Henry County, Indiana - The whole text, 1871 (part 1 of 3)

Preface

The following pages are the result of a desire to collect and preserve facts connected with the early history and growth of our county, which are constantly becoming more difficult to obtain, as the pioneers of the county are rapidly passing away. It is not supposed, however, that what has been done in these pages is all that can be done in this direction, as I have met with several persons since portions of the work were closed up, who were in possession of a fund of facts of which I would gladly have availed myself at an earlier day.

This pioneer essay, it is hoped, will not close the effort in this direction, but may stimulate some one to begin the collection of material at once, and at no dis: tant day present something more thorough and worthy of our county and the memory of those who have gone before, and through whose patient endurance and hardships we now enjov so many of the blessings of life.

It is proper, also, to state that the work of collecting material was begun late in November last, with a view to issuing only a small pamphlet of some forty or fifty pages at most. It was soon determined to enlarge the scope of the work a little, and it was advertised to contain one hundred pages, and the price fixed accordingly. As fast as the material for the first chapter was collected, the "copy" was placed in the hands of the compositor, there seldom being so much as five pages ahead, and when one hundred pages were completed, many topics too important to be omitted had not been touched, and now, with nearly one hundred and fifty pages, a large portion of the notes collected, especially those relating to the hardships and incidents of early times, with brief personal sketches of some of the early men of note, have to be omitted in toto. For nearly three months, one hundred and twenty pages have been in the binder's hands, while an unexpected pressure of other work has prevented any attempt to con x»lete the remaining pages till within a few days.

I take especial pleasure in acknowledging my obligations to Messrs. Bennett and Evans, of the Auditor's office; Messrs. Hazzard and Rogers, of the Treasurer's office; Mr. Kinsey and the late Mr. Hiatt, Clerks, and Mr. Bond, Recorder, for furnishing every possible facility for examining the county records.

Introduction

In the year 1800, "Indiana Territory" was carved out of what was previously known as the "Northwest Territory," and included nearly all of the present States of Indiana and Michigan, and all of Illinois and Wisconsin, and a portion of Minnesota.

The population of all this vast region, according to the census of 1800, was but 4,875. Michigan was erected into a separate territory in 1805, and Illinois in 1800. Previous to the separation of Illinois, the territory had been divi five counties, of which Knox, Dearborn, and Clark i within t!i.- present bounds of Indiana, and St. Clair and Randolph constituted Illinois.

In 1807, an enumeration of the "free white males over twenty-one years of age" was had, by which it appears there the ] ent limits of the State, wl would indicate that the whole population was less than 12,000. Of this number there were 616 white adult males in what was then Dearborn county, which comprised perhaps about onethird of the present limits of the State.

divided Into eighteen counties, although more than three-fourths of the State was -till in possession of the .. Prior to 1810, the Indian boundary ran easl of Centrevllle, Wayne county, and when an additional "Twelve-mile i cl ad d the limits <>r civilization to as to include tin- Ites ol Milton, Cambridge City, and almost to Baiwn, there was quite a flocking to the new country, even In if the Burvej or. So early as 1811, Thomas Symons had settled ... iii< mouth ol a small creek that emptied into West : Cambridge and Milton, and his brother Nathan ' bis residence at the mouth of another creek that unites \\ iili \\ <->! River above the Bite of the ancient villag of Vandalia. i e n'ly i> - ion of the mouths of these creeks both having their source in Liberty township,) served to attach their names to the stn ims, and Symons' Creeks were well known to the early settler of this county. Indeed it i- highly probable thai «-; the whole number of persons who entered this county, for the first five years, at least nine-tenths crossed the county )in between these jI reams.

First Settlers

The first settlers of which any reliable information has been obtained, seem to have come to the county in 1819. Prior to this time, many were " waiting ami watching over the border," in Wayne county, for the lands between West River and White River to become subject to settlement.

A law of Congress (not very rigidly enforced, however,) forbade the private purchase or occupancy of the " Indian lands." By a treaty negotiated at St. Mary's, in 1818, by Governor Jennings, Governor Cass, and Judge Parke, Commissioners on the part of the United State-," the Indians relinquished all title to the lands south of the Wabash, except two or three small reservations, and also agreed to vacate the ceded lands within three years.

From tais time the whole central portion of the State was looked upon as accessible to the whites, and the settlement of this county began at once, although no titles to land could be obtained for some time.

. and i pari <>r Barrison. surveys i"iii'_r Incomplete, no lands north of Liberty [lenrj townships were sold until the following year. Manj i in prospecting as earij as 1818 and 1819. '.'.\ this n* the fame of this magnificent region spread abroad. Its rtility, magnificenl forests, fine streams, nura thnndanl - letual dedication to the

Allen Shepherd settled nearly two miles, north by east <>f New Castle, on what is now known as the Hudleson farm, and bis elegant residence, erected about fifty-two years ago, is -till standing.

Joseph Hobson came in not far from the same time, and settled on the west sid - of the Sfo phen Elliott Farm, two miles southwest <it' row n. At his house the first courts were held, thus making it the county seat ward. Mrs. Asahel Woodard and Mrs. William Shannon arrive*! on the ->- ol July following, and Mr. Woodard planted ibout two aeres of corn, the first crop, he thinks, ever raised by a white m:ii in this i planted an old Indian field or

Very -non afterward came William Harvey, the father cf Benjamin, with Uriah Bulla, John Harris, Samuel Howard, and Hartley or Ban lay BeriDOW. Some of the last named eame ont in April or May, 1819, but had been out as early as the February preceding, selected sites, and made some improvements.

._ ,n.l probably so earrj aa 1819. Daniel an.! Am Huaton were located aboul the present vire i: | . , trading with the Indians as early as 1820. Hfrmi -..ii had n double1 log cabin near 1 1 » « - month «>f

Among the first settlers \\ ithin the present limits of Spiceland township were Daniel Jackson and Solomon Byrkett, on Blue River, near what is known as Elm Grove; Thomas G reeni. <>ii the Hiatt Farm, one-hall mile southwest of Spiceland ; an. I Samuel Carr, on the Henderson 1 1 . >.-i . -!- Farm, two miles north of Spiceland, now owned bj the Hoover boys; Allen Hunt, on the kmor Bond place, two miles wesl of Spiceland. 1 to their lands immediately after the sale, and

HuiT lived about the *ite oi the toll gate at the junction of the New Castle & Dublin, and Hopewell <!fc Flatrock Turnpikes, and Mr. Carter about one-half or three- fourths of a mile west from the site of the Flopewell Me< ting [louse.

Josiah Morris. Daniel Paul. Richard Ratlin' (father of Cornelius Ratlin-;. Richard Thompson, William McKimmy, William Maudlin, William Owen, Joseph iJ. Leak y, Benjamin Straftan, Thomas Lennard, Thomas Gilbert, Elisha Shortridge, and Jonathan Bundy were among the pioneers of Dudley township, who rani' in the winter of 1821 or spring of 1822. Of these veterans J. R. Leaky, Daniel Paul, Josiah Morris, and Jonathan Bundy still live on the spot where they at first located, and have each a fund of the early incidents and trials peculiar to those early days.

Of those who first settled Liberty township comparatively little has been learned. Weare not informed whether any came in before the land sale, but of those who came in about the time of the sale ma; be mentioned Elisha Long, Moses Robertson, T. R. Stanford, David Brower, John I.eavell, Robert Thompson, Jesse Fortner, John Baker, and a number of others. Since the purchases made at the land sale exceeded those of any other township, it is fair to suppose that quite a number had already located there.

Greensboro Towxship

Was first settled by Jacob Woods, Samuel Pickering, and perhaps two or three others, in the summer of 1821. Samuel and Jonas Pickering, Walker Carpenter, and Benjamin Kirk came through, prospecting in 1820, after visiting Winchester, Anderson, Pendleton, and other points.

Jacob Elliott built a cabin about where his son, Jacob S. Elliott, now lives, in the fall of 1821, but did not move into it till the spring of 1822.

At the time Jacob Woods located where he now lives, one and one-fourth miles east of Greensboro, there were no settlers on Blue River between Daniel Jackson's and Joseph Hobson's, except William Shannon, and for some time there were no neighbors <>n the east nearer than William Boner.*, who resided on I he old Wlckersham Farm, about four miles south of New Castle. Quite a number settled about Greensboro in the following year, and so early as 182:! a meeting was held at Duck Creek, David Baily, Joseph Ratliff, Eli Stafford, 8. Pickering, and Jacob Wood being among the "charter members."

Dempsey Rees and Roderick Craig settled on Duck Creek in the eastern edge of Harrison township, in April, 1822. This was on land now owned by Peter Shafer. Pees had raised a crop of corn on White River, about the site of Indianapolis, the year before.

Within the present limits of Stony Greek township, there were no settlers prior to the land sale which took place in 1822, and perhaps not till 1823, when John tlodgins (now very old and much enfeebled , Mr. Seholield, Jonathan Bed well, and Andrew Blount, the proprietor of Blountsville, settled there. There wen1 but three or four families on Stony Creek, in the spring of 1826, at which Lime John Hawk,"a cabinet maker of Blountsville, took up quarters there.

Within the present limits of Jefferson, at an early day, perhaps ls-ii or 1826, came Samuel Beavers, Anthony Sanders, Jane v irsh, and a Mr. Fleming, with some dtfiers. This town-

Land Sale And First Entries

There was considerable progress made in the settlement of Blue River township (then a part of Stony Creek), in 1S23. Michael Conway, Richard and Reuben Wilson, Joseph Corey, John Koons, John P. Johnson, and several others moved to this part of the county as early as 1823, a few, perhaps, having located the year previous, the precise time, however, being difficult to learn.

