USA > Indiana > Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume III > Part 6
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George DeBolt August 16, 1849.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
Nathan B. Hawkins 1852; died in office October 19. 1853.
James Brown Appointed October 24, 1853-October 23, 1854.
William A. Peelle 1854-56.
Jacob M. Haynes. 1856-71, resigned.
John J. Cheney Appointed November 22, 1871-73.
DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
William Moorman 1852-54.
John J. Cheney 1854-56.
Enos L. Watson 1856-60.
T. J. Hosford 1860-62.
Enos L. Watson 1862-64.
John T. Hawkins. 1864-66.
Arthur C. Mellett 1866-6S.
Phillip A. B. Kennedy_1868-72.
William H. Lewis 1872-73.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
John Test August 10, 1818-January 2, 1819. Third circuit.
Alexander A. Meek January 2. 1819-February 2, 1819, resigned.
John Watts Appointed February 2. 1819-January 21, 1820.
Miles C. Eggleston January 21. 1820-January 20, 1830. The act of
January 20, 1830, put Randolph in the Sixth.
Charles H. Test January 23, 1830-January 20. 1836.
Samuel Bigger
January 20, 1836-January 28, 1839. The act of January 28, 1839, put Randolph in the Eleventh.
Morrison Rulon
January 30, 1839-March 1. 1839; never qualified.
David Kilgore Appointed March 1, 1839-January 30, 1846.
Jeremiah Smith January 30. 1846-October 12, 1852.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
Joseph Anthony October 12, 1852-February 9, 1955. The act of February 9, 1855, took Randolph out of the Seventh and put it in the Thirteenth.
Jeremiah Smith Appointed February 21, 1855-October 20, 1855.
Jehu T. Elliott October 2, 1855; resigned. January 2, 1865.
Silas Colgrove Appointed January 2, 1865-November 23, 1871.
Jacob M. Haynes November 23, 1871-March 6, 1873. The act . of March 6, 1873, put Randolph in the Twenty-fifth.
John J. Cheney
Appointed March 12, 1873-October 22, 1873.
Silas Colgrove October 22, 1873-October 22, 1879.
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THE COUNTY COURTS
Leander J. Monks. October 22, 1879; resigned, October 2, 1894, to be- come a member of the Supreme court. The act of March 5, 1885, made Randolph the sole county in the Twenty-fifth, where it has since remained. Garland D. Williamson_ Appointed October 3, 1894-November 15, 1894.
Albert O. Marsh November 15, 1894; resigned, January 10, 1902, to become United States pension agent for Indiana.
John W. Macy Appointed January 10, 1902-November 14, 1908.
James S. Engle. November 14, 1908-November 14, 1914.
Theodore Shockney November 14, 1914; term expires November 14, 1920.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Oliver H. Smith August 9, 1824-August 1, 1826, resigned. Third
circuit.
Amos Lane Appointed August 1, 1826-December 30, 1826.
Cyrus Finch December 30, 1826-January 20, 1830. The act of
January 20, 1830, put Randolph in the Sixth.
James Perry January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.
William J. Brown. January 25, 1832-December 10, 1836, resigned.
Samuel Parker Appointed December 10, 1836-December 10, 183S.
David Macey December 10, 1838-January 28, 1839. The act of January 28, 1839, put Randolph in the Eleventh.
Jehu T. Elliott February 18, 1839-August 20, 1839, resigned.
John Brownlee Appointed August 20, 1839-Decebmer 5, 1839.
Jeremiah Smith December 5, 1839-December 15, 1841.
John M. Wallace December 15, 1841-November 14, 1843; resigned, October 30, 1843.
John Davis Appointed November 14, 1843-September 7, 1846.
Joseph S. Buckles September 7, 1846-September 7, 1848.
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 Randolph out of the Seventh and put it in the Thirteenth. This act transferred Martindale 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 Randolph in the Twenty-fifth.
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978
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
John W. Ryan March 6, 1873-October 26, 1874. The act of March 6, 1873, transferred Ryan from the Seventh to the Twenty-fifth.
Alexander Gullett
October 26, 1874-October 26, 1876.
Albert O. Marsh
October 26 1876-October 26, 187S.
Josiah E. Mellett.
