USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne county, Ohio, from the days of the pioneers and the first settlers to the present time > Part 20
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247
PUBLIC OFFICERS.
PRESIDENT JUDGES OF COMMON PLEAS COURT.
Benjamin Ruggles Aug'st term, 1812
William Wilson April term, 1816
George Todd May term, 1816
Alexander Harper April term, 1822
Ezra Dean March term, 1834
Jacob Parker March term, 1841
Levi Cox
May term, 1848
Charles C. Parsons. .March term, 1877 Carolus F. Voorhes elected October 9th, 1877.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
Christian Smith
Aug'st term, 1812
James Robison Febr'y term, 1831
David Kimpton Aug'st term, 1812
Hugh Culbertson March term, 1833
John Cisna Ang'st term, 1812
Stephen F. Day March term, 1833
David McConahay May term, 1819
George Wellhouse April term, 1838
Thomas Townsend* May term, 1819
Samuel N. Bissell March term, 1845
John Nimmon May term, 1819
Smith Orr. Febr'y term, 1847
John Patton. Jan'y term, 1821
Neal McCoy Febr'y term, 1847
William Goodfellow March term, 1824
1Thomas Robison Aug'st term, 1848
Hezekiah Bissell March term, 1826
James Swart May term, 1849
By the Constitution of 1852 Associate Judges were abolished and Probate Judges substituted.
PROBATE JUDGES.
Served From
Served From
Samuel L. Lorah.
1852 to 1855
John K. McBride.
1867 to 1870
Henry Buckmaster
1855 to 1858
John K. McBride
1870 to 1873
Thomas Johnson
1858 to 1861
Joseph H. Dowing.
1873 to 1876
Thomas Johnson
1861 to 1864
Aquila Wiley.
1876
Henry J. Lehman.
1864 to 1867
SHERIFFS.
Served From
Served From
Josiah Crawford
1812 to 1814
Samuel Cutter.
1846 to 1848
Robert Orr
1814 to 1818
George W. Lorah 1848 to 1852
John Updegraff.
1818 to 1820
John Bechtel
1852 to 1856
Joseph Barkdull
1820 to 1824
Neal McCoy 1856 to 1858
John Smith
1824 to 1828
W. A. Eaken. 1858 to 1860
Thomas Robison
1828 to 1832
Joshua Wilson 1860 to 1864
Matthias Johnston
1832 to 1836
John B. France 1864 to 1868
Daniel Yarnall
1836 to 1838
George Steele 1868 to 1872
M. C. Shamp
1838 to 1842
Jacob R. Bowman 1872 to 1876
Samuel Kermickel
1842 to 1846
William Coulter.
1876 to 1878
# Thomas Townsend resigning, Thomas G. Jones became his successor at the April term, 1820.
t Filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel N. Bissell.
Jacob Frederick March term, 1826
Martin Welker March term, 1852
William Sample Feb'y term, 1857
William Given. March term, 1859
William Reed, March term, 1867
248
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
CLERKS OF COMMON PLEAS COURT.
Served From
Served From
* William Larwill
1812 to 1826 | Thomas Cox. 1826 to 1828
From 1828 to 1852, William Larwill, John Sloane and Samuel L. Lorah conducted the office, though here the record is unsatisfactory.
Benjamin Eason .. 1852 to 1858 John W. Baughman 1868 to 1874
William Weiker t. 1858 to 1861
George Power 1874 to 1877
C.C. Parsons, Sen 1862 to 1868
George Power. 1877
COUNTY TREASURERS.
William Smith was appointed first County Treasurer in 1812. The first executed Treasurer's bond on record in the Auditor's office, is that of Francis H. Foltz, dated 1819, the office to be held by him until the first Monday of the following June.
In 1820 we find a similar bond executed by Mr. Foltz.
In 1822 Samuel Quinby was appointed to the office, holding it until 1830, when he was duly elected, filling the position for eight more years.
James Finley was elected in 1837, and held the office twelve years.
Elected In
Elected In
Neal Power
1849
M. W. Pinkerton 1865
Neal Power.
1851
Jacob B. Koch
1867
David Carlin
1853
Jacob B. Koch 1869
David Carlin 1855
John R. Helman 1871
John Zimmerman 1857
John R. Helman
1873
John Zimmerman
1859
Lewis P. Ohliger #
1875
M. W. Pinkerton
1861
Lewis P. Ohliger
1877
Anthony Wright.
1863
COUNTY AUDITORS.