According to the record, Wm, Owen, of Dudley township, purchased the first tract of land in Henry county ; this transaction bearing date of February 4, 1821.* The next was David Butler, August 8, 1821, in the same township, and on the 11th of August. Josiah Morris, of Dudley, and Samuel Furgason of Wayne township, each entered a tract.

Judging from the number of purchases made, the settlers in Wayne township must have gone in a body to attend the sale, as of the twenty-five purchases made during the year, sixteen were made on the 13th of August. The following is a list of purchases during the year, with date of purchase: Samuel Furgason, Aug. 11, Thomas Estell, Aug. 13,

*It is highly probable that this is a mistake, and should have been February 4, 1822, since it is not likely that an entry could have been made six months in advance of the land sale, aud Mr. Owen did not arrive in the county till some time in 1822.

i 1 3th of kugusl seems to have been afield day forthe pcopl< ol Wayne township. On th< I4th, nothing seems to have w aether it was Sunday, or was taken up with call- -.., bids "ii the tracts of land now in Bpiceland and Franklin townships, la nol known. On the 16th, the sale commenced for lands In Henry township, when seven persons responded to thecal] their numbers, and subsequently Bome t«-n otherpurcihsscn w ere made, as \\ ill be seen below : n, The auctioneer then passed on to Liberty township, range 11 east, township 17, and found bidders more plentiful. The nd dates belov< w ill Berve to Bhow something of the tone of the market. We \\i'l lei Wm. Hoe, probably a blood relative of the celebrated Richard Roe, whom school boys will remember at ha\ Ing extensh e dealings with John 1 toe, head the list. Willi. mi itc..\ auk'. n'>. Jacob Etfnehart, >ept. 4.

Land Sale And First Entries. U.

*An "old settler" informs us that no such man owned land in the township in early times, and that he is certain that B. G. Bristol and James Wier did not enter their lands earlier than 1828 or 1829.

irtthln the limits of Jefferson township, during the year 1*22, tmi irtthln the limit- of Prairie township, there was more activity, and the following nam-- appear: hi Harve] . " " II,.-. wen generally, or all. <.n Blue River, the bottom and neond bottom Lands <>f which seemed very attractive to the earl] settler. There seems to have been butone entry within the limits of Stony Creek, that of Andrew Blunt, Jr., Nov. 11. Within tin- present limit- of Blur River, however, the following secured themselves homesteads :

Dempsej ftees entered a trad of land In Harrison township, April 39, \^>l, whirl) wa« the only piece purchased in the township, during the year. Zeno Reason and Richard Ratlin* purchased land In January following, and Levi Pearson and l be land office for thi* <ii-t ri«t was at Brookville until 1825, when it was transferred to Indianapolis, then a village of little consequence, there being fewer voters in Marion county at that time than then are hi Henry township to-day.

The manner of the land Bale was t<> commence in a certain township In a certain range, and offer each tract or eighty-acre lot, i onsecutivel) . till the whole was gone through with. If no i>n.' hid, the trai t being called bj number was soon passed. When a number was called, the "squatter" who, perhaps, had a i. w acres cleared, or a little cabin on the same, could hecome the purchaser li $1 '2.j, the minimum price, unless some one run it up Ofl him.

Where two persons had the same number and were desirous of entering the same eighty or one hundred and sixty-acre lot, it was no uncommon thing for one to buy the other off, with some trifling sum, say $10 to $2,"i, and, although the law of publie opinion \v:is such that neighbors would seldom try to buy each other's improvements from under them, still there were cases in which no little feeling was excited in such cases, and various little intrigues were resorted to, to bluff or out-wit competitors.

If for any reason a man failed to bid on a piece of land he desired to purchase, it sometimes happened that he could prevail on the auctioneer to call it up "just after dinner," or the "first thing next morning." From and after the land sale, all lands were subject to private entry at the minimum price.

By an act of the Legislature, bearing date February, 1821, " the south part of Delaware,"* commencing at the southwest corner of Wayne county, thence running: west twenty miles,

*"A11 that part of the New Purchase lately acquired of the Indians, lying east of the second principal meridian, but not included within the limits of any organized county, shall hereafter be known and designated by the name of the county of Delaware, and the counties contiguous thereto and east of the meridian shall have concurrent jurisdiction throughout." - [See page 108, Revised Laws, 1824.]

This "second principal meridian'' is about sixteen miles west of Indianapolis. The eastern limit of the "New Purchase" was the "Indian boundary," running near the western limits of Wayne county and bearing N N E till it crossed the Ohio line in Jay county. Its northern limit was the Wabash River, and it extended south to the boundary of Jennings county. Decatur, Shelby, Rush, Monroe, Marion, Huntington, Allen, and many more were formed in part out of "Delaware county," although the present county of Delaware was not organized until 1826, Ave years after Henry and Rush. This "concurrent jurisdiction" sometimes made it the duty of a High Constable of Henry county to ride all the way to White River, near the present site of Noblesville, to attach the property oi a creditor.

thence north twenty miles, thence east twentj miles, thence tothe place of beginning, was declared erected into h new eoonty, to he "known and designated i».\ the name and style of Henry county," and from and after the fl»-8l flay of June next, it wu to enjoj :>li the rights and privileges of a separate and Independent county, and, In short, to do much as other counties do.

Lawrence Brannon and John n«ll. <>i Wayne county, John Bample, ol Fayette, Richard Biem, of Jackson, and J. W. Scott, mi [Jnlon, were appointed, bj the Bame act, Commissioners, to meet at the house of Joseph Hobson, in said count] <>t' Henry, "mi the flrsl Honda; ol Julj next,'1 for the purpose of locating the county Beat.

h was also provided by the Legislature that the Sherifl of Wayne count] Bhould notifj ^ : ( \ < t Commissioners of their appointment, and thai the count] of Henry ~l i« >nl< l make said Sheriff of Wayne a reasonable compensation for such service. This mandate of the Legislature seems to have been duly honored bj our county, as we find thai 1 1 1 « - < ommissioners of Henry passed an order thai " Eliaa Willets, Sheriff of Wayne county be allowed fifteen dollars" for the service, which was certainly dheap enough, considering thai tin- appointees lived in four countps, and thai the Sheriff must travel at least 250 miles in the performance of his duty. On the other hand, these early ( ommis>ioners were certainly quite as liberal as could have lion .«xpected, -iiire the -mil was about one-tenth of the entire revenue, county and State, collected fur the first fiscal year.

T<> perfeel the organization, a corps of county officials iiad to be provided, and Governor Jennies, pursuant to a law for rases made and provided, issued a warrant, January l, 1892, to Jesse H. Healy, a citizen of the incipient county, to act as Sheriff, with instructions to issue notice of ah election to be held at -ome private house, at an early day, for the election of a Sheriff, Clerk ol the Circuit Court, two Associate Judges, and three County Commissioners. Of the number of votes cast, or tho points Oil which the contest turned, no information can at thll lay be found. This election was held prior to July, 1822,

Jesse II. Ilealy was elected Sheriff'; Rene Julian, Clerk and .Recorder; Thos. It. Stanford and Elisha Long, Associate Judges; Allen Shepherd, Win. Shannon, and Samuel Goble, Esqrs., Commissioners.

At the tim^ of the assembling of the first Commissioners' Court, June 10, 1S22, there were no civil townships in existence, within its jurisdiction, and one of its first cares was to provide a few of these indispensable dependencies, "with a local habitation and a nam**." After describing, in fitting language, the mcte< and bounds of these "territories," the Commissioners declared that "from and after the first Saturday in July next" they should each "enjoy all tin- rights and privileges andjurisdictions which to separate and independent toicnships do or may ly belong -</- appertain" - Whether this idea of an independent and separate existence and jurisdiction smacks of "State rights" or not, the reader must judge. The Commissioners were an authority in the land, in those days, and it is quite safe to conclude that they fully intended to carve out of the territorial limits of Henry county several little republics, which were to be fully competent to manage their domestic institutions in their own way.

The townships thus provided were four in number, viz. : Dudley, Wayne, Henry, and Prairie. Dudley and Wayne composed the First Commissioners' District, Henry the Second, and Prairie the Third.

The original boundaries of Henry county were not identical with those of the present day, and, as a consequence, the boundaries of the townships lying on the east and west borders of the county underwent some change when the new boundaries

HUM t,v tii- Legislature, 1" is:; . a township netting, BOtwtthsUndlng the slas «-'" the township, must have been a m 01 nr-iir la those Hmts. three fears after, when the popula- Hm bod probably m thai double*, the whole vote tor (Jov-

Dudley, th<- Bret township called into being by the fiat of the Comn.i-i.HHT-. -inn. - II. 1833, began at "the southeast corner of Henry county, of which it is a part," and winning thence west M the count} line dividing Henry, Payette and Rush counties, nine and one-fourth miles from the present east line of the county, and was sfa miles in width. It consequently contained :it least fifty-five and one-half sections of hind, and comprlsed all of its present limits and about four-fifths of the pre* ni tnu oshlp of Franklin.

\ round of log rollings, house raisings, and similar "bees" occupied much of their time, and talk with one of these veterans and you will very likely he told that they enjoyed them- - and fell as hopeful, contented, and happy as at any period since.

"Friends' Meeting House," a hewed log edifice, which the writer remembers as standing about one mile southeast «.i the present Bite of Hopewell Meeting House, was erected in ls-j;( or 1834, and was, no doubt, the first attempt at church architecture in the township or in the county.* The congregation had been in the habit of worshiping at the house of Win.

