CHAPTER IV
ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY.
LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT EARLY COURTS ELECTIONS COUNTY OFFICERS.
In the month of September, 1814, by an act of the legislature, Posey county was formed from parts of Gibson and Warrick.
In December, 1818, Vanderburgh was formed from parts of Gibson, Warrick and Posey, thereby reducing Posey county to her present boundaries, with an area of 420 square miles, or 268,800 acres.
In the year 1800, when the Territory of Indiana was formed, it contained only the four counties of Knox, Harrison, Clark and Dearborn, but when Indiana was admitted as a State, it was composed of thirteen counties, viz. : Wayne, Franklin, Dearborn, Switzerland, Jefferson, Clark, Harrison, Washington, Knox, Gibson, Warrick, Perry and Posey. At that time Posey county was so thinly settled that she commanded very little attention. The official returns of the population of Indiana on December 4, 1815, showed the inhabitants of Posey county to be 1,619, but, as may be seen from the following records of her growth in population, Posey county was destined to have a steady natural growth, viz.: 1816, 2,240; -1820, 4,061; 1830, 6,540; 1840, 9,583; 1850, 12,549; 1860, 16,147; 1870, 19,185; 1880, 22,057; 1890, 21,529; 1900, 22,333; I9IQ. 21,670.
The first session of court was held at the house of Absalom Duckworth, about five miles north of the present site of Mt. Vernon. It was convened Monday, January 6, 1815. In the record it is called the Court of Claims. It was really a court to do the business of the county, similar in nature to our present board of county commissioners. It was presided over by Isaac Blackford, with Thomas E. Casselberry and Dann Lynn, associate judges of the county.
William Prince, on the day court was convened, was appointed prosecuting attorney, which position he held until 1817, when he was elected judge. He was succeeded by David Floyd as prosecutor.
Other business coming before the court was the report of the commissioners appointed to fix the seat of justice as follows: " We, the commissioners appointed by a special act of the General Assembly of the Indiana Territory, for to fix on the permanent seat of justice in Posey county, do certify that we, the undersigned, have selected 320 acres of land, to-wit: The northeast quarter of section Number 30, in township Number 6 south of range Number 12 west, also the southeast quarter of section Number 19 in township south of range Number 12 west, a beautiful situation and excellent soil. We do certify to the honorable judges of Posey county that the above named is land selected for your permanent seat of justice of Posey county. " Given from under our hands and seals this I4th day of January, 1816. "ADAM YOUNG, " JOSEPH INGLISH, WILLIAM BRISCOE, SAMUEL SMYTH, GEORGE W. TEVAULT."
This was to be the county seat of Posey county. Its location was about a mile north of Caborn Station, now a station on the Louisville & Nashville railroad, in Marrs township.
Samuel R. Marrs, after whom Marrs township was named, was appointed county agent. It was the duty of the county agent to receive the lands and to perform such other business as was the custom in those days.
The court ordered that this seat of justice for Posey county be called Blackford, and instructed the county agent to lay out the town into town lots in a certain manner. Then came the advertisement for the sale of the lots on the first Monday in March following. Eight lots adjoining the public square were to be sold at $40.00 each, those on Main street at $20.00 each, and the others at $12.00 each. Twelve months' time was given in which to make final payment on the lots.
The county agent was ordered to receive on the same day, at the house of Absalom Duckworth, proposals for the building of a court house and jail, plans for same having been adopted at this same session.
The first orders for money to be paid out of the Posey county treasury were in favor of Thomas E. Casselberry for $102, and Jacob Landers for $60, money loaned to the county.
The second session opened Monday, the first of May, 1815, at the house of Absalom Duckworth, the same judges presiding.
It adjourned at once to meet at the town of Blackford, the new county seat, as William Hutchinson had offered the use of his house free of rent.
The contract for building the county jail was given to Samuel Jones for $565, and the contract for the court house to Jacob Weinmiller for $125, each giving bond for the fulfillment of his engagement.
Another sale of town lots was held on the first Wednesday after the third Monday in June, 1815. The out-lots were to be sold at $12 per acre. Thomas E. Casselberry was appointed to survey the lots and the county agent was ordered to advertise for bids for the clearing of the lots.
In November William Hutchinson was allowed $6.00 for whiskey furnished at the auction sale of town lots. Considering the fact that whiskey was quite cheap in those days, twenty-five cents per gallon, we would imagine that $6.00 would purchase enough to make them all feel rich, or liberal at least.