October 26, 1878-November 9. 1882.
John W. Newton
Appointed November 9, 1882-November 17, 1882.
Thomas A .Spence
November 17, 1822-August 22. 1883.
John R. McMahan
August 22, 1883-November 17, 1884.
Chauncey D. Medsker
November 17. 1SS4-March 5, 1885. The act of March 5, 1885, made Randolph the sole county in the Twenty-fifth, where it has since remained. Medsker was transferred to the Forty-sixth.
Emerson McGriff Appointed March 5. 1885-November 17. 1SS6.
Silas A. Canada November 17. 1886-November 17. 18SS.
James B. Ross. November 17, 18SS-November 17. 1890.
Benjamin F. Marsh November 17. 1890-November 17. 1892.
James B. Ross. November 17. 1892-November 17, 1894.
Charles L. Hutchens
November 17, 1894-November 17, 1898.
Alonzo L. Bales
November 17. 1898-January 1. 1001.
Charles L. Watson
January 1, 1901; resigned December 13, 1904.
Wesley O. Smith Appointed December 13, 1904-January 1. 1907.
Carl Thompson January 1, 1907-January 1, 1909.
Wesley O. Smith
January 1, 1909-January 1. 1911.
Ernest E. Chenowith. January 1, 1911-January 1, 1913.
Bert E. Woodbury
January 1, 1913-January 1. 1915.
Lemuel L. Taylor January 1, 1915; term expires January 1, 1917.
RIPLEY COUNTY.
It took two separate acts on the part of the Legislature to get Ripley county started. The first act, December 27, 1816, defined its limits, but did not provide for its formal organiza- tion. It was not until the act of January 14, 1818, became effective on the 10th of the following April that the county was really organized. The locating commissioners provided for in the act organizing the county selected the present site of Versailles on April 17, 1818, being largely influenced in their choice because of a liberal donation of land by John Paul.
The first lots in the new county seat were sold on Septem- ber 21, 1818, and during the same year the county commis- sioners made provisions for a court house. The first court house was ready for occupancy in the summer of 1821. The present court house was built in 1860-62 and a few years ago,
:
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THE COUNTY COURTS
when it was in need of repairs, there was an effort to move the county seat to Osgood. However, it was later decided to repair the present building and, with an expenditure of fif- teen thousand dollars, the building was put in first class con- dition.
The act organizing the county provided that the first courts should be held at the house of Benjamin Brown in Marion, a town on the Michigan road, about nine miles southwest of Versailles. On July 23, 1818, the first Circuit court met at the appointed place with John Test, President Judge, and John Ritchey, Associate Judge, on the bench. About the only busi- ness transacted at this first session was the adoption of a county seal. Conrad Overturf was the clerk and Benjamin Kirby officiated as the first sheriff. The other Associate Judge, Thomas Currin, appeared for the first time at the sec- ond session on November 12, 1818. It is interesting to note in this connection that the original house in which the first court met is still standing in an excellent state of preservation. The second session convened at the house of Brown, but adjourned to meet at the house of Joseph Bentley in Versailles.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
John Ritchey April 10, 1818; resigned, June, 1827.
Thomas Currin
April 10, 1818.
David P. Shock
August 27, 1827.
Archibald H. Reed
August 19, 1831; resigned, June, 1836.
Robert W. Todd August 19, 1831; removed from county, June, 1833.
Joseph Robinson
August 12, 1833, to serve seven years from April 10, 1832; resigned, June, 1835.
Henry L. Gray August 10, 1835, vice Joseph Robinson, to serve seven years from April 10, 1832.
Miles Mendenhall August 6, 1836, vice Archibald H Reed (resigned), to serve seven years from April 10, 1832.
Miles Mendenhall October 16, 1838, to serve seven years from April 10, 1839; resigned, July, 1840.
Henry S. Gray October 16, 1838, to serve seven years from April 10, 1839.
Henry B. Hukill August 11, 1840, vice Miles Mendenhall, resigned.
James Christie August 22, 1845, to serve seven years from April 10, 1846.
William L. Connell August 22, 1845, to serve seven years from April 10, 1846,
980
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
PROBATE JUDGES.
Henry B. Hukill
August 28, 1829.
