USA > Indiana > Greene County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 58
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 58
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REPRESENTATIVES.
George Rogers Clark Sullivan represented Knox County, before Sullivan County was organized, and until 1820; Robert Buntin was the first Representative of Sullivan County, 1817-20; Robert Sturgis and John McDonald were joint Representatives of Knox and Sullivan Coun- ties from 1820 to 1822; Henry D. Palmer represented Sullivan alone, 1822-23; Josiah Mann, 1824; George Boon, 1825-30; John W. Davis, 1831-32; James Depauw, 1833; Joseph Latshaw, 1834; Seth Cushman, 1835; Joseph Briggs and Samuel Brown, 1836; Samuel Brown and Will- iam R. Haddon, 1837; Samuel Brown and George Boon, 1838; W. R. Haddon and Justus Davis, 1839; George Boon, 1840; John W. Davis and Justus Davis, 184]; John W. Davis, 1842; Thomas Turman, 1843; John H. Wilson and Silas Osborn, 1845; Benjamin Wolfe and Silas Osborn, 1846; Benjamin Wolfe, 1847; Benjamin Wolfe and Silas Osborn, 1848; James K. O'Haver and James H. Wier, 1849-50; John H. Wilson, 1850; J. W. Davis and Theophilus Chowning, 1851; "Squire " McDonald and Will- iam McKee, 1853. * John W. Davis and Michael Branson, 1857;
David Usrey, 1858; * * W. W. Owens, 1861; S. G. Burton, 1863; Benjamin Wolfe, 1867; N. D. Miles, 1869; S. S. Coffman, 1873;
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY. .
James L. Nash, 1875; S. S. Coffman, 1877; John C. Briggs, 1879; Charles T. Akin, 1881; Charles T. Akin and James B. Patten (joint Rep.), 1883.
SENATORS.
William Polke, 1818; Thomas H. Blake, 1821; John Jenckes, 1822; John M. Coleman, 1825; William C. Linton, 1828; James Farrington, 1832; George Boon, 1834; James T. Moffatt, 1837; Ransom W. Akin, 1843; James H. Henry, 1846; James M. Hauna, 1849; * * Michael Combs, 1855; W. E. McLean, 1857; Henry K. Wilson, 1861; B. W. Hanna, 1865; James M. Hanna, 1860; Joshua Alsop, 1871; M. B. Riggs, 1872, Henry K. Wilson, 1875; F. W. Viehe, 1879; Joshua Ernest.
AUDITORS.
H. K. Wilson, 1841-52; Joseph W. Wolfe, 1852-54; H. K. Wil- son, 1855-59; Ferdinand Basler, 1859; Murray Briggs, 1867; Robert M. Griffith, 1868; David Crawley, 1878.
TREASURERS.
John S. Davis, 1850; W. B. Ogle, 1854; Ed Price, 1858; John Giles, 1862; W. H. Griffin, 1866; David Crawley, 1870; Abe Mcclellan, 1874; C. P. Riggs, 1878; Charles L. Davis, 1882.
RECORDERS.
John Jones, March, 1817; Robert Buntin, 1817; Samuel Coleman, 1818; M. E. Nash, 1830; Benjamin Wolfe, 1836; H. K. Wilson, 1846; James H. Reed, 1847; W. G. Noff, 1857: Robert K. Hamill, 1801; J. L. Griffin, - 1865; John N. Fordyce, 1874; Joshua Beasley, 1882.
CLERKS.
Robert Buntin, Jr., March 23, 1817; Samuel Coleman, appointed 1817, vice Buntin, resigned; Benjamin Wolfe, 1830; H. K. Wilson, 1842: Joseph W. Wolfe, 1851; J. W. Hinkle, 1859; Ed Price, 1863: W. C. Griffith, 1867; Jesse Bicknell, 1871; Thomas J. Mann, 1879.
SHERIFFS.
Morgan Eaton, January 1, 1817 (John Benefiel received a writ of dedimus from the Governor, to take the bond of Mr. Eaton); Bailey Johnson, September, 1817; George Boon, 1821; Edward Wilks; 1825; Richard Dodd, 1827; Seth Cushman, 1831; Shadrack Sherman, 1835; Absalom Hurst, 1839; John H. Wilson, 1841; David H. Hancock, 1845; F. Garretson, 1846; Henry Dooley, 1849; Zachariah Burton, 1854; James W. Brodie, 1856; Matthew McCammon, 1860; Alexander Snow, 1863; W. H. Mayfield, 1866; Thomas J. Land, 1870; John F. Curry, 1872; Owen C. Hancock, 1874; John Dudley, 1876; James L. Berry, 1880.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
CORONERS.
