USA > Indiana > Vigo County > History of Vigo county, Indiana, with biographical selections > Part 32
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Five dollars was allowed Smith & Button for sperm candles furnished at the last term of the circuit court. This item is valu- able as indicating about when the use of sperm candles came, and also that the circuit courts had night sessions and crowded the work before them, working hard all day and late into the night, very often.
William L. Weeks in 1843 contracted to take charge of the county poorhouse and to keep the paupers, to be at all expense of food and clothing, and receive in gross therefor the sum of $500.
Edwin Gartell was allowed $10 for taking James Johnston, a counterfeiter, to Warrick county.
Wells M. Hamilton continued as auditor, and Nathaniel Hunt- ington county treasurer.
" Ordered that Jehiel Fisk be allowed, etc., for medical services administered Burgulia Fenemore "-both dead.
The following grim account needs only one word of explanation. It was Noah Beauchamp who was the "prisoner."
Items presented by the sheriff of Parke county, allowed:
Thomas R. Yeomans, sheriff, dieting prisoner. $36 87
Coffin 8 00
Shroud and making. 4 57
Nails and lumber for gallows. 5 78
Rope 1 00
Barber's bill for shaving prisoner. 1 75
Washing clothes for same. 2 00
Erecting gallows. 10 00
Total
$69 97
304
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
William McFadden was allowed $50 for boarding jurors upon the trial of Samuel Dias and Hanna Gilman for murder.
March session, 1844, R. W. Thompson and E. Flint appointed trustees of the Vigo county library, to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas H. Blake and the death of Mr. Prindle ..
August election, 1844, John Carr elected county commissioner, representing District No. 3, succeeding Joel H. Kester.
Nathaniel F. Cunningham entered upon another term of office of treasurer, October, 1844, with William Wines, John H. Watson and Samuel Crawford, securities.
Same day Wells M. Hamilton again commissioned auditor, with Charles T. Noble and John H. Watson, securities.
In 1845 tax rate fixed as follows: For State purposes, 20 cents on each $100 worth of property assessed, and a poll tax of 50 cents, and 1 cent on each $100 for a lunatic asylum, and 5 mills on each $100 for a deaf and dumb asylum, and two mills on same for the education of the blind.
For county purposes the sum of 20 cents on $100, and a poll tax of 50 cents; on Farrington's ferry on the National road, $30; on Modesitt's ferry, $20; Durkee's, $5; on Adair's, at Fort Harri- son, $10; on Malcom's, $3; Ninevah Shaw's ferry, $5; on liquor license in Terre Haute, $20; elsewhere, $10; each menagerie $8 per day; circus, $10; show and wax figures, $5; theaters, $5 a day; rope walking and dancing, $5 a day, same, sleight-of-hand per- formances; broker's license, $100 per year; to mend brass clocks, $10; merchandise, $5 on each $1,000.
August election, 1845, Thomas Durham elected county commis- sioner for the Second District, to succeed Edward Miles.
In December, 1845, Richard W. Thompson and John H. Wat- son gave bond for keeping Modesitt's ferry.
August election, 1846, Samuel W. Edmunds elected commis- sioner of the First District, and Benjamin McKeen elected from the Third District. The board then being: First District, Samuel W. Edmunds; Second District, Thomas Durham; Third District, Benjamin McKeen.
Thomas Durham 1st is the way this commissioner designated himself from the other Thomases in the family.
In 1847 Benjamin McKeen removed from the Third District, whereupon the associate circuit judges, William Dickerson and Jacob Jones, appointed Samuel M. Young to the office of commis- sioner of the Third District.
August election, 1847, David Boyle elected to succeed Samuel M. Young.
In August, 1848, Ishmeal Pugh elected county commissioner from First District.
1
305
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
1848 William Goodman contested election of William Gan- non, trustee of Congressional Township 12 north, 10 west. Upon hearing, the election of Gannon was declared void because he was a non-resident.
