USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph county, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 11
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The assessment of 1840 is not given in the records, but the State and county taxes for the year amount to $5,800. In 1850 the assessment footed up $997,133, and $8,813.57 covered the State and county levy.
In 1851 the first equalization by the State board of the assessment of the county was made. The assessment, as equalized by the supervisors, amounted to $1,094,920. The State board placed the entire assessment of the State at $30,976,270, and on that basis fixed the assessment of St. Joseph county at $1,088,920, for State purposes of taxation. The taxes of 1851 were $3,726.25 for the State, and $6,569.52 for the county.
In 1856 the county equalized the assessment at $5,412,958, and the State board reduced it for their purpose to $4,450,000. The State taxes that year amounted to $2,101.39, and the county's to $11,502.53.
In 1861 the county equalization was $5,825,565, and it was left unchanged by the State board. The State levy for revenue was $15,716.02, and that of the county, $18,705.
In 1866 the county equalized its assessment at $6,343,536, and the State board added nearly three millions to it, making it $9,229,741.66. The State claimed $17,440.24, and got it, and the county levied $17,200 for its needs.
In 1871 the county returned the assessment as equalized at $12,753,118, and the State board added nearly one hundred per cent., placing it at $24,300,000. The State taxes amounted to $29,730.27 that year, and those of the county to the same sum.
In 1876 the assessment, as equalized by the board of supervisors, amounted to $8,074,871, and the State board equalized it at $18,025,000, on the basis of $630,000,000 for the entire State. This was a better rate than the equal- ization of 1871, by some $6,275,000, and, as it stands for five years before any alteration can be made in it, the county will save the taxes on that excess for that period of time. This reduction was effected by the argu- ments of Hon. Isaac D. Toll, the representative of the board of supervisors of the county to the State board of equalization. Mr. Toll argued from the statistics, furnished by the census of 1884, that St. Joseph county was about equal in wealth to the counties of Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Cass, while it had been assessed several millions of dollars higher than either one of them. Andrew Climie, Esq., chairman of the board of super- visors, also presented the argument before the board that ten thousand pop- ulation in the older counties represented about the same wealth that double that population did in the new ones, and on that basis St. Joseph county had been placed too high in the valuation of the State board, by some millions of dollars.
The State and county taxes for 1876 amounted to $41,250, the same being equally divided between the two powers. There were 317,267 acres of land assessed in 1876, at an average value of $21.10 per acre. The present property valuation, as equalized, amounts to $1,607,606, which averages $62.06 per capita, on the census of 1874, which places the population of the county at 25,906.
The values reported in the census are a more faithful index of the real wealth of the county than the assessments made for taxation, which vary from one-half to one-third of the actual value of the property assessed. In 1870 the property was assessed at one-half its estimated cash value, which places the latter at $50,990,256. It is estimated by competent judges that the assessment, as equalized by the State board of equalization in 1876, is scarcely more than one-quarter of the actual value of the property liable to taxation in the county, which, according to that estimate, would be worth at least $70,000,000.
The total receipts into the county treasury, from 1830 to 1835 inclusive, from all sources, aggregated the sum of $4,778.53, which included $80, docket fees and fines, and $150 received on sale of county lots in Centre- ville. The receipts, from all sources, into the treasury for the year ending
December 31, 1876, aggregate the sum of $70,601.93. This amount in- cludes the State taxes of 1875, $20,108.56 ; the primary-school fund from the State, $4,451 ; fines, to the library fund, $800.50; costs, docket, jury and reporters' fees from circuit court, $603.09; the liquor tax, $6,452.74 ; the county taxes, $34,703.47 ; redemptions from drain assessments, $206.78, and sundry receipts from other sources, $913.53. Among the disbursements were the following : For the support of the poor in the county and at the insane asylum, $10,478.95 ; to the supervisors, for sundry services, $1,432.92; for jurors and witnesses and the house of correction, $3,137.81 ; salaries of - county officers, $4,950; incidentals and sundry other items, $562.16, and but $30 for attorneys' fees. The amount of the delinquent land-tax for the year 1875 was $1,469.40, and $538.10 was charged back to the township for collection on the rolls of 1876.