From 1810 to 1820 the County Commissioners appointed their Clerks, who did the duties now discharged by the County Audi-
* Mr. Larwill was appointed Clerk of this court by the Supreme Judges of the state of Ohio, for 7 years, the length of a term.
t Mr. Weiker was re-elected to the office, but for incompetency, was com- pelled to resign, when C. C. Parsons, Senior, was appointed March 3, 1862.
į Benjamin Eason, appointed February 9, 1875, vice Helman, and serving un- til Mr. Ohliger's assumption of the office.
PUBLIC OFFICERS.
249
tors. In 1820 the office of Clerk of Commissioners was abolished, and that of County Auditor created.
Served from
Served from
Cyrus Spink.
1820 to 1821
Thomas A. Adair
1852 to 1854
Cyrus Spink.
1821 to 1822
Frederick Fluke
1854 to 1856
Samuel Knapp
1822 to 1823
Thomas A. Adair
1856 to 1858
Samuel Knapp
1823 to 1824
Frederick Fluke.
1858 to 1860
Samuel Knapp
1824 to 1826
T. W. Peckinpaugh 1860 to 1864
Samuel Knapp 1826 to 1828
John Smith *
1828 to 1834
Michael Totten
1836 to 1840
George W. Henshaw 1871 to 1873
A. H. Byers
1840 to 1844
Lucian Upham
1844 to 1846
J. P. Coulter
1846 to 1848
C. C. Parsons, Sen
1848 to 1852
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Served from
Served from
Joseph H. Larwill.
1814 to 1815
C. W. Christmas
1837 to 1838
Cyrus Spink.
1815 to 1817
John A. Lawrence 1838 to 1844
Samuel Knapp 1817 to 1818
John Brinkerhoff 1844 to 1847
James L. Spink
1818 to 1819
Lorenzo D. Odell 1847 to 1850
Cyrus Spink.
1819 to 1820
John Brinkerhoff 1850 to 1863
James L. Spink.
1820 to 1821
Jonathan H. Lee 1863 to 1872
C. W. Christmas
1821 to 1832
John Brinkerhoff 1872 to 1875
George Emery.
1832 to 1837
Albert Mackey, elected # ... 1875
COUNTY RECORDERS.
Served From
Served From
Wm. Larwill
1813 to 1819
H. J. Kauffman
1854 to 1858
Levi Cox
1819 to 1833
Emanuel Schuckers 1858 to 1864
Joseph Clingan
1833 to 1836
Gideon B. Somers. 1864 to 1867
J. Thompson 1836 to 1842
Charles E. Graeter.
1867 to 1873
J. W. Crawford 1842 to 1848
James F. Methven 1873 to 1876
H. J. Conner
1848 to 1854
Jacob Stark 1876 to 1879
* Smith died, and John H. Harris filed his bond and entered upon the duties of the office, June 6, 1835.
t Died 1874, when Colonel J. H. Carr was appointed until next election.
This gentleman declining to serve, the Commissioners appointed Jonathan H. Lee, who soon thereafter died, when E. D. Shreve was appointed, and then elected in 1877.
W. W. Hamilton + 1873
T. J. McElhenie. 1874 to 1876
T. J. McElhenie, re-elected 1876
David Kling 1864 to 1868
W. W. Hamilton
1868 to 1870
250
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Roswell M. Mason 1812
George W. Wasson. 1 846
Nathaniel Mather.
1814
George Rex
1848
J. W. Halleck.
815
John McSweeney 1852
Alexander Harper 1816
John P. Jeffries 1856
W. B. Raymond 1817
George Rex.
1860
H. Curtis. 1818
Hamilton Richeson 1864
E. Avery 1819
Thomas Y. McCray 1868
Levi Cox
1825
Martin L. Smyser
1872
Wm. McMahon
1840
Edward S. Dowell 1874
Engene Pardee.
1842
Edward S. Dowell 1876
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
1811-James Morgan, John Carr and Jacob Foulkes. 1812-James Morgan, Jacob Foulkes and John Carr.
1813-Oliver Jones, Jonathan Butler and Benjamin Miller. 1814-Oliver Jones and Samuel Mitchel.
1815-Oliver Jones, Samuel Mitchel and Robert McClarran. 1816-Sam Mitchel, Geo. Bair and Aaron Baird.
1817-Geo. Bair, John Lawrence and Thomas Taylor.