Henry I. Bowers July 9, 1836, appointed vice Henry B. Hukill, re- signed.
Morton Craig August 6, 1836.
Morton Craig August 21, 1843.
James Duncan
February 14, 1844, vice Morton Craig, deceased.
Obed Willson August 19, 1844 ; resignation filed July 5, 1848.
George A. Roberts. September 2, 1848.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
William S. Holman 1852-56.
Jeremiah Bundy
1856-60.
Francis Adkinson
1860-64.
Robert N. Lamb 1864-67.
William A. Cullen 1867-70.
William A. Moore 1870-73.
DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Charles N. Shook 1852-54.
Horace A. Mayhew 1854-56.
Isaac H. Cavabaugh 1856-58, resigned.
Robert Q. Terrill
Appointed January 23, 1858-59, resigned.
Greene Durbin Appointed May 16, 1859.
William S. Schryver 1859-60.
John Barber 1860-62.
Solon Russell 1862-61.
William D. Wilson 1864-66.
Albert B. Goden 1866-67. Act of February 26, 1867, put Ripley in Twenty-second district.
Hugh M. Spaulding Appointed March S. 1867-70. resigned.
A. Smith Folzer Appointed April 16, 1870.
Elias R. Monfort 1870-72.
Adam Stockinger 1872-73.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
John Test April 10, 1818-January 2, 1819, resigned. Third
circuit.
Alexander A. Meek January 2. 1819-February 2. 1819, resigned.
John Watts Appointed February 2, 1819-January 21. 1820.
Miles C. Eggleston January 21, 1SSO-December 20, 1844.
Courtland Cushing December 20, 1844-January 15, 1847. The act of January 15, 1847, put Ripley in the Thirteenth.
George H. Dunn. January 21, 1847-January 24, 1850. William H. McCarty __. January 24, 1850-October 12, 1852.
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THE COUNTY COURTS
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-November 20, 1882. The act of March 6, 1873, put Ripley in the Sixth, and trans- ferred Berkshire from the First to the Sixth.
Jeptha D. New November 20, 1882-November 20, 1888.
Thomas C. Batchelor November 20, 1888-November 20, 1894.
Willard New November 20, 1894-November 20, 1906.
Francis M. Thompson _. November 20, 1906-November 20, 1912. The act of March 4, 1911, constituted Ripley, Jennings and Scott the Sixth, where they have since remained.
Robert A. Creigmile _. November 20, 1912; term expires November 26, 1918.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Oliver H. Smith August 9, 1824-August 1, 1826, resigned. Third
circuit.
Amos Lane Appointed August 1, 1826-December 30, 1826.
Cyrus Finch December 30, 1826-December 30, 1828.
1
M. M. Ray December 30, 1828-January 25, 1830.
James F. D. Lanier January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.
John M. Johnson January 25, 1832; resigned, February 21, 1833.
John Test Appointed February 21, 1833-December 5, 1833.
Courtland Cushing December 5, 1833-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-January 15, 1847. The act of January 15, 1847, put Ripley in the Thir- teenth.
Benjamin I. Spooner August 19, 1851-October 12, 1852.
Robert P. Moore October 12, 1852; resigned, February 27, 1854. First circuit.
Daniel Kelso November 7, 1854-November 7, 1856.
Francis Adkinson
November 7, 1856-November 7, 1858.
G. 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.
John A. Miller Appointed November 1, 1865-November 3, 1868.
John Denton November 3, 1868-November 3, 1872.
John O. Cravens November 3, 1872-November 3, 1878. The act of March 6, 1873, put Ripley in the Sixth, and trans- ferred Cravens from the First to the Sixth.
William G. Holland November 3, 1878-November 15, 1884. Lincoln Dixon November 15, 1884-November 15, 1892.
982
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
Joseph H. Shea November 15, 1892-November 15, 1894.
ยท F. M. Thompson __
November 15, 1894-November 15, 1896.
Marcus R. Connolly November 15, 1896-January 1, 1901.
Samuel B. Wells
January 1, 1901-January 1, 1905.
Louis A. Lee
January 1, 1905-January 1, 1907.
Johu W. Davis.
January 1, 1907-January 1, 1909.
Joseph W. Verbarg.
