USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 19
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 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
On the 17th of December. 1823, the Legislature passed " An Act for the formation of a new county out of the counties of Randolph and Delaware, to be included within the following limits : Beginning at a point on the line dividing this State and the State of Ohio, where the township line dividing townships twenty-eight and twenty-nine, north, interseets the same; thence north with said State line twenty- four miles ; thence west, to the line dividing ten and eleven, east ; thence sonth to the line dividing townships twenty-eight and twenty-nine, north ;
thenee east to the place of beginning." Which new county, at the suggestion of Gen. Jobn Tipton, the leading spirit in the movement toward organization, was, from and after the first day of April, 1824. to be known and designated by the name of Allen, in memory of Col. John Allen, of Kentucky, who was killed at the battle of River Raisin, on the 22d of Jannary, 1813.
By the third section of that act, Lot Bloomfield and Caleb Lewis, of Wayne County, Abiathar Hathaway, of Fayette County, Williamu Conner, of Hamilton County, and James M. Ray, of Marion County, were appointed Commissioners to determine and locate the seat of justice for said uew county. Said section pro- vided further, that said Commissioners shoukl convene at the house of Alexander Ewing, therein, on the fourth Monday in May, thereafter, and proceed imme- diately to disebarge the duty assigned.
Pursuant to the provisions of the first section of the act " for carrying the laws into effect in new counties," William Hendricks, Governor of the State of Indiana, by commission dated April 2, 1824, appointed Allen Hamilton Sheriff of Allen County, " until the next general election, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified-should he so long behave well." Under that appoint- ment, and in compliance with a further provision of said section, Mr Hamilton, as such Sheriff, gave notice to the qualified voters of Allen County, authorizing and directing them to hold an election on the 22d day of May, 1824, " for the purpose of electing two Associate Judges of the Circuit Court, one Clerk of the Circuit Court, one Recorder and three Commissioners of the county."
That election was held accordingly, and the following persons were chosen to fill the offices designated : Samuel Hanna and Benjamin Cushman, Associate Judges ; Antbony L. Davis, Clerk and Recorder; William Roekhill, Commis- sioner for a term of three years from the 22d day of May, 1824 ; James Wyman, for two years, and Franeis Comparet for one year from said date. Subsequently, the election of Mr. Cushman, as one of the Associate Judges, was eontested, unsuccessfully, by Alexander Ewing, and the election of James Wyman and Franeis Comparet, as County Commissioners, was also contested by Marshall K. Taylor, with like result.
Having been notified by the Sheriff of Randolph County of their appoint- ment, as hy said act prescribed, said Commissioners met at the house of Alexander Ewing. on the fourth Monday, being the 24th day of May, 1824, and, being first duly sworn, entered at onee upon the discharge of their duties. Among the propositions preseuted for their consideration in the premises, was one by Messrs. John McCorkle and John T. Barr, in which they, as the proprietors of the town of Fort Wayne, agreed to pay to Allen County $500 eash, and to appropriate, in consideration of the location, by said Commissioners, of the seat of justice at that town, the following lands and lots, upon the terms and conditions stated, to wit : " All of that oblong square or piece of ground situate and being in the town of Fort Wayne, aforesaid, and stained red on the plat of said town, as recorded in the Recorder's office in Randolph County, in said State, whieb is granted as a publie square, whereon publie buildings for said connty are to be erected, and bounded by Main, Court, Berry and Calhoun streets; also a lot, or piece of ground four rods square, laid out at right angles, at the northwest corner of the plat of Fort Wayne, west of aud adjoining said plat, which is donated and granted for a church and public burying-ground, to be occupied by no particular denomination, but free to all -- except.so much of said lot as may be necessary for said church, which may he occupied by the first church of professing Christians in said county, who may ereet thereon a house of worship of convenient size, of suitable materials ; also, a lot of land, of the same size as the regular lots in said town, to be laid off east and adjoining the lots of land last above mentioned, as a plaec whereon to crect a seminary of learning; also, lots numbered 8, 9, 101, 102, 103, and the lots regularly numbered from 104 to 118, inclusive; also, a tier of lots along the south side of said plat, to be laid off immediately opposite the tier of lots on the first recorded plat of' said town (opposite 104 to 118), which are to be divided from said last tier by an alley, and, in size and otherwise, to conform to the plat of the town lots uumbered regularly from 92 to 100, inclusive of each."