Dudley was the gateway of the county, as three principal thoroughfares from the east and southeast led through it. It presents, perhaps, less variety of surface than any other township in the county, being almost, entirely table land, lying on "the divide" between Flatrock and West River, with perhaps two-thirds of its surface finding drainage to the latter.

The passersby of early days regarded it as most unpromisingly wet. Although very little of it can be termed is now seen to be sufficiently undulating to permit the most complete drainage of almost every acre, and under improved culture the large average crops and general fertility stamps it as one of the best bodies of land in the county.

Dudley of to-day is five and a quarter by six miles in extent, an 1 thus contains about 19,000 acres ; divided into 191 farms, an average of about 103 acres each ; supporting an almost exclusively rural population of 1,348 souls, about 43}., per square mile, divided between 268 families and 267 dwellings. Of this number but 13 are foreigners - less than one per cent, while the natives of the "Old North State" number 126, or nearly ten per cent, of the whole population. The value of the lands and improvements for 1870 was $542,120. The town lots and improvements were valued at $6,300, and the personal property at $249,970, making a total of wealth of $798,590.

The first election was ordered to be held at the house of Mr. Paul, on Saturday, July 6th, 1822, for the purpose of electing one Justice of the Peace, and William McKimmy was appointed Inspector. William McKimmy and Garnett Hayden were appointed first Overseers of the Poor for Dudley township, and Richard Pearson and Robert Thompson "Fence-viewers." The elections were afterward held at Benjamin Strattan's for a number of years ; about 1840, at Daniel Reynolds' ; then at New Lisbon. Soon two polls were opened - one at New Lisbon, twcnt\ -live years ago, vie witli the world, tlie township bftS Dear thirty mllet of line turnpike, splendid and well drained farms and farm houses that vie with the best.

The n< grand division named in order, on the public records, was to be known and designated by the name and style <ii Wayne lownship. It was originally six miles from north to south, and eleven in length from east to west, including all that territory west of Dudley. It thus included in its fair domain about 12,000. acres of very valuable land, much of it to-day the most valuable in the county. Its first boundaries included one-fifth of the present townstdp of Franklin, all of Spiceland, and i --ixth of Greensboro. Although thrice shorn of a portion of it* "independent jurisdiction," its present area is a

W.n Hi- township bad, at the date of its organization, from thirty to forty families, though the very choice lands, line springs, and abundant water power of Bine River, Buck and Montgomery creeks, marked it for rapid settlement. A village was projected at the mouth of Mongomery's Creek, on the . oiinty line, as well as "old State road," at once. This became the emporium of trade for the region round about, and rejoiced in all the metropolitan splendors of a "one-eyed grocery" and dry goo - -tore kept, by Aaron Maxwell. This "Chamber of

Commerce," in 1822, consisted of a very indifferent log cabin, with a wide fire place, flanked on one side by a rude table, where Mrs. Maxwell compounded "red bread," ami on the other by a barrel of whisky and about as m uiy bolts of calico, etc., as coidd be piled upon a chair.

Raccoon pslts seem to have been the principal circulating medium, and several years afterward, when the stimulus of sharp competition had taxed the energies of the merchant princes of the day, the old ladies were at times under the necessity of sending by the mail boy for a little tea. or other luxury,and young ladies in quest of a bridal trosseau woidd mount theii palfreys and make a day's journey to Connersville for the outfit.

The Methodists had preaching at West Liberty, in a very early day, perhaps as early as 182:?, Rev. Constant Bliss Jones officiating. The preaching was held at Mr. Ilatton's private house for some time. Jones was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Brown, who seems to have resided at AVest Liberty. Mrs. Eliza Jones (then Miss Cary,) taught a school, in 1825 and 1S2G, and was the first female teacher in those parts. She, with Mrs. Peggy Jones, the minister's wife, organized the first Sabbath school in the township, perhaps in the countj-.

At the first meeting of the Board of Commissioners, an election was ordered to be held at the house of Joseph Watts, July 6th, for the purpose of electing the one Justice of the Peace for the township. Abraham Ileaton was appointed Inspector, and seems to have been elected the first Justice. In August, Elijah McCray and E. Hardin were appointed Constables of Wayne township, until the February term, next in course. In November, Daniel Priddy was also appointed Constable. Ebenezer Goble and Samuel Furgason were appointed Overseers of the Poor, and Daniel Ileaton, Shaphet McCray, and Jacob Parkhurst first "Fence- viewers in and for Wayne township," and Abraham Ileaton was also appointed Superintendent of the school sections in Wayne township. The elections in this township were afterward held at Prudence Jackson's house, till 1825; changed to Solomon Byrkett's, in

Abraham Beaton seems t«> have had, at this earlj day, a mill erected at the month <-(' Buck Creek, a few rode south of" whit haa i«>r man] yean been known as the "White Mill." John Anderson, afterward "Judge Anderson," then a fresh arrival, dng tin- race and, receiving $100 for the samfe, walked to Brookville ami entered a part of the present sit.- of Kaysville.

[mmedlatelj alter the organization of the township was effected, the Commissioners ordered the location of a road "to commence at tin- town of New Castle, ami from thenee the Dearest and besl waj to Abraham Heaton's mills, ami from thence to the count] line, where section thirty-three ami thirtyfour corner in township sixteen and range nine, on the line dividing fifteen ami sixteen." The terminus was West Liberty, and the mute selected was the river route from New Castle via Teas1 mill, the stone quarry, and Elm Grove. This was the id ordered in the county, the first being from New Castle via John Baker's and David Thompson's, on Symons' Creek, to the count] line, on a direct course, to shook's Mill, in Wayne county, which Bhows of what importance the opening of the '-< racker line" was to the early settlements. Not to he wondi red at either, since l*going t<> mill" required about two to fcur day- out of the month.

Wayne is the most populous and wealthy township of the count] to-day. According to the recent census, its area is divided into 306 farm-: an average of about 103 acres each. It has a population of 3,331, or about 100 per square mile. The vain.- of lands ami Improvements tor 1870 was 1684,710; of town lots and Improvements, 3433,120; while personal property foots up to the snug little sum of $692,540, making atotal of $1,7S4,370.

Knlghtstown, Kaysville, and Grant and Elizabeth Cities, 330 of it- 680 families residing in Knightstown alone. Dudley and Wayne, with the townships carved out of them, constitute the First Commissioners1 hi-triet, as they always have.

Ilenry, the third township, in the "order of their going," upon the records, was also called up June, 1822, and was a strip of territory six miles wide, extending quite across the county from east to west, and including what is now Liberty, Henry, three-fifths of Harrison, and nearly all of Greensboro township. This constituted the Second Commissioners' District. It at first contained 118 square miles, or over 75,000 acres.

Henry township now contains 36 square miles, and is nearly the geographical center of the county, and is the only one in the county in which the Congressional is identical with the civil township. Ten years after the organization of the county, this township had not over 509 inhabitants, while to-day it numbers over 2,800, nearly one-half of whom live in the "rural deestricts." It now contains 135 farms of near 160 acres each, and maintains a population of 78 to the square mile. There are 592 families, 67 colored persons, 121 of foreign birth, and 152 natives of old North Carolina, in the township.

Blue River, dividing the township nearly in the center, is too sluggish to furnish a good mill scat within the limits of the township. Duck Creek skirts through the northwest corner of the township, and Flatrock through the southeast corner. The table lands between these streams are nearly one hundred feet above the bed of Blue River, and, although there is perhaps as much rolling land in this township as any in the count}r, there is very little so rolling as to merit the term broken, or too much so as to admit of culture. Recent efforts at ditching and straightening the channel of Blue River bid fair to completely redeem the marshy bottom lands, which are of inexhaustible fertility.

The county seat being located in Henry township Avould of itself (even in the absence of natural advantages,) hav.e secured to this township an important position in the county, both

The fourth of the original townships, included all the territory lying north of Henry, and was eight miles in width and nearly twent] in length, thus giving it an area of nearly 160 square mill - or all. tut 105/HX) acres* Within its ample limits were all Of the present townships of Blue River, Stony Creek, Prairie, Jefferson, Kail Creek, and about two-fifths of Harrison.

In spite of the mutations which have since overtaken it, the township of this day remains live miles in width by eight in length, thus containing over 25,000 acres, which arc divided Into 2i»l farms, averaging about 122 acres each.

Prairie contains four villages, viz.: Luray, Springport, Mt. Summit, and Ilillsboro. About seventy families live in the villages, and two hundred and forty in the "country."' The Population numbers 1,022, or a little more than forty to the Mjuare mile. The value of farms and improvements last year -s.m |569,310; of town lots and improvements, $10,610; of personal property, $258,650, making a total for the township of fviS,»70.

one-half its surface finds drainage to the north and the remainder southward, and although tints situated on the "water shed," nearly one-sixth of its snrfat c consists of low, wet meadows, from fifty to eighty feet below the general level of the table binds. It is from these meadows <»r prairies that the township take- its name. These "flowerj leas" seem ever to have been coveted, although within the memory of the oldest inhabitant large portions of them were so Hooded with water much of the year as to be chiefly valuable as the resort of waterfowl. Today, however, under an extensive system of drainage, even the wettest portions of these prairies are heing thoroughly redeemed, making farms which for inexhaustible fertility cannot be surpassed anywhere.

The first election for Justice of the Peace was held July 6, 1S22, at the house of Absalom Harvey, Win. Harvey, Inspector. Wm. Harvey and Abijah Cane were, appointed first Overseers of the Poor, and Abraham Harvey, James Massey, and Robert Gordon, Fence-viewers "in and for said township." In 1826, the place of holding elections was changed to Sampson Smith's, afterward to Enoch Dent's, and again to E. T. Hickman's, where it remained for many years, but, in 1846, was changed to James Harvey's.

