USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 20
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The county of Allegan had been in the fifth circuit with Van Buren and other counties, but the reorganization of the circuits of the state in 1851 placed that county in the ninth circuit, while Van Buren remained in the fifth. In 1867 the ninth circuit was made to consist of the counties of Allegan, Kalamazoo and Van Buren.
JUDGE FLAVIUS J. LITTLEJOHN
By this legislative action Van Buren ceased to be a part of the circuit presided over by Judge Woodruff and came under the jurisdiction of Judge Flavius J. Littlejohn of Allegan county. Judge Littlejohn was the presiding judge of the Van Buren cir- cuit court until 1869. He was a gentleman of the old school, the very personification of dignity when on the bench, genial and companionable when off duty.
It was the good fortune of the writer to serve under this fine old gentleman, learned lawyer and upright judge during a por- tion of his term of office as clerk of the court, and he can see him even now as he ascended the bench and took his seat on the wool- sack at the opening of the court in the morning and hear him say, with all due solemnity, as soon as proclamation of the opening of court had been made "Mr. Clerk, read the journal." Being at
164
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
that time a young man entirely without knowledge or experience in court proceedings or other legal affairs, it was with great dif- fidence that the duties of clerk of the court were assumed by him, and he feels that right here he should acknowledge the great kind- ness and courtesy with which "His Honor" bore with his inex- perience, instructed him in the modus operandi of conducting the proceedings of a court of justice and initiated him into the mys- teries of the law, laying for him the foundations of a profession which he has followed with more or less assiduity for over forty years. No more upright, honorable man than Judge Flavius J. Littlejohn ever graced the judicial bench of Michigan.
Judge Littlejohn was succeeded by Judge Charles R. Brown, who was elected at the April election in 1869 and who presided over the Van Buren circuit until the summer of 1874, when he re- signed the office and was succeeded by Judge Darius E. Comstock, who was appointed by Governor John J. Bagley to fill the unex- pired term of Judge Brown. There was another vacancy in this office before the expiration of the term caused by the death of Judge Comstock who died on the third day of February, 1875, but a few months after his appointment. Judge Comstock was the first Van Buren county man to occupy the circuit bench. He was succeeded by Judge Josiah L. Hawes, who was elected at the April election of 1875.
Two years prior to this election, Allegan had been taken from the ninth judicial circuit and placed with Ottawa county, form- ing a new circuit and leaving the ninth composed of Kalamazoo and Van Buren. Both these counties were strongly Republican, but owing to a difficulty between the two counties as to which should furnish the Republican candidates, two Republicans were nominated-Judge Geo. W. Lawton of Van Buren, and Hon. Dwight May of Kalamazoo. This so divided the Republican strength that Hon. Josiah L. Hawes of Kalamazoo, the Demo- cratic candidate, won an easy victory. However, the people lost nothing by this, as Judge Hawes was a competent, able and up- right judge. He served his full term of six years and was suc- ceeded by Hon. Alfred J. Mills of Paw Paw, the second Van Buren county man to be honored by a seat on the judicial bench of the circuit court.
Judge Mills was elected in the spring of 1881 by the closest vote ever cast in the circuit and it was not until the official count from every voting precinct had been received that the result was known. The manner in which he discharged the duties of his important office fully justified the choice of the voters, as he was one of the most efficient judges that ever served the county.
Hon. George M. Buck, of Kalamazoo, was elected in the spring
165
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
of 1887 as the successor of Judge Mills. The people of the cir- cuit showed their appreciation of the manner in which he ad- ministered his office, reelecting him to a second six-year term in the spring of 1893.
THIRTY-SIXTH CIRCUIT CREATED
Judge Buck served the people of Van Buren county for a little more than five years of his second term, when a new judicial cir- cuit was formed by detaching the county from the ninth circuit and uniting it with Cass county, thus forming a new circuit, the thirty-sixth, which is still unchanged. There being no judge resident within the boundaries of either county of the new cir- cuit, Hon. Hazen S. Pingree, then governor of Michigan, appointed Hon. Harsen D. Smith of Cassopolis, to the judgeship until such time as the position should be filled by election.