In the fall of 1827 there were not more than five families of actual white settlers within the limits of the county of St. Joseph, composed of perhaps thirty individuals. Ten years later the population had increased to 6,337. In 1850 there were 12,717, divided among 2,316 families, and dwelling in 2,303 houses. In 1860 the population had increased to 21,111, composing 5,362 families, who dwelt in 5,347 houses. In 1870, 26,272 people called the county "home" at the time the census was taken, and the number of fami- lies had increased but ten, and the dwellings sixty-two in the decade. In 1874 the population, as shown by the State census, had fallen off somewhat, there being but 25,906 persons returned. Counting Wayne county, with 144,903 inhabitants, as the first in rank, St. Joseph would rank in respect to population as twenty-two; of these 25,906 people, 13,267 were males, and 12,689 females ; 4,370 of the former were liable to military duty, and 4,614 of the latter were of marriageable age; 2,417 men were between forty-five and seventy-five years of age, and 2,563 women between forty and seventy- five; 115 men were between seventy-five and ninety years, and one between ninety and one hundred-Thomas Cade, of Sturgis; 122 females were over seventy-five years. There were 3,188 boys between ten and twenty-one, and 2,373 girls between ten and eighteen. There were 3,176 boys and 2,967 girls under ten years. There were of the widowed and divorced, 1,018; of males over twenty-one years, 1,411 were bachelors, and of females over eighteen, 1,383 had eschewed matrimony. The married were nearly evenly matched, there being 5,199 men and 5,201 women in the list. Of the un- fortunate there were sixteen blind, ten deaf and dumb, eight insane, and twenty idiotic ; and there were 158 colored persons throughout the county, and not a single one of the former lords of the soil, the followers of Sau- au-quet.
CHAPTER XI.
ELECTIONS-POLITICAL STATUS-OFFICIALS AND TERMS OF OFFICE.
The first election ever held within the present limits of St. Joseph county, was in the year 1827. Austin E. Wing and John Biddle were opposing candidates for the office of delegate to Congress, and the election being con- ducted on personal grounds rather than political ones, it was very closely contested. Major Calvin Brittain, afterwards a State senator from the dis- trict of which St. Joseph county formed a part, came to White Pigeon and organized a poll, at which fourteen votes were cast, which were sealed up, and the gallant major took them as the messenger of the election board, and posted away to Detroit, where the returns were to be canvassed. At the final canvass it was found that Wing had just seven more votes than his op- ponent, Biddle, had. Biddle's friends were furious, and charged that there were not fourteen white people west of Lenawee county to Lake Michigan. Major Brittain claimed the votes to have been cast by actual residents, who had most undoubtedly lived long enough in the country to gain a legal residence therein ; but when pressed for other qualifications required by the law of elections, admitted that some of the voters bore a striking resem- blance in color and physiognomy to certain of the dusky clansmen of White Pigeon, the chief of the Pottawatomies. At this election there was also chosen a member of the legislative council.
The next election was held in the summer of 1829, at which Messrs. Bid- dle and Wing were contestants for the same position, Biddle being the suc- cessful candidate.
The next election held in the county .was the annual town-meeting in April, 1830, held in the townships of Sherman and White Pigeon, and which was the first election ever held in St. Joseph county proper. At this election, besides the township officers, there were a county treasurer and coroner elected, John Winchell being the first-named official and -- the
4
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
second. Greene township (Branch county) and Brady township (Kalamazoo county) voted with the St. Joseph county townships at this election.
At the election of 1835, on the adoption of the constitution, there were 216 votes polled. There were no contests which developed the strength of political parties in the county until the Presidential election of 1840. That year the Whigs carried the county by 39 majority, Harrison receiving 800 and Van Buren 761 votes. The contests on local officers have always been conducted more on personal than on partisan grounds, and the tickets have been "scratched " liberally, both parties electing candidates frequently at the same election. Edmund Stears, a Democrat, and Charles H. Knox and William Laird, Whigs, were so popular in the early days that whenever they were nominated their election was a foregone conclusion.
In 1844, in the Polk and Clay campaigns, the Whigs carried the county again by 40 plurality over the Democrats, the liberty men polling 84 votes. The total vote was 976 for Clay, 936 for Polk, and 84 for Birney-1,996 in all. The liberty vote for governor in 1843 was 103.