1818-19-John Lawrence, James Robison and Benj. Jones. 1820-John Lawrence, Matthew Johnson and James Robison. 1821-Matthew Johnson, Charles Hoy and Jos. H. Larwill. 1822-Charles Hoy, Matthew Johnson and Basil H. Warfield. 1823-B. H. Warfield, Wm. McFall and Charles Hoy. 1824-B. H. Warfield, Wm. McFall and James Hindman. 1825-Wm. McFall, James Hindman and Stephen Coe. 1826-James Hindman, Stephen Coe and Abram Ecker. 1827-28-Stephen Coe, Abram Ecker and Jacob Ihrig. 1829-Jacob Ihrig, Stephen Coe and Geo. Wellhouse. 1830-Stephen Coe, Geo. Wellhouse and John P. Coulter. 1831-32-John P. Coulter, Samuel Wilford and Geo. Wellhouse. 1833-Samuel Wilford, Geo. Wellhouse and James McFadden. 1834-Geo. Wellhouse, James McFadden and Peter Emery. 1835-36-James McFadden, Peter Emery and Andrew Ault. 1837-38-James McFadden, Andrew Ault and Wm. Burgan. 1839-Andrew Ault, Wm. Burgan and James Cameron. 1840-Andrew Ault, James Cameron and John Hess. 1841-John Hess, James Y. Pinkerton and James Cameron. 1842-James Y. Pinkerton, Henry Swart and Josh Kelley. 1843-44-James Y. Pinkerton, Henry Swart and John Walters.
251
PUBLIC OFFICERS.
1845-James Y. Pinkerton, John Walters and Clinton Wilson. 1846-James Y. Pinkerton, Clinton Wilson and Moses Foltz. 1847-48-Clinton Wilson, Moses Foltz and John Rice. 1849-Clinton Wilson, John Rice and Henry Kramer. 1850-51-Henry Kramer, James M. Blackburn and Conrad Franks. 1852-53-James M. Blackburn, Conrad Franks and John Hough. 1854-James M. Blackburn, J. B. Gregor and J. Hough. 1855-J. B. Gregor, J. M. Blackburn and Alex Ramsey. 1856-Benj. Norton, J. B. Gregor and Alex Ramsey. 1857-Alex Ramsey, Wm. Barton and Benj. Norton. 1858-Benj. Norton, Wm. Barton and John Sickman. 1859-60-Wm. Barton, John Sickman and Henry Shreve. 1861-62-Henry Shreve, Wm. Barton and V. W. Ault. 1863-64-Henry Shreve, V. W. Ault and Jos. Firestone. 1865-V. W. Ault, S. M. Henry and Jos. Firestone. 1866-V. W. Ault, S. M. Henry and A. Dawson, 1867-S. M. Henry, A. Dawson and John McGill. 1868-S. M. Henry, I. Schriber and A. Dawson. 1869-70-S. M. Henry, I. Schriber and A. Adair. 1871-I. Schriber, A. Adair and John W. Newkirk. 1872-I. Schriber, J. W. Newkirk and F. N. Haskins. 1873-John W. Newkirk, F. N. Haskins and Benj. Weygandt. 1874-Benj. Weygandt, F. N. Haskins and Peter Stair.
1875-76-Benj. Weygandt, Peter Stair and Henry Goudy.
INFIRMARY DIRECTORS.
First Infirmary Directors were Casper T. Richey, John Brinkerhoff and Thomas McKee. Jacob Huffman was elected in 1852, and served four years. I. N. Jones was appointed to fill a vacancy, occasioned by the resignation of Jacob Huffman, and was elected in 1855 and served for a continued term of ten years. John Hindman was elected in 1856, and served a term of six years. Thomas Elliott was elected in 1857, and served a term of six years. Aaron Franks was elected in 1861, and served a term of six years. Benjamin Norton was elected in 1863, and served a term of three years. Andrew Moore was elected in 1865, and served a term of six years. Jacob Kramer was elected in 1866, and served a term of six years. Jacob Halfhill was elected in 1867, served two months, and died. Charles Gasche was elected in 1868, and served a term of eight years. Joseph Holtzer was elected in 1872, and served a term of six years. Adam Eyman was elected in 1873. John Alexander was elected in 1876. James McClarran was elected in 1877. The three last mentioned compose the present Board of Directors.
252'
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
WAYNE COUNTY JUDICIARY.