At the first election held in the new circuit on the first Monday of April, 1899, the rival candidates for the office were Hon. Ben- jamin F. Heckert of Van Buren county and Hon. John R. Carr of Cass, the former being a Republican and the latter a member of the Democratic party. Judge Carr was chosen, served for the full term of six years and was a prominent candidate for another term, his opponent being Hon. L. Burget Des Voignes, of Cass county, who was elected to the office at the April election of 1905 and is now serving the last year of the term. That the people are well satisfied with his administration of justice is evinced by the fact that at the April election of 1911 he was chosen for a second term by a nearly unanimous vote, his only opponent being the candidate of the Socialists.
No county in the state, perhaps, has been represented on the ju- dicial bench by a more able, upright and learned judiciary than has our own Van Buren. Those who still survive are Judges Mills, Buck, Carr and Des Voignes.
PROBATE JUDGES
The several probate judges of Van Buren county have been as follows :
Jeremiah Simmons, two terms, 1837 to 1844.
Frederick Lord, one term, 1844 " 1848.
Elisha Durkee, two terms, 1848 " 1856.
Augustus W. Nash, two terms, 1856 " 1864.
Chandler Richards, one term, 1864 " 1868.
George W. Lawton, two terms, 1868 " 1876.
Alfred J. Mills, one term, 1876 " 1880.
Orrin N. Hilton, two terms, 1880 " 1888.
166
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Benj. F. Heckert, two terms, 1888 " 1896.
James H. Johnson, two terms, 1896 " 1904. David Anderson, two terms, 1904 " Judge Anderson is still serving on his second term which will expire on the 31st day of December, 1912. Judges Mills, Hilton, Johnson and Anderson, are the only ones living.
VAN BUREN COUNTY BAR
The bar of the county, for the first twenty years after the ad- mission of the state and prior to 1860, consisted of the following named gentlemen, as nearly as can now be ascertained from the records of the court, which, for those earlier years, is somewhat in- complete: John R. Baker, A. W. Broughton, S. H. Blackman, Na- than H. Bitely, Hiram Cole, Elisha Durkee, S. N. Gantt, J. W. Huston, Frederick Lord, Joseph Miller, Chandler Richards, T. H. Stephenson, J. B. Upton, William N. Pardee. None of these gen- tlemen is now living.
Since 1860, the following named attorneys have been members of the bar of the county. Those marked by a star are still mem- bers and those marked (d) are deceased.
E. R. Annable (d)
B. F. Chase* Thos. Dorgan
David Anderson*
Horace H. Adams*
Andrew Donovan
Isaac E. Barnum (d)
David Dillon
W. Scott Beebe
Cenius H. Engle*
Wm. C. Buchanan
G. M. Eggleston
Geo. E. Breck (d)
Newton Foster (d)
John I. Breck
Oscar Field (d)
Wm. J. Barnard*
W. G. Bessey Earl L. Burhans*
Chas. L. Fitch A. Lynn Free* D. F. Glidden
C. W. Benton*
Oliver A. Goss (d)
D. E. Comstock (d)
Ashbel H. Herron (d)
Edgar A. Crane (d)
Calvin Cross (d) Jerome Coleman (d) F. C. Cogshall*
T. E. Hendrick (d) Orrin N. Hilton Samuel Holmes (d) Chas. A. Harrison
J. E. Chandler* Hiram T. Cook* A. H. Chandler* Wm. N. Cook (d)
Austin Herrick W. W. Holmes*
T. J. Cavanaugh*
R. M. Chase
B. H. Cockett
Harry M. Huff (d)
Benj. F. Heckert (d)
Jas. H. Johnson* Albert Jackson John Knowles
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
167
Geo. W. Lawton (d) Geo. L. Linder O. C. Lathrop H. M. Lillie
Chas. Shier
John J. Sherman J. C. Spencer (d)
F. W. Smith
Suaby Lawton
L. J. Lewis*
Arthur Stevens Jos. L. Sturr*
Eugene W. Lawton
Wm. H. Tucker (d)
Melancthon Millard
Lincoln H. Titus
Wm. H. Mason*
Lester A. Tabor (d)
Arthur L. Moulton*
W. P. Traphagen
W. S. McKinney
Albert H. Tuttle*
Geo. W. Merriman'
W. E. Thresher
Harry L. McNeil*
A. P. Thomas (d)
Chas. J. Monroe*
C. M. Van Riper*
S. B. Monroe*
Guy J. Wicksall (d)
Alfred J. Mills
J. J. Wilder
J. G. Parkhurst (d)
Thos. O. Ward (d)
L. Myrl Phelps*
F. E. Withey
Oran W. Rowland*
Glenn E. Warner*
The foregoing list presents an array of legal talent that would compare favorably with any county in the state.