In 1848 the total vote was 2,392, and the Democratic party carried the county by 48 plurality over the Whigs-the free-soil party, then organized, drawing its adherents more largely from the latter than the former party. The vote was for Cass, 1,011 ; Taylor, 963; Van Buren, 418. One man was determined to know whom he voted for, and having no confidence in the electors, cast his ballot direct for Martin Van Buren for president. Judge I. P. Christiancy, at present United States senator from Michigan, was one of the free-soil electors.
In the campaign of 1852 the Democrats carried the county again by an even 100 plurality over the Whigs, the total vote being 2,678. Pierce re- ceived 1,263; Scott, 1,163, and the liberty vote was 252.
In the Fremont campaign of 1856, the first appearance of the Republican party, the new actor made his debut with a majority of 837 votes, in a total poll of 3,811.
The Republicans polled 2,324 votes, the Democrats, 1,475, and the prohi- bition ticket had a round dozen supporters. In 1860 the relative strength of parties remained about the same, the Republican majority over all being 831. There were 4,832 votes cast, of which the Republicans had 2,832; the Demo- crats, 1,980, and the prohibitionists cast just as many votes as there are years which must elapse before the native American can exercise what ought to be his proudest right, the elective franchise. In 1864 the Republican majority was increased a trifle, there being no third party in the field. In a total vote of 4,477, the Republicans cast 2,681, and the Democrats, 1,796. In 1868 General Grant received 3,562, and Seymour, 2,490 votes, the total poll being 6,052. In 1872 Grant received 3,154 votes ; Greeley, 1,791 ; O'Conor, 90, and Black (the prohibition vote), 6, making a total vote of 5,041. In 1876 Governor Hayes received 3,165 votes ; Governor Tilden, 2,490, and Peter Cooper, the "Greenback " candidate, 748.
In 1848 the congressional race was between Charles E. Stewart, Demo- crat, and William Sprague, Whig. Notwithstanding the Democratic vote on presidential electors was the largest, yet Sprague claimed the county by 257 majority. The secret of Sprague's success lay partly in the fact that he was a presiding elder of the Methodist church, and his brethren supported him, irrespective of party ties, to a considerable extent. He was stronger in the county even than Governor Barry, who was one of the Democratic electors, and carried the county by forty-eight votes only. In 1849 the election for representatives to the State legislature was somewhat noticeable in its results. William H. Cross and Edwin Kellogg were the only Whig candidates, and Norman Roys and Asher Bonham, the Democratic nominees. Mr. Kellogg received 989 votes ; Messrs. Roys and Bonham, 979 each, and Mr. Cross, 978. The two Democrats having tied on the vote, drew lots, and the prize fell to Mr. Bonham. One of Judge Cross' personal friends, by a little "tiff" just before the day of election, lost the judge his election by staying at home, and keeping half a dozen others from attending the polls, all of whom were friends of the unlucky candidate.
There were one hundred and seventy-seven men in the county, in 1849, who expressed themselves satisfied with the constitution of 1835, and twelve hun- dred and twenty-two who wished for a change. It was a close race for the county offices in 1850, under the new constitution, John Hull getting the sheriff's place by a bare majority of eight votes; C. D. Bennett taking the clerk's by thirty-one majority, and William Laird securing the county treas- ury plum by sixty-seven. Edmund Stears held the Democratic vote and some of his Whig friends, and came smiling into the register's office, backed by two hundred and sixty-one more votes than his competitor.
In 1853 a special election was held to determine the sense of the people on the question of prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors in the State, which resulted in showing that one thousand two hundred and
ten of the persons voting on the question were in favor of prohibition, and eight hundred and eighty opposed to it. There was not a third of the votes of the county cast. Burr Oak, Mendon, Nottawa, Florence, Sherman, Stur- gis, Lockport, White Pigeon and Constantine gave majorities for the pro- posed law, the last four townships quite notable ones ; the remaining towns gave majorities against prohibition.
In 1870 Governor Blair received just seven hundred more votes for gov- ernor than Governor Barry, the former receiving 2,777, and the latter 2,077 votes.
The county officers under the governors' and judges' administration in the territory, were appointed by the governor, and were the following : justices of the county courts, clerks of the courts, sheriffs, judges of probate, coro- ners, county commissioners, justices of the peace and constables. On the 30th day of March, 1825, the legislative council terminated the official terms of all of the above offices on December 31, 1825, and fixed the new terms at four years, except those of sheriffs and justices of the peace, which offi- cials were given but three years at the public crib.