David Boyle, commissioner of Third District died in the latter part of 1849, whereupon the county associate judges, Jacob Jones and E. Tillotson, appointed Jacob Hess to fill the vacancy until the next regular election.
Jacob Hess was elected at the following election in August, 1850.
Ishmeal Pugh resigned as county commissioner in 1852, and in September of that year the remaining county commissioners, under the new law on that subject, proceeded to fill the vacancy by the appointment of Hiram Smith.
By re-election the board stood without change until 1856; at the October election that year Simpson Stark was elected to the board. In 1849 David Bell was elected recorder for a term of seven years.
In 1851 Albert Lange was elected auditor.
In 1855 Albert Lange re-elected county auditor; also David Bell, re-elected recorder.
Jacob Jumper elected, October, 1856, county commissioner for Second District.
Robert Allen elected surveyor.
John T. Pounce elected assessor.
In 1856 William J. Ball, one of the stockholders of the draw- bridge company, filed with the commissioners a schedule of rates of tolls, which, having been duly published, was adopted by the board.
Henry Fairbanks, treasurer of county, 1885.
At the March meeting, 1851, of the commissioners, the following were spread upon the records :
WHEREAS the official relations heretoforc existing between this board and Wells M. Hamilton, late county auditor (and cferk of this board) have been re- cently severed by reason of the expiration of his term of office, therefore
Resolved, That this board takcs pleasure in bearing their testimony to the faithful, honorable and efficient manner he has discharged the duties appertaining to that office. * That Vigo county loses an officer that during nine years of constant service has always proven himself worthy of the fullest confidence.
In September, 1856, the board established the second election precinct in addition to Macksville in Sugar Creek township. The election place in the new precinct was at the house of Dr. Robert Calhoun on the north side of the National road, and John Crews inspector of elections.
October 12, 1858, Clark S. Tuttle, elected commissioner.
November, 1859, Benjamin McKeen elected commissioner for the Second District.
December 22. 1866, Benjamin McKeen died, a member of the the Board of County Commissioners. John L. Brown and C. W.
306
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Barbour, the other commissioners, met and passed resolutions in re- gard to the death of their fellow-member of the board; "deploring the death of this upright citizen and faithful public officer, and tend- ering heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends in their irrep- arable loss." These resolutions being spread upon the records, Alfred B. Pegg was appointed to fill the vacancy.
The board, September, 1863, composed of C. S. Tuttle, Elijah Thomas and John Crews.
November, 1858, James S. Wyeth contracted to build "a new wrought-iron fence around the court-house " to be completed on or before June 1, 1859; John M. Walter contracted to build foundation for fence.
June, 1861, board allowed Isaac Beauchamp $1.50 "for hauling Lewis Bradford to the river by order of the sheriff." No further mention is made of Bradford, possibly this is the original McGinty.
William Brown elected 1860 a member of the county- board.
John Crews and Elijah Thomas members in 1862.
August, 1859, Harvey D. Scott filed bond as county treasurer, with R. N. Hudson, W. R. McKeen, S. R. Freeman, S. H. Potter, T. C. Buntin, B. McKeen and J. C. Ross, sureties.
1859 Cullum H. Bailey, elected recorder, gave bond with R. W. Thompson, W. K. Edwards, and H. Ross, sureties.
1862 .- Charles Kern, sheriff; John D. Murphy, coroner; Robert Allen, surveyor; B. H. Cornwell, auditor; R. J. Sparks, recorder.
At a special election, October, 1862, John Crews was elected county commissioner.
The bond of B. H. Cornwall presented for the office of auditor, objected to by the incumbent of that office, Allen, who claimed there was no vacancy, as the term for which he had been elected had not expired.
Burwell H. Cornwall, auditor. May, 27, 1861, the auditor appointed Cullom H. Bailey, deputy.
At the State election, October, 1858, Nathaniel F. Cunningham, so long the efficient treasurer of Vigo county, was elected State treasurer, and by law he would take the office in February, follow- ing, therefore in January he resigned the office of treasurer of Vigo county, to take effect February 8, 1859.