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CHAPTER VIII POLITICS OF THE COUNTY
GENERAL ELECTIONS-THE PARTIES IN THE COUNTY-COUNTY OFFICERS-MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE-CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS-OTHER IMPORTANT OFFICIALS FROM VAN BUREN COUNTY-CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS- PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS-VAN BUREN COUNTY AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
In the earlier years of the history of Van Buren county, and prior to the organization of the Republican party in 1854, under the historic oaks in the city of Jackson, Michigan, the political parties, Democratic and Whig, were rather evenly divided, the Democrats being slightly in the lead and gaining on their oppo- nents as the population of the county increased. Since that event the county has invariably cast its vote in favor of the Republican candidates. So strongly intrenched has been that party that, with only two exceptions, no county official has been chosen from any other organization, and it long ago passed into an axiom that a nomination on the Republican ticket in Van Buren county was equivalent to an election.
GENERAL ELECTIONS
It will, perhaps, be a matter of interest to note the total vote cast at each general election, a fair indication of the growth of the county.
1837
90
1847 868
1838
256
1848
979
1839
320
1849
897
1840
433
1850 954
1841
402
1851 716
1842
438
1852 1476
1843
454
1854
1542
1844
669
1856
2776
1845
569
1858 2744
1846
814
1860 3478
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY 169
1862
3151
1886
7170
1864
3640
1888
8247
1866
3880
1890
6245
1868
5930
1892
7045
1870
4501
1894
5859
1872
5654
1896
8724
1874
4832
1898
7067
1876
7155
1900
8443
1878
6253
1902
6241
1880
7287
1904
7246
1882
6627
1906
4519
1884
7609
1908
7228
1910
4626
THE PARTIES IN THE COUNTY
Prior to the adoption of the constitution of 1850, there was an annual general election held in November; subsequently the elec- tions were biennial. The principal partisan political contests in the county since 1854 have been between the Republicans and the Democrats, with the former constantly in the ascendency, but it has not always been a majority party. At two general elections, 1878 and 1890, the candidates of the Republicans had only a plur- ality of the votes cast, not a majority. This was occasioned by the great political upheaval over the whole country over the currency question, greenbackism and free silver. In 1876 and 1878 the Greenback party was at its zenith and in the latter year actually became the second party in the county in point of numbers, polling double the number of votes that were cast for the Democratic can- didates.
In 1890 the Republican party again cast only a minority of the entire vote, its candidates being elected, but only by a plurality. A new organization, under the name of the Industrial party, appeared on the scene of action and polled nearly a thousand votes in the county.
The Prohibition party made its appearance as a political factor in 1882, polling about a hundred votes. In 1890 this party cast 542 votes, since which date its vote has been gradually decreasing until at the last general election, in 1910, it was less than one hun- dred.
The Democratic People's Union Silver party as a successor of the Greenback party, became an important factor in the politics of the county, and in 1896 polled 3,976 presidential votes, reducing the regular Democratic vote to less than 100, and practically supplant-
.