The following is a copy of the proceedings had at the first term of the Court of Common Pleas in Wayne County, Ohio, as the same appears on pages 1, 2 and 3 of Journal No. I :
At a Court of Common Pleas, held in the town of Wooster in and for the county of Wayne, on Thursday, the sixth day of August, 1812, pres- ent the Honorables Benjamin Ruggles, Esq., President, and Christian Smith, David Kimpton and John Cisna, Esquires, Associate Judges of said County. The Grand Jury being called, came, to-wit : George Poe, John Lawrence, James Cisna, James Morgan, Jonathan Butler, David Smith, Oliver Jones, Philip B. Griffith, John L. Dawson, Jacob Foulks, John Kinney, Nathan Warner, William Clark, Jolin Foreman and Andrew Lucky, who being sworn, were charged by the Court and sent out. Roswell M. Mason, Esq., was appointed Prosecutor for the State for the present term. Upon application, license was granted unto William Nailer, Josiah Crawford and Benjamin Miller to keep public houses of entertainment for one year in the town of Wooster. Ordered, that Thomas G. Jones & Co. have license to sell foreign merchandise in the town of Wooster for the term of one year. On application of Thomas Caulfield, and the Court being made satisfied that he has been a resident of the United States a suffi- eient length of time, the oath of allegiance was administered to him in open court.
The Grand Jury returned into Court and made the following presentments, to wit : The State of Ohio vs. Jacob Matthew, larceny - a true bill. The State of Ohio vs. Jacob Matthew, assault and battery-a true bill. On motion, the Court appointed James Morgan administrator of the estate of James Bever, deceased, and John Cisna, John L. Dawson and Jonathan Butler were appointed appraisers. Joseph H. Larwill and William Larwill were accepted by the Court as securities of the said James Morgan. William Larwill presented a certificate from the Hons. Thomas Scott and William W. Irvine, Esqs., two of the Supreme Judges of this State, certifying his being duly qualified to execute the duties of Clerk to this Court ; whereupon the Court appointed him Clerk of this Court for the term of seven years-Joseph H. Larwill, James Morgan and Jonathan Butler were accepted as his security. The Court appointed Joseph H. Larwill as Surveyor of this county ; William Smith and Robert McClarran were accepted as security. And the Court adjourned without day.
BENJ. RUGGLES, Pres't.
EXTRACTS FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS.
STATE OF OHIO - Indictment for larceny, returned at the November term, vS.
JACOB MATTHEW. 1812, as a true bill. And now of May term, 1813, a jury being called, came, to wit: David Noggle, James Dorland, Abraham Oakley,
253
FIRST PLACE OF HOLDING COURT.
Thomas Butler, Westell Ridgely, John Mullen, John Smith, Henry Burns, James Goudy, Jonah Crawford, Robert Orr and Philip B. Griffith, good and lawful men, who were empaneled and sworn, and after hearing the evidence adduced and the allegations of the parties, upon their oaths do say, that the defendant is not guilty of the charge in the manner and form as he stands indicted. Whereupon it is con- sidered hy the Court that the said Jacob Matthew go thereof without day.
December 24th, 1812 .- The Court appointed William Larwill as Master Commis- sioner in Chancery of this county, agreeahly to the provisions of the first section of an act entitled, " An act supplementary to an act directing the mode of procedure in chancery."
May 17th, 1813 .- Jeremiah H. Halleck was admitted to practice at this Court, as an attorney and counselor.
Nathaniel Mather was appointed Prosecuting Attorney for the term of Court held on the 26th day of September, 1814.
FIRST EXECUTION ISSUED ON RECORD.
OCTOBER TERM, 1813.
JAMES CAMPBELL
Fi. Fa. debt .. $ I 2012
vs.
Attorney
5 00
WILLIAM NAILER.
Clerk . 3 16
Sheriff Crawford
51
Sheriff Smith.
I6
Justice.
I 02
Constable
IO
Fi. Fa
35
Sheriff's return, Nulla Bonna.
ȘII 5012
FIRST LAWYERS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE WOOSTER COURTS.
Roswell M. Mason,
Nathaniel Mather,
William B. Raymond,
C. R. Sherman, John M. Goodenow,
Elderling Potter,
J. W. Lathrop, John C. Wright.
FIRST PLACE OF HOLDING COURT.
Court was first held on the old "Fin." Weed livery stable grounds on East Liberty street, in an old log shanty built by John Bever. The March term of 1813 was held at the house of Josiah Crawford.
In 1814 the Baptist church was built, a frame structure, in the
254
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
rear of the lot where the Reformed church at present stands, and in this building, for a time, court was held, theology and law for once in harmony. The county paid fifty dollars per year rent for the church.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE.