In April, 1825, the council gave the people the right to elect the county commissioners, treasurers, coroners and constables. The judges of probate, from 1809 till 1827, appointed their own clerks or registers, but in the latter year the council gave the power of the appointment to the governor. Janu- ary 29, 1835, the council abolished the office, and charged the judges of pro- bate with the execution of the duties theretofore performed by the register, and provided for the election of register of deeds.
The governor had the power of appointment of the judges and clerks of the several courts of record, the sheriff's and justices of the peace during the continuance of the territorial government, but under the constitution of 1835 the people had the power of electing their officials, with the exception of the circuit or chief judges of the circuit court, and the prosecuting attorneys, who were still appointed by the governor.
The county officials, under the first constitution, were associate judges of the circuit court, judges of the county courts, judge of probate, sheriff, two or more coroners, county clerk, who was ex-officio clerk of the courts (cir- cuit and county), register of deeds, county surveyor, county treasurer, and three county commissioners, who afterwards gave place to the board of su- pervisors. Under the constitution of 1850, the same officers were provided for, except the associate judges of the circuit court, judges of the county court, and county commissioners ; prosecuting attorneys were to be elected. The official terms of all were fixed at two years, except that of the judge of probate, who had a lease of power for four years, with the privilege of an in- definite extension thereof, at the option of the people assembled at the polls.
The township government, under the territorial authority, was vested by the act of the legislative council of March 30, 1827, in a supervisor, town clerk, collector of taxes, three or five assessors, at the option of the supervi- sors, three commissioners of highways, two overseers of the poor, and as many constables, fence-viewers, pound-masters and overseers of highways as the people might think could be kept at work to advantage, and earn their pay-on which none of them ever became wealthy, and all of which officials were elected by the people, their masters.
Under the first constitution the people in each township elected a super- visor, town clerk, treasurer, three assessors, one collector, three school-in- spectors, two directors of the poor, three commissioners of highways, and as many justices of the peace and constables as the town was entitled to, which could not exceed four of each at any one time, and as many overseers of highways and pound-masters as were necessary to keep the roads in good order, and the fields secure from the depredations of four-legged animals.
Under the new constitution the list of town officials was cut down some- what. The town clerk and inspector now do the work of three inspectors of schools formerly ; and one commissioner of highways holds the honor alone of a position, wherein, under the old organic law, the "honors were easy," as well as the work, between three.
The first officers in the county were Dr. Hubbel Loomis, probate judge ; John W. Anderson, register of probate; John Sturgis and Luther Newton, county judges ; and E. Taylor, sheriff; all of whom were appointed by Gov- ernor Cass in 1829-30.
The list of judges appears elsewhere in connection with the history of the courts.
Mr. Anderson held the custody of the probate records until March 21, 1834, Dr. S. W. Truesdell being his deputy after the office was removed to Centreville. On March 27, 1834, T. W. Langley appends his signature to the foot of the records of deeds, and continues to do so until April 22, 1835, when his sign-manual disappears with the office of register of probate, and Jacob W. Coffinbury's flowing chirography meets the eye, he being the first
33
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
incumbent of the new office of register of deeds just then created, to be filled by election by the people. His services extended to December 31, 1838, and Allen Goodridge came in with the new year, and remained in possession of the office till December 31, 1846, having had four successive elections. Edmund Stears succeeded to the position January 1, 1847, and held its emoluments for eight years also, when in January, 1855, Asahel Clapp took his position at the register's desk, and held it ten years, and then only gave way to his son, Leverett A. Clapp, who held it for a single term only be- cause he would not be a candidate against Captain Myron A. Benedict, a brave soldier, who lost his right arm before Atlanta, in the defense of his country. This gallant officer was elected 1866, and has held it to the present time, voluntarily standing asi le for another-Thomas G. Greene-who was elected in November, 1876.
