Coshocton County, Ohio - Chapter 8: County Buildings and Officers, 1876

Chapter 8: County Buildings and Officers

FoK a number of years the courts of Coshocton county were held in Colonel Charles Williams' tavern, near the corner of (now) Water and Chestnut streets. Williams was one of the county commissioners at the time the first court was held, and then, and for some years afterward, the only tavern-keeper in the town. He received thirty dollars a year rent for the court-room, and two dollars per term for room occupied by juries. Asher Hart occasionally furnished a jury-room. When Alex. McGowan became clerk to the commissioners (in 1821) they entered into a contract " with Wilson McGowan for a court-room in the building occupied by Wm. Whitten," standing near corner of Second and Main streets (now), the site of part of the present " Central Hotel," and the courts were held there for some four years.

In 1821 the commissioners determined to take some measures for building a court-house, and the auditor was directed to write letters to the townships touching the matter, " as an address to the feelings of the people." Twentyeight hand-bills, pressing the necessity for such a building, were ordered to be printed and posted up in the several townships. Subscription papers were prepared, soliciting all sorts of building material, and in addition pork, rye, oats, and corn. At the next meeting of the commissioners it w^as determined to receive only money on subscription. At the April meeting in 1822 a plan was settled upon - a brick building, one story, thirty-two by forty feet, embracing a court-room and two small rooms for juries. Notices inviting proposals were ordered to be printed in the

Zanesville Messenger and Tuscarawas Chronicle ; the bids to be opened July 9, 1822. On that day the letting was postponed until December, and the plan was somewhat changed. At the December meeting of commissioners it was concluded not to build at all unless citizens would aid by subscription, and papers were ordered to be again circulated, it being agreed this time to receive, as at first proposed, produce as well as building materials and money. The letting was fixed for April 18, 1823. At the April session, however, the plan was again changed, and it was resolved to have a house forty by forty feet and two stories high. On the day of the sale (April 18th), Peter Darnes bid $2,185. The commissioners were not willing to award, and adjourned until next day. Then the contract was given to Charles Williams, he being authorized and instructed to associate with him Peter H. Darnes, Abraham Richards, and Andrew Daugherty. It was substantially finished in 1824. The contract price was $1,984. A small allowance was afterward made for extra work, etc. The belfry was completed in 1830 under the supervision of John Elliott. The bell, still in use on the new court-house, was purchased, at the request of the commissioners, by William K. Johnson in 1834.

It will thus be seen that the building stood for somewhat more than fifty years. Before it was finished a grand ball was given in it, and during all its history it was used for business, political, educational, and religious meetings, and was doubtless beyond anything else the theater of agents and operations afiecting and manifesting the character and condition of the people of Coshocton county. Like the men of the day in which it was built, it had a measure of incurable roughness and few trappings, but was thoroughly square and true and strong and abundantly useful.

The matter of building a new court-house having been agitated for several years, was submitted to a vote of the people in the fall of 1872, and decided against by a very large majority. The following winter the legislature passed a special enabling act,* and the matter was proceeded with steadily, according to the requirements of the law and of the case. The contract for the new building was in due time let to S. Harold & Co., of Beaver county, Pa. Work was begun in 1873. The plans had been prepared and the work was superintended by Carpenter & Williams, of Meadville, Pa.

The structure was turned over to the commissioners in July, 1875, the county officers moving in the latter part of that month, and the District Court sitting therein the following month. The contract price was some sixty-five thousand dollars. Additions, extra work, furniture, and appliances vastly added to that sum, and the whole cost may be put down at a round $100,000. On either side of the old court-house there were built, in 1834, county offices (brick), one story, about forty by thirty feet. William C. Blodgett was the contractor, and the contract price was $1,360.