The first school house in the township was built on Shubal Julian's land, better known of late as the "Shively Farm," perhaps in 1824 or 1825. It was a small affair, with split saplings for seats, and a fire-place across the entire end. Senator Hess and Ex-Treasurer Julian graduated here. Milton Wayman was first teacher. This house, was also used as a church by the Baptists.

irlde oj riJ and thrai -fourths In length, thus embracing about fortj square miles, mostly table land, of a very (toe quality generally. FUtrock, rising in BlueRlvei township, enters this - m Dshlp near the middle of it.- northern boundary, passing out DMi the southwest corner. The vallej of thia stream is so and, although too sluggish to be of much value for hydraulic purposes, It, with it- -mall tributaries, seema In some way con-: neoted with the drainage and fertility of a pride belt of sui>erb (arming lands. The two Symons' Creeks, hereto fore mentioned, (tod their sources in Libert) township, and dow furnish ample drainage to many sections of Bne land that, doubtless, in the paily days of this connty, passed for very wel land.

The aggregate value of the farms and improvements of Libcm township to-day exceeds that of the farms of any other township of the county, and the evidence of thrift and "farming for profit" arc nowhere mare generally visible than in Liberty township. Four villages have been projected in the township -Millville, Ashland, Petersburg, and Chicago, though it is presumed that the proprietors of the two last named, if still Living, have long since abandoned the hope of seeing them outstrip their namesakes. Under the new turnpike law, many miles of turnpike have sprung into existence, and to-day the

The population numbers 1,868, almost exclusively rural. Its 24,000 acres arc divided Into 2(!U farms; an average of 120 acres ci'h. Ii- population numbers about 49 to the square mile, and is divided between 376 families. There are ft persons of color, 19 foreigners, 64 North Carolinians, and :?2 Virginians, within

Stoxy Creek Towxship

The lirst election was held at the house of Ezekiel Leave]], on the first Saturday in May, 1S23, for the election of two Justices of the Peace. Ezekiel Leavell was Inspector. John Smith was made Supervisor of all the roads in the' township. Jacob Tharp and Cyrus Cotton were appointed Overseers of the Poor. In 1S25, the elections were ordered to be held at the house of Samuel I). "Wells, and continued to be held at his house for a number of years.

Tins township, the next in order of organization, was "set up" November 11, 1828. By its creation Prairie Township lost about one-third of its "independent jurisdiction," as Stony Creek was bounded on the west by the range line separating ten and eleven, and extending, as it did, to the eastern boundary of the county, including all north of Liberty township, made it a region uf no small consequence. It was at first eight miles from north to south, six miles wide on the north, and about six and three-fourths on its south line, and had in its ample area about forty-nine and one-half sections of land. A tier of eight sections have since been re-annexed to Prairie to compensate, no doubt, in a measure, for the loss of more than two townships on the west. Blue Biver township lias also been carved out of Stony Creek, thus reducing it in size to bare twenty square miles, about two-fifths of its primal area, and leaving it the smallest of our "baker's dozen."

The township is fittingly named from a creek, which, rising near, runs nearly parallel with, its southern border, then runs north across the township and finally into "White River. The immense quantities of bowlders or "traveled stones" scattered over some of the highest ridges and points in the township surface an l soil than any other equal area in the county, and while there is every variety of timber to be found in the county, so far as our observation has gone, there is a larger pr-.j, irtlon of oak here than elsewhere, and less poplar, ash, &c, than in any place Boutb of township eighteen.

equal toany in the county, while the higher lands, which the casual oh-, rver would, perhaps, pronounce thin or poor, not only produce abundant crops of the smaller grains, hut Indian corn of more than average Bize. There are 118 farms in the township; an average of about 109 acres each. Blountsville and Rogersville are the only villages. The population is 034; dividcl between 197 families. There are thirteen colored persons, 10 foreigners, 21 natives of North Carolina, and I>5 Virginians in the towi

This township can boast of capacious barns, some of which, for style and finish, would put to shame the dwellings of some of our well-to-do farmers.

'I'll first election was held at the house of Thomas Hohson. Jr., December 20, 1898, for the purpose of electing one Justice of the Peace, Wm. Wyatt, Inspector.

V All C B E E K T Owns Ii I P.

m length, from north to south, by seven in width-. Tt thus embraced within its limits fifty-six square miles, or 35,840 acres, and yet with this ample domain the township could only muster twenty-nine votes at an exciting election, in 1830, and of these hut three were Whig votes. Since this day, a strip two miles in width has been given to Harrison township, and two miles on the east to Jefferson, leaving the township six miles in length, from north to south, and five miles in width.

Fall Creek is a well watered and very fertile township, and rrell improved farms and good buildings indicate that the husbandman is being well repaid for his labors. The creek from which the township takes its name, rising near the north-east corner, and meandering through, leaves the township, near the southwest corner, having sufficient fall to furnish valuable water power. Deer Creek, a tributary, rising in Harrison township, near Cadiz, emptying into Fall Creek, about one and one-half miles north of Mechanicsburfif, also furnishes fair water power, A "corn cracker'' was erected on this stream, about the year 1826. Benjamin Franklin, then a boy, now a noted preacher, is said to have dug the race. This was the first mill in that part of the county, and, notwithstanding these early facilities for procuring the "staff of life," Lewis Swain and others might have been seen living on grated corn bread or mush, for weeks at a time, some eight years afterward.

A very rude log school house, with split pole benches and greased paper windows, did service in the Keesling neighborhood, as late as 1831 or 1832. Robert Price, a brother of Rice Price, was the first teacher. Lewis Swain was afterward Principal of this institution. Some of the earlier settlers can remember attending log rollings every day for weeks together.

Middletown, Meehaniesburg, and IToney Creek are the villages of the township, and contain nearly one-half the populalation of the township; 197 families living in town, and 209 in the country. The total population of the township is 2,004, or about CG to the square mile. Of these 31 are foreigners, 36 North Carolinians, 321 Virginians, and 4 colored persons.

All elections were ordered i<> be held al the house of Abraham Thomas, but, In 1832, ii was ordered that they hereafter b« hold at liiddletown.

franklin township was organized on the 5th of January, ; i. h was constructed out i>uill.-y ami Wayne townships, ami. from tin' filler making it a township, we learn that tin' west line was aboul three-fourths of mile west of the a illair.- of Ogden, ami continued north to the line dividing townships Bixteen and seventeen, which would make the northwest rn limits of the township. This gave it jurisdiction over nearly all it- present territory, all of Spiceland, a .-mall fraction w :i\ ue just north of the "stone quarry"; .and three sections now claimed by Greensboro. In the following year, a change was made in the western boundary, which gave Wayne another tier of Bections and made the northwest corner of Franklin township, just about where the Duck (reek Meeting House now

All elections were ordered to be held at the house of Joseph Copeland. John Copeland was appointed Inspector, and Joseph helium. Lister; and the first election was ordered on the first irday in February, 1830. Upon the setting up of Spiceland i"" oship, in 1822, Franklin, which underwent another mutation, was given a slice off of Dudley, and was then contracted to it* present limits Of live miles in width, from cast to west, by six in length.

Flatrock "drags its slow length along*' near the middle of t!ie township, and, although at two or three points it lias been compelled tododuty as a mill stream, it has never established much of a character for energy. It, however, is the natural drain of a remarkably fertile body of haul. Buck Creek drain* the northwest corner of the township.

The present area of the township is about 17,200 acres, divided into 151 farms; an average of about 114 acres cad. Lewisville is the only village, 8G families residing in it, white 313 "reside in the country." Of the population 42 are foreigners 13are colored, 124 are North Carolinians, and 29 Virginians.

Greensboro town-hip, so named from an ancient village of North Carolina, was organized fc&pfiember 7, 1S31. It was at first described as -Lall that part of the territory of Henry townsi of the rango line dividing nine and ten." This made is seven miles from east to west, and six from north to south, which would include nearly all of the prsent area of the township and three-fifths of Harrison. In 1838, one-half its territory was given to Harrison, and a small addition - lour square" miles - was made to it, taken from the townships of Wayne and Franklin. This change removed the township line one mile south from the village of Greensboro, and left the township with an area of twenty-five square miles, or about 1(1,000 acres, divided into US farms; an average of about 135 acres each.

Greensboro and AVoodville, on the line between Harrison and Greensboro, are the only villages. Of the 315 families in the township 70 live in Greensboro. The population ot the township numbers 1,490. Of these but 6- are reported of forg) iikm; . COUNTTj PAST and PBE8ENT.

rdered to be held al Greensboro. The Id on the fourth Saturday of September, 1831, and m ide the first [nsp sctor of Elections, n well watered and fertile township. Blue River, skirting through the southeast corner, and Duck Creek, running a< r a end, furnish fine water power.

knolls, supplied with the most excellent grave), render turnpike building a comparatively easy matter. Montgomery's Creek, crossing the township near the middle, and Six-mile, rising In, and running across, the western part of the township, renders the c< of a large and fertile portion of

The large and Important township of Harrison was formed out of the north hair of Greensboro and two tiers of sections off the south side of Fall < reek, November 7. 1838, and all elections w. re ordered to be held at Cadiz.