David Page was the first clerk of the county of St. Joseph and of the courts therein, and was appointed in 1830, and appears at the first county- court term. Isaac W. Willard succeeded Page, and was the first clerk of the circuit court, at its first term held in the county. Willard held the posi- tion until September 6, 1834, when Dr. Truesdell took it, and kept it till the latter part of 1838, and was succeeded by Albert E. Massey, who was elected at the November election of 1838, and was master of the situation two years, when Asher Bonham succeeded him two terms, Massey again coming in for two years, ending December 31, 1848. Charles Upson then held the office for a single term, and C. D. Bennett had it for two, his lease expiring with the year 1854. Hiram Lindsley was then the " coming man," and he came in and remained for ten years, and stepped aside for the present popular incumbent, Captain John C. Joss, who gave a leg for the old flag, and all it symbolizes, in the Wilderness. Captain Joss was elected and re- elected for six successive terms. He went to the rear to give Hon. R. W. Melendy a place in the front, who was elected in November, 1876.
The first county treasurer was elected in April, 1830, John Winchell being the favored individual, and he received the taxes of 1830-32. In 1833 Ma- jor Isaac I. Ulman succeeded to the keys of the treasury vault, and accounted for the revenue of 1833-4-5. In 1836 Columbia Lancaster was elected, and held the position one term. Alexander V. Sill succeeded Lancaster in 1838, but did not fill out the full years of his term, by reason of removal to Illinois. John W. Talbot filled the position for a portion of 1839, and then W. B. Brown was elected to fill the remainder of the term. In 1840 John W. Talbot was elected, and disbursed the funds of the public for four years, sur- rendering the county cash-book in 1844 to Jacob W. Coffinbury, who posted its accounts for a single term, and then stepped down for William Laird, who stepped up and remained on guard over the county funds for six years. William McCormick came to the front in 1852, and fell to the rear in 1856, and William Hutchinson took the vacated place for four years, and then gave way in 1860 for David Oakes, who, after discharging his duties in the office for eighteen months, resigned the position to go to the support of the government as captain of Company A, 11th Michigan Infantry, and died in the service. William Allison filled the vacancy, and was re-elected in 1862, and again in 1864. William L. Worthington then held the keys of the strong box four years, the present incumbent, James Hill, coming in January 1, 1871, and has been re-elected for a term ending with 1878.
The first sheriff was E. Taylor, as previously stated ; he was the old Indian trader, at the grand traverse of the St. Joseph river, and held the position until the first sheriff was elected by the people in 1836, who was Edward A. Trumbull ; Trumbull was succeeded in 1838 by Charles H. Knox, who held the position for five terms ; Horace Metcalf coming for one term during the years 1842-3, because a man could not be elected for three successive terms. Horace M. Vesey secured the sheriffalty for a single term, and then John Hull came in with the new constitution, and exercised the authority of the State against evil-doers for four years. William Harrington was elected in 1854, and was re-elected two years afterwards, and then William K. Haynes secured the prize for two terms. William L. Worthington then sold the people's effects on execution and final judgment for four years, and William M. Watkins succeeded to the business for a like term, which ended with 1870. Elva F. Pierce, John A. J. Metzger and Daniel H. Hawley were each given but a single term in the brick hotel opposite the court house, and then Charles M. Lampman was elected in 1876.
The coroners who have served in St. Joseph county since 1833 are as follows: Benjamin Sherman was elected in the last-named year and served till 1837, and Samuel Pratt and Isaac G. Bailey to 1839 ; John V. Overfield, 1840 ; William Thackery and Joseph Pharana to 1842, filled the position. From that time to 1853, the incumbents were, respectively, Peter F. Put- nam, Charles McNair, Joseph Miller, John Aiken and Lyman Bean. In 1852 A. D. Sprague and William Morrison were given the doubtful
honor of inquiring into the sudden and violent taking off of their fellow- mortals for two years, and then Fordyce Johnson and Orrin F. Howard, John S. Williams and Elisha Foote, and H. Brazee and William Arney succeeded to the cheerful duty for a single term each. Charles E. Simons and Isaac Howard were elected in 1860, and the latter filled the position for two terms-Nathan Mitchell being his coadjutor during his last term. Joseph W. Pike and James W. Mandigo came in, in 1864, and in 1866 Mitchell and Dr. Mandigo took the honors again. William Harrington and Nicholas J. Sibley held the office for two years together, and then Isaac Howard came in for four years, J. A. Rogers being his companion the first term, and A. C. Williams the second. The present incumbents, L. W. Weinberg and Charles J. Beerstecher, were elected in 1874.
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