The proposition was accepted, and Fort Wayne became the seat of justice of Allen County, in conformity with the provisions of law appertaining thereto, and a deed was subsequently executed by the proprietors to John Tipton, the county agent, conveying the said property to him for the use of the county, as contemplated in the proposed donation.
On Wednesday following, the 26tb day of May, 1824, being the Wednesday succeeding the fourth Monday in May, at the hour of 12 o'clock M., " The Board of County Commissioners of Allen County met, in pursuance to the pro- visions of a special aet of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, entitled ' An Act for fixing the seats of justice in all new couuties hereafter to be laid off' -passed and approved January 2, 1818-at the house of Alexander Ewing, in Fort Wayne.
" William Rockhill, Esq., produced a certificate from Allen Hamilton, Sheriff of Allen County, stating that he, the said William Rockhill, was duly elected a Connty Commissioner of Allen County for the term of three years, on which certificate there was indorsed that he had taken the necessary oaths of office.
" James Wyman. Esq., also produced a certificate from Allen Hamilton, Sheriff, as aforesaid, stating that he, the said James Wyman, was duly eleetcd a Commissioner of Allen County for the term of two years from the 22d day of May, A. D. 1824, on which certificate was indorsed that he bad taken the neces- sary oaths of office.
" Francis Comparet, Esq., also produeed a certificate from Allen IIamilton, Sheriff of Allen County, stating that he, the said Franeis Comparet, was duly elected a County Connuissioner of Allen County, for the term of one year from the said 22d day of May, A. D. 1824.
" Thereupon the said Commissioners took their seats," and proceeded to the disposition of the business before them.
47
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
The Board then " ordered that Joseph Holman be appointed Treasurer for the County of Allen, until the next February session of the Board of County Commissioners for said county, and is required to give bond, with two good, suf- ficient freehold securities, in the penal sum of $1,000."
" The Court adjourned until to- morrow, to meet in Fort Wayne at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
WILLIAM ROCKHILL,
" Attest :
JAS. WYMAN.
" A. L. DAVIS, Clerk."
And the session of the first day was completed.
Ou the day following ( May 27), a full Board was present. The first business was the appointment of John Tipton, County Agent, who, pursuant to the order of the Board, filed bond in the penalty of $5,000, with Alexander Ewing and Samuel Hanna as securities. The bond was accepted and approved. Thereupon, it was " Ordered, That John Tipton, Agent for Allen County, is hereby authorized and required to pay to the following persons, for their services as Commissioners to locate the seat of justice in Allen County, the following sums : James M. Ray, the sum of $42 for fourteen days' services ; to William Conner, $36 for twelve days' services ; to Abiathar Hathaway, $36 for twelve days' services ; to Caleb Lewis, $30 for ten days' services ; to Lot Bloomfield, $30 for ten days' services- and take from them a receipt for the amounts, for which he is to render a credit on his general account." With these proceedings terminated the primary session of the Board doing county business.
The first regular session of the Board commenced on the following Monday, May 31, at the house of Alexander Ewing, situated on the southwest corner ol' Barr and Columbia streets, since known as " Washington Hall." As the chief business of the session, the following is noted, because of its reference to the work- ing machinery of the new county. The l'ollowing appointments were made : Hugh B. McKeeu, Lister of Taxable Property ; Lamhert Cushovis, Constable ; Robert Hars, Inspector of' Elections ; William N. Hood, Inspector of Flour, Beef and Pork, for the Township of Wayne; Samuel Hanna, Road Supervisor for the Township of Wayne; John Davis and Alexander Coquillard, Overseers of the Poor, in Wayne Township.
" Ordered, That the County of Allen be constituted as one township, and ealled the Township of Wayne."
John Tipton, County Agent, was ordered to construct a " Pound, of suitable size," on the publie square in Fort Wayne. This appears to have been the first public huilding ordered on the publie square, but the order was reseinded Feb- ruary 14, 1825.
The Board also ordered that the Sheriff " advertise an elcetion, to be held at the house of Alexander Ewing, if permitted; il' not, at some other suitable place in the township of Wayne, for the election of three Justices of the Peace, on the first Monday in August next." They also selected thirty-six names from which to choose a grand jury, and forty- eight names from which to choose a petit jury for the Circuit Court.
FIRST TAVERN RATEN.
The rates fixed were as follows :
" For dinner, breakfast and supper, each
$ 25
" keeping horse, night and day
50
lodging, per night.
121
= whisky, per half- pint. 121
50
=
gin,
374
377
= cider, per quart.
