Since 1880 the county coroners have successively been Samuel Hooker, T. H. Knott, S. C. Roberts, L. F. House, J. M. Edwards, E. M. Burgess, T. J. Grove, S. E. Boggs and L. P. Howell. COUNTY SURVEYORS. Since 1880-T. M. Perdue, F. M. Kennedy, D. R. Jacobs and Thomas J. Groves. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. This office was created by the Ohio Legislature in 1913 and Frank M. Allen was the first to hold such office in Fayette county, having been elected in 1914. DISTRICT ASSESSOR. This is another new office created in Ohio in 1913, and J. C. Dunn was the first to hold the office. His headquarters are in the basement of the court house. He has charge of the fourteen deputy assessors in the county. The office is one of much importance to taxpayers. Already this officer has discovered much more property that has not been taxed for a third of a century, the taxes on which is enough to pay his salary a long time. In the state there will be millions of dollars of taxes brought to light and paid through this new system. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. This office was created by act of the General Assembly of Ohio, February 14. 1804, and stands substantially as it was first made. 1810-Jacob Jamison, James Brooks and John Harrold. (Owing to loss of records those down to 1828 cannot be given.) 1831--Samuel Sellers, David Creamer and Joseph Parrott. 1832-33-Samuel Sellers, Merit Jamison and John Stilt. 1834--John Stilt, Samuel Sellers and James Kirkpatrick. 1835-36-Samuel Sellers, James Kirkpatrick and George Mantlė. 1837-Samuel Sellers, George Mantle and Isaac Jenkins. 1838-Isaac Jenkins, Merit Johnson and Samuel Sellers. 1839-Merit Johnson, Isaac Jenkins and James Shivers. 1840-Isaac Jenkins, James Shivers and John Hays. 1841--James Jenkins, William Limes and William Limes. 1842--Isaac Jenkins, William Limes and Isaac Cook. 1843--William Limes, Isaac Cook and Joseph B. Creamer. 1844-46—Isaac Cook, J. B. Creamer and James Shivers. 1847-48--Isaac L. Cook, J. B. Creamer and Joseph Mark. 1849--Joseph Marks, Isaac L. Cook and Jacob A. Rankin. 1850---Isaac L. Cook, Jacob A. Rankin and Robert Eyre. 1851-52-Jacob A. Rankin, Robert Eyre and Micajah Draper. 1853--Jacob A. Rankin, Alfred Bruce and William Knox. 1855-Alfred Bruce, William Knox and M. Draper. 1856—Jacob A. Rankin, M. Draper and John H. Parrott. 1857-Jacob A. Rankin, M. Draper and Benjamin Burnett. 1858-59-No record. 1860-Jacob A. Rankin, M. Draper and Thomas B. Thornton. 1861-Jacob A. Rankin, Thomas B. Thornton and Ira Yoeman. 1862-63-Ira Yoeman, B. H. Burnett and Jacob A. Rankin. 1864-No record. 1865-Jacob A. Rankin, B. H. Burnett and B. F. Thomas. 1866-B. H. Burnett, B. F. Thomas and William H. Jones. 1867-William H. Jones, Allen Haegler and William Clark. 1868-Allen Haegler, William Clark and Enos Reeder. 1869-William Clark, Enos Reeder and Curan Millikan. 1870-William Clark, Enos Reeder and George S. Fullerton. 1871--George S. Fullerton, A. C. Johnson and Abram Bush. 1872-George S. Fullerton, Abram Bush and E. L. Ford. 1873-Abram Bush, E. L. Ford and R. S. Sutherland. 1874-Abram Bush, E. L. Ford and H. Ellis. 1875-Same as above. 1876-R. S. Sutherland, Abram Bush and H. Ellis. 1880-86-R. J. Sutherland, R. S. Eyre and W. J. Horney. 1887-R. S. Eyre, Henry Mark and Thomas Parrott. 1908-Clark Rowe, James Ford and John M. Jones. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. In 1914 the following were the justices of the peace serving in Fayette county, by townships: C. H. Concord None qualified. Green S. M. Roush, Washington C. H. Jasper-John D. McMahon, Milledgeville. Jefferson-U. G. Creamer, Jeffersonville. Madison-Fred Halvey, Madison Mills; J. W. Lewis, Pancoastburg. Paint—E. W. Rumer, Jeffersonville; H. A. Pinkerton, Bloomingburg. Union-J. B. Koontz, Washington C. H.; T. N. Craig, Washington Wayne-R. J. Nelson, Good Hope. CHAPTER VII. TRANSPORTATION BEFORE AND AFTER RAILROADS CAME. In the settlement of early Ohio counties there were no railroads. Transportation was by freight wagons and by boats of various types. The pioneer was working at a great disadvantage in comparison to what the "first settlers" in the far West are. Now the steam horse goes through and scatters circulars broadcast, advertising the quality of land, the chance