Tuscarawas County, Ohio - Chapter 8: Official and Statistical, 1884

Chapter 8: Official and Statistical

r l^HE first county established under the Territorial Government of the North - I- west was Washington. It was created, July 27, 1788, by proclamation of Got. St. Clair, and embraced within its limits perhaps one half the present State of Ohio. The following were its boundaries: Beginning on the bank of the Ohio River, where the western boundary line of the State of Pennsylvania crosses it, running with that line to Lake Erie; thence along the shore of the lake to the mouth of Cuyahoga River; thence up the river to the portage, between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum River; thence down % the branch to the forks at the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence with a line to be drawn westerly to the portage of that branch of the Big Miami - on which the fort stood that was taken by the French in 1752 - until it meets the road from the lower Shawnee town to the Saudusky; thence south to the Scioto River; thence down that river to the mouth; thence up the Ohio River to the place of beginning.

Marietta was the county seat, and the settlers in what now constitutes Tuscarawas County were obliged to pay taxes, attend courts, Bettle estates, etc., at that town until 1804. An act to establish Muskingum County was passed January 7, of that year, to take effect March 1. Muskingum County included all that part of Tuscarawas which lies within the United States Military District

Tuscarawas County was established from the territory of Muskingum by an act of the State Legislature, passed February 13, 1808. The following is the full text of the act :

Be it enacted, etc.. That all that part of the county of Muskingum, lying within the following boundaries, viz.: Beginning at the northeast corner of the United States Military Lands; thence west with the north boundary of said tract to its intersection with the late Indian boundary line; thence westwardly with said line to the west boundary of the fourth range, in said military tract; thence south along the west boundary of said fourth range to the southwest corner of the township therein; thence east between the fourth and and fifth townships, in the third, second and first ranges, to the east boundary of the said United States Military Tract; thence north with said boundary to the beginning, shall be erected into a county by the name of Tuscarawas.

Sec. 2. That from and after the fifteenth day of March next, the said county of Tuscarawas s hall be vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities of a separate and distinct county; Prodded , That all suits and actions, of what nature soever, which shall have been commenced before the said fifteenth day of March, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution; all taxes, fines and penalties, which shall be due previous to said day, shall be collected in the same manner as if this act had not passed.

Sec. 3. That all Justices of the Peace residing in said county of Tuscarawas shall hold their commissions during the time for which they shall have been elected Justices of the Peace in Muskingum County, and their jurisdiction shall extend throughout the whole of said county of Tuscarawas, until the same shall be divided into townships, and the necessary number of Justices of the Peace for each township, chosen and qualified, and shall also have power to appoint constables to serve until others are chosen and qualified.

Sf.c. 4. That the seat of justice for the said county of Tuscarawas shall be at New Philadelphia, until a permanent seat of justice shall be established by law.

As thus established, Tuscarawas County was twenty miles wide, east and west, and thirty north and south along the eastern line, though several miles shorter along its western line, in consequence of the southwesterly course of the Greenville treaty line, part of its northern boundary. It embraced in the main nearly the same territory that now composes it.

By act of the Legislature, passed February 11, 1809, it was enacted "That so much of the county of Jefferson as lies west of the fifth range be and the same is hereby annexed to and made a part of the county of Tuscarawas."

This large accession of land was twelve miles in width east and west, and twenty -seven in length, being the northern half of Township 10 and Townships 11, 12, 13 and 14, of Range 6, and the northern half of Township 11 and Townships 12, 13, 14 and 15, of Range 7, comprising what is now the western portions of Carroll and Harrison Counties, and the western portions of Warren, Union, Mill and Rush Townships, Tuscarawas County. Of this territory, the part which yet remains a portion of Tuscarawas County formed a part of Washington County until January 31, 1807, when it was annexed to Jefferson, and there continued till attached to Tuscarawas two years later.