Joel H. Kester was appointed treasurer vice N. F. Cunningham, resigned February 8, 1859.
Cunningham discovered that he had to send his resignation to the governor from whom he held his commission, and this he did, and the board again appointed Joel H. Kester, treasurer.
In 1862 Edward B. Allen, auditor, it seems, was absent from the county much of his time and left no deputy. The board appointed Milton S. Durham deputy auditor, with authority to sign the auditor's name and perform the duties of the office.
307
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
In 1864 B. H. Cornwall elected auditor; 1866, William Pad- dock; 1870, Samuel Royse; 1878, Andrew Grimes; 1886, Frank Armstrong.
Recorders .- 1849-59, David Bell ; 1859-63, C. H. Bailey; 1863-67, R. J. Sparks ; 1867-75, John B. Meyer; 1875-79, Chauncey R. Pritchard; 1876-84, J. N. Phillips; 1884, Levi Ham- mersly.
October, 1864, Frederick Markle, elected commissioner from the First District; term three years.
October, 1865, John L. Brown, elected county commissioner; term three years.
Frederick Markle died October 12, 1866, whereupon the board appointed Cromwell W. Barbour to fill vacancy.
January 4, 1866, Fred Stocker, coroner, resigned, and William H. Merry appointed to fill vacancy.
Joseph F. Weeks, assessor Linton township, died in October, 1866, whereupon the auditor, B. H. Cornwall, appointed William L. Weeks to fill the unexpired term of two years.
In 1867 J. N. Shepherd, treasurer of Vigo county.
October election, 1860, Joseph H. Blake, elected clerk of the Vigo County circuit court, and gave bond in the sum of $10,000. April 22, 1864, Thomas Dowling, petitioned the common pleas court to be released from Blake's bond, and a new bond filed, April 22, 1864, William Mack, John J. Brake and P. Shannon as sureties.
In 1867 Rufus H. Simpson circuit clerk.
October 8, 1867, Benjamin Mewhinney was elected commissioner for the Second District.
At the same time Daniel Hollingsworth elected for the First District.
The new board of commissioners, John L. Brown, Benjamin Mewhinney and Daniel Hollingsworth convened in call session October 26, 1867.
Tuesday, October 13, 1868, Benoni G. Trueblood elected county commissioner from the Third District.
Martin Hollinger elected clerk of Vigo County circuit, 1868, and common pleas court, and William H. Stewart elected sheriff.
Hollinger's election contested by James H. Turner without avail, and Stewart's election contested by Nicholas Filbeck; same result.
November, 1870, term of office of Hollingsworth and Mewhin- ney having expired, Joseph H. Blake was elected commissioner from the Second District and Nathan Balding elected from the First District.
M. C. Rankin, elected treasurer in 1859, presented official bond, with D. W. Minshall, W. B. Tuell, D. W. Rankin, William R. Mc- Keen and C. Rose as sureties.
308
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
James M. Sankey, elected treasurer, 1871.
County loaned, September 28, 1864, S. C. Keith $100, condi- tioned that he take his son, Oscar F., to New York and secure his admission into an asylum there, and that Vigo county shall incur no other or further expense thereabout.
October election, 1864, John Kizer was elected sheriff; Fred Stoecker, coroner; Christopher N. Demorest, county surveyor'
Auditor B. H. Cornwall makes itemized report of the county's expenditures for the fiscal year, June 1, 1865, to May 31, 1866: Receipts.
$237,542.16
Some of the principal items are:
Loans .
$68,000 00
County tax 107,507 75
Ninety-five per cent. soldiers' relief fund 34,951 64
Road tax.
2,033 34
Special school tax.
14,129 70
Dog tax ..
1,806 43
Poor-house farm.
1,500 00
The remainder is composed of small items:
Salaries
$7,807 58
Jurors.