The first court house was built by the proprietors of the town, Messrs. Larwill, Bever and Henry, in 1819. It was one of the conditions with which they agreed to comply when the county- seat was removed from Madison. It was a three story building with a gallery, built of brick, a part of which was occupied by the county officers and the Free Masons.
It was located where the present court house stands on the public square. It was burned down in 1828 during a term of court, and some of the papers and public records of the court and county were lost. In June, 1823, the bell was put on the court house, John Bever having donated it to the county.
THE SECOND COURT HOUSE.
The old court house standing at present on the north-west cor- ner of the public square, was built in 1831 and 1832. We make a brief extract concerning it from a clipping which appeared in The Advocate, a newspaper published in Wooster, by Joseph Clingan, and dated September 21, 1833 :
" The court house is a noble edifice, only finished this spring, and cost $7,200. It is doubtless the handsomest in the State, if not in the United States, and confers much credit on the enterprising architect, Mr. McCurdy. It is covered with lead, and from the cupola may be had an agreeable variegated view of the village and surrounding country."
John Babb, of Wooster, made the two balls on the spire. They are copper and were gilded and bronzed by David Barr. The large ball, Mr. Babb says, holds 24 gallons and 3 quarts, and the small one a gallon and a half. McCurdy paid him sixteen dollars for making them.
255
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
THIRD COURT HOUSE PROJECTED.
The second court house having become dilapidated, and con- sidered dangerous from rotted timbers and defective walls, the City Council of Wooster, condemned it in the summer of 1877, as being unsafe for public use, which official action was confirmed by the County Commissioners after full investigation of the condi- tion of the building. The place of holding court was then trans- ferred to France's Hall, on West Liberty street, where its sessions have been held from that time to the present.
On February 16 and 18, 1878, meetings of the Wayne county bar, and other citizens, were held in Wooster to take action, by which the matter of the erection of a new court house, as a neces- sity to the county, should be put in motion.
Hon. John McSweeney was Chairman, and Isaac Johnson, Esq., Secretary of the first meeting. At the second meeting Hon. John P. Jeffries was Chairman, and Colonel Benjamin Eason and Captain A. S. McClure, Secretaries.
The following committee was appointed to prepare a memorial to the Legislature, setting forth the need of a new court house, and also to draft a bill to be submitted to the Legislature for its approval, authorizing the County Commissioners to issue bonds in amount (on motion of E. Quinby, Jr.,) not exceeding $75,000, with which to build a new court house in Wooster :
Hon. George Rex, Hon. M. Welker,
Hon. John McSweeney,
John H. Kauke, Esq ..
Hon. Aquila Wiley,
Ohio F. Jones, Esq.,
Judge J. H. Downing,
Hon. John Brinkerhoff, Hon. C. C. Parsons,
Hon. Ben. Eason, E. Quinby, Jr., Esq., M. C. Rouch, Esq.,
D. D. Miller, Esq., Hon. John P. Jeffries,
G. P. Emrich, Esq., Prof. L. Firestone,
Captain A. S. McClure,
Hon. E. B. Eshleman,
Colonel E. P. Bates, A. J. Thomas, Esq.,
Hon. J. W. Baughman,
Hon. J. K. McBride, John Zimmerman, Esq.
The memorial and bill were duly forwarded, and the matter was pending when this History was issued.
256
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
THE FIRST JAIL.
The first jail bult in Wayne county was erected on lot No. 57, and was purchased by the Commissioners of John Bever, for $200. The contract for its building was sold July 13, 1816, to the lowest bidder, and was struck off to Benjamin Jones at $1,311. He exe- cuted the requisite bond, and complied with the following terms :
The building to be so far completed as to have room No. 2, east of the en. trance and hall, finished in every respect on or before the Ist day of January 1817, and to give the Commissioners, Oliver Jones, Samnel Mitchel and Robert McClaran, possession of said room by that day ; the balance of the building to be completed before the Ist day of May, 1817. One-third of the amount to be paid on the exe- cution of the contractor's bond; one-third to be paid when room No. 2 is com- pleted, and the remaining installment three months after the completion of the job.
At a meeting of the Commissioners, August 7, 1817, George Bair, Samuel Mitchel and Aaron Baird, present, we find the fol- lowing :
The Commissioners do hereby agree to accept of the jail erected by Benjamin Jones in the town of Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, as being agreeable to his agreement with them.
