CHAPTER IV.
NOT FINISHED
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
FIRST STEPS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF CARROLL
COUNTY - SETTING THE MACHINERY OF A COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN MOTION -
PLANNING FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS - FIRST TERM OF COURT - COUNTY
OFFICIALS LIST COMPLETE FROM THE FIRST OFFICERS WHO SERVED -
ASSESSED VALUATION - FINANCES - EXPENDITURES - POLITICAL FIGURES -
PERSONAL MENTION - INTERESTING EVENTS - MORGAN'S RAID - CARROLLTON
IN 1846 - BUILDING OF COURTHOUSES AND JAILS - THE INFIRMARY -
HIGHWAYS.
Without much means with which to begin the
operation of a county government, and with settlements far between,
no roads, bridges or mills within the newly formed county, matters
went slow for a time. The commissioners did the best in their
power to set in motion the needful machinery of the county.
With the passing of years the county commenced to develop into a
prosperous community, and farmers began to accumulate money and were
liberal-minded as to the taxes to be levied for schools and county
buildings, but were not in any way spend-thrifts by any means and
wanted full value received for all they paid out.
PLANNING FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS
FIRST TERM OF COURT
THE PRESENT COURTHOUSE AND JAIL
COUNTY INFIRMARY
ASSESSED VALUATION BY TOWNSHIPS
COUNTY FINANCES
EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR
COUNTY OFFICIALS
Owing to the absence of a complete
election record for Carroll County it will be impossible to give the
list of county officials earlier than 1880 in the order in which
they have served. Before giving such list the names that have
been preserved in record, as found in paper files, etc., will be
given.
In 1858 the various county officials included these:
Representative - Hon J. B. Roach; Probate Judge - John H.
Tripp; Clerk of Court - John C. Baxter; Auditor - John
I. Blackburn; Treasurer - John Moody; Sheriff - Edwin
Ferrell; Recorder - Isaac Ulman; Prosecuting
Attorney - William H. Champer; County Commissioners -
Thomas Wier, J. Strayer and J. Gregg; Infirmary Director
- William Nevin.
County officers for 1859: Representataive - J. B.
Roach; Probate Judge - John H. Tripp; Clerk of the Court
- John C. Baxter; Auditor - Washington Butler;
Treasurer - John L. Hunt; Sheriff - Edwin Ferrell;
Recorder - C. H. Miller; Prosecuting Attorney - Robert E.
Knight; County Commissioners - Thomas Wier, J. Strayer
and J. Gredd; Surveyor - William McCully; Infirmary
Directors - Nevin Rheem and J. Fawcett.
From 1880 to the present date (1921) the county's
officials have been:
COUNTY AUDITORS |
|
|
SHERIFFS |
|
|
SURVEYORS |
|
|
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES |
|
|
PROBATE JUDGES |
|
|
COUNTY TREASURER |
|
|
COUNTY RECORDERS |
|
|
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS |
|
|
CLERK OF THE COURT |
|
|
CORONERS |
|
|
INFIRMARY DIRECTORS |
|
|
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
While this may not be a correct list of all
county commissioners serving since 1880, it is approximately correct
- at least these were all elected whether serving out term or not:
POLITICAL FIGURES
Without going into detail as to the various
political campaigns in Carroll County, the sub-joined figures will
give the reader an idea what political complexion of the county has
been at various periods:
Lincoln and Hamlin carried Carroll County
in 1860 by 725 majority.
COUNTY ROADS
The Free Press of Carrollton in 1915
had this to say concerning the improvements on public highways in
this county:
"Being the county seat, most of the effort for county
road paving has been centered around Carrollton, and as a result
about five miles lead the town and a main market route has been
established to connect the Jefferson county paving at Amsterdam and
the stark County paving at Oneida. The road from Carrollton to
the Stark County line parallels the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway.
From Amsterdam it runs along Simmons Ridge to Kilgore, and there
connects with the Cadiz-Carrollton road thence to Greenhill Church
and from there to the Carrollton-Harlem road. All preliminary
work has been gone over, and it is very likely that grading on the
market route will be commenced next year (1916).
"The paving extends for a trifle over a mile north of
Carrollton, passed the fair grounds; over a mile south of town over
into Union Township; east of town over two miles toward Harlem
Springs.
|