January 1, 1909; term expires January 1. 1917. The act of March 4, 1911, constituted Ripley. Jen- nings and Scott the Sixth, where they have since remained.
RUSH COUNTY.
Rush county was organized by the legislative act of De- cember 31, 1821, and the act became effective on the 1st of the following April. Four of the commissioners-Robert Lace, Samuel Jack, Train Caldwell and James Delaney- designated by the act organizing the county to locate the county seat, made their report to the county commissioners on June 17, 1822. They selected the present site of Rushville, although there was no town platted on the site at the time. The first court house was a brick structure, forty feet square, which was completed in 1825.
The first term of the Circuit court of the county was held at the house of Stephen Sims on Thursday, April 4, 1822, with William W. Wick as President Judge, and Elias Posten and North Parker as Associate Judges. On the forenoon of that day the county seal was adopted. When the court ad- journed at noon, it was ordered to meet at the house of Jehu Perkins. During the afternoon session, Hiram M. Curry was admitted to the practice of law and, since he was the only lawyer in the county, the court promptly appointed him prose- cutor. Pending the completion of the court house, the court met at the house of Robert Thompson from 1823 to 1825, Thompson's house standing on the west side of the public square.
Upon the organization of Rush county in 1822, it was attached to the Fifth circuit, where it remained until the act of January 20, 1830, placed it in the Sixth. It continued as a part of this circuit until the new Constitution went into operation in 1852. The Legislature, by the act of June 17,
983
THE COUNTY COURTS
1852, divided the state into ten judicial court circuits, and placed Rush county in the Fourth circuit with Dearborn, Franklin, Decatur, Shelby, Fayette and Union. The act of April 22, 1869, divided the Fourth circuit and placed Union, Franklin and Dearborn in the newly created Twenty-sixth circuit, also adding Ohio county to this circuit. This left Fayette, Rush, Shelby and Decatur in the Fourth circuit. The act of May 5, 1869, took Shelby out of the Fourth circuit and attached it to the newly created Twenty-eighth circuit, which also included Johnson, Bartholomew and Brown. The act of March 6, 1873, completely redistricted the state, Rush, Decatur and Fayette being constituted the Eighth circuit. The Legislature with the act of March 2, 1883, created the Thirty-seventh circuit composed of Franklin, Fayette and Union, leaving the Eighth circuit with Rush and Decatur counties. The next change in the circuits (February 28, 1899) was a general shift of six counties-Rush, Shelby, Bartholo- mew, Decatur, Johnson and Brown-the first two being con- stituted the Sixteenth circuit; the second two, the Ninth; the third two, the Eighth. Rush and Shelby continued to form the Sixteenth circuit until the act of January 29, 1913, when Rush was made the only county of the newly created Sixty- fifth circuit, Shelby being left as the Sixteenth circuit. Judge Alonzo Blair was left on the bench of the Sixteenth, and Gov- ernor Ralston appointed John D. McGee on January 30, 1913, as Judge of the newly created Sixty-fifth circuit. At the November, 1914, election Will M. Sparks was elected Judge of the Rush Circuit court for a six-year term beginning Janu- ary 1, 1915.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
Elias Poston March 14, 1822.
North Parker
March 14, 1822; resigned, August, 1824.
John Gregg
September 28, 1824 (special election), vice North Parker resigned, to serve seven years from March 14, 1822.
Montgomery McCall August 21, 1828, to serve seven years from March 14, 1829.
John Gregg August 21, 1828, to serve seven years from March 14, 1829.
John Alley August 14. 1835, to serve seven years from March 14, 1836 ; resigned, May, 1840.
984
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
Jesse Morgan August 14, 1835, to serve seven years from March 14, 1836; resigned, June, 183S.
William I. Andrews August 13, 1838, to serve seven years from March 14, 1836, vice Jesse Morgan, resigned.
Fletcher Tevis August 11, 1840, vice John Alley, resigned; re- moved from county.
John M. Huddleson August 7, 1841, vice Fletcher Tevis, removed from county.
Lewis Salla August 6, 1842, to serve seven years from March 14, 1843.
Jethro S. Folger August 6, 1842, to serve seven years from March 14, 1843.
James Walker August 24, 1849, to serve seven years from March 14, 1850.
William Thomas August 24, 1849, to serve seven years from March 14, 1850.