The building was chiefly constructed of timber taken from the old block-house, called "Fort Stidger," erected by General Stidger, of Canton.
The dimensions of the first jail were 26 feet outside of the walls each way, and it was set 40 feet from the north-west corner of the lot. Its foundations were of "good stone, laid in good lime and sand mortar;" the floor was of oak timber, laid on sleepers of sufficient size and number ; it was one story high, and II feet be- tween floor and ceiling, the walls being of hewed timber and not less than 8 inches square, and notched together at the corners "so as to be strong and close." In some of the rooms the logs were doubled. There was a floor laid over the entire inside of the house, at the hight of the story, of 8-inch square hewn logs. The eaves were boxed with plain boxing, the gable ends weather-
257
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
boarded, and it was covered with a shingle roof. It had 4 door- frames, of good and sufficient size to make it secure, "fitted to the end of the end logs that were cut off,' and was "well spiked with at least 4 good and sufficient spikes, of not less size than three- quarters of an inch square, etc." It had "4 good and sufficient doors, planed and plowed, of 2-inch stuff, or of such stuff as would make the doors 4 inches thick." The boards were put across each other, and made with "at least 4 good and sufficient iron straps to run lengthways of the door, and at the base 4 straps of the same kind." The doors were hung with "3 good and suffi- cient iron straps, and hooks to each, of sufficient strength to make it secure." Each door had "a good, strong lock on the inside and outside," the doors to the entry having "a double set of iron bars." The building contained a hall and 3 rooms, distinctively marked 1, 2, 3. The lower floor of the " house " was laid "with oak plank, planed and grooved, well nailed down." The rooms were lined on each side and overhead "with good, dry 2-inch oak plank." Rooms 2 and 3 were "well covered " with "a good coat of coarse sand and small gravel well beat in, so as to fill each crevice between the logs, and then had "a good coat of lime and sand mortar plastered over it."
FIRST JAIL-BIRD IN THE COUNTY.
Thomas Porter, "a prisoner who had escaped from jail and other service,"' as he was advertised by Joseph Barkdull, was confined in the new jail as early as 1818, and was likely its first inmate. The house adjoining the jail, known as the "jailor's house," was built by David Losier in 1824.
THE SECOND, OR STONE JAIL,
Was built in 1839 by O. Boughton. It was a solid, dungeon-like structure, which caged many of the wild birds of Wooster and the county.
It was burned December 18, 1863, Sheriff Wilson, the then 17
258
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
official incumbent, occupying it. At the time of the conflagration there were confined in it a boy (John Bowers), and Isaac Wiler for attempting to kill his wife.
THE THIRD JAIL,
Built but a few years ago, is located on the corner of North Wal- nut and North streets, and is one of the finest edifices of its kind in the State, and is constructed of brick, stone and iron, at great cost and a view to solidity, permanence and security.
OLD COUNTY BUILDINGS.
On Friday, March 27, 1829, a special session of the Commis- sioners was held, composed of Stephen Coe, Jacob Ihrig and Abram Ecker, for the purpose of making arrangements for the erection of public buildings. It was resolved by the Board "to erect on the north-west corner of the Public Square, in the town of Wooster, four substantial fire-proof offices of such dimensions as may hereafter be adopted and agreed upon." The Auditor of the county was authorized to "give notice by advertisement in the Republican Advocote " and by "getting hand-bills struck and cir- culated."
On the 24th of April, of the same year, the Commissioners met in the Public Square of Wooster, between the hours of IO A. M. and 4 P. M., and offered the contract at public auction, Daniel Miller appearing as the lowest bidder; but the Commissioners, upon consultation, concluded he was not a suitable person to un- dertake the work, and adjourned. On the next morning they re- peated the experiment of public outcry, when the contract was awarded to Calvin Hobart. The buildings were of brick and stone ; were 721/2 feet in length, with walls 81/2 feet high between the foundation and the commencement of the arches. Hobart obligated himself to complete the job by the Ist of December, 1829. He took the contract at $989.99. The brick from the
259
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
walls of the old Court House, burned the year before (1828), were appropriated in these public buildings.
NEW COUNTY BUILDINGS.
The new county buildings, erected at the close of the war, are situated on the north-west corner of the Public Square. They are constructed of stone, brick and iron, are solidly and massively built and amply capacious for the purposes contemplated in their pro- jection. On the first floor are the offices of the County Treasurer, Auditor, Recorder, Surveyor and County Commissioners ; and on the upper floor those of the Probate Judge, Clerk and Sheriff.
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