William Ledgerwood, January, 1817; John M. Peebles, September 8, 1817; William Ledgerwood, 1818; John Jones, 1819; George Mack, 1820; James Lisman, 1822; James Brooks, 1824; Seth Cushman, 1826; Shad- rach Sherman, 1828; Absalom Hurst, 1830; William Hill, 1832; Lan- don Parks, 1836; Jesse J. Benefiel, 1838; Joseph B. Booker, 1840; George D. Clark, 1842; Samuel Wilson, 1846; Nimrod Walls, 1848; Charles W. Hanley, 1850; Benjamin Timmons, 1852; B. D. Walls, 1853; A. S. Anderson, 1854; Surrell Nichols, 1856; Daniel Case, 1858 ; John Turner, 1860; Thomas McIntosh, 1861; B. B. Neal, 1862; James W. Brodie, 1868; W. C. McBride, 1870; S. T. Trout, 1872; Caleb Snapp, 1874; Owen Davis, 1876; John Wagoner, 1878.
SURVEYORS.
John Wallace, May 13, 1818; * * * Enoch Walls, 1852; W. S. Hinkle, 1854; Samuel M. Reed, 1856; Thomas B. Silvers, 1858; Nathan Thomas, 1860; Alonzo F. Estabrook, 1870-1884.
THE COUNTY FINANCES.
The following is the report of the County Auditor for the fiscal year 1850-51: On hand, $548.47; from the County Agent, $420.90; from various licenses, $337.70; State revenue, $4,929.46; county revenue, $4,961.50; road fund, $699.14; total receipts, $11,897.17. County buildings cost $3,491.31; and county officers, $236.04; and the total expense was $11,908.63. For the fiscal year 1852-53, there was on hand $398.28, and the total receipts were $14,147.19; the expense of county buildings was $4,050.42; county officers cost $510.31; the total expense was $13,082. 72, leaving in the treasury $1,064.47. In September, 1854, the county debt amounted to $4,425.12}. For the fiscal year 1854-55, the receipts were $7,242.10, and the expenses $7,253.78; with outstand- ing orders, $3,073.92. In 1855-56, the county revenue receipts were $8,205.46, and the total receipts $9,421.61. The county officers cost $1,619.48, and the insane $100.07. Total expenses, $7,694.18. In 1856- 57, there was on hand $915.05; received county revenue and railroad tax, $7,854.08; total receipts $9,335.56; total expenses $7,672.46, leaving in the treasury $1,663.10. The county officers cost $1,507.23. In 1857- 58, there was on hand $1,663.10; county revenue received, $9,519.86; total receipts, $12, 173.05; total expenses, $6,710.64; receipt balance, $5,462.41; old orders redeemed, $3,169.24. on hand, $2,293.17. The county officers cost $1, 780.62. In 1858-59, there was on hand $3,994.62. the county revenue was $6, 729.93; total receipts, $12,678.87; county officers cost $1,484.90; total expenses, $11,724.00; outstanding orders. $937.67; on hand, $938.80; surplus, $1.13. In 1859, the road fund dis- tributed was $152.02; township fund, $1, 754.07.
In 1860, there was on hand $938.80; county revenue receipts were
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
$7,497.18; total receipts $9,359.70. The county officers cost $2,148.90; the total expenses were $13,520.55; county debt, $5, 254. . In 1862, there were 278, 900.59 acres taxed in the county; value of lands and improve- ments, $2,812,895; value of lots and improvements, $216.365; value of personal property, $1,199,822; total valuation, $4,229,092; number of polls, 2,391; total tax levied, $37,951.42. For the fiscal year 1862-63, the county revenue receipts were $13,954.68; total receipts, $15,178.33. The county officers cost $2,493.93; total expenses $10,369.93. The county debt at this time was $4,808.40; outstanding orders, $2,957.97; amount due the county from the Treasurer. $3,762.87. At this time, $3,000 worth of county bonds were sold to raise means to pay off the indebted- ness, so that no more county orders might be thrown upon the public. A surprising feature of the financial condition of the county was the enor. mous delinquent list outstanding. At this time there was due the county from accumulations for the preceding eight years a total of $28,000. It was found very difficult to make collections. The Treasurer was ordered to take extra means to have this delinquency collected, and five per cent in addition to his regular fees was given him. At the close of the war, or just before, the County Board ordered sold $83, 600 worth of bonds to be used in paying bounty to volunteers and drafted men. Other bonds were sold within the next year, aggregating several thousand dollars. The conclusion of the war terminated the unusual closeness in money matters, and restored confidence in all business circles, and soon the heavy taxation began to be seen in a full treasury and a decrease of the county debt. The county revenue in 1865-66 was $17,328.63; total receipts, $20,924.74; county officers cost $3,014.47; total expenses, $26,706.80; families of volunteers cost $2,965.69; total soldiers relief from 1861 to 1865 inclusive, $18.458.71.