The first territorial loss sustained by Tuscarawas County was in consequence of the erection of Coshocton County January 31, . 18 10, and an act providing for its organization, which passed January 22, 1811. By this act, a tract live miles wide and ten in length vas taken from the southwest corner of Tuscarawas, and annexed to Coshocton. It now comprises Oxford and Adams Townships of that county.

January 2. 1813, Harrison County was erected, and by this act Tuscarawas lost the northern half of Township 11 and Township 12, Range 7; and the northern half of Township 10, Townships 11 and 12, and the eastern halves of Townships 13 and 14, of Range 6.

Holmes County was erected January 20, 1824, and organized January 4, 1825, from Coshocton, Wayne and Tuscarawas Counties. The part taken from Tuscarawas was two miles in width and about twelve in length, extending from the south line of Township 8 to the northern boundary of the county, the territory thus detached being off the west side of Range 4, extending through Townships 8, 9 and 10.

Carroll County was formed December 25, 1832, as now constituted, and all the territory that is now included in it which formerly belonged to Tuscarawas County, consequently at this date passed from the jurisdiction of Tuscarawas; by the same act, all that territory now belonging to Harrison, which had theretofore formed a part of Tuscarawas, was annexed to Harrison, and Tuscarawas County assumed its present shape and boundaries.

In 1847, while Dr. A. I. Bennett, of Bolivar, was State Representative, by act of Legislature the land in the bend of the Tuscarawas River, north of the Greenville treaty line, was detached from Stark and annexed to Tuscarawas County. It comprises about 500 acres.

The duty that first received the attention of the first Board of Commissioners for Tuscarawas County was the division of the county into townships. At the first meeting, held April 10, 1808, it was ordered that the county be divided into four townships, to wit : Lawrence, Goshen, Salem and Oxford. Their bounds were established as follows:

Lawrence. - Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 10, Range 1 of the United States Military District (now the northeast corner of Tuscarawas County); thence west to the northwest cornor of Township 10, Range 4 (extending into Paint Township, Holmes County); thence south to the southwest corner of the second section in Township 9, Range 4 (into what is now Walnut Creek Township, Holmes County); thence east to the southeast corner of Section 1, Township 9, Range 1 (in the northwest part of what is now Warren Township); thence north to the place of beginning. As thus constituted, Lawrence Township was about twenty miles wide east and west, and seven and one half miles north and south, and, besides a portion of Holmes County, comprehended Wayne, Franklin, Lawrence and Sandy Townships entire, and the northern parts of Dover, Fairfield and Warren.

Goshen - Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 4, Township 9, Range 1 (in Warren Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 9, Range 4 (in Walnut Creek Township, Holmes County); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 8, Range 4 (the northwest corner of what is now Bucks Township); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 8, Range 1 (in Union Township); thence north to the place of beginning. Goshen was similar in size and shape to Lawrence, and situated immediately south of it. It included all of Goshen and Sagar Creek Town ships, as now composed, the greater portions of Dover, Auburn and York, and fractions of Union and Warren.

Salem - Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 7, Range 1 (in Union Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Township 7, Range 4 (the northwest corner of Bucks Township); thence south to the southwest ccjraer of Section 2, Township 6, Range 4 (on the west line of Adams Township, Coshocton County); thence east to the southeast corner of Section 1, Township 6, Range 1 (in Rush Township); thence north to the place of beginning. It comprised Bucks, Jefferson and Warwick Townships, and portions of Auburn, York, Mill, Union, Rush, Clay and Salem. It, too, was twenty by seven and one-half miles in size.

Oxford - Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 4, Township 6, Range 1 (in the western part of Rush Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 6, Range 4 (Adams Township, Coshocton

County); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 5, Range 4 (the southwest corner of Oxford Township, Coshocton County); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 5, Range 1 (the southeast corner of Perry Township and of Tuscarawas County); thence north to the place of beginning. Oxford included, besides all of Oxford and the southern half of Adams Townships, Coshocton County, Oxford, Washington and Perry Townships, and the southern portions of Salem, Clay and Rush.

