Justices of the peace: William Cotton, George Craig, Samuel Smock, Samuel MeKinley, Thomas McFarland and Jesse Evans.


December 14, 1810. Justices of the peace: Robert M. Trotter, Ralph Cotton and Elisha Golay.


December 14, 1810 Prosecuting attorney : James Dill, for the couu- ties of Jefferson and Dearborn.


December 18, 1810. Judges of the Court of Common Pleas: William McFarland, first Judge; Samuel Smock, second Judge; William Cotton, third Judge.


January 21, 1811 Justices of the peace: Williamson Dunn, John Maxwell, Daniel Robbins and Michael Monroe.


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


March 4, 1811 Justices of the peace : John Cline and William


Hall.


May 22, 1811 Judge of the Court of Common Pleas: Williamson Dunn, vice William McFarland, resigned.


July 16, 1811 Prosecuting attorney : Alexander Meek.


July 26, 1811. Justice of the peace: Gerardus Ryker.


December 16, 1811 Justices of the peace: Joshua Deputy :. nd AFra- ham Long.


November 1, 1812 Prosecuting attorney : Jesse L. Holman.


February 22, 1813 Justice of the peace: Samuel Alexander.


June 9. 1913. Judge of the Court of Common Pleas: Christo- pher Harrison.


August 13, 1813. Justices of the peace: Dawson Blackmore and James Ward.


January 6, 1814 Judges of the Circuit court: Samuel Smock, first Judge; William Cotton, second Judge: Christopher Harrison, third Judge.


May 24, 1814 Justice of the peace: Samuel Patterson.


July 25, 1414 Justices of the peace: George Shannon and John Francis Dufour.


July 25, 1814. Judge of the Circuit court: Williamson Dunn.


September 15, 1814 Associate Judge of the Circuit court: Christopher Harrison, first associate; Williamson Duun. sec- ond associate.


November 14, 1814. Justices of the peace: Jacob Short and Thomas Taylor.


December 22. 1814. Associate Judge of the Circuit court: Nathaniel Hunt, vice Christopher Harrison, resigned.


May 19, 1815 Justices of the peace: Christopher Harrison, Jo- seph Strickland, James Stott. Ekellis Wilhite and John Thom.


August 11, 1815 Justice of the peace: John Burns.


November 18, 1815 Justices of the peace: Alexander Lewis, James Wooley and Bazil Bently.


December 16, 1:15 Justice of the peace: Jacob Leer.


January 23, 1816 Justice of the peace : John Bradford.


March 23, 1816 Justice of the peace : James McCale.


June 1, 1816. Justice of the peace: Jacob Rhoads.


June 22. 1616 Justices of the peace: Joseph Howard, John H. Bray and M. Hosatt.


The territorial system of courts bore little resemblance to the system established by the Constitution of 1816. The first court in Jefferson county was known as a Common Pleas court. The first entry of this court reads as follows :


"Pleas at the Court House in Madison, Jefferson County,


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Indiana Territory-Before the Hon'ble Samuel Smock, Will- iam Cotton and Williamson Dunn, Gent Judges of the said County on Tuesday the 22nd day of October 1811."


At this first session a grand jury of eighteen "good and lawful men" was impaneled and took the oath to do their whole duty in apprehending the criminals of the county. These men were as follows: Henry Ristine (foreman), David Cum- mings, Joseph Lane, Samuel Marquis, Thomas Nicholson, Samuel Maxwell, David H. Maxwell, James Edwards, William Vawter, Moses Baker, Jacob Rhoads, John Rhoads, Isaiah Blankenship, Hugh Mckay, Joseph Strickland, Charles Eas- ton, Squire Hall, Joshua Jackson and John Chambers.