PROBATE JUDGES.
Elias Poston August 18, 1829.
Turner A. Knox August 15, 1836; resignation filed July 18. 1S37.
Pleasant A. Hackleman_July 31, 1837, appointed vice Turner A. Knox, re- signed.
Pleasant A. Hackleman_August 13, 183S.
Alexander Walker August 7, 1841.
James Houchman August 25, 1848.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
Royal P. Cobb 1852-56.
Samuel A. Bonner 1856-60.
William Grose 1860-61, resigned.
Elijah B. Martindale
- Appointed August 31, 1861-October 18, 1861.
David S. Gooding 1861, resigned September 10, 1864.
William R. West Appointed September 12. 1864-67.
William A. Cullen 1867-70.
William A. Moore 1870-73.
DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Morris I. Williams 1852-54.
Lewis W. Thomas 1854-55, died in office.
George H. Look Appointed October 1, 1855-56.
Thomas C. Gilpin 1856-58.
Platt Wicks 1858-60.
William R. Hough 1860-62.
Daniel W. Comstock 1862-64.
James D. Martindale 1864-66.
Calvin D. Thompson
1866-67, resigned. By act of February 26. 1867, Decatur was put in Twenty-second district.
Hugh M. Spaulding Appointed March S, 1867-70, resigned.
985
THE COUNTY COURTS
A. Smith Folzer
Appointed April 16, 1870.
Elias R. Monfort 1870-72.
Adam Stockinger 1872-73.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
William W. Wick April 1, 1822-January 20, 1825, resigned. Fifth
circuit.
Bethuel F. Morris January 20, 1825-January 20, 1830. The act of Jan- uary 20, 1830, put Rush in the Sixth.
Charles H. Test Appointed January 23, 1830-January 20, 1836, re- signed.
Samuel Bigger Appointed January 20, 1836-March 29, 1840, re- signed.
James Perry Appointed March 29, 1840-January 23, 1844.
Jehu T. Elliott January 23, 1844-February 15, 1851.
Oliver P. Morton February 15, 1851-October 12, 1852.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
William M. McCarty October 12, 1852; resigned, July 29, 1853. Fourth circuit.
William S. Holman Appointed July 29, 1853; resigned, August 10, 1853.
Reuben D. Logan Appointed August 10, 1853-October 1, 1865.
Jeremiah M. Wilson - October 1, 1865-October 24, 1871.
William A. Cullen
October 24. 1871-October 24, 1876. The act of March 6, 1873, put Rush in the Eighth, and trans- ferred Cullen from the Fourth to the Eighth.
Samuel A. Bonner October 24, 1876-October 24, 1889.
John W. Study . October 24, 1889; died in office, January- 13, 1893.
James K. Ewing Appointed January 17, 1893-November 13, 1894.
John D. Miller November 13, 1894; died in office, March 18, 1898.
David A. Myers Appointed March 18, 189S-November 21, 1898.
Douglas Morris November 21, 1898-November 21, 1904. The act of February 28, 1899, put Rush in the Sixteenth, and transferred Morris from the Eighth to the Six- teenth.
Will M. Sparks November 21, 1904-November 21, 1910.
Alonzo Blair November 21, 1910-January 29, 1913. The act of January 29, 1913, made Rush the sole county in the newly created Sixty-fifth, where it has since re- mained.
John D. McGee Appointed January 30, 1913-January 1, 1915.
Will M. Sparks Commissioned November 16, 1914, for six-year term beginning January 1, 1915.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Harvey Gregg August 9, 1824-August 9, 1825. Fifth circuit. Calvin Fletcher August 9, 1825-August 14, 1826.
James Whitcomb August 14, 1826-January 14, 1829.
986
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
W. W. Wick January 14, 1829-January 20, 1830. The act of
January 20, 1830, put Rush in the Sixth.
James Perry
January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.
William J. Brown
January 25, 1832-December 10, 1836, resigned.
Samuel Parker
December 10, 1836-December 10, 1838.
David Macey
December 10, 1838-December 11, 1840.
Martin M. Ray
December 11, 1840-December 15, 1842.
Jehu T. Elliott
December 15, 1842-January 23, 1844, resigned.