170
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
ing that party for the time being, but the course of events has again narrowed the contest to a fight between the former political foes, Republicans and Democrats, although there have been a number of other political organizations seeking the support and the votes of the people. Besides the parties already mentioned there are now, or have heretofore been, the Socialist party, Peoples' party, Na- tional party, Social Democrat party, Independent party and the So- cial Labor party, but none of these has, as yet, attained sufficient prominence to exercise any appreciable influence on the political situation in Van Buren county.
PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN THE COUNTY
1840-Harrison, Whig, 182; Van Buren, Democrat, 251.
1844-Clay, Whig, 275; Polk, Democrat, 350.
1848-Taylor, Whig, 353; Cass, Democrat, 508.
1852-Scott, Whig, 683; Pierce, Democrat, 771.
1856-Fremont, Republican, 1710; Buchanan, Democrat, 1031.
1860-Lincoln, Republican, 2175; Douglas, Democrat, 1274; Bell Const. Union, 26.
1864-Lincoln, Republican, 1985; Mcclellan, Democrat, 1400 (a).
1868-Grant, Republican, 3662; Seymour, Democrat, 2256 (b).
1872-Grant, Republican, 3549; Greeley, Liberal Democrat, 1805; O'Connor, straight Democrat, 162.
1876-Hayes, Republican, 4046; Tilden, Democrat, 2599 ; Cooper, G. B., 509; Smith, Prohibition, 2.
1880-Garfield, Republican, 4131; Hancock, Democrat, 2004; Weaver, Greenback, 1062; Dow, Prohibition, 10.
1884-Blaine, Republican, 4219; Cleveland, Democrat, 2933; But- ler, Greenback, 845; St. John, Prohibition, 361.
1888-Harrison, Republican, 4783; Cleveland, Democrat, 2986; Streeter, Union Labor, 13; Fisk, Prohibition, 458.
1892-Harrison, Republican, 3788; Cleveland, Democrat, 2182; Weaver, People's, 635; Bidwell, Prohibition, 403.
1896-McKinley, Republican, 4510; Bryan, Silver Democrat, 3982; Palmer, Gold Democrat, 93; Bentley, National, 24; Levering, Prohibition, 73.
1900-Mckinley, Republican, 4892; Bryan, Democrat, 3235; Debs, Social Democrat, 21; Wooley, Prohibition, 151; Maloney, Social Labor, 30; Barker, People's, 2.
(a) Exclusive of Soldiers' vote in the field.
(b) The vote of Van Buren county for this year, 1868, was not included in the official canvass of the state for the reason that it was not returned to the state canvassing board within the time required by law.
171
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
1904-Roosevelt, Republican, 5254; Parker, Democrat, 1634; Debs, Socialist, 71; Swallow, Prohibition, 217; Watson, People's Party, 45; Corrigan, Social Labor, 9.
1908-Taft, Republican, 4531; Bryan, Democrat, 2313; Debs, Socialist, 124; Chafin, Prohibition, 193; Gilhaus, Social Labor, 13; Hisgen, Independent, 36.
COUNTY OFFICERS
Following is a list of the principal county officials chosen by the electors of the county since its organization.
Associate judges of the Circuit Court: 1837, Wolcott H. Keeler and Jay R. Monroe; 1840, Evert B. Dyckman and John R. Haynes; 1842, Henry Coleman; 1844, Wolcott H. Keeler and Daniel Van Antwerp.
County Judges : 1846, Aaron W. Broughton, first judge, John R. Haynes, second judge; 1847, Frederick Lord, second judge; 1850, Jason A. Sheldon, first judge, and Lyman G. Hill, second judge.
County Commissioners-Under the territorial laws of Michigan a board of three county commissioners was appointed by the gover- nor of the territory whose duty it was to have charge of the finan- cial concerns of their respective counties. This system was con- tinued after the admission of Michigan as a state until the duties of such board were conferred upon the board of supervisors and the office of county commissioner was abolished by statute. After the state was admitted this office became elective instead of ap- pointive, and the following named persons were chosen as commis- sioners by the electors of the county: 1838, Wolcott H. Keeler, Peter Gremps and Morgan L. Fitch; 1839, Jay R. Monroe; 1840, Andrew Longstreet; 1841. Lyman G. Hill.
