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[Page 209] -
Prosecuting Attorneys: Seneca S.
Salisbury, Samuel H. Guthrie, Daniel Gray, Franklin Gale,
Edward Archbold, Thomas West, Daniel H. Wire, Wm. P.
Richardson, James O. Amos, John P. Spriggs, A. J. Pearson,
John P. Spriggs, and John B. Driggs.
The following attorneys, now
deceased, formerly lived and practiced in the county:
Daniel Gray, Thomas West, William C. Walton, Archibald
Ross, Daniel H. Wire, Joseph M. Mason, John Sinclair, Samuel
H. Guthrie, William F. Hunter, Edward Archbold, Nathan
Hollister and Franklin Gale.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -
FINANCES
It would, no doubt, be quite interesting to the reader, did
time and space permit, to give extensive extracts from the
journals of the proceedings of the County Commissioners
during the first few years of the County's history.
The duties of the Board, however, are generally understood
and were then pretty much confined to the erection of new
townships, establishing roads, appointing assessors of
property and collectors of taxes, and in general, then as
now, regulating and superintending the county finances and
the erection of public buildings.
The Commissioners elected in April, 1815, were John
Linn , Elijah Stephen, and Cornelius Okey, and
were to hold their office only until the fall election
following. They met and organized June 5, 1815, and
appointed Cornelius Okey, clerk of the Board, and
Arthur Okey, Treasurer. At the same session the
boundaries of Centre, Salem, Seneca and Jackson townships
were fixed, and embraced the whole territory. The date
of the organization of the other townships will be given
under their proper headings. The first county road was
ordered to be surveyed at this session, leading from the
mouth of Sunfish to Woodsfield. Viewers:
Nathan Hollister, John Palmer, and George Steed.
The Commissioners elected at
the annual election in 1815, met in December following, and
by lot determined the duration of their several terms of
office. William Atkinson drew one year,
Arthur Scott two years, and William Dement
three years. At this session the price of wolf scalps
was fixed at two dollars for the scalps of wolves over six
months old. Licenses were regulated as follows:
Stores, fifteen dollars per year; taverns, in Woodsfield,
eight dollars; other places, six; ferries across the Ohio
river, six; across creeks, one dollar. These rates, in
other years, were sometimes increased, at others, reduced.
The journals afford no evidence that Arthur Scott ever
served as Commissioner. Cornelius Okey served
until 1822. After those above named came Peter
Witten, 1819; John Bevan, 1822; John Linn,
1822; Wm. Smith, 1823; Joshua Richardson,
1824; John Henthorn, 1826; William Crawford,
1827; Elisha Enoch, 1828; Peter Witten, 1829;
John Gray, 1830; William Johnston, 1831;
William Smith, 1832; Isaac A. Brock, 1834;
Ambrose Rucker, 1834; Thomas Mitchell, sen.,
1836; Randolph Laing, 1839; Edward Salisbury,
1841; Wm. Cochran, 1842; Joseph Caldwell 1842;
Joel Yost, 1842; Thomas Orr, 1843; John
Cline, 1844; Thomas Griffith, 1845; Henry Ford,
1849; Stephen Henthorn, 1850; Jacob Tschappat,
1851; Wm. Myers, 1855; John W. Wheeler, 1856;
Joseph Moose, 1857; Frederick
Muhleman, 1857; Thomas Mitchell, jr., 1858;
Barnet Mann, 1860; George S. Algeo, 1862;
Wm. F. Booth, 1863; Thomas Murphy,
1865; F. A. Lamping, 1866; Wm. Workman,
1867; Isaac Bernhard, 1868; Christian
Cehrs, 1869; James Armstrong, 1871;
Edward Okey, 1873; David Lentz,
1875; Jacob Affolter, 1877; Jonathan
Lieuellen, 1879; Nicholas D. Garden, 1881.
Fees, salaries, taxes, and the prices of labor, in the
first decade of the county's history, compared with the
last, afford striking contrasts; and yet, perhaps, times
were considered as hard, and as much complaint made then as
now. In the journals of the Commissioners in 1822,
this entry may be found: "The Commissioners allow the
County Auditor for his services from the first Monday of
March, 1821, to the first Monday of March, 1822, the sum of
seventy-five dollars, and two dollars for stationery."
This two dollars would, no doubt, buy more than half a ream
of paper - enough for a whole year, judging from the way
business was done. This is only given as one of many
similar entries, for the fees and salaries of all other
officers were in about the same proportion.
Prior to 1826, the taxes for the support of the State
government were raised by taxing the lands at a certain sum
per acre. The lands were classified as first, second
and third rate, and each bearing a different rate of
taxation. In 1816 the lands were taxed as follows:
First rate, 3 cents per acre; second rate, 2¼ cents per
acre, and third rate 1½ cents per acre. In that year
there were, in the county, as taxable, 1,534 acres classed
as first rate; 1,780 acres as second rate, and 6,676 acres
as third rate, the total State taxes upon which amounted to
$186.24. In 1823 there were 1,563 acres of first rate,
47,384 acres of second rate, and 24,210 acres of third rate,
the State taxes upon which were $940.42, and a road tax of
$313.48 - making a total tax of $1253.90. It must not
be understood that these were all the taxes paid in 1823.
