Hancock County, Ohio - Chapter 3: Independent Organization of the County, 1881

Chapter 3: Independent Organization of the County

ON the 21st day of January, 1828, the General Assembly of Ohio, passed an Act entitled *' An Act to organize the County of Hancock " of which Act the following are some of the provisions:

"Sec. 1. That the County of Hancock as heretofore laid ofifl, and the same shall be, and is hereby organized into a separate and distinct County, and suits and prosecutions which shall be pending, and all crimes which shall have been committed within said County of Hancock previous to its organization, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution within the County of Wood, in the same manner they would have been, had the County of Hancock not been organized; and the Sheriff, Coroner and Constables of Wood County, shall execute within the County of Hancock, such process as shall be necessary to carry into effect such suits, prosecutions and judgments ; and the Treasurer of Wood shall collect all such taxes as shall have been levied and imposed within the County of Hancock previous to the taking effect of this Act."

"Sec. 2. That all Justices of the Peace, and Constables within the said County of Hancock shall continue to execute the duties of their respective offices, in the same manner as if the County of Hancock had remained attached to the County of Wood."

" Sec. 3. That on the First Monday of April next, the legal voters within the County of Hancock shall assemhle within their respective Townships, at the place of holding elections, and shall elect their several County Officers, who shall hold their offices until the next annual election. This Act shall take effect from and after the First day of March next."

In accordance with the provisions of this xVct, the voters of Hancock County met in Findley, (there being but one Township in the County) and proceeded to hold an election.

" Pool book of the Election held in the township of finley county of hancock, on the seventh day of Aprile in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight. Al)ram Huff, Wilson Vance, Mordica Hammond, Judges. John C. Wickham, Edniun S. Jones, Clerks for county officers of this Election were severally sworn as the law directs, previous to their entering on the duties of their respective offices. Of this election were severally sworn as the law directs previous to their entering on the duties of their res})ective offices.

Tally Sheet

There were no Public Buildiugs in the county at that time; and we have no information as to where the offices were held, in what building or part of the town. Tradition has it, that the Treasurer's Office was in his hat, or at least that is where he carried the tax duplicate for convenience sake, as he resided in the country. lie was thus ever ready with his duplicate to receive moneys of the unfortunate tax payers, at any time or place they chanced to meet. Whether this legend l)e true or not, the fact that the tax duplicate could have ])een carried in the hat of the Treasurer without any inconvenience to the wearer will not admit of serious doubt.

We are not told as to where the other officers kept their l)Ooks, l)ut as they were not of any greater volume than those of the Treasurer, they might have been disposed of in the same way.

The county is now under ;iu independent organization, and I'ully officered and prepared for lousiness, in which happy condition we will leave it for the present, and turn our attention to some of the general characteristics of the country.