In 1867-68, the county revenue was $14,567. 71, and the total receipts $16,616.62. County officers cost $7,440.56; total expenses, $27, 113.63. In 1869-70, the county revenue receipts were $20,828.99; total receipts, $41,288.97; county receipts, $11,568.75; county officers cost $3, 174.76; total expenses, $27,132.43; excess of receipts $14,156.54. In 1872-73, the county revenue receipts were $19,333.49; total receipts were $23,- 320.70; county officers cost $3,004.31; total expenses, $17,835.33; receipt surplus, $5,485.37. In 1873-74, the total receipts were $24,650.70, and the total expenses $22, 714. 72, the surplus being $1,935.98; county off- cers cost $3,917.10; county revenue, $11,842.08; on hand at the begin- ning of the year, $8,237.80. In 1875-76, the total expenses were $23, - 579.42; county officers cost $4,908.85. In 1877-78, there was on hand $5,633.03; county revenue receipts, $12,890.59; receipts on the delin- quent list of 1866, $10,910.16; total receipts, $29,895.33; total expenses $25,160.64; surpins, $4, 734.69; county officers cost $4,444.60. In 1879-80, there was on hand $5,212.27, and the total receipts were $27,067.78. 32
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
In 1882-83, there was on hand $89.62; total receipts, $29,330.04; total expenses, $30,789.29; county officers cost $5,385.91. In July, 1883, twenty county bonds of $500 each were issued to take up about $8,000 worth of outstanding orders. The bonds bore 6 per cent interest and were bought by Indianapolis capitalists.
RECAPITULATION OF TAXES, 1883.
Value of land.
$3,165,545.00
Value of improvements
740,190.00
Value of lots
181,710.00
Value of improvements
419,435.00
Value of personal property
2,584,430.00
Total value of taxables
7,091,310.00
State tax.
10,251.23
State house tax.
1,418.29
State school tax.
13,087.80
County tax.
24,757.35
Township tax
4,763.71
Tuition tax
9,730.55
Special school tax.
13,686.04
Road tax.
6,189.20
Corporation tax.
5,388.29
Bridge tax
7,091.44
University tax.
354.59
Dog tax.
2,638.00
Total tax.
103,256.80
Delinquent tax.
15,555.22
Interest and penalty
2,886.53
Grand total tax.
121,698.55
Poor tax
3,900.31
Acres of land
281,216.87
Number of polls
8,483
COUNTY POLITIOS.
It is scarcely necessary to say that Sullivan County, since its creation in January, 1817, has been Democratic-that is, since Andrew Jackson was a candidate for the Presidency in 1828, for before that the Democrats were anti-Federalists or Republicans, and then the county was Republican. At times, the Democratic majority has exceeded 1,400. An account of the early elections cannot be given. The returns were all destroyed in 1850 when the court house was burned. The following tabular exhibit will illustrate the politics of the county since 1856.
1
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515.
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
NOVEMBER, 1856.
TOWNSHIPS.
DEMOCRAT. Buchanan and Brockinridge.
REPUBLICAN .. Fremont and Dayton.
AMERICAN. Fillmore and Doneleon.
Jackson
137
17
31
Curry ...
147
30
40
Fairbank
108
44
30
Turman .
190
28
40
Hamilton.
355
72
64
Cass
126
2
Jefferson
146
4
29
Haddon
300
21
82
Gill
141
41
79
Total
1,650
257
397
NOVEMBER, 1860.
REPUBLICAN.
UNION.
TOWNSHIPS.
DEMOCRAT. Douglas and Johnson.
Lincoln and Hamlin.
DEMOCRAT. Breckinridge and LaDo.
Rell and Everett.
Jackson
136
42
1
13
Curry. .
201
95
4
8
Fairbanks
133
80
1
2
Turman.