After the act of tho Legislature in 1S09, annexing to Tuscarawas a portion of Jefferson County, the Commissioners proceeded to erect, March 29, 1809, a new township, called One Leg, bounded as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Section 4, Township 10, Range 6; thence north along the line dividing the counties of Jefferson and Tuscarawas to the northeast corner of Township 14, Range 0; thence west to the northwest corner of Township 15. Range 7 (in Warren Township, near its northwest corner); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 14, Range 7 (at Uhrichsville); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 14, Range 7; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 34. Township 10, Range 6; thence east to the place of beginning. One Leg included the southwestern portion of what is now Carroll County, a large share of western Harrison, and the greater part of Warren and Union Townships, with a tract a half mile square of Mill.

The remainder of the newly acquired territory, including the western portions of Mill and Rush Townships, and southwestern Harrison County, was attached to Salem Township. It consisted of the north half of Township 11 and Townships 12 and 13 in Range 7.

April 25, 1809, Nottingham Township wa9 formed from Salem and One Leg Townships. It embraced territory which now lies exclusively in the southwestern part of Harrison County.

The next change in township outlines was made February 10, 1810, when Township 13, Range 7, was taken from Salem and appended to One Leg Township.

Two new townships, Wayne and Dover, were erected in March, 1810. Sugar Creek was formed a year later. Various changes were made in township lines from time to time, and March 24, 1817, Dohrman Township was formed from One Leg. It embraced Township 13, Range 7, a tract six miles square, its western half now included in the eastern portion of Rush and Mill Townships, and its eastern half in Harrison County. The first election was ordered to be held at the house of Thomas Archbold.

Lawrenceville was constituted in May, 1817, and embraced the remaining portion of the original Lawrence Township, after a part of its territory had been detached and given to other townships. Fairfield was erected June 2, 1817, and then included all of Township 9, Range 1. The same day Sandy was set off and embraced all of Township 10, Range 1. Perry was formed August 11, 1818, with its present limits, and the eastern part of Washington. The next township organized was Warren. It was established March 31, 1819, and most of its original territory is now a part of Carroll County. On the following day the County Commissioners erected Warwick and re adjusted the boundaries of Oxford, Salem and Sugar Creek. Salem was reduced to the territory now comprising that township and the greater portion of the present townships of Clay and Rush. Oxford was reduced to the central and eastern portions of Washington and the present Oxford: Township 7, Range 4 (now mostly in Bucks, then belonging to Salem), was attached to Sugar Creek. December 2, 1822, Ross Township was organized from Wayne and Sugar Creek Townships, in the northwest corner of the county, consisting of the greater and western part of what is now Wayne, a narrow strip from northwestern Sugar Creek and a portion of what is now Holmes County. Its bounds were as follows: Beginning on the north boundary of the county, between Ranges 4 and 5; thence south to the line between Sections 11 and 20 in Township 9, Range 4: thence west to the county line; thence north to the northwest corner of the county, thence along the northern boundary to the place of beginning. The first election was ordered to be held on the first Monday in April, 1823, at the house of Augustus Jennings. This township was short-lived. March 18, 1825. it was dismembered and its territory divided between Wayne and Sugar Creek.

Clay Township was detached from Salem March 2, 1824. It then included nearly all of present Rush and Clay, besides small fractions of Salem and Mill. Bucks was taken from Sugar Creek and Warwick March 8, 1825. Washington was organized two years later, on March 5, 1827, from Oxford and Perry, its territorial limits comprising then as now, Township 5, of Range 2. Rush was constituted December 1, 1828, with boundaries somewhat different from its present ones. York was erected the same day, with a tract of country that is now eastern Jefferson, nearly all of York and small fractions of Goshen and Warwick. March 3, 1833, in consequeneo of the formation of Carroll County, the boundaries of the townships along the eastern boundary of Tuscarawas were altered, and Union and Mill Townships were organized with limits that closely approximate their present bounds. Jefferson was formed from Bucks and York March 7, 1837, including besides its present territory, a large share of Auburn. This last-named township was erected Dext, June 6, 1838, from portions of Bucks, Sugar Creek, Jefferson and Dover. Its boundaries have remained unchaaged. Franklin was the last township organized in Tuscarawas County. Its existence dates back to December 0, 1854, when it was formed by a subdivision of Wayne Township.

