Fayette County History & Genealogy

History of Fayette County

From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County

TOWNSHIP REMINISCENCES

From an old volume in the possession of M. Herbert:

By gleanings from the records of Union Township, this county, (1833 to 1843,) we are enabled to present the following memoranda, which will no doubt prove interesting to our readers. The perusal thereof will tend to refresh the memory of many of our older citizens in recalling to mind incidents of the days langsyne. And to "Young America" of to-day, how suggestive of the great change in civil and municipal affairs must the brief mention be!

April 27, 1833, Thomas Holland received $6, Henry Baughan $4.50, and Henry Blystone $5.25, for services as township trustees for the previous year. On settlement, same day, with J. S. Bereman, as township treasurer, there was shown to be due the township, in notes, $32.45½; and Mr. Bereman was allowed the munificent sum of two dollars for services as treasurer for the years 1831 and 1832

At a meeting of the trustees, held May 31st, C. B. Woodruff and Z. W. Heagler were each allowed seventy-five cents for services as clerks at the April election; and Daniel McLean was allowed $3.75 for services as township clerk in 1832. A levy of two mills on the dollar, on all taxable property, was ordered the same day, for township and poor purposes.

October 19, 1833, an order was issued to Elon Heukle for $2.12½, and to Wade Loofborrow for $2, for services as overseers of the poor. The township trustees, in 1833, were Daniel Bush, Henry Blystone, and George Henkle.

January 11, 1834, James Vance notified the trustees that his term of office as justice of the peace would expire April 1st of that year.

January 25th, Membrance Blue was allowed seventy-five cents for services as clerk at the spring election in 1829; and Mathias VanDeman and Wade Loofborrow received an order for $1.50 each, for two days' services as overseers of the poor. Thomas McGarraugh was allowed $2.75, same day, for medical services in a pauper case.

March 3d, James Allen was allowed $2 for services as overseer of the poor in 1830.

April 10th, a summons was issued to S. Hamilton, constable, to notify those elected to township offices for the year 1834, to qualify within ten days from the date of election. William Hill qualified as township clerk the same day, before 8. F. Yeoman, justice of the peace. April 12th, Daniel Bush and George Henkle took oath as trustees. On the 16th, James Vance qualified as trustee, and William Hawk as overseer of the poor.

On the 26th of the same month the trustees, at a meeting held at the court house in Washington, appointed John L. Perkins and Thomas Holland overseers of the poor, in place of Lawson P. Reid and William H. Boggs, who failed to qualify; and Messrs. Reid and Boggs were fined $2 each for refusing to serve.

Jacob Snider, Z. W. Heagler, Robert Simpson, John Grubbs, Ezekiel Timmons, William Stittsworth, Samuel Jones, Jacob Jamison, Joseph Orr, Jacob Harper, and Joseph Bloomer, were chosen and appointed road supervisors in 1834.

April 26th, the trustees examined and approved the bond of N. F. Jones as justice of the peace; also bond of L. J. Wood as constable; and appointed Elon Henkle treasurer, William Clark not having qualified. The same day Jesse Millikan, William Hill, and F. M. Penland, were appointed fence viewers, in place of William Rush, Reuben Pursell, and Micajah Draper, who failed to qualify.

May 31st, on settlement with William Clark, as township treasurer, it was shown that the orders redeemed during 1833 amounted to $237.27, and that there was due the township, in notes, $26.72. Mr. Clark received $7.23 for services as treasurer during the preceding year.

A tax levy of two mills on the dollar, for township and poor purposes, was ordered May 31st. S. Dempsey filed commission as justice of the peace the same day.

June 23d, the trustees apportioned funds for road purposes as follows: For improvement of Wilmington road, $50; Hillsborough, $35; Leeshurg, $30; Xenia, $12; and the 18th and 19th days of July following were designated as days to award contracts.

November 28, Wade Loofborrow was allowed $2.50 for legal advice in a putative case of illegitimacy.

December 3d, Jacob Glaze was appointed school director in district No. 3.

January 17, 1835, George Henkle having removed from the township, Isaac Jenkins was appointed trustee to fill vacancy.

March 2d, on settlement with the treasurer, it was shown that Union Township received from the county treasury $220.31. The balance in the township treasury the same day was $78.48 in cash, and $9.45 in notes; total, $87.93.

April 11, Robert Robinson received $12.50 for legal services. "There was a woman in the case," and a distant relative (as "all the world is kin") of Captain John Smith, of Pocahontas' time, was an interested party. James Vance, Daniel Bush, and James Shivers, took oath of oflice as trustees the same day. William Hawk qualified as fence viewer and overseer of the poor, Joseph Blackmore as treasurer, and F. M. Penland and Samuel Hamilton as constables.

April 18th, Mathias Van Deman qualified as overseer of the poor, and Thomas Holland was appointed overseer in place of John Woodruff. A tax levy of two mills on the dollar was ordered the same day.

June 2d, Robert Wilson was appointed overseer of the poor, to fill vacancy.