In addition there was paid into the county treasury,
including licenses, fines, etc., for county purposes,
$847.15. In 1826, a different revenue law having been
adopted, the total taxable value of all the real and
personal property of the county was $202,697, and the total
taxes thereon for State, county, township and school
purposes was $2,066.75.
The tax duplicates for the years prior to 1833, were
destroyed in the burning of the court-house in 1867.
The following table shows the number of acres taxable, the
total value of real and personal property, and the total
taxes thereon for the years given in the table:
|
YEARS |
No.
of Acres. |
Total Value of all
Taxable Property |
Total Taxes. |
1833.....
1840.....
1850.....
1860.....
1870.....
1880.....
1881..... |
$
81,706
149,290
271,127
286,530
288,914
286,536
285,767 |
$
251,421
446,780
2,131,057
4,615,360
5,335,439
5,655,034
5,380,686 |
$
3,499.70
9,819.39
26,324.13
51,240.19
102,686.70
93,217.41
91,333.00 |
A new valuation of real property will account for the
reduction between 1880 and 1881. The tax on dogs for
1880 was $3,264, and for 1881, $3,082
STATE LEGISLATURE -
SENATORS.
Below will be found a list of the Senators from the
districts, of which Monroe county was a part, from 1815 to,
and including, 1882, with the years when their terms of
office began, and the county in which the Senator resided.
Prior to 1852, the districts were formed by enactments of
the General Assembly; since 1852, the Constitution
prescribes what counties shall constitute a district:
1815, John Patterson, of Belmont; 1819,
David Jennings, Belmont; 1823, Zacheus A.
Beatty, Guernsey; 1825, Thomas Hanna,
Guernsey; 1827, David Robb, Guernsey; 1829, Thomas
Weston, Monroe; 1831, Robert Thompson,
Guernsey; 1833, Isaac Atkinson, Monroe; 1835,
Wm. Scott, Guernsey; 1837, Wm. C. Walton,
Monroe; 1839, Wm. Scott, Guernsey; 1841,
Wm. C. Walton, Monroe; 1843, Wm. Armstrong,
Guernsey; 1845, Benjamin Mackall, Belmont;
1847, Edward Archbold, Monroe; 1849, Wm. P.
Simpson, Belmont; 1852, John Ferguson,
Guernsey; 1854, Western T. Sinclair, Monroe; 1856,
William Lawrence, Guernsey; 1858, Marshall
Morrow, Monroe; 1860, Stephen Potts,
Guernsey; 1862, John D. O'Connor, Monroe; 1866,
Robert Savage, Guernsey; 1868, Wm. Lawrence,
Guernsey; 1870, James O. Amos, Monroe; 1874, John
W. Laughlin, Guernsey; 1876, Joseph B.
Williams, Monroe; 1880, Frank M. Atkinson, Noble;
1882, A. J. Pearson, Monroe.
REPRESENTATIVES.
It was not until 1824 that Monroe was entitled to a separate
representation. Prior to that time, all the
representatives were from Belmont county, with which Monroe
voted as a district, except Isaac Atkinson, in 1823.
In 1824, Isaac Atkinson was re-elected; 1825,
Cornelius Okey; 1826, Thomas Weston; 1828,
Cornelius Okey; 1830, Thomas Mitchell; 1831,
Philip Darby; 1832, Isaac Atkinson 1833,
Joseph Morris; 1835, Wm. C. Walton; 1837,
Peter Witten; 1839, Wm. Johnson 1841,
Cornelius Okey; 1843; Edward Archbold; 1845,
Joel Yost; 1847, Wm. Johnston; 1848, James R.
Morris; 1849, Wm. Johnston; 1850, James Okey;
1854, Horace Holland; 1856 Henry T. Grier and
Alfred Ogle, of Noble; 1858, Jere. Williams, James M.
Stout; 1860, James M. Stout; 1862, John Keyser;
1866, Eliel Headley; 1870, Wm. Milligan; 1874,
James Watson; 1878, Henry Maury, 1880, Geo.
W. Stewart; 1882, Henry Maury.
The celebrated lawyer and
editor, Charles Hammond, represented the counties of
Belmont and Monroe three times between 1816 and 1820.
SCHOOL EXAMINERS.
The efficiency of our schools and school system, under the
beneficent laws of our State, is measurably dependent upon
the qualifications and character of the Board of Examiners.
Who were the members of the first Board the writer cannot
now call to mind. The first he remembers was
Franklin Gale, a graduate of Amherst College, who came
to the county in 1833. The people of Woodsfield
finding him to be a thoroughly competent teacher, induced
him to remain. In the years following - 1833 to 1840 -
he taught several select schools, was a member of the Board
of 1840- he taught several select schools, was a
member of the Board of Examiners and became identified with
the educational interests of the county. Under his
auspices the old Monroe Academy was built, of which Prof.