1854
FIRST LEVY FOR COUNTY TAXES.
At the same session, the Board fixed the following rates of assessment on personal property, for county purposes, for the year 1824, to wit :
" On every male person over the age of twenty-one years ...
$ 50
horse, gelding, mare or mnle, three years old and up- ward, each.
371
work oxen, three years old and upward ..
18
= stud horse, the rate at which he stands per season.
1 00
14
silver watch
25
4 pinchbeck walch .. 25
=
=
pleasure carriage, four wheels. 1 50
1 00
COUNTY AGENTS.
Under the laws in force prior to and at the time when Allen County was organized, when the seat of justice in any new county was to be located, and the Commissioners for that purpose having determined on an eligible site for sucb seat of justice, at some town already laid off, bad received " donation in lots, money and adjoining lands," by tbe proprictors of such towns, conditioned upon the location of the seat of justice aforesaid, the County Commissioners of such new county were required " forthwith, after receiving the report as herein provided, to appoint some suitable person, a resident of such county, as an Agent, wbose duty it shall he, after giving security to be approved of hy the said Board of County Commissioners, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his said office, to receive good and sufficient deeds of conveyance, for any land which may have been given for the use of the county as above provided, and to lay off the same into town lots, streets and alleys, according to such plan as the County Commissioners may direct ; he shall proceed also, from time to time, to sell the said lots, or so many of them as the said Commissioners may deem proper and necessary, on such terms as the County Commissioners may consider most advantageous to the county ; and to collect all moneys arising from the sale of said lots, and pay the sanic into the county treasury ; he shall also make couveyances to the purchasers of such lots."
Pursuant to that law, the Commissioners appointed to select and locate a seat of justice for Allen County, having selected Fort Wayne, a town already laid out, and reecived from the proprietors donations of money, lots and lands, in con- sideration of the location of the seat of justice, as aforesaid, the Board of County Commissioners then being in session, on the 27th day of May, 1824, appointed John Tipton. County Agent, to give bond for $5,000. He gave hond accord- ingly, with Alexander Ewing and Samuel Hanna as securities, who were accepted by the Board, and was sworn to the faithful nischarge of his duties.
Immediately thereafter, the Board made the following dircetory record :
" Ordered, That John Tipton, Agent for Allen County, is hereby authorized and required to pay to the following persons for their services as Commis- sioners to locate the scat of justice of Allen County, the following sums: James M. Ray, the sum of forty-two dollars, for 14 days' services; to William Conner, thirty-six dollars, for 12 days' services ; to Abiathar Ilathaway, thirty-six dollars, for twelve days' services; to Caleb Lewis, thirty dollars, for ten days' services ; to Lot Bloomfield, thirty dollars, for ten days' services, and take from them a receipt for the amount, for which he is to render a credit on his general account."
At a subsequent session of the Board, the Commissioners, on the 16th day of August, 1824, made the following further record in the premises, to wit : "Ordered, That the County Agent sell lots 8, 9, and from 101 to 133, hoth inclusive, and 92 to 100, both inclusive, that were donated to the county."
Pursuant to that order, after giving proper notice thereof, Mr. Tipton, County Agent, on the 18th day of September, 1824, sold at publie sale the fol- lowing of said lots for the amounts and to the persons named :
PURCHASER.
No. of Lots.
Amount.
F. Comparet ...
8
$10 25
William Barbee.
98
40 00
William Suttonfield
92, 94. 93, 99
95 50
Edward Mitchell
95, 130
24 25
Thomas Ruc ..
96, 97
42 25
Charles W. Ewing
113, 114
36 25
Rees Goodwin
115, 122
28 50
John Il. Griggs.
117, 118
41 00
Benjamin B. Kerchival.
119, 120, 121
32 50
Christopher Valleynitte.
123,124
20 50
Jean B. Richardville ..
101
51 00
Alexander Ewing ..
102, 131
46 50
William Murphey.
104
14 00
Benjamin Archer ..
103, 105
62 50
Moses Scott
106
31 25
James llood.
133
10 50
William N. Ilood.
130
10 25
Jacob Everly.
110
10 25
Walker & Davis.
111, 112
30 25
Samuel Hanna ..
100
22 00
Ben. Glasbruner.
108
25 00
The last two were sold at private sale, ten days later, at prices, it will be seen, scarcely appreciable, in comparison with the value of the same lots, after the lapse of fifty-five years. The comparison, however, is valuable as a manifest evidence of the progress of a little more than half a century.