The first case tried in Jefferson county concerned one James Johnston, who was charged with an assault upon Isaac Jones "in the peace of God and of the United States." The in- dictment declared that he "did beat, wound & ill treat the said Jones so that his life was greatly dispaired of and that he did other wrongs to the said Isaac Jones then and there to the great damage of him." A jury composed of Samuel Lati- more, Jesse Gray, John Barns, Samuel Marquis, William Har- court, Joshua Wilkinson, Colby Underwood, Henry Joseph, William Hughes, Dawson Blackmore, Samuel Tomlinson and James Vawter found "the defendant guilty in manner and form as in the indictment against him alleged." The defend- ant was ordered to pay a fine of three dollars and the costs of the prosecution.


The first act of the Territorial Legislature concerning the division of the territory into judicial circuits was passed December 31, 1813, but this act was in conflict with the fed- eral statutes and was set aside by the act of August 30, 1814. This second act divided the ten counties of the territory into three judicial circuits, placing Jefferson county in the Second circuit with Washington, Harrison and Clark counties. Jesse L. Holman was appointed the President Judge of this circuit on September 14, 1814, and served in this capacity until the state was admitted to the Union in 1816.


The first Circuit court (provision for which had been made by the act of August 30, 1814) convened at Madison on No-


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


vember 7, 1814. The Judges of this court consisted of Jesse L. Holman, the President Judge of the circuit, and Christo- pher Harrison and Williamson Dunn, the Associate Judges of the county. The complete list of Associate Judges who served during the territorial period has been previously given. It should be mentioned in this connection that the Judges of the Circuit court not only handled all the civil, criminal, pro- bate and juvenile business of the county, but also transacted all of the business now performed by county commissioners. When in the latter capacity they formed what was called a County court. With the adoption of the Constitution of 1816 an entirely new system of court procedure went into opera- tion.


From 1816 to 1852 the President Judges of Indiana were elected by the Legislature for a period of seven years. Each county elected two Judges, known as Associate Judges, who likewise served seven years, as did the clerk of the court. During this period Jefferson county was united in different circuits with various contiguous counties. The first circuit to which Jefferson was attached under the new Constitution was created by the act of December 24, 1816. This act placed Jefferson in the Third circuit with Dearborn, Franklin, Wayne, Switzerland and Jennings counties. The act of Janu- ary 28, 1818, created the Second circuit, composed of Jeffer- son, Harrison, Orange, Washington, Jackson, Clark and Craw- ford. The next change was made by the act of December 31, 1821. This act constituted the Second circuit with Jefferson, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Washington, Jackson and Scott. Three years later (January 14, 1824) the Second circuit was enlarged to include Jefferson, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Wash- ington, Jackson, Scott, Jennings, Monroe and Lawrence coun- ties. As the population increased in these several counties it was found necessary to decrease the circuit and the act of January 20, 1830, placed Jefferson in the Third circuit with Franklin, Dearborn, Ripley, Decatur, Switzerland and Jennings. The act of February 10, 1831, made no change in the circuit, and the successive acts of February 17, 1838, and February 28, 1839, left the circuit as it was established in 1831. The last change in the circuit was made with the act of


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January 15, 1847. This act put Jefferson county into the Third circuit with Switzerland, Ohio, Jennings and Bartholo- mew.


The probate business of the various counties of the state was in the hands of the Circuit court from 1816 to 1818, when the Legislature provided for the establishment of a special Probate court in each county in the state. However, the act did not provide for a special Probate Judge, but placed the Associate Judges of the Circuit court in charge of the newly created Probate court. The Associate Judges continued to administer all probate matters until 1829. On January 23 of that year the Legislature passed an act providing for an elective Probate Judge in each county in the state and William Smith became the first Judge in Jefferson county. He held the first court under the new act on September 7, 1829, serving as an appointee until the first regular election in 1830. There were only four Probate Judges elected in Jefferson county up until 1852 when the Legislature abolished the court and turned its business over to the Common Pleas court. The Judges follow: William Smith, 1829-30; Joseph G. Marshall, 1830-34; Jesse D. Bright, 1834-39; William Hendricks, Jr., 1839-57; Williamson Dunn, 1847-52. From 1852 to 1873 the probate business of the county was in charge of the Common Pleas court, but when the latter court was abolished in that year the Circuit court was given jurisdiction over all probate matters. Each county now carries a separate record for probate busi- ness.