A. Ross and Prof. J. P. Mason had charge, and who
were afterwards chosen Professors of Bethany college, on its
first organization. Mr. Gale, while a resident
of Woodsfield, read law, and after being admitted to the
bar, was elected Prosecuting Attorney. He married a
daughter of Timothy Cleveland, of Seneca township.
About the year 1841, he removed from the county and finally
located in Columbus, where he died a few years since.
His son, Hon. John W. Gale, is now Probate Judge of
Franklin county.
It would be of interest to give the names of all who
have been members of the Board of School Examiners, but
there are no records within the knowledge of the writer to
show who were, prior to Jan. 1, 1872. Since that date,
the following have been appointed and served: Enoch
Martin, John W. Doherty, R. E. Tilford, A. J. Pearson, S. A.
Atkinson, S. Scholcraft, W. F. Wire, G. O. Dougherty, G. W.
Hamilton, J. A. Watson and David McVey.
Messrs. Hamilton, Watson and McVey are the
present incumbents.
THE
PRESS.
Daniel Arnold,
of Cadiz, Ohio, in January, 1832, issued the first number of
the first paper printed in the county, under the title of
the Woodsfield Gazette. At this day, the press
upon which it was printed would be a
[Pg. 210]
curiosity. It was home-made, and its sand-stone bed
now lies in the pavement, in front of Fred'k Diehls
property. The paper was of four pages of five columns
each. In this office the writer began his
apprenticeship. In May, 1833, Joseph Morris
purchased the office and continued the publication of the
paper, until November, 1834. In the meantime, however,
he had purchased at public sale the press and type of a
paper proposed to be published by Dr. Jonathan Knight,
at Clarington, which would have been the first paper in the
county, had it been issued as proposed. Dr. Knight
had purchased, at St. Clairsville, the old Ramage press and
type, on which the Ohio Federalist had been printed,
by Charles Hammond The bed of that press
is now in the office of the Spirit of Democracy, and
is of yellowish grey marble.
In 1836, Mr. Morris resumed the publication of
his paper, under the name of the Monroe County
Republican, the title that Dr. Knight had chosen
for his proposed paper at Clarington, and continued its
publication for one year. It was Democratic in
politics. In the same year, Edward Archbold
commenced the publication of a Whig paper, called the
Monroe Patriot, which survived only four weeks. It
was, perhaps, the most remarkable paper ever issued in the
State. It contained scarcely a single article but what
was written by the editor. All the older people of the
county will remember Mr. Archbold for abilities, his
learning and his eccentricities. The material of this
office was sold to Samuel H. Guthrie, and by him
taken to Harrison county.
After the suspension of the Monroe County Republican,
in March, 1837, the office was leased to Mrs. Morrill
and her sons, John C. and Jacob T., who published the
paper for about a year under the name of the Monroe
Republican.
In 1838, Mr. Morris published a campaign
paper called The Buckeye, edited by Wm. C. Walton
and F. Gale, Esqs. It was discontinued at the
end of three months. From that time until 1841 there
was no paper printed in the county.
In 1841, James M. Stout took charge of the
office and published the Monroe Sentinel until the
fall of 1843. The paper was Democratic in politics.
In January, 1844, James R. Morris purchased at
auction, in Washington City, the press and other material of
a paper called the Spirit of Democracy that had been
published at Leesburg, Virginia, and on the first day of
March, 1844, issued the first number of the Spirit of
Democracy in Woodsfield. He continued as sole
editor and proprietor until March, 1856, when he sold to
Jere. Williams an interest in the office, and, in a few
years thereafter, sold his remaining interest to Henry R.
West, who is now sole editor and publisher. Its
name indicates its party politics.
In 1855, a paper, called the Monroe Journal, was
started in Woodsfield, in the interests of what was then an
American, or more familiarly known as the Know-Nothing
party, edited by David Maclane. It shortly
passed successively under the editorial control of Warren
Hollister, J. B. Lengly and Lewis Shipley, and
was published in the interests of the Republican party.
While Mr. Shipley had control the material was sold
and removed to Noble county.
In 1873, a joint stock company established a new
Democratic paper in Woodsfield, entitled the Monroe
County Democrat, and edited by W. H. Kernan and
J. P. Spriggs. About March, 1874, J. B. Driggs
became the editor and publisher; but after about a
year disposed of the paper to Charles H. Goodrich and
Jesse Jackson who continued its publication for some
years as an independent paper, under the title of the
Monroe Democrat, when Mr. Goodrich became sole
editor and proprietor, and after a time changed the title to
the Monroe Gazette. Mr. Goodrich
continues its publication as the Republican paper.
In April, 1881, W. T. Bottonfield and W. T.
Powell established, at Clarington, the Clarington
Independent. Its publication is still continued.
This ends the history of the newspapers of Monroe
county, as now remembered.
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