219
100
1
4
Hamilton
430
200
22
1
Case. . ..
144
25
3
4
Jefferson
165
43
20
4
Haddon
252
144
66
8
Gill ..
178
127
10
11
Totale.
1,858
856
128
55
NOVEMBER, 1864.
TOWNSHIPS.
DEMOCRAT. Mol'lellan and Pendleton.
REPUBLICAN. Lincoln and Jobnaon.
Jackson
150
78
Curry.
205
70
Fairbank.
143
63
Turman .
2:28
82
Hamilton.
448
206
Cass. .
145
16
Jefferson
213
29
Haddon
353
113
Gill ..
164
54
Totals
2,059
711
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
NOVEMBER, 1868.
TOWNSHIPS.
DEMOCRAT. Seymour and" Blair.
REPUBLICAN. Grant and
Jackson
179
136
Curry.
252
147
Fairbanks
195
82
Turman.
267
141
Hamilton
511
291
Cass.
176
46
Jefferson
246
68
Haddon
420
171
Gill.
211
212
Totals
. 2,457
1,294
NOVEMBER, 1872.
LIBERAL REPUBLICAN. REPUBLICAN.
TOWNSHIPS.
Greeley and Brown.
Grant and Wilson.
DEMOCRAT. O'Conor and Julian.
Jackson
128
140
Curry
252
167
Fairbanks
148
69
1
Turman
211
136
Hamilton
472
321
Cass
193
44
-
Jefferson
158
72
42
Haddon
374
209
23
Gill
181
221
5
Totale
2,117
1,379
71
NOVEMBER, 1876.
REPUBLICAN. INDEPENDENT.
TOWNSHIPS.
DEMOORAT. Tildon and Hendricks.
Hayes and Wheeler.
Cooper and Cary.
Jackson
224
151
3
Curry
326
162
Fairbanks
220
87
1
Turman
284
149
Hamilton.
577
363
35
Cass.
263
55
13
Jefferson
247
94
29
Haddon
483
233
15
Gill
264
242
-
Totals
2,888
1,536
96
-
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517
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
NOVEMBER, 1880.
DEMOCRAT. REPUBLICAN. INDEPENDENT.
TOWNSHIPB.
Hancock and English.
Garfield
Weaver and
Jackson.
261
162
45
Curry.
326
179
20
Fairbanks
241
78
6
Turman.
277
167
8
Hamilton
641
375
22
Cass ..
272
57
10
Jefferson
286
112
16
Haddon
496
236
8
Gill
249
241
7
Total
3,049
1,607
140
and . Arthur.
Chambers.
CHAPTER V.
BY SEWELL COULSON. ESQ.
THE EARLY BENCH AND BAR-JUDGE WILLIAM PRINCE-DEATH OF MCGEE -THE PENALTY-OLD ENGLISH CASES-OFFICERS OF THE COURT-THE FIRST RESIDENT ATTORNEYS-COUNTY CLERKS AND SHERIFFS-SAMUEL JUDAH-HIS LOCATION IN SULLIVAN COUNTY-HIS SOCIAL AND PROFES- SIONAL CHARACTER-SKETCH OF JAMES C. ALLEN-SKETCH OF COL. NEFF-THE LAST PROBATE COURT-THE FIRST COMMON PLEAS COURT- PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER OF JOHN T. GUNN, JUDGE PATTERSON, JUDGE MAXWELL AND OTHERS-THE SHERMAN-COFFMAN MAL-PRAC- TICE SUIT.
H ON. WILLIAM PRINCE was, on the organization of Sullivan County, President Judge of the First Judicial Circuit. Joseph Lat- shaw and Richard Maxwell were commissioned Associate Judges on the 28th day of March, 1817, by Gov. Jennings. Morgan Eaton was commis- sioned the first Sheriff of the county January 1, 1817. A dedimus was is- sued by the Governor to John Benetiel, empowering him to take and approve Eaton's official bond as Sheriff. Robort Buntin was the first Clerk of the Circuit Court. At the same time Eaton was appointed Sheriff, William Ledgerwood was appointed Coroner. The first term of the Circuit Court was held early in the spring of 1817, at the residence of James Sproule, William Price, President Judge, and Joseph Latshaw and Richard Max- well presiding thereat. There is no means of knowing anything whatever as to the amount and character of the business that was before the court at its first session, or indeed but little is known in reference thereto prior to the burning of the court house on January 7, 1850.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
JUDGE WILLIAM PRINCE.