Probate judges : 1837, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1840, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1844, Frederick Lord; 1848, Elisha Durkee; 1852, Elisha Durkee; 1856, Augustus W. Nash ; 1860, Augustus W. Nash ; 1864, Chandler Richards; 1868, George W. Lawton; 1872, George W. Lawton ; 1876, Alfred J. Mills; 1880, Orrin N. Hilton; 1884, Orrin N. Hilton; 1888, Benjamin F. Heckert; 1892, Benjamin F. Heck- ert; 1896, James H. Johnson; 1900, James H. Johnson ; 1904 and 1908, David Anderson. Of the before named probate judges Messrs. Mills, Hilton, Johnson and Anderson are living.
Sheriffs: 1837, Samuel Gunton, resigned; 1837, Andrew Long- street (to fill vacancy) ; 1838, Andrew Longstreet; 1840, John Mc- Kinney ; 1842, William Hill; 1844, John Smolk, Jr .; 1846, William Hill; 1848, Henry C. Clapp; 1850, William Hill; 1852, Henry C. Clapp; 1854, William Hill; 1856, Noble D. Richardson; 1858, John H. Stoddard; 1860, Calvin Durkee; 1862, Calvin Durkee; 1864, Noble D. Richardson ; 1866, Edwin R. Farmer; 1868, William R.
172
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Sirrine; 1870, William R. Sirrine; 1872, John E. Showerman ; 1874, John E. Showerman; 1876, Nathan Thomas; 1878, Nathan Thomas; 1880, Aaron Van Auken; 1882, Aaron Van Auken; 1884, John G. Todd; 1886, John G. Todd; 1888, Hulett P. McFarlin; 1890, Na- than Thomas; 1892, Nathan Thomas; 1894, Charles A. Lamberson ; 1896, Charles A. Lamberson; 1898, Wesley J. Thomas; 1900, Wes- ley J. Thomas; 1902, John H. Britton; 1904, John H. Britton; 1906, Charles C. Chappell; 1908, Charles C. Chappell, and 1910, Byron L. Sowle, the present incumbent. Of the before named gen- tlemen Messrs. Sirrine, Nathan Thomas, Van Auken, Todd, Lam- berson, Wesley J. Thomas, Britton, Chappell and Sowle are living.
County clerks : 1837, Nathan B. Starkweather; 1838, Edward Shultz; 1840, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1842, Joseph Gilman ; 1844, James B. Crane; 1846, Lyman Fitch ; 1848, S. Tallmadge Conway ; 1850, S. Tallmadge Conway; 1852, Franklin M. Manning; 1854, Stillman F. Breed; 1856, Stillman F. Breed; 1858, S. Tallmadge Conway; 1860, Martin Ruggles; 1862, Martin Ruggles, resigned ; 1864, Ashbel H. Herron, to fill vacancy; 1864, Ashbel H. Herron ; 1866, Ashbel H. Herron; 1868, Oran W. Rowland; 1870, Oran W. Rowland; 1872, Samuel Holmes; 1874, Samuel Holmes; 1876, Henry S. Williams; 1878, Henry S. Williams; 1880, Charles E. Heath; 1882, Charles E. Heath; 1884, George W. Myers; 1886, George W. Myers; 1888, A. Throop Anderson ; 1890, A. Throop An- derson ; 1892, Harley E. Squier; 1894, Harley E. Squier; 1896, Jo- seph S. Buck; 1898, Joseph S. Buck; 1900, Frank N. Wakeman; 1902, Frank N. Wakeman; 1904, William C. Mosier ; 1906, William C. Mosier; 1908, William C. Mosier ; 1910, Harry A. Cross, the pres- ent incumbent. Of the aforesaid county clerks, Messrs. Rowland, Myers, Anderson, Squier, Buck, Wakeman, Mosier and Cross, at this date are living.