The general aspcel of this township, which is live miles south and seven from oast to west, is. that or high gently and ulatiBg table land, with considerable portions inclining to wet, but very fertile under a system of intelligent drainago already extensively begun. A larger number of small mils find their head waters in this than any oilier township of the county perhaps. A small portion of the northeast corof the township finds drainage into Bell Creek, and run* nor h, and near the same dpot rises Honey Creek, also running north. Deer Creek, rising near the center of the township, also runs north by west, and empties into Fall Creek near Mechanicsburg, while two other small tributaries of Fall Creek liave their source in the north and northwest portions of the township, and in the central and western portions, Sugar Creek takes its rise aud runs west, while Montgomery's Creek rises in tlie south part and runs south, and the west fork of Duck Creek rising near Cadiz, also runs south, while the principal branch of that creek, with some small tributaries, pretty effectually drains the eastern end of the town. -hip. A little south and wost of Cadiz can d I e found some of the highest hind in tl «

At the first election, en the first Saturday in December, I - I, William Tucker Inspector, there were thirty-two votes cast - sixteen for each of the opposing candidates lor Justice of the Peace - which state of facts rendered another election necessary. Considering that the county had been settling up for a score of years, thirty-two voters must be counted rather slow pr< jress. Harrison has to-day a population of 1.016, of whom 32 arc colored, 15 arc foreign born, 101 are natives ut' North Carolina, and 100 were born in Virginia.

The first church and school house was probably at Clear Spring, in the southeast corner of the township, constructed in IS31-2, while it was a part of Greensboro township.

. :- It *ai bund faj taking sli< B Wayne and a fourp off the weal side of Franklin township, it la of irregipe, being da mlleato length on the eastern Bide, with

< reek, running In a southwest course, crosses the southeastern corner of the township into Rush, where it makes a short turn and re-enters Henry county about the mi. idle of th line of the township and bearing in a northwest Bourse, nearly four mil into Wayne township and falls ie River at the old Heaton or White Mills, furnishing Juable water power, perhaps, than any other stream of in the county, notwithstanding it is a very sluggish -i\ or seven miles, or at least one-half itslengtb. Blue River, on tli" northwest, and tin' classic little stream ; Brook Bezor, which rises near tin' center of the township and runs north two and one-half miles with an average .;.--., nt of about tliirty feet to the mile, constitute the only : i - of note in thetownship. Notwithstanding the sinallness of Spice-land township in respect to arcn, ii i- bj no means insignificant in some other il is the third in point of population in the county, and ;in average in point of wealth, while its farm lands are assessed, for purposes of taxation, about twice as high as >ome other parts of the county,and more than five dollars higher upon the acre than the next highest in the county. Tins is doubtless owing In part to its division into smaller farms and consequent thorough tillage, bu< much Is owing to the high average quality <>t' the land for general farming purposes.

The population <>f Spiceland township numbers 2,020, or about '-'- i»t square mile; <>f these 334 were born In North Carolina^ in Virginia, 17 out of the United states, and c>5 aru d persons.

The first election was held at Ogden, August, 1812. A few years afterward, the poll was divided, and elections have been held both at Spiceland and Ogden ever since, Spiceland generally giving the strongest poll lor ten years past.

This township was organized 'September 5, 1843, out of the spare territory of Fall Creek and Prairie. The eastern half of it, is eight miles in length, while on the west line it is but six miles. It is lour miles in width and contains twenty-eight Square miles, or nearly 18,000 acres, all passably good land, and much of ii very line farming land-. Its principal stream is Bell Creek-, which, with its tributaries, traverses nearly the entire length of the township. Honey Creek is in the southwest, and a branch or tributary of Buck Creek, in the northeast corner, oarrics into white River a portion of its surplus waters. Of the Soil and general characteristics of the township we can speak less from actual observation than of any other equal portion of the county. Sulphur Springs is the only village.

The population of the township numbers 1,234, divided into 330 families, 175 of whom live in the agricultural districts. There are 23 foreigners, 12 North Carolinians, and 109 Virgintans in the township. The average size of a farm in this township is about 103 acres, and the population numbers about 40 to the square mile.

The elections were first ordered to bo held at the house of Michael Swope, on the 2nd day of October, 1843, for the purpose of electing a Justice.

count] . <-< n tains :i trifle more than twenty-two square miles. It was formed from the south hair of Stony Creek township, by the * ' ommissi< ners, on the 6th day of June, 1848.

Blue River township takes its name quite aptly from b< [ng . both branches of the stream of that name, so intimately connected with the prosperity and history of our county. "Big 1 it is often called, rises near the middle of the

!. portion of the township, and runs nearly north about three and one-half miles to within about one-half mile of Rogers die. in Stony Creek township, where it hears to the west and i« soon wending its way amid the prairies of Prairie town- *;d;>. The slashes or head waters of this branch of the river are known in the G. W. Duke neighborhood by the classic cognomen of G ' reek. The stream has a fall of perhaps twenty n ile for the first three and one-half or four miles, and, although the volume of water is small, at the ordinary Stage, there are two pretty valuable mill seats on it before it reaches J'ruiiit. -I ittie Blue" rises near the north line and northeast corner of the township, and, running in a general southwest on into Prairie township, unites with the main branch about two miles north of New Castle. On this branch of Blue River are situated the flourishing woolen mills of Ice, Dunn *fc Co., am] the celebrated Qernley Mills,aswel] as some of the farms in the north part of the county. Flatrock also rises in the northeastern portion of this township, and takes a southwesterly direction, while a small branch of Stony (reek. almost Interiapping with "Little Blue," somehow finds its way through the "water shed" of this part of the county, and runs north Into White River, near the western boundary of Randolph county. From the number of streams finding their initial point in the township, and running in opposite directions, ire easily reach the very correct conclusion that some of the highest lands in the county arc to lie found here; but being the highest by no [means signifies the dryest. i as of the township require drainage, to make them available to the husbandman, but when so reclaimed a quality.

Tliis little township i i exclusively rural, having neither village nor postoftice within its limits, unless a half interest in the half dozen houses knowi laimed as a village.

[The population numbers 861 - the smallest number of any of .these civil divisions of our county. Of its population 13 are colored persons, 7 a ins, and 70 ar«

The farms and improvements were valued, last year, at l$2C!),ir>0, and the personal property at $8S,990; total, $358,240 ; an average of about $2,250 per family at the assessed value, or BBS than one-half of the real value.

The First Courts

The act of the Leg! ilature organizing the county provided :that the "Circuit Court and all other courts shall meet and bs at the house of Jos< ph n, until suitable accommodation can be had at the county seat." The same act, however, provided that the Circuit Court might, if in its wisdom it deemed it advisable, remove to some more suitable place. commissioners' qoukt.

In accordance with these provisions, the Commissioner*' Court assembled at the house of Joseph llobson (elsewhere mentioned as being on the Stephen Elliott farm), on thelOth day of June, 1822, and we find the following as the first record of an official character ever made in the county of Henry: receive donations of grounds made for the purpose of a county Seat, building-, &c. The July term was called for the purpose of appointing such Agent, and "the lot fell upon" Ezekie] Leavell, who was duly charged with the duty of superintending the sale of town lots in the New Castle that was to be, the making of deeds, and, in addition, when a court-house, a jail, or a Jtray pen was to be constructed, the Agent was ordered to "offer lor sale to the lowest bidder, in the town of New Castle, the building of the court-house of Henry county," or the erecting of a "pound, commonly called a stray pen," or the "jail of Henry county," as the case might be.

The "Commissioners' Court was a very important institution in early times. Treasurers. Collectors, Listers, Constable?, Pound-keepers, Supervisors, Road-viewers, County Agents, Township Agents, Superintendents of school sections, School Commissioners, County Surveyors, Inspectors, &c., were all the creatures of this body. It not only was the keeper of the public funds, levied or remitted the taxes, made the allowances of the other officers, but granted permits to "keep tavern," "keep store." -keep grocery," or "peddle clocks,-' and with equal facility lixed the price of "liquors, lodgings,horse feed, and stablage." The early Commissioner seemed equally at home, whether allowing the Treasurer fifteen dollars for his annual services, or Regulating the cost of a half pint of whisky, quart of cider or "gallon of oats or com."

Boakd Of Justices

On the 31st of January, 1824, the Legislature enacted that the Justices of the. Peace for the several counties should constitute a "Board of Justices" for the transaction of "county business," with all the powers and duties heretofore exercised by the Commissioners. It was made the duty of "each and even- Justice in the several townships to meet" at the seat of Justice on the first Monday in September following, "and then and there to organize themselves into a County Board of Justice?, by eleeting°one of their body President," etc., "and to meet on the first Monday of January, March, May, July, September, and Xoveinber, in each and every year,"' at such time, unless the county of Henry and nine other counties lying In the central pari <>i" the State. This new arrangement took effect on the first day of August of the same year.

Wr. Rene Julian, Clerk, on a fly-leaf of the docket, this is the krst entry ever made by the Circuit Court of Henry county. Alter the paragraph above recited, is found recorded a copy of the commissions of Judges Stanford and Long, bearing date of July "), 1822, in which Hi? Excellency Governor Jonathan Jennings sends greeting to all men and "the rest of mankind" that he has commissioned the aforesaid T. E. Stanford and the aforesaid Elisha Long Associate Jud

"For the county of Henry for and daring the term of seven years, and TJntil his successors be appointed and qualified should he so long behave well."

"Be it remembered that, on the 7th day of August A. D. 1822, personply came the within commissioned, Thos. K. Stanford or Elisha Long), and took the oath against dueling, the oath to support the Constitution of the United state;, the oath to support the Constitution of this state, and also the oath of office as an Associate Judge of the Henry Circuit Court- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 7th day of Engus . Jksse li. Healy, Sheriff of Henry County."

Returned into this court the writ of venire facias heretofore issued out out of this court, with the following panel to serve as Grand Jurors, the term, to- wit: Daniel Heaton, whom the court appoints as foreman. Joseph Wats, Ezekiel Leavell, Absalom Harvey, Wn, Bell, David Baily. .John Baker, Jesse Cox, Samuel Dill, John Dougherty, Jacob Park - Richard Parsons, Wm. Riden, Dempsey Bees, and David Thompson, good and. lawful men, and householders ef the county of Henry, who, being duly sworn and by the court charged, retired to their room to deliberate."