Samuel E. Perkins Appointed January 23, 1844-August 20, 1844.
Jacob B. Julian August 20, 1844-August 27, 1846.
John B. Still August 27, 1846-August 27, 184S.
Joshua H. Mellett August 18, 1851-October 12, 1852.
Oscar B. Hord October 12, 1852; resigned, August 1, 1854. Fourth circuit.
William Patterson November 2, 1854; resigned, July, 1858.
Sebastian Green Appointed August 13, 185S-November 2, 185S.
Henry C. Hanna November 2, 1858-November 2, 1860.
Milton H. Cullum November 2, 1860-November 3, 1862.
Samuel S. Harrell November 3, 1862-November 3, 1864.
Creighton Dandy
November 3, 1861-November 3, 1866.
Kendall M. Hord
November 3, 1866-November 3, 186S.
Platt Wicks
November 3, 1868-July 1, 1869.
Alexander M. Campbell_Appointed July 1, 1869-October 21, 1872.
Elias Montford
October 21, 1872-October 26, 1874. The act of March 6, 1873, put Rush in the Eighth, and trans- ferred Montford from the Fourth to the Eighth.
Orlando B. Scobey October 26, 1874-October 26, 1STS.
John L. Bracken October 26, 187S-October 26, 1SS0.
Richard A. Durnan October 26, 1880; resigned January 22, 1SS1.
Marine D. Tackett Appointed January 22. 1881-November 17, 1SS6.
George W. Campbell November 17, 1886-November 17, 1890.
D. A. Myers November 17, 1890-November 17, 1894.
George W. Young November 17, 1894-November 17, 1896.
Elmer E. Roland November 17, 1896-February 28, 1899. The act
of February 28, 1899, put Rush in the Sixteenth.
Alonzo Blair February 28, 1899-January 1, 1903.
Charles A. Hack January 1, 1903-January 1, 1905.
Elmer Bassett January 1, 1905-January 1. 1907.
Charles A. Hack
January 1, 1907-January 1, 1909.
John C. Cheney
January 1, 1909-January 1, 1911.
Dennis O'Neill
January 1, 1911; resigned. April 27, 1912.
John C. Cheney Appointed April 27, 1912-January 29, 1913. The act of January 29, 1913, made Rush the sole county in the newly created Sixty-fifth, where it has since remained.
Donald L. Smith Appointed February 3, 1913-January 1, 1915. Albert Stevens January 1, 1915; term expires January 1, 1917.
987
THE COUNTY COURTS
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
St. Joseph county was organized on January 29, 1830, and the act became effective on the 1st of the following April. The first county seat was located on a farm owned by William Brookfield, a few miles southwest of South Bend, in German township. There seems to have been some difficulty in getting the county seat located, and considerable obscurity surrounds the history of the early courts of the county. It is known that the first board of justices met at the house of Alexis Coquillard in South Bend, and the courts probably met at his house also for the first year or two.
Apropos of the early county seat history, the account of Judge Howard is the best explanation of the muddled county seat situation : "Theoretically, however, the county seat was for a time on the farm of William Brookfield, in a town laid out by him at the portage of the St. Joseph. This town was called St. Joseph. Though named as the first county seat, it was in fact never more than a town on paper. The loca- tion of the county seat at St. Joseph on May 24, 1830, was made by the commissioners under section 3 of the act for the formation of St. Joseph and Elkhart counties. This action of the commissioners never gave satisfaction to the people of the county. A petition asking for the appointment of other commissioners to relocate the county seat was circulated amongst the settlers, received over one hundred and twenty- five signatures and was laid before the Legislature that con- vened at Indianapolis December 6, 1830. That body, in an act approved February 1, 1831, granted the prayer of the peti- tioners." The act named five commissioners to relocate the county seat. They made their report to the county commis- sioners on September 7, 1831, their report being dated May 12, 1831. They selected South Bend, but it was two years before a court house was ready for use, and six years before it was finally completed.
The first session of the Circuit court of St. Joseph county was held November 29, 1832, in the bar room of the tavern of Calvin Lilley, in South Bend. John R. Porter was the President Judge and William McCartney, Sr., and John Banker
988
COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
were the Associate Judges. Andrew Ingram was the prosecut- ing attorney.
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