At the same session of the Board, the Agent was authorized and directed to have a jail erected, at his discretion as to size and kind, letting the same out to the lowest bidder. The building was erected accordingly on the southwest corner of the public square.
On the 5th of November, 1824, the County Agent submitted to the Board, in session, a report of the condition of his agency, of which the following is an abstract, to wit :
Received of John T. Barr and John McCorkle, proprietors of Fort Wayne, being the first installment of their cash donation of May 27,1824 .. $200 00
September -, of Glasbruner, for Lot 100.
22 00
September 8, amount on lots sold at public sale. 321 25
September 28, received of " Ben," part for Lot 108 10 00
Cash received.
$553 25
May 27, deduci 10 per cent of first installment for county library.
$ 20 00
Cash paid Commissioners to locate seat of justice. 174 00
Ten per cent retained of amount received on sale of lots ... 35 32
Cash paid for account-book and one-half quire paper ... ....
374
£ 229 694
Cash on hand carried to new account .. $323 55}
Subsequently, on the 27th day of November, 1824, at a session of the Board of Justices, the County Agent was directed to sell the lots remaining unsold of those donated for-county buildings and expenses of locating the scat of justice, including Nos. 107, 109, 125, 126 and 127, on a credit of six months, the pur- chasers giving notes properly secured, having first giveu notice of the time, place and terms of such sale by publieation thicreol' in the Richmond Enquirer. And again, on the 7th of December, he was further ordered to sell certain other lots remaining unsold, upon like terms as iu the former order specified and directed.
Having heen ordered, as above, to sell the remaining lots enihraced in the donation, Mr. Tipton, on the 3d day of January, 1825, submitted to the Board of Justices the following report of his doings in the premises, to wit : " To the honorable Board of Justices of Allen County :
" Gentlemen : Pursuant to your order, after advertising, I sold, on the 27tb day of' November last, at a credit of six months, Lot No. 107 for $64, No. 109 for $40, and Nos. 125, 126 and 127 for $82; and, in pursuance of your
*
= gold watch
..
two whecls.
- Glasbruncr ..
12 00
= brandy, “
porter, per bottle.
48
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
order of the 7th of December, I sold, on the 11th of said month, on a credit to the 1st of September next, Lot No. 128 for $28.50, Lot No. 129 for $38.25, and Lot No. 116 for $16.25, making in all $269. The purchaser of Lot No. 109 has failed to give hond and security, as required by the conditions of said sale, and the purchaser of Lot No. 128 gave his note without security. Deducting from the above sum of $269, $40, the amount for which Lot 109 sold (and the purchaser failed to give bond, as above stated), there remains in my bands notes to the amount of 8229, to which sum add fifty cents received from 'Ben,' a man of color, part payment for Lot 108, making 8229.50 since my last.
" I have paid the County Treasurer $304, reference being had to my account current herewith submitted will more fully and at length appear. A deed has heen tendered for the donation made the county, which, not being in strict conformity to the bond, was not accepted.
" All of which is respectfully submitted, by
JOHN TIPTON, A. for A. C."
" 3d January, 1825. Account current : .$304 00
To cash paid Treasurer ..
By cash on hand, as per account ... $323 554
By notes on hand, sale of lots. 229 00
By cash received of "Ben"-Lot 108. 0 50
553 053
To balance on hand $240 05}
Which was accepted by the Board and ordered to be spread upon the record.
On the 5th of September following, Mr. Tipton resigned his agency, and delivered over to the Board all the papers, books and money on hand, for which the Board gave a receipt and accepted the resignation. The vacancy was filled on the same day, by the appointment of Charles W. Ewing, who accepted the same and filed the necessary hond.
Mr. Ewing, on the 3d day of January, 1826, filed his annual report, of which the following is an abstract :
Received payment for lots sold by Tipton, former Agent (and exe- cuted deeds to purchasers) ..
.$215 75
Received of Alex. Ewing, for Lot 107. 64 00
Total ..
$279 75
Less amount paid Moses Girard, on jail contract. $89 75
Ten per cent on $372.75-second installment and interest
of Barr and MeCerkle's donation for library. 37 272
174 63}
Balance.
$105 12}
BOARD OF JUSTICES.