In 1849 an additional story was built on the north building by William McFarland. In 1854 the south building also received an additional story, and W. II. Eobinson and William Welch were the contractors. These buildings were sold and removed at the same time with the old court-house. Just on the site of the present court-house stood the first jail, built of logs by Adam Johnston for $1,397 ; some $900 of this sum being the proceeds of sales of lots in south public square ; also the second jail of brick. The latter, with sherifi"'s house adjoining, was built for $2,200 by Eldridge & McGowan in 1836. The present jail, built of stone, and sherifiT's house of brick, were built in 1873. The whole cost of this undertaking was about $30,000. The contractors were M. Johnston and A. Wimmer, the former being a grandson of Charles Williams, the contractor for the first court-house. The plan was fur-

*0n the urgent solicitation of the citizens of Coshocton, who, by their course in the matter, drew upon themselves the censure of many in the rural districts. A vigorous effort was made by the village of Warsaw to have the new court-house built there.

nished by Carpenter & Williams, of Meaclville, Pa., who were consulting superintendents, John Dodd, of Roscoe, being the acting superintendent.

The county infirmary was erected (on the farm of two hundred acres, two miles east of Coshocton, purchased at $15 per acre from W. K. Johnson & Co. in 1848) by E. Davis and others in 1849. It is a two-story brick building, and cost about $3,900. Subsequently an adjoining tract of land was bought from Henry Wheeler for $2,500, making the wdiole farm nearly four hundred acres.

County Commissioners

The first county commissioners, elected in April, 1811, were Charles Williams, James Meskimens, and Mordecai Chalfant. The following shows the incumbents and time of service in that oflice : attend, and Adam Johnston was appointed to his place, and held the office until 1821. The salary at that time was forty dollars per year. The following persons have held that office since Johnston ; the dates following being the dates of their appointment or election :

County Clerks County Treasurers

The first treasurer of the county was Wm. Whitten, holding office from 1811 to 1817. Dr. Samuel Lee succeeded him, and held the office until 1825. The pay of the office for a few years was five per cent., then three per cent, on moneys received, and amounted to from forty to sixty dollars per year prior to 1818, Dr. Lee was succeeded by James Renfrew, who agreed to serve for three per cent., and obligated himself " not to speculate on the county's money." John B. Turner was treasurer for 1827 and 1828. A. M. McGowan for 1829 and 1830. Samuel Rea % became treasurer in 1831.

X Rea was a son of the well-known Rev. John Rea, of Harrison county. He studied law, and was a man of ability. But he was of too social a turn - fond of " good fellows " - a fine violinist, lie was drowned at Fry's Ford, on Walhonding river, in 1834, on his way home from a convivial party which had been keeping late hours. His estate and securities satisfied the county's claim.

In December, 1832, he was removed from office and a suit begun against his securities for a " shortage " of nearly $2,000. Robert Hay was appointed in Rea's stead, and held the office until 1834. Wm. G. Williams was elected in 1834, and held the office until 1846. Benjamin Bonnett succeeded him in 1846. In 1849, he left the county very abruptly, sending in his resignation.* J. W. Rue was appointed to complete the term of office, ending in 1850. Wm. P. Wheeler held the office 1850-52. Lewis Demoss was his successor, and served two terms, going out in 1856. Samuel Ketchum was treasurer from 1856 to 1859 ; in October of the latter year, owing to the hue and cry about the treasury robbery,f he resigned, and Samuel Lamberson fin-

* His cash-box was discovered to be in a very bad shape, and his securities were required by the county to respond. He is understood to have gone to California.

-j- Ketclium was found by some persons who heard his outcry n seemingly exhausted condition in the treasurer's office, about midnight, January 21. 1859. He alleged that having kept the office ojjen to i^ay some witnesses from abroad who desired to take a late train, two men came in, and, throwing a shawl over his head, bound and gagged him, and took what moneys were in the safe, reported afterward at about $20,000, the lai'ger part of it State moneys. Subsequently he confessed that the thing was a job, and implicated James M. Brown, from whom he said he had in a strait borrowed some money. They were indicted by the grand jury. A change of venue having been asked by Brown, the case was tried in Licking county, and on law points carried to the Supreme Court at Columbus, but in 1870 Brown was sentenced to pay double the amount abstracted, and spend five years at hard labor in the Ohio penitentiary. Ketchum plead guilty, after Brown was sentenced, and received the same sentence. While in the jDenitentiary, Ketchum failed rapidly in health, and in this view, having been pardoned, came to his home in West Lafayette, and there died in the summer of 1872, a sad, penitent victim of his own folly, and possibly of the wiles of even more cunning and unscrupulous men. Brown was pardoned by Governor Allen in 1874. A considerable sum was realized by sale on execution of some of the property held in Coshocton by Brown, but finding the legal complications increasing, growing out of claims put forward by his relations, the commissioners compromised on a less amount than originally assessed. The State, however, obtained $10,000, and the county nearly the amount lost. But nearly or quite all that amount was expended in the legal proceedings connected with the case, and the treasury never got back its own.

