Franklin County, Indiana - Chapter 8: County Oi-Ficials, 1915

Chapter 8: County Oi-Ficials

The follow ini; is as near a coniijlcte list oi the various officers who have served in I'rankliii county since its organization as can now be obtained from the records of each office :

Clerks Of The Court

Enoch ^NlcCarty was clerk and recorder (both offices being held bv the same person up to the adoption of the state constitution, 1817). serving as such from 181 1 to 1817 and then as clerk until 1831 ; Robert John. 1831-45, or fourteen years; John M. J<Minston. 1845-6x5, fifteen years; Henrv Berry, Jr., 1860-68, eight years; Samuel S. Harrell, 1868-76. eight years; Ferdinand S. Swift, 1876-80, four years; William H. Bracken, 18S0-88, eight vears :

County Commissioners

The county government was in the hands of the county court from February 18, 181 1, to February 5, 1S17. A board of three county commissioners, which was the same as at present, was in charge from February 10, 181 7, to August 19, 1S24. This was chang-ed to a board of county justices, which met for the first tiiiy: September 6. 1824. The board of justices held their last session Alay 8. 1827, and were superseded by three county commissioners who met November 5. 1827. There has been no change since 1827. Beginning with the board of county ccfmmissioners February 5, 1817, the commissioners were as follows (this record is as complete as the records show) :

From September 6, 1824, ttj May 8. 1827, the board of justices had charge of the affairs of the government of the county. In September, 1824, the board consisted of tlie following: Henry Jenkinson (president), James A. Lowez, San ford Keeler, John Allen. James ^IcKnight, John Foster, Samuel Murphy, Jacob P. Ervin. Joseph Allen, Daniel Ogden, Solomon Allen, William Sims. Urban Edgerton, John Davidson, John Reid, Thomas Flint and Bradbury Cottrel.

From this date on, practically, the same system of county commissioners as now obtains has been in vogue in the county. Owing to loss of records, the commissioners for the years from 1827 to 1831 cannot be given in complete form, but it is known that among such commissioners were John Foster, James Webb and George Sutton, who comprised the first hoard after that date. Then followed, as by years indicated, the following:

It is interesting- to note that Herman Walther, wlio was electerl county commissioner in the fall of 19 14. is the first Republican ever elected to a county office in Franklin county, .

The following, elected or appointed, have served as surveyors of land within this county, as appears by the incomplete record of field notes now in possession of the county surveyor. The first name appearing on these early field notes is that of John Dunlap in 1820. The record then has the following in almost a complete chain to the present : James M. Clements seems to have been surveyor from 1831 to 1S37: W. W. Carson. 1837- 1845; James W. Clements. 1845-1848: John Wynn, 1848-1852: R. R. Spencer, 1852- 1854; Fielding Berry, from the latter part of 1854 for one year, and succeeded^by W. H. Flubbard in 1855. who served till 1857. when he was succeeded by Fielding Berry, andjie in 1858 again by \V. H. Hubbard, who served up to 1S60. when came Fielding F.erry again, serving until i86i. and was followed by G. E. Glidewell. From that year the surveyors have been as follows: H. Younts, 1864-1867; M. R. Shields, 1867-1871 : G. E. Glide- Well, 1871-1875; T. A. Flardman, 1875-1877; George W. Klipple, 1877-

Owitig to the absence of any reorfls on various officials, only the following partial list can be given of the subjoined officials of the county.

;: Pound keeper was an office that did not continue to a very late period in the C(junty's history, and among such officers are found a record of Benjamin S. Ogden, a[)pointed January 3, 1826; Xathaniel Hammond, appointed for 1833; Elijah Barwick, 1S35. and Hugh Carmichael, a year later.

Inspector Of Flour, Beef And Pork

Up to about i8j8 the office of county assessor was known as lister. Those serving under the official title of lister in this county were: James McKinney, appointed January 30, 181 5, and again in September of that year; James Raridon, appointed January 3, 1816; Urban Edgerton, 1820-21 ; NToSh Noble, 1824.

The first assessors seems to have been Robert John, appointed January 9, 1828, then followed: George Holland, appointed tor 1833; Timothy B. Scobey, i83(>; James Rosebrough. 1838: Hiram H. Butler, 1842-3-4.

The office of county assessor was provided by statute in 1801 and the first offi.cer of Franklin countv under this act was elected in the same vear.

Judges Of The Circuit Court

The following judges have presided over the circuit courts of Franklin county since the September term in 181 8, when Hon. John Test presided, with Associate Judges John llaniia and John Jacobs. The office of associate judge was abolished about 1857. Hon. John Watts served in 1819; Miles E. Eggleston, from 1819 to 1847; George H. Duim, from 1847 to 1S50; William M. McCarty, 1850 to 1854; Reuben D. Logan, 1854 to 1865; John M. Wilson, 1865 to 1869; Robert M. Lamb, 1869 to 1870: Henry C. Hanna, 1870 to 1881 ; Ferdinand S. Swift, 1881 to 1905; George L. Gray, 1905 to the present time.