Daviess County, Missouri - Chapter 7: Missouri As a State, 1882

Chapter 7: Missouri As a State

First Election for Governor and Other State Officers - Senators and Representatives to General As. sembly - Sheriffs and Coroners - U. S, Senators - Nepresentatives in Congress - Supreme Court Judges - Counties Organized - Capital Moved to St. Charies - Official Record of Territorial and State Officers.

By the Constitution adopted by the Convention on the roth of July, 1820, the General Assembly was required to meet in St. Louis on the third Monday in September of that year, and an election was ofdered to be held on the 28th of August for the Election of a Governor and other S:ate officers, Senators and Representatives to the General Assembly, Sheriffs and Coroners, United States Senators and Representatives in Congress.

It will be seen that Missouri had not as yet been admitted as a State, but in anticipation of that event, and according to the provisions of the constitution the election was held, and the General Assembly convened.

William Clark (who had been Governor of the Territory) and Alexander McNair were the candidates for Governor. M-zNair received 6,576 votes, Clark 2,556, total vote of the State 9,132. There were three candidates for Lieutenant Governor, to-wit: William H. Ashley, Nathaniel Cook and Henry Eliiot. Ash'ey received 3,907 votes, Cook 3,212, Elliotg31. A Representative was to be elected for the residue of the Sixteenth Congress and one for the Seventeenth. John Scott, who was at the time Territorial delegate, was elected to both Congresses without opposition,

The General Assembly elected in August meton the rgth of September, 1820, and organized by electing James Caldwell, of Ste. Genevieve speaker, and John McArthur clerk, William H. Ashley, Lieutenant-Governor, President of the Senate; S las Bent, President, pro fem.

Joshua Barton was appointed S=cretary of State; Peter Didier, State Treasurer; Edward Bates, Attorney-General and William Christie, Auditor of Public Accounts.

At this session of the Legislature the counties of Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Cole, Gasconade, Lillard, Percy, Ralls, Ray and Saline were organized.

We should like to give in details the meetings and proceedings of the different Legislatures which followed; the elections for Governors and other State officers; the elections for Congressmen and United States Senators, but for want of space we can only present in a condensed form the official record of the Territorial and State officers.

Officers Of State Government

by failure to file oath), William Scott and John C. Richardson (resigned), elected August, 1857, for six years; E. B. Ewing, 1859, to fill Richardson's resignation ; Barton Bates appointed 1862; W. V. N, Bay appointed 1862; John D. S. Dryden appointed ©862; Barton Dates, 1863-65; W. V.N. Buy, elected 1863; John D.S. Dryden, elected 1863; David Wayner appointed 1865; Wallace L. Lovelace, appointed 1865; Nathaniel Hol nes, appointed 1865; Thomas J. C. Fagg, appointed 1866; James Biker, appointed 1863; David Wagner, elected 1868 - *70; Philemon Bliss, 1868-70; Warren Currier, 186871; Washington Adams, appointed 1871 to fill Currier's place who resigned; Ephriam B. Ewing, elected 1872; Thomas A. Sherwood, elected 1872; W. B. Napton, appointed 1873 in place of Ewing, deceased; Edward A Seins, appointed 18/4, in place of Adams, resigned; Warwick Hough, elected 1874; Wolliam B. Napton, elected 1874-80; John E. Henry, 1876-86; Roert Ray succeeded William B, Napton, in 1880: Elijah H. Norton, appointed in 1876 - elected in 1878.