August 1st, the trustees appointed John McLain township clerk pro tem., to fill vacancy occasioned by William Hill having been declared incapacitated to discharge the duties of the oflice.

March 7, 1836, the trustees settled with the township treasurer, and found the cash in his hands to be $183.43; notes $75.88¼; total, $259. 3I¼. Messrs. Bush, Shivers, and Vance were allowed $4.50 each the same day, for services as trustees, and John McLain received $3.50 for services as township clerk.

April 4tli, an appropriation of $50 was made for road-scrapers, for township use. Ten were finished by Micajah Draper, at five dollars each. James Shivers was allowed seventy-five cents for services in procuring the scrapers.

Samuel Hamilton qualified as township clerk on the 5th of April,

J. L. Van Deman took oath as fence viewer on the 9th, and Joseph Blackmore qualified as treasurer.

John Sanders, constable, made return on the 16th, that he had notified the township ofiicers elect to qualify according to law, for which service he was allowed one dollar.

May 7th, James Heaton was allowed fifteen dollars for medical services rendered a family which had become a township charge, and Benjamin Henton received four dollars for like services. The same day. Berry Stewart, "a man of color," was allowed one dollar for digging the grave of a township charge.

May 28th, a tax levy of two mills on the dollar was ordered.

July 30th, the township trustees (James Shivers, Isaac Jenkins, and Benjamin Henton) ordered appropriations for road purposes, as follows: To improve Leesburg and Snow Hill road, $40; Wilmington, $43.46½; Xenia, $15; Devalon,$15; Columbus, $25; Circleville, $50; Greenfield, $30; Hillsborough, $30. Benjamin Holland was appointed constable the same day, to fill vacancy occasioned by the removal of John Sanders.

March 6, 1837, the trustees settled with the township treasurer, when it was shown that after deducting his fees ($21.22) there was a cash balance in his hands of $189. 74½, and notes amounting to $92.84½; total, $282.59. Daniel Bush was allowed seventy-five cents the same day, for services as trustee in 1835.

April 4th, L. D. Willard qualified as constable, and Orlando Loofborrow as township clerk. The same day Merrit Jamison was allowed $1.50 for services as judge, and A. S. Dickey a like sum, for services as clerk at annual election. A summons was issued to L. D. Willard, constable, the same day, commanding him to summon Arthur McArthur to take oath of office as constable; also, Jared Sexton, Stephen Baxter, and Daniel McLean, to take oath as trustees; Joseph Blackmore, as treasurer; J. Scott, Jacob Jamison, E. Taylor, G. W. Richey, David Morrison, J. Vance, P. Fultz. W. Baker, J. Fisk, Aaron Melvin, and Joseph Gillespie, as road supervisors; S. A, Smyth and J. A. Millikan, as overseers of the poor; N. H. Heaton, James Vance, and John Rankin, as fence viewers; and Robert Robinson, Wade Loofborrow, and Alfred S. Dickey, as school exarniners.

April 12th, L. D. Willard was allowed five dollars for services as constable, in notifying those elected to office April 3d to qualify. A certification records S. F. Yeoman as mayor of Washington at that time.

Curran Millikan was appointed fence viewer, April 12th, in place of John Rankin, who refused to serve; for which refusal Mr. Rankin was fined two dollars.

On the 3d of May following, Mr. Millikan refusing to serve, he was fined two dollars, and Membrance Blue was appointed to fill vacancy. Mr. Blue qualified on the 12th of the same month. In choosing men to discharge the duties of the office of fence viewer, a good deal of humor was indulged in. At times the question of height would determine who should be elected—one being chosen to discharge the duties of the office because tall, another because short in stature; one to look over, the other under the fences. The office, too, was one not much sought, and hence men were frequently chosen through a spirit of vindictiveness.

The bonds of N. F. Jones and Joseph Bell, as justices of the peace, were examined and approved May 27th, and a tax levy of half a mill on the dollar, for township and poor purposes, was ordered the same day.

March 5, 1838, the trustees settled with Joseph Blackmore, treasurer, when it was shown that the total funds which had been received by him since the previous settlement, amounted to $368.80. Deducting disbursements made during the same period ($306.76), the cash balance remaining in his hands was $62.04. He also held notes amounting to $86. 59½.

April 3d, James Pursell and Samuel Millikan were each allowed $1.50 for services as clerks at the annual spring election.

April 14th, Joseph Bell, justice of the peace, certified that John C. Eastman took oath as overseer of the poor; also, that Edward Smith, Jacob Jamison, James Allen, and Edward Taylor, took oath as road supervisors.

A tax levy of one mill on the dollar was ordered on the 29th of April.

During the same month Reuben Pursell, Jared Sexton, and Micajah Draper, took oath of office as township trustees, George Easterbrook qualified as township clerk, and John Sanders was commissioned justice of the peace.

October 13th, James Beatty was appointed supervisor of the Circleville and Chillicothe roads, in place of George Rodgers, deceased; and Thomas Holland was appointed overseer of the poor, in place of Dr. Jennings, who had removed.