Of this first Grand Jury, consisting 0f fifteen member?, we believe Dempsey Eees is the only living representative. The room to which they ''retired to deliberate" was a convenient log heap hard by. Lot Bloomfield, producing a licence signed by the presiding Judge, was permitted to practice in the court, upon taking the necessary oath. He was also made Prosecuting Attorney for "this and the succeeding term of this court and until a successor be appointed."

The next entry shows that Andrew Shannon so far forgot the dignity and solemnity of the occasion as to "swear two profane oaths in the presence of the court," for which he waa

On the next day the court - rdesed that the "permanent BeaJ I !- in v county shall i>i- engraved on brass, with a vignette of md stars espial to the number of States In the Union,' ii» t.. be about that of a dollar, and around the rnargin."the words, Il'un/ circuit Court." An "ink scrawl, with the words Uenrj county biserted therein," was to be the temporary seal.

court, and. being dray sworn, declared his intention of becoms bona fldt citizen of the I United states, and that he "abjures all allegiance t" all foreign princes and potentates whatever, sin! particularly to George Fourth, King of Great Britain and Ireland and Prince of Wales."

assault and battery, t<>-w it \ one against Solomon Byrkett, two against Samuel Bedson, and one against Peter Smith. Bedson then appeared at "the liar of the court" and acknowledged himself guilty as charged in the indictment, and. dispensing with a jury, threw himself upon the mercy of the court "which after due deliberation being had therein." '-it was considered by

At the March term. Bloomfleld failed to put in an appearance, and -lame- Gilmore, a resident attorney, was appointed to cute "the ideas of the state."

'-It being forthwith demanded of him how he will acquit himself of t* e charges, set forth iu the indictment, for plea says he is not guilty as he stands indicted, and for trial thereof puts himself upon the country, and the said James tiilmore, Prosecutor aforesaid, doth the like; and thereupon came a jury, to- wit: Win. Shannon, Nathan Pearson, James Ro/.ell, Samuel Bedson, Cristopher IJuud\, Minor Fox, Jacob Richey, Hugh M^Danicl, Win. Row (or Roc), John Blunt, Josiah ( lawson, and Jacob Witter,"

There was but one civil action tried, during this term, but the Grand Jury returned into court, on the second day, seven indictments: one against the dinner of the court-house, for selling liquor without license; one against Wesley Prior, Eli Ellis, and Charles See, '"for rout;'' one each against Commissioneis Elisha Shortridge and Allan Shepherd, for "extortion ;" and three cases of assault and battery. The cases for extortion, perhaps were what would, at this day, be termed taking usurious interest. At least there seems to have been no further notice taken of the matter, the order book not indicating that they were dismissed, quashed, continued or tried.

At this distant day, it will seem a little strange thrt the best or foremost men of the times should be found among the law-breakers and among the first "hauled over the coals" for it.

This March term of the court fixed a scale of prices for the Clerk to be govered by in taking bail of those charged with offences, as follows: For assault and battery, $100; for routs, $50; for extortion, $100; selling spirituous liquor without license, $20; and subsequently it further instructed that for indictments for perjury the bail should be $300; for violations of the"Estray act," $100; for affray, $50; and for robbery on the public highway, the sum of $100. From all of which it would hall the h ill 'i -in in I 'ii of on - no in who attacke l another without first obtaining his consent, and It will also be noticed thai i - :»ijlt ;iml iiatu-ry was placed on a par with highway robbery, \i th. Mir.it term, the Grand Jury, thirteen in number, wen allowed |19 50 tor their services, and the Prosecutor $8 for prosecuting the plea - State and drawing up the seven indlctaiettts and such other services bj Ik could render, and was continued i<>r the next term and until a successor should be appointed, although do tl the time a licensed attorney, and the oourl sdji nrned, altera three days' Bession, without disposing of -i tingle - the trial of one of the Grand Jurors here-

ruing vagrants*), on account of a charge of vagrancy against a citizen ol Henry county. The following panel of six- Grand Jurors, "good and lawful men,'' were selected to illbi suspected to get his livelihood by gaming, ever] able bjlieJ parson, «in i foun.l loitering and wanderin; net having wherewithal to maintain himself by i>ome visible etaEe himself to Labour r»r some honest <-all- i livelihood, and :>11 persons who quit their habitation and their «i\.-s mid children without suitable means of subsidence, me chargeable to the county, and all - persons, rambli ithont any visible means of soli ill be deemed and considered as vagrants. -

Of this jury of "lawful men" two only were under indictment at the time for violating the laws of tlie land. Twelve of the sixteen hav< passed from works to rewards. James Stanford, Asahel YVoodard, Wm. McDowell, and Joshua Welboin ll alive, and reside in the county.

The principal expenses fortius term of court were: Sixt^»-n Grand Jurors, $12; bailiff, 75 cents; Prosecutor, $2; two Judges. $4; total, $18 75.

Jamison, for selling liquor without license, was tried at the next term of the court, found guilty, and fined three dollars, which Has just what he charged the court for the use of the cabin as a court room. \s he was afterward granted license to sell liquors, it is evident that the offence consisted not so much in the sale "f the liquor, a- in having neglected to replenish the almost empty treasury with the five dollars, which was levied solely ;>>! purposed of revenue, and not in anywise intended to restrict the traffic.

The August term of the Circuit Court was held by the Associate Judges, Hon. lilies Eggleston, Presiding Judge, not, as yet, having deigned to visit our county.

To call to the minds of some of the older citizens men oik e familiar to them, the names of the Grand Jury are given also: Jo'ia Do rah, foreman, a> usual, Levi Butler, Kbenezer Goble, Thom- .- 1.. onard, Thomas Watkins, John Blunt, On-sre Hohson, James M iKimra . , Robert Smith, Allen Hunt, Jesse Cox, John Marshall, Nat! a i Davis, ind isiata Morris.

Jo3iah Morris and R. Smith are the only representatives of this jury. After a three days* session, the jury returned into court two indictments for assault and battery, three for affray, one for violation of the estray law, one for robbery, and one for psrjury. In the five years immediately succeeding the organiz ition of the county, ninety-one "true bills" were found for virions offences -'against the peace and dignity" of the State of Indiana. Something of the nature of the ills to which society w h:it would our citizens think to-day Of having four-fifths of the tin)*- of our courta taken up with the adjustment of pergonal enoonnten between our citizens. The "fistic" proclivities ..I ,.ur cftbwna are, without doubt, very much improved in forty

Ih.n. Miles C. Egfrteston, the Prealdent Judge for the Fifth Circuit put In an appearance for tin' tint time November 17, tin* being the fifth session since the county was organized. The following order appears on the docket for that day :

-Mil motion, it is ordered that it be inggestod on the records of this eourl thai Reuben Ball, the plaintiff in this cause, is deceased, since the last tern of this court."

tad, are suppose, the suggestion was made accordingly. The u''\t cause was Continued till the next term of court, and the court take time until then to consider of the law arising in case.*1

The Dext order was that all indictments found by the Grand .Jury, at the August term. In quashed, and the defendants in said indictments be thereof quit and discharged, &c* To this in- lutograpfa i-> appended - the only time it occurs on the order book.

It would seem that W. W. Wick was made Judge of the Circuit, in 1834, but, being elected Secretary of State. Governor Itendrii k- appointed Bethuel F. Morris President Judge, "in th< room*1 of said Wick.

First Attorneys

While Anderson was on the bench, there was an appeal case came up before him and his associate, in which he was defendant, and it is noticeable that the defendant gained the case and his costs off tue plaintiff, and then allowed himself two dollars for extra services at that session. It is not to be inferred from this that justice was not done, for the Judge soon brought suit in his own court, as Paymaster of the Indiana Militia, against Sheriff Ilealy, for failure to collect the muster lines off the conscientious people of the county, and, after continuing the case from day to day and term to term, he was finally beaten, Bethuel Morris, perhaps, presiding when the decision was reached.

Soon after this, one. Jacob Tharp tiled an information in court to the effect that the said Judge Anderson was an alien, and therefore not competent to fill the position occupied. A rule was granted against tlie Judge to show why he should not be ousted from his seat. This he must have done to the satisfaction of the court, as he continued to hold on to his position, and at a subsequent term he obtained judgment for costs against Tharp, Anderson and Ids associate apparently deciding the case. So much for early courts and manner of doing business.

It cannot be doubted that the ends of justice were quite as faithfully subserved in that day as at present, and that it was generally quite as speedily meted out, notwithstanding the quaintness of style and rather "hifalutin'' ring of some of the proceedings.

It has already been mentioned that Lot Bloomfield, Esq., was "sworn in'' as the first Prosecutor of "the pleas of the State" for the Henry Circuit. There were but four indictments r..iit. -i. .11 lb) taaaull and battery, and, an one of th. culprit««"lit .-,,-- u:.- build nol guilty, and sti)i another plead . _ ouij fined one dollar for two offences, the. Pros-

. utor, doubtless, rell that bis luck was none of the best. U isj ; ...,! Information waa lodged with the jury thut som. grace- -. imp had been guilty of larceny, butjju&t b. for. tli* fmdlug or returning ol a bill, the foreman learned thai he had )>fti the eountj : to It iraa concluded that it would be a waste ol ammunition t<> finish proceedings against him, and they at oncflj dropped the ease, Thla did nol mil the Atton - 10 grumbled considerably, and called the attention of the jury to the fad that ll coal much labor to draw up the papers in each] ed them that he waa at great expense in travel in J ad from court for board, Ac., Ac. The court made him tlie very liberal allowance of five dollars, which was one dollar

\t the \.ugusl term, 1823, Charles Test, Esq.. and Martin H. Raj were admitted aa attorneys and counsellors at law, "and thereupon took the oath of office."