in town. sites, corner lots, etc. Immigration is thus set in operation. The train bears the family and the household belongings, together with teams and farm implements, all ready to go to tilling the virgin soil with. Not so fifty and a hundred years ago in Ohio and Fayette county! With all that may be said concerning the "soulless corporations" (railways), the fact still remains that the railroads have been the great and allpowerful agencies in developing what was once a wilderness into a garden. spot that has come to blossom like the rose. THE FIRST RAILROAD. During the session of the Ohio Legislature of 1849-50 the member from this senatorial district, Mr. Linton, introduced a bill which authorized the granting of a charter for a railroad, to be constructed from Zanesville to Cincinnati, via Wilmington. The member of the House from Fayette requested that the name of Washington C. H. be included in the charter, but this the gentleman from Wilmington refused to do. The Washington people became indignant and employed Judge Daniel McLain to go to Columbus and work up their interest, and he eventually succeeded in securing the desired change. The company was organized and Judge McLain elected one of the directors. The county commissioners were importuned to issue bonds to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars, and took action on the matter as follows: "Washington, Saturday, July 12, 1851. "On this day the commissioners met. Present, Isaac L. Cook, Jacob A. Rankin and Robert Eyre. “And upon examining the act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, passed March 5, 1851, entitled 'An Act to authorize the commissioners of Fayette county to subscribe to the capital stock of the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad Company,' and being fully satisfied that the preliminaries required by said law, in order to the taking of said stock by said commissioners, had all been fully complied with, they thereupon did proceed, for and in behalf of said county, to subscribe to said capital stock of said railroad company the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, in all respects as by said act they are authorized and required to do, as by their subscription upon the books of said company, this day made, will fully and at large appear." A question arose as to whether bonds could be issued on a railroad before it was constructed and the commissioners of Clinton county refused to sign the bonds. Meanwhile the contractor, Mr. DeGraff, demanded some assurance that the money would be forthcoming at the proper time, before he would begin operations. He was fully assured on that point and in the fall of 1852 the road was completed from Zanesville to Morrowtown. Judge McLain took a number of trips to the East and purchased iron, which had been manufactured at Sweden. The terminus of the road being Morrow, instead of Cincinnati, the earnings of the road were insufficient to meet the expense. The road went through various hands until the present time, being now known as a part of the Pennsylvania line. An historic work published in 1881, touching on the subject of Fayette railway systems, said: "Several roads have been projected through this county, and at this writing there are three in active operation. A number of years ago the construction of a road from Dayton running to Belpre was agitated, and the line surveyed through Fayette county. Bonds for money to assist in the work were issued by the commissioners and a number of people subscribed liberally to the general fund. The grading was nearing completion, when, for reasons known best to those interested, the project was abandoned. "In 1874 Dayton capitalists conceived the idea of building a road from that enterprising city to the coal fields of southern Ohio. Great interest was taken in the matter, work was begun and hurried to completion, and, in spite of financial troubles, the desired end was reached in 1879. This road was constructed as a narrow gauge and did an immense business after its completion to the coal fields. In the spring of 1881 it was purchased by the Toledo, Delphos & Burlington Railroad Company, who connected it with their extensive narrow gauge system through Ohio and Indiana, and will extend on to the Ohio river shortly. |