The President Judge, William Prince, was an old citizen of Knox County. As early as the year 1810, he acted in conjunction with Francis Vigo, Toussaint Dubois, Joseph Barron, Pierre LaPlante, John Conner and M. Brouillette as messengers between Gen. Harrison and the Prophet's Town and the principal villages of the Miami, Delaware and Pottawat- omie Indians. On account of his influence with the Indians, he was frequently employed on these missions of peace. Judge Maxwell was the father of John Maxwell, late of Cass Township, now deceased, and Levi Maxwell, Esq., still living in Sullivan. Levi Maxwell very distinctly recollects the early courts of the county when his father was one of the Associate Judges of the Circuit Court. The county had not yet erected a court house, and after the commission had located the seat of justice at Carlisle, which town had been laid out in the year 1816, when the weather was favorable the courts were often held beneath the spreading branches of a large beech tree that stood in the northern limits of the town. G. R. C. Sullivan was Prosecuting Attorney for some years after the organization of the courts of the county. The descendants of Judge Latshaw still continue to reside in the vicinity of Carlisle.
THE KILLING OF M'GEE.
In the fall of 1819, one McGee, a tailor, who resided in Carlisle, was suspected of being guilty of larceny; three men, George Smith, Benja- min Byram and Jonathan Netherton, the latter one of whom was a giant both in size and strength, while on a spree, took McGee in the night time to the small branch, north of where Speake's flouring mill now stands, and proceeded to duck him in the water with a view of extorting a confession of guilt from him. The water in the branch was quite shallow, but they continued the operation till McGee died. Smith, Byram and Netherton were indicted, tried and convicted of manslaughter.
THE PENALTY.
What the full extent of the penalty was is not definitely known, but it included fine, imprisonment and whipping. They at once made appli- cation for a pardon, which, it seems, was granted, at least it was construed to be an absolute pardon. The Governor, however, did not intend the pardon as absolute but only a remission of part of the penalty, where- upon he made the following order: "Whereas, on the 29th day of May, 1820, a pardon was granted to George Smith, Benjamin Byram and Jon- athan Netherton, convicted of the crime of manslaughter by sentence of the Sullivan Circuit Court at their last term, which pardon has been construed to be a remission of their fine and release from imprisonment; so much thereof is hereby revoked, and they are duly pardoned from the sentence of the lash."
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
OLD COURT PRACTICES.
The Territorial law in force at the adoption of the Constitution of 1816 did not authorize whipping as part of the sentence for manslaughter.
By a provision of the Territorial code of 1807, which probably was taken from the legislative enactments of Pennsylvania, the crimes of treason, murder, arron and horse-stealing were each punished with death. The crime of manslaughter was punished according to the common law. The crime of burglary and robbery were each punished with whipping, fine, and in some cases by imprisonment not exceeding forty years. Lar- ceny was punished by fine or whipping, and in some cases by being bound to labor not exceeding seven years. Forgery was punished by fine, disfranchisement and pillory. Hog-stealing, fine and whipping. Where the court found the authority for assessing whipping as part of the pen- alty for the crime of manslaughter is mysterious. At common law, and it remained so until changed by Statute 23, Henry VIII, the penalty was death.