A special election for justice of the peace was called December 15th, to fill vacancy occasioned by the death of Samuel Loofborrow.

During April, 1839, William Hill qualified as township clerk; James Pursell and Nathan Kimball, as fence viewers; Jacob Jamison, James M. Smith, John Jackson, James Greenlee, Thomas Sexton, Isaac Jenkins, David Webster, John Judy, John Coil, G. W. Richey, Peter Carder, and James Pursell, as road supervisors; Joseph Blackmore, as treasurer; O. Loofborrow and L. D. Willard, as constables; Robert Wilson and James Grubbs, as overseers of the poor.

May 4th, L. D. Willard, constable, was allowed $1.37½ for advertising spring election, and serving a notice for overseers of the poor. The same day G. W. Easterbrook was allowed $10.31½ for services as tewnship clerk in 1838.

May 30, 1839, the township trustees (Daniel McLean, M. Draper, and Reuben Pursell) ordered a tax levy of four mills on the dollar, for township and poor purposes.

At a meeting held in July, the trustees appointed William Ledwith township clerk, in place of William Hill, who had left the county.

April 10, 1840, J. L. Van Deman was sworn in as township clerk, and on the 13th of the same month Daniel McLean, Reuben Pursell, and James Allen, took oath as trustees. During the same month Clarence Parvin qualified as overseer of the poor; James Pursell and J. B. Webster, as constables; John Irion, as justice of the peace; Joseph Blackmore, as treasurer.

June 1st, the trustees ordered a levy of four mills on the dollar, for township and poor purposes.

July 20th. Clarence Parvin and Richard Evans, as overseers of the poor, through James Pursell, constable, caused notice to be served on various persons (in summons named) to depart the township, so that they might not become "charges" thereon.

In April, 1841, Reuben Pursell, Daniel Bush, and James N. Wilson, qualified- as trustees; clerk, James C. Bell; overseers of the poor, J. S. Bereman and Clarence Parvin.

May 23d, a tax levy of four mills on the dollar was ordered.

August 28th, William McElwain was appointed overseer of the poor, in place of Clarence Parvin, resigned.

September 11th, Daniel McLean and Joseph Bell were, on petition, "attached to the school district composed of corporation of the town of Washington."

October 30th, William Holt, James N. Wilson, and Joseph Blackmore, were appointed school directors for the corporation.

March 7, 1842, Joel S. Bereman was allowed $5.50 for printing. The same day, Curran Millikan, Lydia Millikan, and Micajah Draper, were attached to the school district composed of the corporation of Washington.

By order of the trustees, through 0. Loofborrow, constable, notice was given to the electors of the township, March 11, 1842, that they proceed to elect township officers on the 4th day of April next ensuing, as follows: Three trustees, two constables, one treasurer, one clerk, two overseers of the poor, three fence viewers, and fifteen road supervisors..

April 2d, it was shown by settlement with Joseph Blackmore, treasurer, that there was no unappropriated money in his hands.

On the 5th of the same month, John L. Van Deman took oath of office as township clerk, and James Pursell, Peter Wendel, B. Martin, and N. Bush, were allowed two dollars each for services as judges and clerks at the annual spring election.

Micajah Draper, James N. Wilson, and Daniel Bush, took oath as trustees on the 6th.

J. S. Bereman and William McElwain filed certificates on the 12th as overseers of the poor, and Joseph Blackmore qualified as treasurer the same day.

May 31st, the trustees ordered a tax levy of four mills on the dollar.

December 10th, it is recorded that the trustees, "after examining the books of Union Township, including the entire record of said township, they have authorized the clerk to procure a book for the township, and to examine all the records, and place all matters of business, of different kinds, in separate books." A good idea. The accounts ought to be so kept, in ledger form, as that, at any time, it could readily be seen what the amount paid the several township officers, for services rendered, may be; and so, in like manner, should it be shown what the expenditures for specific purposes have been.

Union Township received from the county treasury, during the year 1880, $12,738.83; from other sources, $100; total receipts, $12,838.83. The expenditures for the year, we suppose, will be about the same.

The trustees now, are Jacob Dahl, Micajah Draper, and William Brannon. W. H. Dial is township clerk.

A few years ago, owing, it is stated, to a weak point in, or construction put upon the law then in force, the raids on the township •treasury were frequent, and the township officers enjoyed "a feast of fat things." The township clerk, at the time alluded to, received about seven hundred dollars for a year's services (some place the figures considerably higher), and the fees of the trustees, in like manner, were on a pretty liberal scale, while the physicians who then gave special attention to the poor, in the medical line, reaped a rich harvest. They all manifested a very tender regard for "the dear people." The fees of township trustees and clerks are now.limited. They are each allowed $1.50 per day for each day's service rendered; but their total fees during the year, out of the township funds, must not exceed $150 each. Under the law now existing, it is argued that injustice is done officers in townships wherein county seats are situated, as in such localities attention to the discharge of duty requires special and almost daily attendance on the part of the trustees. and clerk.