USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 18
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 18
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THE ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH O. V. I.
Ahnost simultaneously with the organ- ization and departure of the Ninety-fourth regiment the One Hundred and Tenth ren- dezvoused at Camp Piqua. Its colonel was J. Warren Keifer. afterward major gen- eral and speaker of the Lower House of Congress. Companies A, E, and G came from Miami County. The regiment upon its departure from Camp Piqua was or- dered to Virginia, where it did guard and picket duty for some months. Reaching Winchester, it was assigned to the First
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Brigade, Second Division, Eighth Army Corps.
June 13th, 1863, it fought its first pitched battle with the rebels at Kernstown. Here the One Hundred and Tenth gave proof of its metal. At Kernstown the regiment en- countered Lee's advance and disputed every inch of ground with the enemy. The next day twenty-six pieces of artillery were trained on the regiment's position and its works were assaulted. The boys held their works till forced out at the point of the bayonet and retired fighting. They fought their way to Harper's Ferry, where they occupied Maryland Heights for a time, moving next to the Capital.
Later on the One Hundred and Tenth moved to Governor's Island, where it re- mained until sent forward to the front. In November, 1863, it again encountered the enemy at Brandy Station, where it was severely shelled and was the first command to occupy the rebel works. It went into winter quarters at Brandy Station, and May 4th, 1864, it crossed the Rapidan as a part of Grant's grand army destined for the conquest of Richmond. The next day the command found itself amid the wild tangle of the Wilderness and the great game of war opened once more. The bat- tle of the Wilderness cannot be fully de- scribed. There was none other like it dur- ing the war. In the series of encounters that took place on this bloody ground the regiment bore an heroic part. It charged and was charged in return; it had to face about and fight the enemy from every quar- ter. It is no wonder that it lost one hun- dred men in that dense forest. The rebels protected by the tangle of trees and bushes assaulted from every side
"And then there rose so wild a yell Within that dark and gloomy dell As if the very fiends that fell Had pealed the battle cry of hell."
On the 7th the regiment fell back to Spottsylvania Court House, where it again met the enemy, losing heavily in that strug- gle. Skirmishing and fighting till the 14th, the regiment waded the Nye and occupied the rebel works. June 3d it was in the front line at the battle of Cold Harbor, which was one of the slaughter pens of the war. All day it was exposed to a heavy fire, losing some officers and men and on the 14th it crossed the Chickahominy and moved by water and land to Bermuda Hun- dred. On June 20th it charged the rebel works near Petersburg, where it remained facing the enemy until a few days later, when it was sent north to assist in repell- ing Early, who threatened Washington.
On the 9th of July, 1864, it took part in the desperate battle of Monocacy, where it fought till, hard pressed by a crush of numbers, it was obliged to fall back. At Monocacy it lost one hundred men. After a round of varied services it helped to fight the battle of Cedar Creek, September 19. It was now a part of the Sixth Corps, commanded by Wright, with Otho H. Bink- ley at the head of the regiment. Surprised by the rebels at Cedar Creek, the Union army was driven back till reformed by the opportune arrival of Sheridan from Win- chester. In this battle the regiment per- formed prodigies of valor and its loss was again heavy.
After Cedar Creek the One Hundred and Tenth retired to Petersburg, where it re- mained all winter. On the 25th of March, 1865, the brigade of which the regiment was a part, assaulted and carried some rebel lines, capturing many prisoners. Lee
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
now evacuated Petersburg and was hotly pursued by Grant's forces. At Sailor's Creek the One Hundred and Tenth fought its last pitched battle. In this battle it showed its old time gallantry. March 17th, at the presentation of captured flags to Major General Meade, the command, hav- ing captured more flags than any other regiment in the corps, was chosen as a guard of honor to escort the trophies to General Meade's headquarters. Continu- ing the pursuit of Lee, the regiment took part in the surrender at Appomattox Court House, the glorious consummation of the war, and afterward marched in the Grand Review at Washington in the presence of the President, General Grant and assem- bled thousands.