1,891 51
Bailiffs
1,646 05
Poor.
9,383 54
" Specific'
5,597 67
Criminal expenses.
4,642 16
Public buildings (care)
441 16
Coroner's inquests.
326 75
Roads and bridges
6,718 99
Elections
89 00
Books and stationary
3,611 35
Assessing revenue. .
1,870 12
Special school fund.
13,040 12
Road fund ...
1,997 50
Township fund.
6,034 77
Interest on loans.
3,441 42
New court-house
26,132 31
Relief soldiers' families.
9,914 25
Loans refunded. .
70,900 00
Other small items not enumerated. Balance of receipts over ex- penditures, $59,047.30,
June 22, 1864, in accordance with the provisions of the law, the auditors of the counties of the congressional district met in Terre Haute to consider the question of land taxes, or assessments in the different counties. Auditors present from Sullivan, Greene, Parker, Vermillion, Vigo, Putnam, Owen and Clay.
This was a congressional district tax equalizing board.
Vigo county lands were increased twenty per cent. Other counties were reduced; others increased, and some unchanged.
October, 1867, Benjamin Mewhinney re-elected county commis- sioner for the Second District and Daniel Hollingsworth re-elected for the First District.
309
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
In 1869 B. G. Trueblood was elected county commissioner.
April 24, 1871, County Commissioners J. H. Blake, B. G. True- blood and Nathan Balding convened to consider the subject, in re- sponse to many petitions, of purchasing the bridge across the Wa- bash, and also to consider the question of building a court-house.
The board ordered an election on May 2, 1871, to express the voters' desire in reference to purchasing the bridge, and also as to building a new court-house.
The auditor of the county, Samuel Royse, was then secretary of the board, and he informed the board that he declined to record the order for the election in reference to the bridge and court-house, whereupon the board authorized its chairman, J. H. Blake, to record the proceeding.
County attorney 1868, John T. Scott.
The matter of appointing a county attorney came before the board, December, 1868. Thomas J. Forrest offering to attend to all the duties of that office for the annual sum of $400 and was appointed; re-appointed on same terms, 1869, from December to December.
December, 1871, board ordered all paupers to be cared for at poor-house, appointed Thomas Dowling, Chauncey Rose, Curtis Gilbert, James B. Edmunds and C. H. Allen, committee to visit county poor-house every three months and examine, and report the condition of the same.
In 1871, Lewis L. Weeks elected county commissioner.
At June meeting board, 1864, the commissioner's districts, estab- lished in 1831, were abolished. Commissioners at this meeting, Lewis F. Weeks, Joseph F. Fellenzer and Stanley Robbins. The board then proceeded to establish new districts, as follows: All that part of the county lying north of the center of Township 12, to be and constitute the First District; all that part of the county lying south of the center of Township 12, and north of the center of Township 11, constitute the Second District; and that part of the county lying south of the center of Township 11 to constitute the Third District.
At the December meeting of the board, in 1872, the records say : The board finds that the building temporarily used for court rooms and county offices is unsuitable, and unsafe; that the court rooms are small, can not be properly heated, and are so situated that the noise from the street greatly interferes with the transaction of bus- iness; that the county offices are small, exposed to dust, and the rec- ords liable at any time to be destroyed by fire, and an incalculable loss thereby entailed on the people; the board further find that there should be erected on the public square a court-house with county offices, where the records will be safe and the court room in the prop- er place for the transaction of business.
310
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
It is therefore ordered by the board that a court-house with county offices be erected on the public square that shall be com- pleted by the first day of December, 1875, to cost, when com- pleted, $250,000. Bids to be received first Monday in March, 1873.
December 2, 1872, plans and specifications adopted for new court- house. Bids had been called for, and T. B. Snapp bid to do the en- tire work for the sum of $292,000. Accepted, by the board: J. H. Blake, Nathan Balding and Lewis L. Weeks, commissioners.