Prior to the first Monday in September, 1824, the county business was transacted by a Board of County Commissioners, who, when elected and qualified as prescribed by law, were considered and recognized a body politie and corporate. From and after the above date, bowever, the former law was superseded by " An Act to regulate the mode of doing county business ; approved January 31, 1824." wherein it was provided "That there shall be a County Board of Justices estab- lished in each and every county in this State, for the purpose of transacting county business ; to be composed of the Justices of the Peace of the respective counties, who shall meet together and organize theniselves, agreeably to tbe pro- visions of this act ; and, after being organized, as aforesaid, shall be known and considered, in fact, law. and equity, a body politic and corporate, by and under tbe name and style of 'The Board of Justices of the County of
The former law being still in force, at the date of the organization of this county, the organizing process was conducted by the County Commissioners, as the recors disclose, who, at the proper time, made provision for the election of the Justices of the Peace to constitute, on the taking effect of the new law, the Board of Justices for Allen County. This election was ordered to take place on the first Monday in August, 1824, the time for holding the general election for State and county officers. The result of that election was the choice of Alexan- der Ewing, William N. Hood and William Rockhill, as the Justices of the Peace for Wayne Township, which then embraced the entire territory of Allen County.
Notwithstanding the law took effect and came into force on the first Monday in September, making it " tbe duty of each and every Justice of the Peace, to meet at the place of holding courts, in their respective counties," at that date, " and tben and there proceed to organize themselves into a County Board of Jus- tices, by electing some one of their body as President of such Court, and caus- ing their names to he entered in the record-book of the county as members of such Board," the first meeting and organization did not take place until the 22d day of October following, at the house of Alexander Ewing, the place desigoated for holding courts.
At that meeting, thic Board was organized by the election of a President. A seal was adopted, also, by the following order : " Ordered, by the Board of Justices of the county of Allen, that the Board quake usc of a scrawl including the let- ters ' B. C. J.,' as their seal until such time as they may procure and adopt a seal.
One of the first acts of this new Board was to receive the report of Benja- min B. Kercheval and Samuel Hanna, Commissioners, on the part of Allen Connty, to survey and locate the Winchester State road, running nearly south from Fort Wayne, which was the first road located in the county. The report was received on the first day of the term, representing Chauncey Carter, sub- sequently of Cass County, as the Surveyor, and defined the location of a " State road from Vernon, in Jennings County, by way of Greensburg, Rushville and New ('astle, to Fort Wayne."
The law establishing the Board of Justices prescribed that they should meet on the first Monday in January, Marcb, May, July, September and November
of each year ; but the experience of this county, and, indeed, of most counties, especially those recently organized, where there were Justices for no more than one or two townships elected, that it was extremely difficult to secure a quorum for the transaction of business; lience, it has frequently occurred here, as elsewhere, that regular sessions of the Board were not always held, because of the non-at- tendance of the members thereof, for four or five days, sometimes for the entire session. This was especially true during the first years of the operation of that law.
At the January session of the Board, for the year 1825, the County Treas- urer, Joseph Holman, presented the first exhibit of the condition of the county's finances, which gave the following aggregates :
Total receipts from organization .. $437 98%
Total disbursements for same period. 406 40
Balance on hand $31 583
Mr. Holman's report was submitted on the 5th day of January, 1825- The day following, William G. Ewing was appointed his successor, for a term of one year.
At the July session of that year ( July 11th), the following allowances were made by the Board :
To Allen Hamilton, Sheriff, for six months' services, ending April 9, 1825, the sum of .. $20 00
To Anthony D. Davis, for services as Clerk of the Board of Justices and of the Circuit Court, for one year, ending June 30, 1825 ... $45 00 To Grand and Petit Jurors, each, per day .. 50
Also, ¿ Ordered, That the American Fur Company, Fort Wayne department, pay the sum of $25 for a license to vend foreign merchandise iu the town of Fort Wayne, for one year from the 3d of September, 1825."
On the 3d day of January, 1825, the Board being in regular session, Adams Township was set apart as a separate jurisdiction hy the following :
" Ordered, By the Board of Justices, that there be a new township cousti- tuted, which is bounded as follows, to wit: On the west hy the line which divides Ranges 12 and 13, nortb by the contemplated boundary line of Allen County, east by the State of Obio, and south by the line which divides Congres- sional Townships 29 and 30, and to he known and called by the name of Adams Township ;" and an election was ordered to be held therein at the house of Eli- phalet Edmunds, on the second Monday of March, 1825, to elect one Justice of the Peace, with Henry Cooper as Inspector.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.