Fir8T Commissioners7 Proceedings

The board held its first session Saturday, April 10, 1808. Present, John Junkins, Michael Uhrich and Philip MiDnich, Commissioners. Their certificates were read and the oath of office administered to them by Abraham Mosser, Justice of the Peace. Godfrey Haga was then chosen Clerk, and the board proceeded to lay off and divide the county into four townships, Oxford, Goshen, Lawrence and Salem. The Clerk was ordered to post up in three of the most public places in the townships of Oxford and Lawrence, " advertisements as- certaining the boundaries of said townships," and notify the electors of Oxford to meet Saturday, April 30, at the house of James Douglass, and the electors of Lawrence at the house of Gideon Jennings, within the respective townships, for the purpose of electing township officers. The board then adjourned.

The next entry in the first Commissioners1 journal bears date Monday, June 6, 1808, 9 o'clock, A. M. Present - Michael Uhrich and Philip Minnich.

A petition was presented by Mr. Uhrich signed by fifteen landholders of Salem Township, praying that an order be granted for viewing and opening a road, ''beginning at the forks of the Cadiz and Lawrenceville roads; thence along the nearest and best ground in such a manner that as little injury, as the nature of the case may well admit of, be done to private property, striking the river Muskingum at Christopher Demuth's, and crossing Big Stillwater at the fording place of that creek below Ullrich's Mills, to that point of the eastern boundary line of the county which lies nearest to the Cadiz road aforesaid.

On motion, it was ordered, That John Knisely, Sr., John Bolsley and James Watson be, and the same, or any two of them, are hereby empowered and directed to meet on Monday, the 20tli day of June, inst., at 9 o'clock, at the forks of the said Cadiz and Lawrenceville roads, and then and there proceed to view said road, agreeably to law, and report accordingly to the next session of the Board of Commissioners; and it was further ordered,

That Joseph Francis be and the same hereby is appointed and directed to attend the said landholders in the capacity of a surveyor as directed by law, and that the same be and hereby is empowered to take to his assistance two chain carriers and one marker, as the law directs, and to do and perform all and every other duty by law enjoined on such surveyor.

Another petition was presented, June 0, by Samuel Smith, praying for a road from his mill on Sugar Creek to Dover, and thence to New Philadelphia. John Knisely. George Stipler and Ludwig Knause were appointed Viewers.

June 7, David Peter, of Gnadenhutten, was appointed Treasurer for on© year, "if he shall so long behave himself well." The prices of tavern licenses were then established - in New Philadelphia, $7; in Lawrenceville, $6; elsewhere in the county, §4; for ferry licenses, $1.50. The rates of ferriage allowed were: A foot person, cents; man and horse, 12 \ cents; loaded wagon and team, 50 cents; any other four-wheeled carriage or empty wagon and team, 314 cents; loaded cart and team, 25 cents; empty cart, sled or sleigh and team, 18-J cents; each horse or head of cattle, 6| cents; each sheep or hog, 1 cent. A petition for a road from the Lawrenceville road to Dover was presented, and Viewers appointed.

June 8, Thomas Hamilton, of Salem Township, was appointed Collector 'of taxes, and the following rates of taxation ordered: Horses, 30 cents per head; cattlelO cents per head; all other taxable personal property, J per cent of appraised value.

The attention of the board was given chiefly to establishing roads through the county. The first of the 100 town lots, granted by the proprietor of New Philadelphia to the county, were sold at public auction August 22 and 23,

Monday, March 6, 1809, this entry appears: w The freshet having prevented the Commissioners from meeting on the 26th day of December last, according to their adjournment at their last meeting, now met agreeably to law."