This order rescinded December 10, 1872; giving many reasons therefor, among others the unanimous "voice" of the people " against the erection at this time, and for many years to come," etc. All preceding contracts and undertaking wholly revoked and annulled. "J. H. Blake voting against said proceeding."
December 17 following, another meeting of the board was had, and the original order for the building of a new court-house passed much in the same words of the first order, and again bids called for ; bids to be received June 2, 1873.
Again at the board meeting, in 1873, the minutes recite that at the special election on the subject of building a new court-house, held May, 1871, the vote was 450 for and nearly 4,000 against the proj- ect; it is therefore ordered that no new court-house be built, and that the iron bridges advertized heretofore also be not built.
Commissioners Dowling and Weeks voted for this resolution, and Blake against.
January 29, 1874, Harman Blood was awarded the contract for building fire-proof vault and auditor's office.
The fire-proof safe in the auditor's office was sold April 30, 1874, to Fred A. Ross.
March 10, 1874, D. W. Minshall, acting for the president of the Draw-Bridge Company in his absence, offered to sell the bridge, road, buildings, etc., the entire franchise and property for the sum of $80,000.
This bid was accepted by the board, Commissioner Weeks voting against.
March 16, following, this order was rescinded. The next day, however, it was reconsidered, and the county purchased the bridge for the sum of $80,000, payable in ten-year bonds, drawing 8 per cent.
Stanley Robbins elected commissioner in 1874.
William R. Crossley's bond as county assessor, filed December 9, 1874.
January 27, 1872, Commissioners' Blake, Balding and Weeks contracted with Joseph Abbott to sink a well at the poor farm. The expressed hope was to strike a flowing vein of pure artesian water. In the records it is sometimes called the oil well and sometimes by other names.
& W. Komunit
313
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
December, 1872, the board ordered Joseph Abbott paid $7,363 .- 63 for work on poor-farm well. No satisfactory water was obtained, and the well was abandoned.
December 16, 1873, the auditor was instructed to advertise for bids to build a fire-proof vault in the office of the county auditor.
April 26, 1873, Nathan Balding, commissioner, resigned, and Thomas Dowling appointed to the vacancy, Joseph H. Blake dis- senting, and putting the reasons therefor on record.
An entirely new board was elected at the next election, to wit: Lewis L. Weeks, J. F. Fellenzer and Stanley Robbins.
October, 1874, election Lewis L. Weeks re-elected county com- missioner.
Charles H. Rottman, elected treasurer for two years, commenc- ing August 21, 1873; bond $400,000, with E. Ohm, Gerhard Esh- man, F. W. Shaley, Anton Mayer, J. J. Baur, F. L. Meyer, W. R. McKeen, Philip Schloss and D. W. Minshall, sureties.
December 4, 1873, William H. Duncan appointed county attor- ney, $400 per annum.
John W. Wilson and John S. Jorden appeared as the newly elected commissioners at the December term, 1876. They were sworn into office by Martin Hollinger, clerk of the Vigo circuit court.
At this meeting resolutions in memory of Thomas Dowling, ex- commissioner, whose death was appropriately noticed, and an engraved copy thereof presented his widow.
Newton Bledsoe elected commissioner at the October election, 1876, for the Third district.
October, 1875, William H. Duncan resigned office of county attorney, whereupon Isaac H. C. Royse was appointed to fill the vacancy.
December 4, 1876, Charles T. Burton appointed county attorney.
September term, 1875, commissioners agreed to defray one-half the expense of fitting up the inside of a work-house, and pay one- half expenses of boarding those detained therein.
Robert Allen, county surveyor, resigned March, 1875, and C. N. Demorest appointed to the vacancy.
The donation made by the will of Col. Francis Vigo of $500 for a bell for the court-house, was presented by T. C. Buntin, and accepted by the county, April, 1876.
March term, 1877, board thanked Frank Armstrong for the efficient work performed by him in keeping records and minutes of the commissioners.
James M. Sankey filed bond as county treasurer June, 1875.