Al the Vprll term, 1825, Harvey Gregg, Esq., appears] with a regular commission as Prosecuting Attorney for thf Pllth Judicial Circuit, Henry county had previously been in tl Third Circuit \i this term Abraham Elliott was appoint, d Master of < hancery, whatever that maj be, and Moses Cox wai admitted to the bar.

At the October term, 182G, James Whiteomb appeared with credentials as Prosecutor for the Circuit, and Septimus Smith and Albert G. White were admitted as attorneys.

At the October term, 1828, on motion of S. C. Sample, Wm. Daily and Caleb B. Smith, having produced license signed by "two President Judges of the State of Indiana,"' were admitted to practice in the Henry Circuit Court, and, on motion of James SRaridan, Esq., John S. Newman was in like manner admitted.

From the foregoing li-t it will be seen that the early practitioners at the Henry county bar included many of the ornaments of the legal profession of our State. At a later day, came Parker, Fulian, Morton, and others scarcely less noted, to say nothing of, resident attorneys, ot whom a number have won a name abroad, Among those who were quite frequent in their attendance upon our earlier courts were quite a number who have distinguished themselves as orators, members of Congress, Go ven - ors of our State, and eminent jurists. With such examples before us as the Rays, Whiteomb, the two Smiths, Test, Parker, J.dian, Morton, and others, one is liable to indulge the reflection that the Henry county bar was nure ably served in early times at present.

'it should be borne in mind, however, that the tendency of a general diffusion of knowledge is to lessen the difference between men, growing out of their acquirements, and he who may have seemed almost a prodigy of learning forty years ago might not to-day pass for much more than an ordinary person. Great talents and great learning will, doubtless, be treated with much consideration for all time to come, but the time has long

, .,, | Mend ofonw remarked that the Teat?, Baridana, sn.iili-. Whltcotnbe, a.-., who graced the early bar of this county "were all well enough in their day," but could not "hold a candle" t.( the preaenl corps of attorneys, we were disposed to attach nana m Ighl to his opinions.

The 1 Iks 1 Coubt-Houbk

Th.- sills <>! this Imposing structure were to be of durable timber, one fool from the ground, with a good rock or stone uii'iri each corner, a puncheon floor below, and plank floor above, with two windows above and three below, consisting of twelve lights each; and they further Instructed that the

"Sale of the above described building be on the Wednesday after the i Honda) in Haj next, with a good door three feet wide, six feet >i\ inches high."

Atthe May term following, the Hoard rescinded the above Order, anil at Once substituted another with further and more -workmanlike" specifications. In these specifications, the side logs were to be twenty-six feet long, and end logs twenty feat, while they were to face at least twelve inches in the middle, and sills and sleepers to be of good durable timber, and to be, placed on six suitable sized stones, the floor to be of puncheons hewed smooth and solid, and the lower story to be at least nine feet between joists. The second floor to be of plank, and the second story was to be at least five feet from the floor to the top of the last round of logs, "or square." There were also to be two doors so cut as to make the center of the door "nine feet from the end of the building"' (which end is not specified), but they were to be "so hanged as to open on that end of the house intended for spectators," and they were to be hanged on strong iron hinges, with a "good lock on what may be considered the front door," and a bar so as to fasten the other. This time there were to be two fifteen-light windows, and a strong partition of bannisters, at least four feet high, to separate the court from the spectators, with a strong gate in it, fastening on the inside, and the second floor was to be reached by a "good strong set of straight steps, commonly called mill steps." The building was to be "well chinked and daubed and covered with good oak boards confined with sufficient weight poles."

The order for letting the court-house provides that it be "advertised in three of the most public places in the county, and in the Western Times, a paper published in Centreville, Wayne county, Indiana," and it was, in "height, materials and construction to be similar to the court-house in Connersville, Fayette county, Indiana."

The said building was ordered to be placed on the southeast corner of let foui-, block twelve, which was a little southwest of the present site. So soon a6 the building was covered, the contractor Avas to receive twenty dollars of the "purchase money," and it was also stipulated that it was to be completed before the second Monday in February.

According to arrangement, the Agent did "sell the courthouse," on the 14th of May, 1823, to George Barnard, for |247f and in May following the Commissioners adjourned from the house of John Smith to the new court-house, which they for- mails m h <-pt.-d, as it was done according to contract. Once established in i building adequate to the wants and fully comporting with tli.- dignity and wraith of our nourishing county -one that cost them I Ban about equal to the tax duplicate for feres v. an, it oamwl be doubted but the Commissioners felt im- Betaarabk relief; Doubtless the tax-payers grumhed at theextraTaganee of tfaOM fellows who oould thus squander $247, and

The jail, court-house, and stray pen, or pound, being completed, a "long spasm of retrenchment and economy" occurred, until Die county, Fast becoming rich, began to grow proud, and, in 1881, ordered the building of a

Which was to be "forty feet square, walls included;' the foundation "to be dug eighteen inches beneath the surface of the ground, the walls to be two feet thick from the foundation three feet up," the lower story to be fifteen feet high, and the upper itory to be twelve.

This time, instead of a "cabin roof " sufficiently weighted down with pules, it was to have one of good yellow poplar "join shingles," eighteen inches in length, "to be pitched from each square to the center,'" the whole to be surmounted with an eight square cupola, eight feet in diameter, to "arise" twenty feet, sight f«ct of the distance to be enclosed with "Venecian blind*,'* and said cupola to be surmounted by a suitablecap from which was to be raised a spear bearing a wooden ball, ten inche- in diameter, "nicely gilt," and still above this a neat vane, and higher yet "across with a gilt ball on each end," and the whole sin in, Mm ted with a "neat cap" on top of the spear.

Let the reader picture to himself the transition from the Little cramped up, cabin roofed, puncheon floored, chinked and daubed, poorly lighted, hewed log concern, standing high and dry Upon six "nigger heads," and an outside chimney, to this spacious brick, with twenty-three windows of twenty-four lights each, and a large folding door and "fan light" above, with Foundations hidden away the enormous distance of eighteen inches under ground, and the whole surmounted with a cupola, which, for architectural design and finish, must have been the wonder of the age, and he cannot but be struck with the amazing strides in the paths of luxury taken by our forefathers. We are amazed at the old fellows, not one in twenty of whom had anything better than a cabin at home, to be willing to undertake the erection of a "temple of justice" of such proportions and at such an enormous cost, as it seemed at that time, as there were but seventy-five dollars and three-fourths of a cent in the treasury to commence on.

The building was nevertheless sold to one Nathan Crawford, in the latter part of the year 1831, "he being the lowest bidder," for the sum of $5,315, to be paid on the 1st of January each year, for five years as follows : in 1832, $400 ; in $1833, $700; in 1834, $1,000; in 1835, $1,200; in 1836, the balance. The walls were to be up and covered and all outside wood work was to be completed by January 1, 1834, and two years to be allowed for finishing off the costly interior. In short, it was expected that the contractor would "push things," and spend somethink like a thousand dollars a year. Robert Murphey was allowed $2 50 for furnishing the design of this elaborate structure. About nine o'clock, on Thursday morning, January 7, 1836, comes the said Nathan Crawford, and moves the Commissioners, Robert Murphey, Tabor W. McKee, and John Whittaker to take the job off his hands; which they promptly decline to do, and declared that they had examined the "said courthouse" and "are of the opinion" that it is deficient in almost every particular, that the "roof leaks," plastering is not neatly done ; and carpenter work ditto, and that the "contract is forfeited in toto, and the materials out of which said house is constructed are, in a great many cases, deficient."

This was "rough" on the said Crawford, but he had to bear it till the March term, when a compromise was effected, and the building was received at $4,500, which was docking him $815 only.

«t\ M it.-' pramlMi Of K. I , POWOll, Esq. The Beeond or brick building was ieatiujed by Are, about the time of the assembtiag of Bounty convention, on the 13th day of February,

"Of the dimensions fourteen feet square, seven teetbetween the floor*, the logs to be square ten tnobee, u> be dovetailed .-it eacb corner and i>inoed; upper and tower floor to islet of logs Bqnared of the 6ame diilona, the npper fli be pinned down with one inch-and one>half anger, one ronnd of logi above the upper floor fit down, the door m be three (set wide, it"1 ihutter o> be made of two inch oak pla^k led, and be \>>di ~j>ik.-.i and hung n Ith good and suflicient lunges to open outside itti .lt<""I and sufficient bar with staples and lock, a cabin roof, the lower floor to be laid on two oak -ill'-, and the house to be built on the top thereof, one w indow one foot square with tour inch square bar? of iron to be sufficient!] let in."

This was not s very Imposing structure to a man outside, bnf onoeshul In, say in July or August, especially if there were several of the "four ineh square" iron bars across the one window a foot square . all efforts to escape mast have soon become quite feeble. The reader of these specifications (which were doubtless clear enough to the Commissioners,) may be a little ponied to determine whether "the house to be built on the top thereof" was to be placed on the lower floor, or whether the boose was to have a second story intended for a jailer's residence or some such piirjKtee.

It was subsequently ordered that the jail should be completed before the second Monday in August, and that the Clerk should issue a county order to the builder for twenty dollars 60 soon as the building shall be "erected to the height of four rounds."

County Buildings

been executed according to contract."' The building was subsequently received of Mr. Weaver, and forty-five dollars paid in full for the work ; twenty dollars having been previously advanced, when the structure was but "four rounds high."