"A man was arraigned upon an indictment for murder; upon trial the jury found him not guilty of the murder, but guilty of the homicide or manslaughter: and the judgment given in the King's bench was that he should be hanged." "The reason given by the report is, that man. slaughter is comprehended in murder." 4 Rives' History of English Law, 893. Again, during the reign of Edward VI, the question came before the court on the circuit, and after referring to the case in the reign of Henry VIII the report says: "In the present case, the jury found that Salisbury killed the deceased, but not of malice prepense; and so they acquitted him of the murder, and found him guilty of manslaughter. Upon this, it was privately debated upon the bench, whether he should be entirely acquitted by this verdict, inasmuch as he was arraigned for murder, and was acquitted thereof; or whether he should have judg- ment to be hanged for the manslaughter; or thirdly, whether this verdict should serve as an indictment of manslaughter." "In support of this, they said that the jury might give a verdict at large and find the whole matter; as if one was arraigned of the death of a man, and he pleaded not guilty, the jury might find that he killed him in his own defense." "In this case, therefore, where he was arraigned for killing a man with malice prepense, the substance of the matter was, whether he killed him or not, and that the malice prepense was but matter of form, or the cir- cumstance of the killing." * "The substance and manner, both being put in issue together, if the jury find the substance and not the man- ner, judgment shall be given according to the substance." 4Rives English Law, 334-5. The peculiarity, the novelty, it may be said, of the case, has led to this digression. The penalty assessed was not authorized by the common law, perhaps there might have been some statute then in force that long since has disappeared that justitied the judgment of the court.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
OFFICERS OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
Robert Buntin resigned his office as Clerk of the Circuit Court in the fall of 1818, and Samuel Coleman was appointed to fill the vacancy and served until 1830, being re-appointed in 1823. On September 8, 1817, Bailey Johnson was commissioned Sheriff, and served till 1821. In 1821, George Boon was commissioned Sheriff and served till 1825. In the year 1820, Richard Maxwell resigned his office as Associate Judge. On May 20, 1820, the Governor issued a writ of election to the Sheriff of Sullivan County, for the election of an Associate Judge to fill the vacancy caused by Maxwell's resignation. James Drake was elected, and received his commission September 24, 1820. Josiah L. Mann having been elected Associate Judge to succeed Latshaw, who resigned, received his commis- sion dated August 20, 1821. Judge Josiah Mann was the father of Mr James B. Mann, of Turman Township, and grandfather of the present worthy Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sullivan County. Hon. H. K. Wil- son (deceased) and his brother William Wilson, each married daughters of Judge Mann.
THE FIRST RESIDENT ATTORNEYS.
The first lawyers to locate in Carlisle, Sullivan County, was Samuel Whittlesey and - McDonald. To use the language of Hon. Samuel Judah, in speaking of the latter: " he was a man blessed with fine mind, and possessed of much knowledge and very pleasing manners:" As to Mr. Whittlesey, many of the older people remember of hearing of him, but no one is able to give any definite account of him, further than he was ap- pointed and commissioned Probate Judge May 14, 1831, and held that office till August 13 of the same year. - McDonald practiced law in the county several years, and probably died at Carlisle. The President Judges of the Circuit Court of Sullivan County, following Prince, were Call, Dewey, Amory Kinney, Elisha Huntington, Bryant, Samuel B. Gookins and John Law, who was on the bench at the time the court house was burned. It is scarcely possible. on account of the various changes made in the circuits, to furnish the precise dates that each served in Sul- Jivan County.
The Associate .Judges that followed those already named were: Jona- than Rogers, commissioned August 22, 1822; Josiah L. Mann and Jona- than Rogers were both commissioned September 1, 1823; John H. Eaton was commissioned November 26, 1824, in the place of Judge Mann, who had resigned; on the same date, Andrew Hamilton was commissioned in the place of Jonathan Rogers, removed. On the 5th of September, 1825, Andrew Hamilton resigned, and on the 3d day of November following, a writ was issued for an election to fill the vacancy. Joseph Latshaw was elected, and on the 22d of February, 1826, received his commission. On August 14, 1829, James Brooks was commissioned Associate Judge, and again on September 8, 1830, on same date, Joseph Wilson was also com-
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
missioned Associate Judge. On August 15, 1833, Jacob Houts was com- missioned; Samuel Silvers was commissioned March 9; 1837; Joseph Wil- son, August 14, 1837; Jobn Huff, August 14, 1837; Silas Osborn, August 11, 1840; William M. McKee, August 10, 1844, for seven years; Isaac Shannon, August 10, 1844, for seven years; the two last, their term to commence March 28, 1845. On August 16, 1849, Justice Davis was commissioned Associate Judge; he and Shannon served until the office was abolished by the adoption of the Constitution of 1852.
THE FIRST PROBATE COURTS.
While there undoubtedly was a Probate Court in Sullivan County prior to 1829, the records in the office of the Secretary of State fail to show that any commission issued prior to Angust 14, 1829, to Probate Judges. On August 14, 1829, John W. Davis was commissioned Probate Judge, and served till November 14, 1831, when he was succeeded by Samuel Whittlesey. Whittlesey served until August 13, 1831, when he was succeeded by Josiah L. Mann. Judge Mann served till November 30, 1835, when he was succeeded by Joseph W. Briggs. Judge Briggs served from the date of his appointment to August 9, 1836, when he was succeeded by John S. Davis. John S. Davis was again commissioned August 14, 1848, and served until August 15, 1849, when he was suc- ceeded by William Alsop. On August 15, 1849, William Alsop was com- missioned Probate Judge for seven years, and held the office up to and for a short time after the adoption of the new constitution, which abol. ished it.
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