ished the term, and, being elected and re-elected, served until 1864. His successor was Samuel Burrell, 1864-68. Then Thos. Jones came into office, and held the place for two terms, 1868-72. Richard "W. McLain was in the office from 1872-76. John Waggoner succeeded him, and is the present incumbent.

County Kecorders

The first recorder was Adam Johnson, appointed in 1811, and dying in 1829, Jos. Burns was put into his place, and held it until 1836, when Geo. "W. Price was appointed. He died in 1840, and Eussell C. Bryan took his place 1840-46. The following is the succession, with date of election ; G. F. Cassingham, 1846 ; John F. Williams, 1855 (resigned in 1857, and R. M. Hackinson filled out his time) ; A. McNeal, 1858 ; C. W. Stanford, 1861 ; L. L. Root, 1864; and M. W. Wimmer, 1870.

Prosecuting Attorneys

Wright Warner was appointed, at the September term of court, in 1811, for seven years, but resigned in 1814. Alex. Harper was then appointed, and continued until 1823, when, having been elected judge, he was succeeded by Chas. B. Goddard, who served until 1827. W. Silliman, David Spangler, and Richard Stillwell served for terms of court until 1830 (March term), when Noah H. Swayne was

* Sells left the county very abruptly, and his bondsmen had certain claims to satisfy. Piatt succeeded him by virtue of being at the time coroner of the county.

appointed for a full term. But in 1833, Josephus Ricketts having been ele.cted, came into office. He resigned in 1834, and G. W. Silliman was appointed and afterward elected in 1835, and liis health failing in 1841, the latter part of his term was filled out by T. S. Humrickhouse by appointment. In 1843, and also in 1845, Thomas Campbell was elected. Then the succession was Wm. Sample in 1849; John T. Simmons in 1851 and 1853; John D. Nicholas in 1855; and Charles Hoy in 1857 and 1859. Hoy, in 1860 resigned, and Thomas Campbell finished his term. In 1860, Richard Launing was elected, but in the second year of his service resigned his oflice to take that of Major in the army, and Thomas Campbell filled out his term. In 1862, Asa G, Dimmock was elected, and again in 1864 and 1866. His health having failed, and he having resigned and removed in the spring of 1868, R. M. Voorhes was appointed to comjDlete his term, and having been elected in the fall of 1868, and also in 1870, continued in the oflice until it was taken by the present incumbent, Wm. S. Crowell, who was elected in 1872.

County Surveyors

The first county surveyor was Wm. Lockard, appointed in 1812. He served until 1817, when James Ravenscraft became surveyor. He resigned in 1819, and AVm. Coulter was appointed until 1824. Wm. G. Williams then came into oflice, and served till 1830. Jas. Ravenscraft was in the oflice from 1830 to 1836. Then came John M. Sweney, and then John M. Fulks. Henry Seevers was Fulks' successor, and served until 1852, when Lemuel Kiusey was elected. C. W. McMorris was elected in 1855 ; R. L. Baker in 1858; T. F. Latham in 1861 ; he having resigned, Levi Gamble was appointed in 1864, and then elected in 1865 and 1868. John A. Ilanlon was elected in 1871, and Ceo. Miller in 1874, being in oflice at this writing.

Infirmary Directors

The following have served the county as infirmary directors : Lewis Row, Jas. Jones, Henry Wheeler, Isaac W. Miller, John M. Johnson, Stephen D. Sayer, Thomas Dwyer, D. E. Langhlin, Geo. McCune, J. C. Frederick, Wm. Simons, James McBriar, John Chambers, JSTathan Buckalew, John Hawley, Wm. McCoy, C. F. Sangster, Samuel Gardiner, and Thomas Wiggins.