March 9, 1875, the general assembly passed a law requiring all county and court clerks to enter into bonds. Therefore Martin 20
314
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Hollinger, clerk circuit court, filed his bond for the unexpired term of his office, September 14, 1875.
September 12, 1876, commissioners concurred in the action of the city in its contract with James Hooks to build a brick pest hos- pital, to cost $6,000.
Newton Rogers executed bond as county treasurer, March, 1877.
June, 1877, commissioners contracted for a new draw-bridge at Terre Haute.
April, 1877, the "draw" in the Terre Haute bridge was re- ported unsafe. A new " draw " was ordered to be contracted for --- the contract awarded to Jabez Smith.
June, 1875, John Royse appointed county superintendent for the term of two years.
December, 1875, Charles Gerstmeyer resigned office of coroner, and J. W. Boston appointed.
April 1, 1877, ordered that public square be kept free of horses and cattle, gates kept closed except Sunday, and no more shows allowed thereon.
October, 1877, Newton Bledsoe elected commissioner for the Third District.
September, 1875, board accepted invitation to attend laying corner-stone of Rose Polytechnic Institute.
A. Daily, superintendent, report of county asylum for August, 1875, shows number of paupers, seventy-nine, and cost of keeping each per day, 13 cents.
John S. Jordan and John W. Wilson, elected county commis- sioners at October election, 1879.
As a final reference to the history of the attempts to build a court-house that had come to naught, it is well enough to state that on December 6, 1879, J. A. Vrydaugh obtained a verdict against Vigo county for the sum of $10,425 for plans and specifications of a new court-house. The plans were made, it will be remembered, in 1872.
John K. Durkan succeeded Martin Hollinger, as clerk of the Vigo circuit court. October, 1876, John K. Durkan died, and the commissioners met in special session in July following, and ap- pointed Thomas A. Anderson to fill the vacancy.
In 1880 John D. Baur elected county commissioner. March 22, 1881, ordered that the board meet in the criminal court room in- stanter to hear discussed the question of building a new court- house and jail. The meeting opened with Messrs. W. B. Warren, Dr. B. F. Swofford and Philip Newhiort sitting with the board as advisers. The matter was fully discussed by N. G. Buff, J. W. D. Wolf, James Hooks, James M. Allen, I. N. Pierce, for the build- ing, and Levi Dickerson and R. S. Tennant, opposing. The court,
315
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
advisers agreeing thereto, then passed an order reciting the sub- stance of the order for a new court-house, passed in 1866, and that since that time the records have been deposited in the tempor- ary building for that purpose, etc. And in short, ordered a new court-house to be built on the public square, not to cost exceeding $200,000, and a jail be erected, not exceeding $30,000 in cost.
Sugar creek and Prairieton roads graveled, 1879. In 1878, A. Daily re-appointed superintendent, poor asylum for one year.
At the November election, 1882, John W. Wilson elected com- missioner of the First District, and John W. Roedel for the Second District. Martin K. Lee elected commissioner, November, 1883.
At the November election, 1885, Levi W. Dickerson was elected commissioner for First District, and Asa M. Black for the Second District.
November, 1886, Sandford S. Henderson elected to the Third District.
November, 1888, Levi W. Dickerson re-elected commissioner for First District, and Lewis Finkbiner, elected for the Second Dis- trict. Upon contest court decided there was no vacancy in Second District, and Asa Black continued to fill the office of commissioner.
Clerks-Curtis Gilbert, 1818-39; Charles T. Noble, 1839-58; Andrew Wilkins, two terms; Joseph H. Blake, one term; Rufus H. Simpson, one term; Martin Hollinger, two terms.
John K. Durkan succeeded M. Hollinger in 1876. Durkan died June, 1880, and Thomas A. Anderson was appointed to fill vacancy.
Merrill N. Smith was next elected clerk, and served until 1886, when the present incumbent, John C. Warren, was elected. His term of office expires 1890.
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