The Second Jail

Wluch was also to be built of timber. It was really to be an extension of the old one, the door of which was to be taken away and the space filled with iDgs. The addition was te be built adjoining the old part, leaving only eight inches between, which was afterward to be filled with timber. The new part was to have one window like the old one, one foot square, and when carried up to the height of the old one, a second story was to be built on, of logs, extending over both, and to be entered from one end by a "strong 6tairway," and the only entrance to the lower story was to be through a strong trap door, two feet square, "to be made secure with a strong bar of iron and good and sufficient lock," &c. Once let down into one of these "black holes," the most hardened desperado could dismiss all fears of "the dogs biting him" so long as his incarceration continued.

On the 7th of January, 1830, Moses Brown, Esq., undertook the reconstruction of said jail, for the sum of $97 50, which was certainly cheap enough even in those days.

The nde that all things earthly must pass away seems to have made no exceptions in favor of Henry county jails. In less than five years from the completion of the second jail or "goal," the Commissioners ordered a third to be advertised and erected. This time the external walls were to be of brick. The foundation was to be set in the ground two feet, and to be twentyeight inches in thickness. Above, the wall was to be thirteen inches thick, and eighteen feet by twenty-five in dimensions, and two stories in height. The floor of the prisons or "dungeons" were to be of good oak timber ten inches thick, and, on top of this a floor of good oak plank one and one-half inches, thick, .lu-i in-i.l.' tin- brick walls and ou top of the tloor, wa§ to be "built a log wall" of "hewn timber, ten inches square, to («- laid down hair dovetailed," ami seven feet high. And this tn t" be lined vrltli one ami one-half inch beech plank, and "OTOai lin.*-i" and well spiked on with "cut spikes, six inches in length" and imt t<> exceed three inches distant. The wooden walls wcru to he continued so as to make two tiers of dungeons, but the upper ones win- not required to be so well lined, or other w isi- made so strong. The upper story was, doubtless, intended tor the more oorrigible claas of culprits, while the more hardened -inner* were to be "sent below."

The dungeons in the lower stor}' were to be ready for occupants by the third Monday of October, and the whole structure bj the Ural Monday in Kay, 1836.

"At a sale beld at the court-house,'" to "sell the building of the goal," Mile- Mnrphey, jr., "bid oft' the same for $1,100," $500 to be paid January 1, 1836, and the residue in one year. This work was done according to contract, and the structure, with little amendment, stood the racket for about thirty years, and until torn down to make room for the splendid edifice now decorating the public square.

Stray Pen

A stray pen or pound, in early days, was considered an indiqKnsable appurtenance of every "well regulated" county. Stock was much more given to straying, no doubt, in early times than at present. The love of home, or faculty of inhabitiveness, was probably not so well developed then as now, while the powers of locomotion were generally much better, especially with the porkers. The time and money lost in looking up lost stock in this or any other new county, thirty or forty years ago, notwithstanding the comparatively small amount kept, was much larger then at present, and, doubtless, led the assembled wivlom of our early General Assemblies to give it more careful thought than they now devote to some of the great questions of the hour.

to be erected at or near the court-houses, with a good and sufficient fence, gate, lock, and key, where all stray horses, mules, and asses, above two years old, taken up within twenty miles of the court-house, shall be kept on the the first day of every Circuit Court, for three succeeding terms, after the same shall be taken up, from eleven until three o'clock in each day, that the owner may have the opportunity of claiming his, her, or their property, and any person having taken up such property, and living more than twenty miles from the court-house, was not compelled to "exhibit it more than once."

"Erecting of a pound, commonly called a stray pen, the said pen to be erected in the southwest corner of the public square, the said pen is to be forty feet square, to be erected at least five feet high, and of good and durable timber commonly called a post and rail fence, -with a gate and lock to the same."

Minor Fox undertook this great "public enterprise" for the 6um of $12 50 and "gave bond with sureties approved of by the Commissioners of Henry county," and faithfully performed the labor within four months in so satisfactory a manner that the Commissioners accepted it, and made him the first Pound-keeper.

County Asylum

The buildings and belongings of the establishment where the county's poor are cared for ought to be a matter of more interest to the people of Henry than is generally manifested. Caring for those unfortunate persons who have, from any cause, become unable to care for themselves, has been accepted by the County Commissioners as a duty, ever since the meeting of the first Board, in 1S23, and, although the arrangement for the comfort of paupers may have seemed parsimonious at times, surrounding circumstances must be taken into account. It would never do to make the fare, comforts, and general attractiveness of the asylum such that able-bodied, but lazy, shiftless, persons, of whom there are a few in every community, woidd seek for a residence at the county home, and beside the item, "on.account of poor," has ever been a large one in the "budget" of Henry county, and is largely on the increase.

hundred and sixty acres, about one mil** northwest of New Castle for the sum ot&flOO. In May following, a contract was nade with John I). Pooahf for keeping the paupers as well as for the building of a --poor house," and it was also ordered that "all persons who are now, or may hereafter become, a county charge, shall he removed, as the. law directs, to the poor house provided for that purpose."

Just what M>rl of I house this was to he, or the price paid to the man who bought it, the records do not show, hut, on the 4th of January, 1811, a special session of the Board was called to receive sealed proposals for the building of another house, which was to he of brick, with a cellar under one wing, fourteen by thirty feet. The size of said building is not specified, hut it was to have a porch on three sides of the same, with fourteen posts and hannisters between, from which it may be inferred that it was of considerable size. The brick were to be burned on the place, and all the sills, sleepers, posts, and plates wore to he got off the farm. The brick work was to be painted red and penciled with white, and the porch painted drab. John Shroyer, Miles Murphey, jr., and Dr. Reed were appointed to superintend the building of the said house. John H. Polsley undertook the work for $1,100, and was allowed, for extra work, the sum of twenty dollars. The Superintendents each received twenty dollars for their services.

This boflding was burned down, and the paupers rendered homeless, in May, 1857, when the Commissioners promptly ordered the building of another and more commodious struc ture at an expense of about $7,000.

For two or three years, the contract was mads with Foosha to care for the paupers that might, from time to time, be sent ts him at the rate of $1 25 per head per wsek, with some little extra allowances in "extreme cases," he paying $150 for the rent of the farm.

paupers, and "to treat them in a humane manner, and especially to attend to the moral instruction of said paupers," to Samuel Hoover and Mark Modlin, for three years from the 1st of March, 1842, at one dollar per capita per week, they paying $125 for rent of larm. At the end of this time, they called for "sealed proposals" for keeping the paupers, raising the rent of the farm to $150. The position had come to be looked upon as being so desirable that there was strife over it and Mr. Fooshee instituted an unsuccessful suit to secure possession of it, after the contract was awarded to other parties for three years. In 1844, he was a successful applicant, giving twenty-five dollars more than had been previously paid for the use of the farm, and agreeing to take, "board, clothe, feed, and lodge," and morally instruct all paupers, for 62V._, cents per head per week, and bring in no other charge whatever. This was quite a coming down, but, after he had given bond to the satisfaction of the Board, he seems to have "flew the track," and Mark Modlin was awarded the prize at 75 cents per head per week, for one year.

Afterward the rent of the farm was reduced to $100 per year, and 75 cents per week was allowed for keeping the paupers, and to "board, clothe, feed, humanely treat, and morally instruct," &c, which was cheap as dirt.

It is pleasant to know that our late Commissioners have turned over still another leaf, and do not now let that important charge on the sole condition of economy, and yet we hear no complaint on this score.

The farm has been enlarged to 280 acres, much of the late purchases being first class bottom land. The Superintendent, Mr. Mahlon D. Harvey, now serving his second term, receives a salary for managing the farm for the county. At the beginning of the year, there were thirty-eight paupers in the asylum. clerk's and recorder's offices.

In the earliest days of the county, the position of a county officer was not a very lucrative one. The records of their transactions were very brief and imperfect, and for a whole term of court might have been carried on a few scraps of paper in a vest pocket. One man acted as Clerk and Recorder and per-

:,,,! many.-! the dMfcl now devolving upon the Auditor, e not treated tor tunny year* after the county was organised, la thai state of affairs, some small room that could be ranted tor fifteen or twenty dollars per year was all sufficient m, except at Stated intervals, for a few years, and a party having bttflneei with the court would be as likely as any way to Bnd ii- Cterk out in his corn field, with a hoe in his hand, or in his clearing, grabbing.

Of Coarse this sort of thing could not last always, and we lecordlngly Bnd that the Commissioners let the building of a Clerk's and Recorder's office to Thomas Ginn for the sum of *M l. Tin- --amc was to be a one-story brick building, eighteen feet aide and thirty-eight feet in length, divided into two room-. As hundreds Of our readers will fully recollect it as oooupj Lng the southeast corner of the public square, down to November of the year 1887, when the offices were removed into !lic new court-house, no lengthy description of it is desirable.

TIIK AIDITOU'S AND trkasurkr's OFFICE, On the northeast comer of the public square, erected in 1847, i :-. I .owe, contractor, for the sum of $646, was the counterpart ol the last named building in almost every particular.

These little buildings, doubtless, answered the purpose intended quite well, when first constructed, but the rapid accumulation of records and papers, and great increase of public bnnlnflH] and number of persons doing business, had, for a aumber Of years, rendered it apparent that their days of usefulneai were drawing to a close, when the catastrophe of 1864 "opened the way," rather unexpectedly, for the building of

After the burning of the second court-house, in 18G4, the < onnnissioners rented Murphcy Hall, which, by adoption, became the court-house of the county, and continued to be so used till the completion of the present beautiful and eommodioui structure, In i860.