The first money received by the county was $1.50, June 10, 1808, from Conrad Westhaeffer, as ferry license. The first tavern license was paid August 19, 1808, by George Leininger, $7; and the first store license, $10, by David Peter, August 30, 1808. The first county levy on personal property, in March,

1809, was $156.35. One of the chief channels of expenditures for a few ye^rs was the payment of bounty on wolf scalps. In 1810, the Commissioners fixed the bounty at $1 each for wolves or panthers six months of age or upward, and 50 cents below that age. In 1808, bounty was paid on nine wolf scalps; ifl 1809, on thirty two wolf and one panther scalps, the latter to John Henry; in 1810, on thirty-seven wolf and one panther scalps; and in 1811, on twentytwo wolf scalps. A State bounty was also paid during these years and long after.

County Buildings

The first action by the Commissioners of Tuscarawas County, relative to the erection of public buildings, was taken June 25/ 1808. The journal reads: 44 A plan of a jail being prepared, the Clerk was ordered to write and post up five advertisements in five of the most public places in the county, giving public notice that the building of said gaol will be sold; at the same time, that the whole or part of the lots granted by the proprietor of New Philadelphia in said town for the use of the county are offered for sale, which sales were appointed to commence on Mondhy, the 22d day of August next, and to continue by adjournment from day to day so long as to the Commissioners shall appear necessary." The Clerk was further ordered to cause an advertisement of the like purport to be inserted six times in the Greensburgh, Scioto and Steubenville Gazettes , and likewise to copy the plan of the gaol, and have the same ready for inspection at the day of sale.

Wednesday, August 24, 1808, the contract for erecting the gaol was sold to Peter Minnich for $1,500, he being the lowest bidder, and the time for completing the same fixed at eighteen months. There were to be two early payments of $100 each, and the balance, $1,300, in two years, with the provision that if the Commi ssion ers could sooner dispose of the land granted to the county for public purposes, it should be paid as soon as the jail was placed under roof, agreeably to contract. The proceeds of the sale of town lots. August 22 and 23, 1808, were appropriated to the first payment.

This jail was a two-story log structure, probably 30x40 feet in size, and stood on the north end of Lot 200, on the site of the Auditor's office, recently destroyed. The lower story of this primitive county prison contained two cells and a large apartment used as a residence by the Sheriff. The upper floor was occupied as a court room.

Court Home. - In 1818, the need of a better court room was felt, and proceedings were instituted for the erection of a substantial brick court house. Leininger's tavern was the scene of the first Tuscarawas County court, but when the jail was built, justice was dispensed from its upper floor. July 3, 1818, the Commissioners sold at public sale the following contracts: To Peter Cribs, and by him transferred to Henry Fox, to build astoDe foundation, fortyfour feet square and seven feet high, $405; to John U. Armler, to furnish 120,000 bricks, $023; to John Blickensderfer, to deliver 7,000 feet of oak floorboard, $87. The foundation was completed, and October 31, 1818, the contract to build the court house was awarded to Heory Fox for $0,297. Before completion. Fox sold his contract to Michael Swagler. The Sheriff took charge of it in December, 1825. This court house stood on the southwest corner of Lot 200, and served its purpose until 1882. The last term of court held in it was that of May. 1882. The building was two stories in height; the lower one contained the court room, and, originally, two diminutive offices on the south side, which were used as offices by the Auditor and Clerk. The second floor was divided into two compartments, and used by the petit and grand juries. In 1808. the court room was enlarged to the full size of the building by the removal of the two lower offices.

The next public building erected was a county jail on lots 257 and 258. The contract for building it was sold to John Pepper June 28, 1834, for $3,690^ but it was several years before the erection was completed. It was a two-story brick and stone structure and, besides cells, contained apartments for the Sheriff's residence.