Jefferson county was one of three counties to establish a Common Pleas court before 1852. The Legislature passed an act on February 13, 1851, establishing such a court in Jefferson county, the act providing that the mayor of Madi- son, the county seat, should act as Judge of the court until a Judge was regularly elected and qualified. However, it ap- pears certain that the court was never really organized for business. Milton Stapp was mayor of Madison at this time and a search of the city records fails to reveal any proceedings of such a court. A. D. Vanosdol, the oldest attorney at the local bar, carefully examined the records of the mayor's office


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


from April, 1850, to April, 1853, the period of Stapp's incum- bency, and was unable to find any record of the mayor holding a session of the Common Pleas court. It is evident that the knowledge that the Constitutional Convention was considering a complete revision of the judiciary of the state was responsi- ble for the nonestablishment of the Common Pleas court in Jefferson county pursuant to the act of February 15, 1851. The first session of the Common Pleas court in the county under the 1852 Constitution was held in January, 1853, with Charles E. Walker as Judge.


A Criminal court was established in Jefferson county by the legislative act of May 13, 1868, but it was soon evident that there was not enough business in the county to justify a continuance of the court. Accordingly it was abolished by the act of February 16, 1871, the act becoming effective de- spite the pocket veto of the Governor. Upon the creation of this court in Jefferson county the Governor appointed Jere- miah Sullivan (May 18, 1868) to serve until the first regular election. The first session of the Jefferson Criminal court was held on July 5, 1868, and on the same day the court appointed John W. Linck as prosecutor. Judge Sullivan died in Decem- ber, 1870, and the Governor immediately appointed John R. Cravens to fill his unexpired term. Judge Cravens was com- missioned December 23, 1870, and held his first session of court on the last day of the same year. Judge Cravens con- tinued on the bench until the court was abolished in 1871, the last record of the court being dated March 2, 1871. Since that time all criminal matters have been handled by the Cir- cuit court.


The legislative act of June 17, 1852, divided the whole state into ten judicial circuits, placing Jefferson in the First, with Ripley, Jennings, Switzerland, Ohio, Brown and Bar- tholomew. The next act affecting the First circuit was passed February 25, 1869, at which time Ohio county was taken out of the circuit and united with Union, Franklin and Dearborn to form the Twenty-sixth circuit. The Act of March 6, 1873, placed Jefferson and Scott together in the Fifth circuit. Six years later (March 7, 1879) Jefferson was placed with Swit- zerland in the Fifth circuit.


.


785


THE COUNTY COURTS


On February 4, 1891, Jefferson was made the sole county in the Fifth circuit, Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland being constituted the Seventh. The succeeding Legislature (March 4, 1893) passed an act uniting Jefferson county with Clark in the Fourth circuit, but this act was never carried into effect. At that time both the Judge (W. T. Friedley) and Prosecutor (A. D. Vanosdol) of the Fifth circuit lived in Jefferson coun- ty and the Judge contended that the Legislature did not have the right to redistrict the county in such a way that they could not serve out the term for which they were elected. Accord- ingly the Judge of Jefferson county, William T. Friedley, pro- ceeded to act on the theory that he was still the Judge, at least in Jefferson county. At this juncture the Judge of the Clark Circuit court (G. H. D. Gibson) instituted quo warranto pro- ceedings against Judge Friedley in an effort to dispossess him of his seat. A special Judge, S. E. Leland, tried the case and decided that the act attaching Jefferson to Clark county was unconstitutional. The decision was appealed to the Supreme court and that body upheld the decision of the lower court. Consequently, Jefferson remained the sole county in the Fifth circuit. As soon as the term for which Judge Friedley was elected expired the Legislature (February 24, 1897) attached Switzerland county to Jefferson and these two counties have constituted the Fifth circuit since that date.


All of the Judges of the circuit to which Jefferson county has been attached since 1852 with the exception of Downey, Berkshire and Griffith, were elected from Jefferson county. Downey was elected from Ohio county, Berkshire, from Jen- nings, and Griffith from Switzerland county.


