THE MISTY AGES OF THE PAST.

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TOPOGRAPHY.

THE EARLY PIONEER

generally came in the early spring and put up his rude shanty, to protect himself and family from the weather.  Then commenced the preparations for the patch of corn.  The small bushes were pulled up by the hand and the trees girdled or cut down, and with the brush, burned.  This work and clearing more land, tending cabin-raisings, corn huskins, and loggings, wood-choppings and flax-pullings were their principal employments.

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

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MEETING OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

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FIRST ROAD.

TOWNSHIPS AND TAXATION.

FIRST JAIL.

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ADVANCING.

TOWNSHIPS, ETC., 1824.

COURT-HOUSE.

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GOING BACK.

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LAND SALES.

     Among the earliest recorded sales of land was the n. w. ¼ of section 20, township 6, of range 18.  This was a deed from President James Madison to Emanuel Traxler, dated Sept. 27, 1814.  The first deed recorded was from Daniel Hollingshead to Wm. Hollingshead, of 64 64-100 acres on section 20, township 10, of range 17.  This was in Clinton Township, which was in 1850 joined to Vinton County.  The next deed was for land in the same township and range, but on section 8.  This deed was from James Madison, President of the United States, to John Snooks, of Athens County.  It was dated June 9, 1814, but was not recorded until April 18, 1818.

VOTE ON SALE OF SCHOOL LANDS.

DECADE BETWEEN 1840 AND 1850.

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OLD SCIOTO SALT WORKS.

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THE COURT-HOUSE.

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THE FIRST JAIL.

THE COURT-HOUSE IN FLAMES.

     The 'old court-house" stood the ravages of time well, and while not up to the style of architectural beauty of later times, it showed that in its erection the contractors had rendered honest work.  While time had made but little impression upon its sturdy walls, the fire fiend got in its destructive work.  Sept. 21, 1860, the court-house erected in 1820 was destroyed by fire.  The property of O. C. Miller, the Masonic Hall, was rented for one year in December, 1860, and afterward court was held in Gratton's Block, up stairs, until the completion of the new court-house in 1868.  In 1861 a proposition to build a courthouse and jail was submitted by the county commissioners to the people, and they voted it down by the overwhelming majority.  The election was held in April.
     This settled the question for that year, and as the war came on nothing further was done until the year 1866.  The friends of the court-house movement, remembering the heavy vote cast in opposition some five years before, concluded to ask the Legislature to pass an act giving the county commissioners power to erect a suitable building for the use of the county.  The act was passed.  Whether or not the people generally knew of its passage no opposition was made during the time it was before that body, and there seemed to have been none after it had passed.  The people probably knew a court-house had to be erected and made no comments.  The bill passed in March, 1866, and the commissioners made arrangements to levy taxes and start the work.  Advertisements were given of the fact that such building would be erected,

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being repaired, and in the court-house yard, a short distance from the court-house, a massive jail is being constructed of double layers of stone a foot square and of chilled iron, one of the most modern in construction, and for durability and solid strength has no superior in the State.  The brick residence in front is a modern architecture and an ornament to the city, and has all the modern improvements.  The residence and jail are two stories high, and when completed will cost $20,000.  The residence is one of the prettiest in the city.

COUNTY INFIRMARY.

     Jackson County Alms-house is situated two miles east of Jackson on a beautiful mound, with a commanding view of the fertile farm of eighty acres which surrounds it.  In 1833 the Ohio State Legislature passed an act granting the commissioners of hte respective counties the power to tax their counties, for the erection and conduct of infirmaries, one to each county, but Jackson did not improve this opportunity until nearly twoscore years had passed.  In 1872 the commissioners purchased, after the following vote had been taken:  For tax, 2,167; against tax, 674; majority for tax 1,493, 160 acres of land known as the Radcliff farm, but since have sold eighty acres.
     In 1873 the present commodious and substantial three-story brick building was erected at a cost of $16,000, and the paupers of the respective township admitted in January, 1874, under the superintendency of John Hildenbrand.  This gentleman after serving about three years and died, and was succeeded by V. C. Martindale.  Mr. MArtindale filled the position until the fall of 1879 when the present worthy Superintendent, G. W. Harbarger, took charge and it has been ably conducted under his administration.  The building is well ventilated which adds much to the healthfulness of the occupants, who now number forty-five - twenty males and twenty-five females.  The Infirmary is almost self-sustaining.