At a special session held May 10, 1837, the Cortimissioners ordered a notice to be inserted in the Tuscarawas Advocate that proposals for building public offices would be received at their office June 19, following. At the time appointed the proposal of George Sluthour was accepted. The erection of the offices was completed by him in 1838. They consisted of a series of one story brick apartments, fronting on Broadway, from the west side of Lot 200, to the rear of the court house. The offices were about twenty -five feet deep and ranged in width from thirty to eighteen feet. Beginning at the north, the offices erected in 1838 were those of the Auditor, Recorder, Treasurer, Sheriff and the Clerk. After the office of Probate Judge was established by the adoption of the present State constitution, the Clerk's office was relegated to his use and a Clerk's office erected between it and the court house. These offices were torn down in the fall of 1882 to make way for the erection of the new court house. Until its erection the county offices are scattered in various parts of the business portions of New Philadelphia.

County Infirmary. - In January, 1843, the Commissioners purchased from G. N Allen and Charles Korns two farms, located about two and a half miles southeast from New Philadelphia, upon which to erect a " poor house." March. 9, 1843, the Auditor was directed by the Commissioners to give public notice that on March 28, following, they would receive sealed proposals for erecting a poor house. March 29, the proposal of Charles Korns was accepted, $3,800. John Everhard was appointed by the board to supervise the erection. The building was completed and accepted by the Commissioners June 6, 1844. It has several times since been repaired and remodeled. Jesse Landes is the present Superintendent of the infirmary. He has acted in that capacity for many years.

At the session of the Commissioners, held October 13, 1869, it was resolved " That the Auditor gives notice in the English papers and the German paper of the county that the Commissioners will entertain the subject of building a new jail and improving the public offices at a reasonable expense at their December session, and that they will hear all petitions for and remonstrances against said proposed improvement."

December 11, the board after visiting and inspecting the jail, and hearing petitions presented in favor of a new jail, deemed it necessary for the safe keeping of the prisoners that a new jail be erected, and appropriated $100 to ascertain the latest, most approved and convenient style and architecture, and procure a full and accurate plan of the proposed building.

April 5, 1870, the contracts for building the jail were let. The building of the iron-work of the jail was awarded to M. Clements, of Cincinnati, at $5, 169, and the bid of Robert Rue, of Minerva, Ohio, was accepted on building the jail at $14,900. Within a year from the time the contracts were awarded, the jail was completed. It is a handsome structure, two stories in height The front is of brick and affords ample accommodations as the Sheriff's residence. The masonry of the rear portion is stone, and incloses a dozen securely built prison cells.

Inconsequence of an act of Legislature, passed April 18, 1881, authorizing the Commissioners of Tuscarawas County to purchase a property for a Children's Home at a cost not to exceed $25,000, the Commissioners, May 3, 1881, entered into an agreement to purchase for $25,000 the Wilhelmi Farm, situated in the suburbs of Dover, southeast of that village. The home was opened in November, 1881, and the residence, a handsome two-story brick, about fifty feet square, proving inadequate to accommodate the children received at the Institution, the Commissioners have contracted with Criswell & Nagley to erect an addition to the building, 50x70 feet in size, for $7,815. Simpson Harmount is the present Superintendent of the Home.

February 13, 1882, an act passed the Legislature authorizing and requiring the Commissioners to construct a court house at such a point of the county seat as may be deemed by them most for the public good, the contract to be let within six months, and the building completed as soon as possible, at a cost not to exceed §100,000. For this purpose, the commissioners were authorized to borrow the necessary amount of money at a rate of interest not exceeding six per cent, and to issue county bonds to secure the payment, at such times within twenty years as the Commissioners may prescribe, and to levy such tax as will pay the interest on such indebtedness, and the principal as it matures, not to exceed $10,000 in any one year.

Agreeably to the above act, the Commissioners, at their meeting March 10, discussed the location of the new court house, but further action was postponed. # Petitions were presented for and remonstrances against the use of the old site for the court house, and March 15, the Commissioners proposed to procure by purchase or condemnation Lot 190 and a twelve- foot right of way off the west side of Lot 198, provided the citizens of Now Philadelphia would pay the excess of the cost of this additional property above $8,000, and furnish a court room and offices to the county officers rent free during the construction of the courthouse. The jury fixed the appropriation price of Lot 199 at $14,300, and citizens of the county guaranteed the payment of the excess, $6,300. The plans of the new building filed by Thomas Boyd were approved by the Commissioners Jun« 26, 1882, and notice was given that sealed proposals for its erection would be received August 1. August 2, the contract for constructing the building was awarded to T. B. Townsend, of Zanesville, his bid being $99,860.