The record of the One Hundred and Tenth is one to be proud of. It had more men killed, wounded and missing than any one regiment during the war. Of the 1,000 men who marched in its ranks from Camp Piqua almost 800 had fallen from its ranks by the hand of war. It fought in twenty- one battles, among which we find: Union Mills, Winchester, Stephenson's Depot, Wapping Heights, Brandy Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Nye Riv- er, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Ream's Sta- tion, Monocaey, Snieker's Gap, Charles- town, Halltown, Smithfield, Opequan, Fish- er's Hill, Cedar Creek, Cedar Springs, Jutersville, Sailor's Creek, Appomattox. It came home with depleted ranks and tat- tered banners, a glorious part of that heroic army which by four years of war maintained the supremacy of the Amer- ican Union.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVENTH.
This regiment was raised wholly within
the boundaries of the county. It was called out for one hundred days to relieve veteran regiments that were needed at the front. It performed its duties in an able manner. It was mustered into service at Camp Dennison May 16, 1864, and pro- ceeded to Washington. First ordered to Fort Ethan Allen, it afterward moved to Fort Strong, where a part of it was sta- tioned, the rest being sent to Fort Marcy. It was commanded by Col. B. F. Rosson, of Troy. At midnight, June 11th, the regi- ment was ordered to Fort Reno, where for a time it was exposed to a brisk fire from the rebels. At Crystal Springs it sup- ported the 1st Maine and 1st Ohio Batter- ies until the repulse of Early's forees. Had the One Hundred and Forty-seventh been actively engaged there is no doubt that it would have reflected credit on the cause of the Union. Upon its return to Wash- ington, the regiment was personally thanked by President Lincoln for its serv- ices, after which it returned home.
Such briefly were the services of the Miami regiments in the field during the war. Other soldiers from the county served in the Forty-second Ohio, Gar- field's regiment, some in the First Ohio Infantry, the First Cavalry, in several Ohio batteries, and in the navy. All made splendid soldiers and upheld the patriotic standard of the county. All deserve praise alike.
During the war with Spain a large num- ber of the youth of the county went to the front and. so far as opportunity af- forded, emulated the services of the heroes of the War of the Rebellion. The Span- ish-American volunteers demonstrated that the spirit of patriotism was not dead in Miami.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
The dead of Miami County lie all over the South. They fell with their faces to the enemy or suffered death and worse in the prison pens which are a lasting dis- grace to that fair portion of our country. On nearly every battlefield of the rebellion the soldiers of Miami fell for the per- petuity of the Union, giving up their lives for the flag.
They lie on many a wellworn hill, they camp on many a plain,
They dream where once the battle-ships with iron eut the main,
The roses of Virginia bloom above a missing host,
Their graves are mile-stones all the way from Nashville to the coast;
They're touching elbows yet, I know, where once they loved to stand.
Where flows the Rappahannock and where rolls the Cum- berland;
The lilies of the golden West their snowy petals shed Upon the dewy pillows of Miami's soldier dead.
To the stars that shine at even there is not one missing grave,
Their golden light falls softly on the loved and absent brave.
And He who sees a sparrow's fall has marked the holy spots,
And angel hands have planted there His own forget-me- nots;
We've left them to His keeping, for we know He'll keep them well,
Tho' lost they are to us today in wilderness and dell,
And tho' we nevermore shall hear their gay and gallant tread,
We know God's bugles will awake Miami's soldier dead.
They endured the hardships of camp, bat- tle and prison pen with a heroism worthy their American manhood. Their fame is everlasting; their glory is the Nation they saved from dissolution. Their deeds of valor will never be forgotten. All hail the patriotie soldiers of Miami County !
VETERANS OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION AND SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR NOW RESIDING IN MIAMI COUNTY.
Troy-Isaac Allen, H. H. Bear, John Bagford, Jolin Barnhart. Chas. B. Bayman, Charles Beanblossom, Silas A. Beanblossom, John Booue, Cornelius Bowne, Charles N. Burns, Morris Burns, Jesse Burkett. J. C. Byrkett, N. W. Cady, S. A. Cairns, T. M. Campbell, J. M. Camp- bell, Elijah H. Carman, S. S. Carnes, William A. Carver,
James Chappell, Abbot Childs, Joseph E. Chipley, Thomas Chipley, William Coffinger, Joshua Couch, M. F. Counts, L. F. Counts, Dallas Craver, Gustave Croner, Hiram Cushing, William I. Dailey, Emanuel Deeter, Gust Deihl, David Deweese, M. Lafayette Deweese, Silas Dolison, William Dorsey, Sylvester Dye, Henry H. Ear- hart, W. W. Edge, George H. Edmonds, John Edwards, Daniel Ehle, Charles Eidemiller, Christ Eidemiller, Will- iam W. Elliott, Andrew Emmel, David Emmel, Henry Emrich, Will A. Evans, S. Ferguson, Thomas D. Fitch, Jacob Frank, S. D. Frank, Henry Franton, John S. Forgy, Solomon Funderburg, E. O. Furrow, Johnston B. Geisinger, William Gibson, Stephen E. Giffin, Robert Gordon, John A. Gorman, William W. Green, Wilber Gussman, A. M. Heywood, John V. Higgins, Henry H. Hill, Frank Homan, Wilson S. Hoover, William Hunt, Henry B. Jamison, Andrew F. Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Alvin Jones, James Jones, George Kempfield, George Kennedy, John Kessler, Benjamin Knapp, Walter Knapp, Thompson Kendall, Isaac Knick, M. K. Knoop, J. T. Knoop, James Knox, Charles Layton, Aaron Landry, D. L. Lee, Jacob Leeb, Joseph Lewis, Henry Loyd, Minerd Lump, W. R. Marsh, Stafford Maxwell, L. A. Meredith, Michael H. Millard, Reuben Miller, Jo- seph Miller, James T. Moorehead, Moses Monday, John W. Morris, Joseph Moton, P. H. Moyer, William Mc- Clure, John M. MeCrossin, John A. MeCurdy, Charles H. McCullough, John A. MeMasters, William R. Me- Kee, Jasper McDowell, Leander MeDonald, A. M. Me- Kinley, Frederick B. MeNeal, George Niswonger, J. W. Oblinger, Charles W. Owen, Charles M. Patty, John M. Pearson, Isaac Peck, George W. Peckham, David C. Pierce, D. C. Rager, George W. Reeder, John W. Riley, Erastus Robins, Madison Robins, Samuel L. Robbins, John C. Rodgers, Howard Rollins, W. R. Russell, Dillars Shaffer, Ira Shellabarger, Charles R. Shilling, T. C. Shilling, Levi Sommers, H. C. Somerville, Richard South- erland, Samuel Spain, Lewis L. Speagh, William Stith, Thomas Stewart. Enoch Stoglin, Henry Stouts, Frank N. Sterrett, David Stanup, Robert Smith, Thomas Stew- art, John W. Smitley, E. M. Tannehill, W. I. Tenney, John Thomas, Robert Trimbur, Francis M. Wall, Will- iam Weddle, John D. Weatherhead, Henry P. Weather- head, Henry Wesco, J. L. Williamson, John C. Wright, George Williams, D. D. Yonng, E. C. Zeigler.
Piqua-John Bradley, Henry Brokaw, John Cox, James L. Rich, Herman Seibt, Win. D. Snyder, E. D. Stevens, John Winters, Harvey Weaver, Simon Wicks, David Wahmhoff. Samnel Wahmhoff, William White, Louis Alsever, James S. Bierley, David Brant, David S. Bates. Charles T. Clarkson, Preston Covault, Christ Loeffler, Daniel MeKre, Charles A. MeClintock, Thomas MeKinney, John W. Peterson, Newton Mears, Walter Moyer, Isaiah Milhouse, Charles Noland, William Piper, Jerome Pecher, Fred Rhine, John H. Rain, Jesse Lock- lear, Sammel H. MeClay, Jerry Morrow, Louis Miksola- jenski, John MeClure, James Michaels, Orie Michels, James Manning, John D. Mills, H. S. Neal, Albert Pep- per, William Phillip. Clem Reid, H. P. Spencer, Joseph Schneider, T. R. Thompson, Albin Thoma, Samuel Wright, Sebastian Wagner, N. M. Williamson, Lafe Baldock, George N. Brush, John Baker, Oliver Bierley. Paul Crowder, Matthias Cole, Oscar Collins, Harry Daugherty, John Deitrick. John Ehlen, George Ewel. R. O. Edwards, Joseph Fisher, William Faulkner, Earl Gregory, Joseph B. Hill, Harry flemming, John Hub- bard, William C. Hall, William H. Kendell, George W. Gustin, Louis Keifer, W. M. R. Luce, Ezra Longa-
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
necker, Henry A. MeCabe, A. J. MeFall, J. B. MeFar- land, David Oblinger, W. P. Orr, C. W. Orr, Arthur G. Reed, Joshua W. Shipley, Conrad Sheeler, Louis Scmidt. JJ. W. Sullenberger, William H. Turk, G. C. Throckmorton, Lewis N. Thompson, William Van Horn, George Woods, Adam Chesney. George R. Caves, A. A. Denman, William Deweese, James Frost, A. J. Furrow, Joseph Farmer, James Gillard, Sylvester Keplinger, Daniel H. Lentz, G. T. Little, Harry Long, Madison Millhouse, George A. Reamer, John Scott, John Sowers, David E. Small, Henry Tobias, Michael Tobias, P. II. Tracey, Peter Jones, George E. Lee, Martin MeNeely, Benjamin Mattox, Joshua W. Orr, Judd L. Palmer, Harry L. Peterson, Henry Roegner, James Recs, John P. Smith, William II. HI. Snyder, Samuel Zollinger, R. S. Anderson, S. C. Bowman, C. W. Bennett, George W. Berry, George W. Cruse, Benj. I. Dubois, M. L. De Vinnie, Moses Flesh, A. B. Frame, A. M. Vaugh, Sidney Vicks, J. C. White, Benjamin H. Webster, Joseph S. Wiley, John W. Widney, W. HI. H. Aspenall, Ross Col- lins, Charles Colmorgan, Edward J. Collins, Robert F. Graham, Henry Kontz, Frederick Meyer, Samuel K. Statler, Daniel Layton, Morris J. Stillwell, William Arm- strong, Daniel Anlt, Augustus Ayers, Albert MI. Brother- ton, John H. Bowman, William Mitchell, John T. Nigh, Nathaniel Nason, George N. Noland, James W. Williams, John N. Woodmaney, Thomas J. Wolfe, Enos P. Wright, Theodore D. Brooks, ( barles Bane, Elbert MI. Bell, An- thony M. Carson, Jacob Crapsey, Perry H. Deardaff, Wesley Eichelberger, William Freshour, Augustus C. F. Finek, Harrison Gear, David A. Gilmore, J. R. George, Gustavus Hunt, Sylvester L. Bell, Charles C. Barnett, William C. Blanke, William Bond. William H. Blue, John C. Boyle, Lewis L. Babylon, William F. Bancroft, William R. Bowele, Oliver Elliott, Edward R. Green, Thomas W. Green, William Gerlach. Lewis W. Garrett, Elias Mills, Augustus Morse, Harris Mayo, George N. Noats, Charles Carr, Harvey Craft.
Pleasant Hill-R. W. Brandon, Daniel Brown, Allen H. Coppock, Henry Coppock, John C. Cecil, D. W. DeBra, Henry Gilbert, James Hamiel, William Hahn, J. D. Iddings, M. S. Longanecker, Edward Laughman, Ephraim Longanecker, H. W. Meyers, Henry Martin- dale, Valentine Minnich, Jasper Marshall, Elihu Neves, L. II. North. Amos North. W. F. Patty, Allen Reiher, Jacob Reiber, L. P. Stout, E. B. Stout, J. F. Shoe, Al- fred Shoe, N. B. Teeter, W. N. Tucker, Wesley Thomp- son, Judson Teeter, Henry Vannoy, G. N. Whitmer, W. II. Wroten, J. R. Whitaker, Clayton Walker, John Huffman, Arnold Helmick, S. W. Riester, Noah Pear- son, Henry II. Shill, John VanKirk, Samuel Wallack, David Ward.
Tippecanoe City-John Athey, I. H. Augsberger, John M. Barr, II. II. Bryant, Adam Boen, Theodore Bovee, Edmun Cheney, M. E. Crane, W. H. Clark, Daniel A. Cory, Lorenzo Clawson, William Collins, W. W. Davy, Jacob C. Davis, Uriah J. Favorite, Jacob E. Freet, David Frey, Jacob Hand. Sr., S. D. Hartman, George Hosier, Frederick Hogendobler, Hezekiah E. Hlawver. William M. Johnson, Lewis W. Jacobs, Levi E. Jacobs, C. Krise, Jacot Lewis, A. A. Mitchell, A. W. Miles, James Mahaffey, John Martindale, Christopher R. Moser, J. E. Noland, John Nunlist, Joseph Pearson, II. J. Rit- ter. Charles Schick, John Shafer. John W. Strader. Jacob Sinks, W. B. TenEick, .I. C. Walton, Samuel Wells, T. B. Wells, Silas Westfall. Squire Wirt. C. D. Winters, Clin- ton Champlin, John Clark, Milton Evans, John Ehrhart,
Walter Gaines, Charles Johnson. Jacob Cress. Thomas J. Maey, Francis MI. Prill, James II. Ertz, Henry Vore. Covington-Andrew Babylon, Isaac Butterworth, Thomas Brandon, E. E. Brown, G. W. Butts. James A. Bradford, Edward Babylon, Elias Bixler, Eleazer Bitner, John Branson, Benjamin F. Cain, I. A. Corwin, T. F. Campbell, Byron Crampton, O. A. Cummings, H. II. Coppock, J. C. Dunham, E. C. Diltz, J. S. Dollinger, G. S. Dollinger, George Detrick, George Day, E. S. Dollinger, William D. DeBra, Daniel Deederm, William Davis, Ben Erisman, Joshua Fnrnas, C. B. Fletcher, Levi Faulkner, G. E. Faulkner, G. C. Frey. Martin Fin- frock, Isaiah Finfrock, Alonzo Fox, Ilarley W. Furnas, H. H. Furnas, Harrison Fisher, S. B. Freshour, W. H. Furnas, Joshua Grubb, Hiram Hardesty, John Hilliard, George Howalt, Benjamin Hollopeter, A. J. Hartle, I. D. Heckman, A. C. Hall, Isaac Hoover, William Ingle, Or- ville Ingle, John W. Jones, J. R. Kauffman, Madison Kendell, S. B. Kepner, William Kiser, Lewis Kendig, W. F. Long. Morgan Leonard, Luther Langston, Henry Langston, John Marshall, G. W. Miller, David Mlinnich. John C. MeAdam, Luther Neth, Oliver Nicodemus. David Oblinger, Ephraim Pearson, R. N. Porter, Isaac Penny, S. D. Palmer, A. M. Rubl. F. M. Rankin, David Reese. J. R. Rench, Thomas Ross, Jacob Riley, Z. L. Ramsey, David B. Rankin, Jonas Smith, Charles Smith, Richard Schilling, E. D. Simes, Conrad Shelbuch, Jackson Shade, Valentine Smith, J. II. Smith, D. C. Shellanberger, W. II. Sowers, Michael Shuman, L. D. Smith, H. P. Smith, James Smith, G. W. Swadener, Henry Shafer, Samuel Ullery, J. M1. Wright, A. J. Wallace, John Weaver, Jacob Wagner.
Bradford-Lawrence Addington, David Arnold, Will- jam Arnett, Samuel Bevington, George W. Belt, James R. Bell. Elias B. Coates, Benjamin A. Cole, Stephen Day, Israel L. Davis. George Ebberts, Martin Eller, Richard Esky, Leander E. Fisher, C'alvin Green, George A. Gardner, William C. Heath, Clement Yost. Thomas R. Livingston, Charles B. Loomis, Harvey Midlam, Oliver Marlin, Daniel W. Pickering, George II. Potter, Claude C. Smith, Jacob Stubbs. W. M. Thompson, William C. Thompson. John Tinkler, George R. Wade, Aaron L. Wade, William Weaver, Clement Yost.
Casstown-Lewis Bane, Baryillai Dershem. Henry Frolicker. John H. Harbaugh. George W. Howett, Charles C. Ilenslee, Jonathan Howett, Samnel W. HIel- vie. Henry C. Knoop, David B. Knoop. Samuel Knoop, Charles MI. Harbaugh, John C. Knoop, Samuel A. Me- Illeury, Benjamin F. Procter, George W. Rupert. Josiah Routzhan. John W. Simions, James E. Webb, Michael Wilgus, David Warner.
West Milton-Samuel Buffington, Lemuel Curtis, Jesse Johnson, Frederich Ilarshberger, Daniel Mote, Jolin Worley, Theodore Zeller.
Ludlow Falls-Henry K. Arnett, Joseph Bond, Amos Clark. William D. Grove. John M. Gillespie. Jackson Iddings, Henry Iddings, Mark C. Jones, John Laver, Jacob Nraleigh, Lewis F. Niles, Enos Pemberton, Nathan Thompson, George W. Volger.
Kessler-Henry Beck, William G. Fox. Thomas J. Kessler.
Laura-Elmer Cummings, Thomas MI. Corey, John Falknor, Jeremiah Fetters, John W. Graham, John C. Henderson, Albert Hart, Franklin Johnson, Harvey Klepinger, Chalmer Netzley, William H. Pearson, Fran- eis C. Tucker, Robert Wiley, Jacob Fair, S. P. Miles, W. J. North.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Potsdam-Aaron Ditmer, Abraham Fry, Harvey Ha- worth, John N. Hall, Lewis P. Hissong, Thomas W. Wis- singer, Charles Welbaum.
Fletcher-Horace Bileford, Erastus Covault, Michael Duncan, Thomas Ford, G. W. Gilmore, W. D. Kiser, Joseph Hetzler, 1. N. Hall, J. S. Hill, William Lane, Clinton C. Motter, Cyrus Pogue, Andrew Ralston, Jonas Shellenbarger, Martin Smith, George D. Starry, J. J. W. Wade, John C. Wones, Thomas Wilgus.
Lena-William Buckels, Joseph S. Duer, Jacob Long, F. M. Wert, B. B. Wheaton, Harrison Williams, Joshua White.
Conover-J. K. Furrow, Maurice Frazier, Thomas Roberts, Silas Worthington, Brickner Williams.
Bloomer-Frank Roswell Green, Albert M. Routson.
Alcony-Van S. Deaton, David A. Meredith, George W. Collins.
Phoneton-George Brooker, William Dinsmore, David Shaeffer.
Brandt-C. W. Fisher, John Harbaugh, James Par- sons, J. C. Starry, Daniel Swallow, Benj. Shiel, Joseph Wiley.
CHAPTER XI.
THE BENCH AND BAR, FAMOUS TRIALS, ETC.
First Court Session, 1807-First Grand JuryImpanelled-First Case Docketed-Early Lawyers-Manner of Holding Court in the Late Forties-Some Famous Cases- The Present Bench and Bar-Court Officers in 1908-Amusing Incidents.
Born of the backwoods and nurtured un- der difficult circumstances the bench and bar of Miami County have reached a prom- inence second to none in the State. Mem- bers of each have obtained a celebrity that has extended far beyond our borders and at the present day these legal organiza- tions are noted for their judicial lore and forensic abilities.
In the humble home of Peter Felix at Staunton the first session of court was held June 23, 1807, the year of the formation of the county. The sessions were held in Staunton till November, 1808, when Over- field's house in Troy was transformed into a temple of justice. The surroundings were simple, the first court room no elaborate affair, and the few attorneys present were clad in homespun. About the court stretched the forest, rich in the varied garb of nature and abounding in wild game. The bridgeless Miami flowed unvexed toward the Gulf and the craft that cut its waters were the flatboats of . the first traders.
At the first regular session of the court Francis Dunlavy presided and John Ger-
ard and John H. Crawford were sworn in as associate judges. Cornelius Westfall was duly appointed clerk pro tempore of the court, which proceeded at once to busi- ness. The first official act promulgated by the bench was the taking of a census of the white male inhabitants of the county and the listing of all taxable property. Stephen Dye was the first sheriff and Arthur St. Clair, prosecutor for the State.
The impanelling of the first grand jury was a ceremony of considerable interest. Its personnel was as follows : James Blue, foreman, James L. Mckinney, Henry Or- bison, Joseph McKorkle, Henry Robinson, Daniel Knoop, Theodore Sanders, Michael Blue, John Huston, William Miller, An- drew Dye, Jr. Matthew Caldwell, John Wallace, John Jenkins, James Youart. Isaac Holt was constable. At the May term, 1808, William Barbee was added to the roll of associate judges and Isaae G. Burnett succeeded General St. Clair as State prosecutor. The first indictments found by the grand jury were against George Overpeck and Alonzo Shaw, both for assault and battery.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
At the first regular term in September, 1807, the first case docketed was Nathan Hathaway vs. John McKinney and was a case of trespass in which the defendant asked for $300 damages. R. S. Thomas stood for the plaintiff and General St. Clair took charge of the defendant's inter- ests. This case was dismissed at the fol- lowing May term, each party paying half the costs. The launching of the first county court must have been an event of supreme importance to the people. It assured them that a new era had opened and that the new county had taken its place among in- ternal commonwealths.
In course of time the number of attor- neys increased. There were tedious jour- neys over poor roads to the county seat and these were performed in all sorts of weather. Locomotion, therefore, was slow and the early lawyers had ample time to think over their cases.
Mr. M. H. Jones, who was admitted to practice in 1848, gives an interesting ac- count of his first jonrney to the county. After being formally admitted at Cincin- nati and having purchased a few law books, he took passage on one of the old-fash- ionel canal packets and arrived at Piqua without so much as a dollar in his pocket. In the Border City he hung out his shingle and became a full fledged member of the Miami County Bar. At that time there were then practicing in Piqua James H. Hart, S. S. McKinney and Gordon N. Mott. Esben Adams and William I. Thomas were the attorneys in Troy. Mr. Thomas came in 1819 and Daniel Grosvenor in 1822.
Several years after the arrival of Mr. Jones in Piqua, J. F. Mckinney and James T. Janvier came to the bar while George D. Burgess, Ebenezer Parsons, Harvey G.
Sellers, Charles Morris, George H. Ayles- worth and Henry B. Smeltzer represented Troy's legal contingent. Wilson F. Ross, one of the county's famous practitioners, followed soon after. Practicing at the bench of these times were some noted Day- ton lawyers, among them Robert C. Schenck, Peter Odin, Joseph H. Crane, Daniel Haynes, E. W. Davis, John How- ard, Wilbur Conover and C. L. Vallan- dingham.
The manner of holding court in the late forties was yet rather primitive. "On one occasion," M. H. Jones says, "the court came to Troy in their buggy in the evening and went to the court house and got all the papers in all the cases from the clerk, read them and considered them in their room at the hotel that night, decided them, putting a slip in each package announcing their decision, took them back to the clerk before breakfast the next morning, called his attention to their decisions and told the clerk to tell all the lawyers when they came in, and after an early breakfast started in their buggy to "hold court" in the next county. You can imagine the pious ejaculations of the lawyers when they came into court to try their cases."
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