Registers of deeds : 1837, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1838, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1840, Fitz H. Stevens; 1842, Fitz H. Stevens; 1844, Emory O. Briggs; 1846, Elisha C. Cox; 1847, John Smolk, Jr., va- cancy ; 1848, Joseph Cox, Jr .; 1850, William H. Hurlbut; 1852, Eu- sebius Mather ; 1854, Edwin A. Thompson; 1856, Samuel H. Black- man; 1858, Thomas B. Irwin; 1860, Thomas B. Irwin ; 1862, Steph- en W. Duncombe; 1864, Stephen W. Duncombe; 1866, E. Parker Hill; 1868, Don C. Rogers; 1870, Milan U. Richardson; 1872, Kirk W. Noyes; 1874, Kirk W. Noyes; 1876, Samuel Ellis; 1878, Samuel Ellis ; 1880, Samuel Ellis; 1882, Samuel P. Wilson; 1884, Samuel P. Wilson ; 1886, Joel D. Monroe ; 1888, Joel D. Monroe ; 1890, Thomas C. Tyner ; 1892, Thomas C. Tyner; 1894, Thomas M. Harvey ; 1896, Thomas M. Harvey ; 1898, John F. Taylor; 1900, John F. Taylor ; 1902, Milton L. Decker; 1904, Milton L. Decker ; 1906, John Mutch- ler; 1908, John Mutchler; 1910, Henry E. Shaefer, the present in-
173
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
cumbent. Of the above named gentlemen Messrs. Noyes, Tyner, Decker, Mutchler and Shaefer are in the land of the living.
County treasurers : 1837, Daniel O. Dodge; 1838, Joshua Bangs; 1840, Frederick Lord; 1842, John McKinney; 1844, John McKin- ney ; 1846, Theodore E. Phelps; 1848, Emory O. Briggs ; 1850, Em- ory O. Briggs ; 1852, Emory O. Briggs; 1854, Alexander H. Phelps; 1856, John M. Ridlon ; 1858, John M. Ridlon; 1860, Aaron S. Dyck- man; 1862, Aaron S. Dyckman; 1864, Samuel H. Blackman; 1866, Edwin Barnum; 1868, Edwin Barnum; 1870, Edwin Barnum; 1872, Stephen W. Duncombe; 1874, Stephen W. Duncombe; 1876, Han- nibal M. Marshall, resigned; 1878, Stephen W. Duncombe; 1880, Samuel H. Blackman; 1882, John C. McLain; 1884, John C. Mc- Lain; 1886, Charles H. Butler ; 1888, Charles H. Butler; 1890, Hi- ram K. Wells; 1892, Hiram K. Wells; 1894, Gilbert Mitchell ; 1896, Gilbert Mitchell; 1898, John Marshall; 1900, John Marshall; 1902, Daniel M. Allen; 1904, Daniel M. Allen; 1906, Frank H. Fuller; 1908, Frank H. Fuller; 1910, Warner M. Stoughton, the present incumbent. Of the above named gentlemen the following are yet living : Ridlon (aged 93 years), H. M. Marshall, McLain, John Mar- shall, Allen, Fuller and Stoughton.
Prosecuting attorneys : * 1850, Frederick Lord; 1852, William N. Pardee; 1854, Frederick Lord; 1856, Nathan H. Bitely; 1858, Chandler Richards; 1860, Chandler Richards; 1862, Hiram Cole; 1864, Hiram Cole; 1866, John B. Upton; 1868, John B. Upton; 1870, John B. Upton ; 1872, Darius E. Comstock; 1874, Benjamin F. Heckert; 1876, Benjamin F. Heckert; 1878, Benjamin F. Heckert ; 1880, Oran W. Rowland; 1882, Alonzo H. Chandler; 1884, Alonzo H. Chandler ; 1886, Alonzo H. Chandler ; 1888, John I. Breck; 1890, Oliver A. Goss (died in office) ; 1891, Edward R. Annable (ap- pointed to fill vacancy ) ; 1892, Lincoln H. Titus; 1894, Lincoln H. Titus; 1896, James E. Chandler ; 1898, James E. Chandler; 1900, David Anderson; 1902, David Anderson; 1904, Russell M. Chase ; 1906, Russell M. Chase; 1908, Glenn E. Warner; 1910, Glenn E. Warner, the present incumbent. Eight of the above named gentle- men are living-Messrs. Rowland, A. H. Chandler, Breck, Titus, J. E. Chandler, Anderson, Chase and Warner.