The corner-stone of the new court house was laid October 25, 1882, with imposing ceremonies. The day was a lovely one, and New Philadelphia was decorated and her business houses decked with bunting, evergreen, flowers and flags. By noon, fifteen thousand people thronged the streets. Rev. Lafayette Van Cleve, of Hillsboro, Ohio, Deputy Masonic Grand Master of Ohio, conducted the ceremony and delivered the address. The secret orders from all parts of the county and surrounding cities were well represented in regalia; bands from Cleveland, Canton, Zanesville and many other points were in attendance, and the procession, composed of these and numerous other organizations, was a brilliant one. The ceremonies closed at 2 o'clock, and the balance of the afternoon was spent in listening to the sweet music discoursed by the excellent bands present. A fine display of fireworks in the evening concluded the day's festivities.

By the terms of contract, the building is to be completed April 1, 1884. When finished, it will be one of the handsomest public structures in this part of the State.

County Officers

Commissioners. - At an election held in the spring of 1808, John Junkins, Michael Uhrich and Philip Minnich were chosen Commissioners to serve until the fall election of the same year, when Michael Uhrich, Boaz Walton Mid

Sheriffs. - The following is a complete list of the Sheriffs of Tuscarawas County to the present time: Henry Davis, from 1808 to 1810; Henry Laffer, 1810 to 1813; Henry Shetler, 1813 to 1817; Frederick Maish, 1817 to 1819;

Probate Judges. - The office of Probate Judge was established by the present constitution in 1851, and the following citizens have served in this capacity:

State Senators. - The following citizens of Tuscarawas have represented in the Upper House of the State Legislature the districts to which this county has been attached:

Robert McConnell, from 1808 to 1812, representing Muskingum and Tuscarawas Counties; Abraham Shane, 1815 to 1817, representing Guernsey, Tuscarawas and Coshocton Counties; Henry Laffer, 1824 to 1826, representing Tuscarawas and Coshocton Counties, and from 1832 to 1835 representing Tuscarawas and Holmes; Walter M. Blake, 1835 to 1836, same district; John

Brady, 1838 ^to 1840, representing Tuscarawas and Harrison; Benjamin Ream, 1840 to 18 12, representing Holmes and Tuscarawas; Alden I. Bennett, 1847 to 1849, representing Carroll and Tuscarawas. Under the present constitution, Tuscarawas and Coshocton Counties constitute the Eighteenth District, and the term of service is two years in place of one. The following have been elected Senators from Tuscarawas: John D. Rice, 1852 to 1854; Edmund Burnett, 1856 to 1858; Armisted T. Ready, 1860 to 1864; D. W. Stambaugh, 1868, died in office, and balance of term filled by Simpson Harmount; Abraham W. Patrick, 1872 to 1874; E. C. Lewis, 1876 to 1878, Beriah Wilkins, 1880 to 1882.

State Officers. - George W. Mcllvaine was elected Supreme Judge of Ohio from Tuscarawas County in 1875 for a term of five years, and re-elected in 1880. J. Blickensderfer, Jr., served as a member of the State Board of Public Works from 1845 to 1852 and from 1854 to 1858. Levi Sargent filled the same position from 1861 to 1864.

Congressmen. - Tuscarawas County has had four representatives in the National Legislature as follows: John D. Cummins, Democrat, two terms, from

The following vote exhibits the Presidential vote of the county by townships for the past forty years, except for the election of 1848, the data of which were not accessible:

Town Gubernatorial Vote

The following is the official vote of Tuscarawas County for Governor of the State from 1840, the earliest date of available records, to the present time: