Franklin County, Ohio - Chapter 43: Post Office, and Borough and City Officers, Etc, 1858

Chapter 43: Post Office, and Borough and City Officers, Etc

Tlie first act to incorporate the Borough of Columbus, was passed the 10th of February, 1816, and vested the corporate authority in nine Couucilmen ; from which body a Mayor, who also acted as President of the Council, a Recorder and Treasurer, were elected by the Council. Thc}^ also appointed a Surveyor, a Marshal, and Clerk of the Market, and a Lister and Appraiser, to list and value property for borough taxation. The Retorc^er made out ihe tax duplicate, and the Marshal was the collector. The first election for Councilmen was held at the Columbus Inn, on the 6th of May, 1816.

The elections were by general ticket, and all the town voted at the same poll. The first members were to serve one, two and three years, so that three new members were elected each year after. The first Councilmen elect met at the same inn on the 13th of the same month, and organized. Of this first Board of Councilmen, there are yet living in the city Messrs. II. Brown and Jeremiah Armstrong.

In March, 1817, the old market house, that had been erected by contributions, Avas declared a nuisance, and an ordinance passed for its removal.

During the eighteen years of the borough organization, from 1816 to 1834, the following gentlemen served at various periods, as members of the Council, to wit : Messrs. Robert W. McCoy, Jeremiah Armstrong, Robert Armstrong, Henry Brown, John Cutler, Caleb Houston, John Kerr,'=' Michael Patton, Jarvis Pike, James B. Gardiner, Christian Heyl, Wm. McElvain, James Kooken,

* Mr. Kerr died 20th of July, 1823. He was then a member of the Council, Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and President of the Franklin Bank - an active business man, and highly respected.

By an act of the Legislature, passed March 3d, 1834, Columbus Avas incorporated a city, and divided into three wards. All north of State street constituted the first ward, all between State and Rich the second, and all south of Rich the third ward ; each ward to be represented by four Councilmen, to be elected on the second Monday of April, in the same year. The term of service of the first Board to be determined by lot, and afterward one member to be elected annually from each ward. The Mayor to be elected biennially by the people.

Mayor Appointments By The Council

Robert W. McCoy, President; Wm. T. Martin, Recorder; William Long, Treasurer; J. A. Lapbam, Surveyor; Abraham Stotts, Marshal and Clerk of Market.

Mr. McCoy was continued President by reelections until he resigned his seat in July, 1853. He hud been a member of the Council from the first election in 1816, and that body honored his long and faithful services by procuring and preserving in their chamber his well drawn and neatly framed likeness. They also honored Doctor Goodale, for his donation of the park grounds, with an elegant, full-sized portrait, handsomely framed, which also hangs in the Council chamber.

William T. Martin was continued Recorder till 1839, then Wiliam Miner till 1843, and then Joseph Ridgway, jr., till 1850, when the office was abolished. In 1840, the Council appointed B. F. Martin City Clerk, by whom the business of Recorder was afterward performed, and he was continued by reappointments until 1857, since when Joseph Dowdall has been City Clerk.

The successive Treasurers since 1834, have been William Long till 1836, then Jonathan Neereamer till 1838, then John Greenwood till 1843, and since then Wm. Armstrong until the present time, 1858.

In 1851, the office of City Solicitor was created, and J. L. Bates appointed, who resigned in January, 1852. In April, 1852, Henry C. Noble was appointed. In 1853, Emory Butler, who resigned in April, 1854, in consequence of declining health, since which James A. Wilcox has filled the place.

By an ordinance passed by the Council, on the 18th of February, 1846, the city was divided into five w^ards. All north of Gay street, to constitute the first Avard ; all between Gay and State streets, the second ; all between State and Rich streets, the third ; all between Rich and Mound streets, the fourth ; and all south of Mound street, the fifth. Each ward to be represented by three members in Council.

* Appointed by the Council in place of Brooks, resigned, f Appointed by the Council in place of Miller, resigned, t The office, since 1857, has been styled Civil Engineer.