ASSOCIATE JUDGES.


Daniel Scalves February 24, 1817.


John Pitcher


February 24, 1817.


David Hillis Resigned, July, 1820.


Thomas Douglas


September 11, 1820; resigned, June, 1822.


Joseph Strickland September 11, 1820, vice David Hillis, resigned.


David Hillis July 5, 1822, vice Thomas Douglas, resigned.


Dawson Blackmore September 1, 1823; resigned, June, 1828.


Gamaliel Taylor September 1, 1823; resigned, June, 1828.


(50)


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


Orson E. Hough August 14, 1828 (special election), vice Gamaliel Taylor, resigned.


Elmer Gale September 8, 1830, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1831.


Dawson Blackmore September 8, 1830, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1831, resigned, April, 1836.


David Cummins June 13, 1836 (special election), vice Dawson Blackmore (resigned), to serve seven years from February 24, 1831.


William Taylor August 22, 1837, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1838.


Elmer Gale August 22, 1837, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1838.


Robert Kinnear August 10, 1844, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1845.


William M. Taylor August 10, 1844, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1845.


PROBATE JUDGES.


William Smith August 8, 1829.


Joseph G. Marshall May 5, 1830, appointed vice William Smith, re- signed.


Joseph G. Marshall September, 1830, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1831.


Jesse D. Bright. August 9, 1834, vice Joseph G. Marshall (re- signed), to serve seven years from date.


William Hendricks, Jr ._ March 26, 1839.


William Hendricks, Jr ._ Auguts 10, 1839.


Williamson Dunn


August 31, 1846, to serve seven years from De-


cember 29, 1846.


COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.


Charles E. Walker 1852-60.


Francis Adkinson 1860-64.


Robert N. Lamb 1864-68.


Scott Carter 1868-73.


DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


James Y. Allison 1852-54.


James C. Thom 1854-59.


William S. Schroyer 1859-60.


John Barber


1860-62.


Solon Russell 1862-64.


William D. Wilson 1864-66.


Albert B. Goden 1866-67.


William P. Adkinson


Appointed December 7, 1867-68.


Hugh D. McMullen 1868-70.


Isaac M. Dunn 1870-73.


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PRESIDENT JUDGES.


Johu Test December 18, 1816-January 28, 1818. The act of January 28, 1818, took Jefferson out of the Third and put it in the Second.


Davis Floyd


January 28, 1818-December 18, 1823.


John F. Ross


December 18, 1823-January 20, 1830. The act of January 20, 1830. put Jefferson in the Third.


Miles C. Eggleston January 20, 1830-December 20, 1844.


Courtland Cushing December 20, 1844: resigned. August 9, 1850.


Alexander C. Downey_Appointed August 9, 1850-October 12, 1852.


CIRCUIT JUDGES.


Alexander C. Downey_October 12, 1852; resigned August 1, 1858. First circuit.


John W. Spencer Appointed August 9, 1858-October 26, 1858.


Joseph W. Chapman October 26, 1858-October 26, 1864.


John G. Berkshire October 26, 1864-March 6. 1873. The act of March 6, 1873, put Jefferson in the Fifth.


John R. Cravens Appointed March 13, 1873-October 22. 1873.


James Y. Allison October 22, 1873-November 14, 1SS4.


William T. Friedley


November 14. 1884-October 22, 1897. The act of February 24, 1897, constituted Jefferson and Switzerland the only counties in the Fifth, where: they have since remained.


Perry E. Bear October 22, 1897-October 22, 1903.


Hiram Francisco October 22, 1903-October 22, 1915.


Francis M. Griffith October 22, 1915; term expires October 22, 1921.


PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


John Kingsbury August 9, 1824-August 24, 1826. Second circuit.


Milton Stapp August 14. 1826-December 30, 1826.


John Kingsbury December 30, 1826-December 30, 1828.


John H. Thompson December 30, 1828-January 20, 1830. The act of January 20, 1830, put Jefferson in the Third.