Circuit Court Commissioners : 1852, John R. Baker; 1854, Nathan H. Bitely ; 1856, Nathan H. Bitely; 1858, Samuel H. Blackman ; 1860, Hiram Cole; 1862, John B. Upton; 1864, Joseph W. Huston; 1866, George W. Lawton; 1868, Ashbel H. Herron; 1870, William H. Tucker and John Knowles ; 1872, Benjamin F. Heckert and John J. Sherman ; 1874, Oran W. Rowland and John J. Sherman; 1876,
*This office did not become elective until the adoption of the constitution of 1850.
174
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Albert Jackson and James Manry ; 1878, John Knowles and John J. Sherman; 1880, James H. Johnson and John J. Sherman; 1882, James H. Johnson and John J. Sherman; 1884, Arthur L. Moulton and Samuel Holmes; 1886, John I. Breck and Samuel Holmes ; 1888, Oran W. Rowland and John I. Beck; 1890, James E. Chandler and Lincoln H. Titus; 1892, James E. Chandler and Stephen B. Mon- roe; 1894, Oran W. Rowland and Stephen B. Monroe; 1896, Guy J. Wicksall and Oran W. Rowland; 1898, David Anderson and Guy J. Wicksall; 1900, Oran W. Rowland and Russell M. Chase ; 1902, Fred C. Cogshall and Oran W. Rowland; 1904, Fred C. Cogshall and Oran W. Rowland; 1906, Fred C. Cogshall and Oran W. Rowland; 1908, L. Myrl Phelps and Oran W. Rowland; 1910, L. Myrl Phelps and Oran W. Rowland, the present incumbents. Of the gentlemen who have filled this office Messrs. Knowles, Rowland, Johnson, Moul- ton, Breck, Chandler, Titus, Monroe, Anderson, Chase, Cogshall and Phelps are still living.
The revised Statutes of 1846 provided for the appointment of a circuit court commissioner in each organized county of the state, and in 1852, the office, by provision of law, became elective. Each circuit court commissioner is vested with judicial powers, not ex- ceeding the power of a circuit judge at chambers. No person but an attorney of the supreme court of the state is eligible to this of- fice. Since 1868 the county, by virtue of the statute, has been en- titled to two circuit court commissioners.
County Surveyors : 1835, Humphrey P. Barnum; 1838, John D. Compton ; 1840, Eleazer Keeler; 1842, Alonzo Crane; 1844, Samuel H. Blackman ; 1846, Samuel H. Blackman; 1848, Jeremiah H. Sim- mons ; 1850, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1852, Jeremiah H. Simmons; 1854, William H. Harrison ; 1856, Samuel A. Tripp; 1858, Samuel A. Tripp; 1860, Orville S. Abbott; 1862, Peter J. Speicher; 1864, Charles J. Monroe; 1866, Charles D. Lawton; 1868, Almon J. Pierce; 1870, Almon J. Pierce; 1872, Augustus J. Teed; 1874, Al- mon J. Pierce; 1876, Almon J. Pierce; 1878, Almon J. Pierce ; 1880, Charles D. Lawton; 1882, Albert Fosdick; 1884, Albert Fos- dick; 1886, Albert Fosdick; 1888, Albert Fosdick; 1892, F. Percy Lawton; 1894, F. Percy Lawton; 1896, George Mutchler; 1898, George Mutchler; 1900, George Mutchler; 1902, Warren Goss; 1904, Warren Goss; 1906, Warren Goss; 1908 and 1910, Whit- field V. Ackley, the present incumbent. There are living of the aforesaid gentlemen Messrs. Monroe, Pierce, F. Percy Lawton, Mutchler, Goss and Ackley. Fosdick was murdered and his slayer was never brought to justice.
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