But subsequently, by an act of the Legislature, passed May 3, 1852, for the organization of cities, etc., the number of Councilmen for each ward is reduced to two. The fifty-ninth section of that act provides, that on the first Monday in April, 1853, there shall be two members elected in each ward, one of whom shall serve two years, the other one year. And the last section of the same act provides, that the officers in office at the passage of the act, should hold out their respective terms.

It now became a question whether to hold an election or not. The term of one of the members in each ward expired at this time, which would reduce the Council to the number required, without any election ; but it would not be in accordance with the letter of the above provision, requiring an election at this particular time ; and the members not being disposed to resign their places, the two members in each ward, whose terms did not expire, held on, and the Council ordered an election for two additional members. So that the first year under the new charter, each ward had four members instead of two ; the second year three members, and the third year (1855) the Council was reduced to the number required - two in each ward.

State Officers

Arthur St. Clair, Governor under the territorial government, was appointed in 1788, and continued until the adoption of the State Constitution.

* Those marked with a star were Speakers of the Senate, who were by the Constitution to fill vacancies, and who served as Governors for short periods only.

Auditors Of State

On page 188, an error occurs in locating the Water Cure Infirmary in Montgomery Township, whereas it is a few rods over the line, in Mifflin Township, and should have appeared under that head.

Insure Your Property Notaey Puelic

Persons vrishing to purchase Real Estate, either Farms, City Property, or Western Lands, are requested to call and examine my list before purchasing elsewhere.

Steam Engines, Boilers, Mill Gearing

Bridge Bolts, Nuts and Castings; Water Pipes ; Gas Pipes and Retorts; Welded Wrought Iron Pipes; Boiler Flues; Tubular Heaters; Steam Fittings; Valves; Cocks;

Wholesale And Retail

Having procured the services of Mr. A. P. Howe, a gentleman of long experience, and of high reputation as foreman in the most Fashionable Custom Shops in the city of New York, we are prepared to say to the Public, that we will make to measure, on short notice. Ladies' and Gentlemen's, Misses' and Children's

Pure Drugs, Medicines And Chemicals

^S" Respectfully solicits Physicians, Country Merchants and others, wishing to purchase First Class Goods, to call, examine articles, prices - and buy.

Col.Umbus, Ohio

Roofing, Spouting, and Copper Jobbing, will be done promptly, either in city or country, in the best manner, and at reasonable prices. Give us a call.

J. H. Riley & Co And Importers And Dealers In

Ms^-h °^ ^^'^ ^^*^ husband, in the O D E O N ^^"^^^^^^1^ BUILDINGS, opposite the State ^.^.^^^~~-Hr.<S^ House, where the old patrons of the Establishment, and the public generally, are respectfully invited to call.

Mr, Heritage, who for some months was connected with Mr. Winchester in the Photographic Art, will continue as the chief operator; and every exertion will be made to maintain the unrivalled reputation of the establishment.

Jewelry

We are never out of JEWELRY. We have the very patterns that a person would wish to buy. Note, we hav e Cameo, Mosaic, Pearl, Jet, Coral, Garnet, Carbuncle, Box and Glass, and all-Gold Jewelry; and if the fashion changes, we shall get the new fashion.

TAKinV PnnnO ^® -^^^P ^°"^® fancy goods. There are rAIMbl uUUUOi COMBS, PORTE MONAIES, PERFUMERY, CARD CASES, RETICULES, PAPER WEIGHTS, MATCH BOXES, &c., &c., not to mention CLOCKS, coarse and fine, PENCILS, GOLD PENS, &c., &c.

Life And Character In The

This book, of about 400 duodecimo pages, with Illustrations - in Tales and Sketches suggested by facts in the history of the South and of the West - depicts the perils of Pioneer Life, and delineates the Manners and Customs of the Backwoods. The Stories are located in the richest fields of Western Romance.