James F. D. Lanier January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.


John M. Johnson January 25, 1832-February 21, 1833, resigned.


John Test Appointed February 21, 1833-December 5, 1833.


Courtland Cushing December 5, 1883-December 11, 1837.


John Dumont December 11, 1837-December 15, 1841.


George Robinson


December 15. 1841-May 18, 1842, died.


John Dumont


Appointed May 18, 1842-December 15, 1848.


James Y. Allison


August 16, 1851-October 12, 1852.


Robert P. Moore


October 12, 1852-November 7. 1854. First circuit.


Daniel Kelso


November 7, 1854-November 7, 1856.


Francis Adkinson November 7. 1856-November 7, 1858.


George W. Richardson_November 7, 1858-November 7, 1862.


James M. Myers November 7. 1862; resigned, June 16, 1864. Benjamin F. Lewis Appointed June 16, 1864-November 1, 1865.


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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


John A. Miller. November 1, 1865-November 3, 1868.


John Denton November 3, 1868-November 3, 1872.


John O. Cravens November 3, 1872-March 6, 1873. The act of


March 6, 1873, put Jefferson in the Fifth.


Charles L. Jewett Appointed March 25, 1873-October 22, 1877.


John F. Bellamy October 22, 1877-October 22, 1881.


Eugene G. Hay October 22, 1881-October 22, 1885.


Marcus R. Sulzer October 22, 1885-October 22, 1889.


Perry E. Bear October 22, 1889-October 22, 1893.


Argus D. Vanosdol October 22, 1893-October 22, 1897. The act of


February 24, 1897, constituted Jefferson and Switzerland the only counties in the Fifth, where they have since remained.


Clarence J. Roberts. October 22, 1897-October 22, 1899.


Simon E. Leland October 22, 1899-January 1, 1902.


Leonard E. Smith


January 1, 1902-January 1, 1904.


James R. E. Pheasant_January 1, 1904-January 1, 1906.


Emerson Lemen


January 1, 1906-January 1, 1910.


James S. Wright.


Jannary 1, 1910-January 1, 1912.


Curtis Marshall


January 1, 1912-January 1, 1916.


Wallace J. Cotton


January 1, 1916; term expires January 1, 1918.


JENNINGS COUNTY.


Jennings county was organized by the Legislature on De- cember 27, 1816, and the act became effective on the first of the following February. The act organizing the county, ap- pointed commissioners to select the location for the seat of justice, and when the commissioners met in March to select a site, two places were considered. One was about a half mile southwest of the present town of Vernon and, when it came to a vote three of the commissioners declared in favor of this site. The present site, however, was finally selected and largely because of the influence of John Vawter, its first set- tler. On the first day of April, 1817, Vawter and David Mc- Clure made a proposition to the locating commissioners which resulted in the selection of Vernon. They proposed to give the county a sufficient tract of land for the public buildings and also a considerable tract which could be sold, but stipu- lated that the proceeds of the land for sale should be devoted exclusively to the erection of county buildings. In addition to this generous gift, Vawter and McClure gave two acres for burial purposes and three lots of one acre each for churches


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or school houses. Another strange proposition in their offer was their proposal that the eastern part of the town as then laid out should be forever open and common to the citizens of the town and county. As a final and, to the commissioners, a very convincing argument for the selection of their site, they offered to obligate themselves to pay four hundred dol- lars in cash, twelve months after date. Undoubtedly, it was this latter proposal which carried the day. Here the county seat has always remained, although within the last few years, North Vernon, a town a mile and a half to the north, has made strenuous efforts to secure the county seat. The Legislature passed an act on March 15, 1913, which provided for an elec- tion to determine whether the county seat should be moved from Vernon to North Vernon. The change was to be made if sixty per cent of the voters were in favor of the proposed resolution. The election was held on September 22, 1913, and Vernon retained the county seat by the slender majority of twenty, the vote standing two thousand two hundred and sev- enteen for relocation and one thousand five hundred twelve against it.




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