William E. Stewart, county clerk, was allowed $63.00 for his services fpr the year; Thomas E. Casselberry, associate judge, $46.00; Dan Lynn, associate judge, $35.00, and William Prince, prosecuting attorney, $45.00.
In May, 1816, Jacob Weinmiller, having completed the court house building, offered it to the court for acceptance, which was refused, and John Stapleton and Elsberry Alexander were appointed to inspect the building. They reported that it had not been built according to contract.
Finally, in July, it was accepted by deducting $10 from the contract price, so the cost of Posey county's first court house was $115.
The jail building was accepted after deducting $100 from the original contract price. So that the cost of both jail and court house amounted to $582. It goes without saying that the buildings were constructed of logs in the style of the times.
On the twenty-first of October, 1816, the first session of court under the State law was held at the town of Blackford.
Under the new State law the county business was to be done by three county commissioners. These commissioners were Samuel R. Marrs, Thomas Robb and Abner Coates. Their first act was to fix upon a county seal, which had the words, "Commissioners' Seal of Posey County."
Samuel Jones was appointed treasurer of Posey county for one year; David Love was allowed $42.50 for assessing the taxable property of Posey county for the year 1816. William E. Stewart, the first clerk of Posey county, was allowed $23.50 "for ex-officio services for the year 1816, and for the rent of his office eight months," showing that our first county officials were compelled to provide themselves with offices and serve the county at very small salaries.
In March, 1817, the places for holding elections were fixed and the inspectors appointed as follows : For Marrs township, at the house of William Hutchinson, with Elsberry Armstrong, inspector; for Black township, at the house of Thomas Givens in Mt. Vernon, with Samuel Jones, inspector; for Lynn township, at Harmonic, with Elias Allitzer, inspector; for Robb township, at the house of Langston Drew, with Thomas Robb, inspector; for Smith township, at the house of George Smith, with Miles Armstrong, inspector; for Wayne township, at the house of Mr. Johnson, formerly the house of Mr. Long, at the fork of the Cony branch of the stream, in said township, with Daniel Miller, inspector. In May of this year Samuel Jones was appointed county treasurer, which office he held until 1822.
The people soon became dissatisfied with the location of the county seat at Blackford, and demanded that it be moved to a more central place. In order to change the location an act of the legislature was passed, appointing a committee for that purpose. At a session of the board of commissioners, held on the twelfth day of May, 1817, the following report of the commissioners appointed to change the location of the county seat was received :
We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being appointed by the legislature of the State of Indiana, to fix the permanent seat of justice for Posey county in the said State, did meet at the house of Elias Allitzer on the day appointed by law, and after being first sworn have proceeded to examine and explore the said county in different directions ; have received proposals of donation in land from different persons; have maturely considered their several advantages and situations, together with the extent of the. county, the advantages of the soil, the weight of the present as well as the prospect of the future population and future divisions : have selected 100 acres of land, a donation given by Frederick Rapp, on which to fix the permanent seat of justice for said county, it being the southeast quarter of section 33, in township 5 south, in range 13 west, and to lie on the south side of said quarter section from corner to corner of the same, it being near the center (of the county) and an eligible situation for a town, do make this our report of the same to the county commissioners of Posey. Given under our hands and seals this 22d day of February, 1817. "ISAAC MONTGOMERY, HUGH McGARY, ADAM HOPE, JOHN BRAZELTON."
The board met on the twenty-fourth day of May and approved the plan of the new town, and ordered that it be known and designated as Springfield. Frederick Rapp was appointed county agent and ordered to lay out the town and advertise a sale of lots to be held on the fifteenth of July, also at the same time to receive bids for the building of a court house and jail.
Lots facing the public square were to be sold at $100, and back lots at $12 each. This was the beginning of Springfield. The new town immediately began to experience quite a boom on account of being the county seat. Another sale of lots was held in October following, and a large number of lots were sold, the buyers being among the best citizens of the county. The agent was ordered to keep up the clearing of the land until November. Samuel Jones, treasurer of Posey county, took out a license to keep a tavern in the new town and everything seemed flourishing. At this sale of lots Thomas E. Casselberry furnished $7.00 worth of whiskey.
For some unknown reason the contracts for the building of the court house and jail were not let at the appointed time.
In November the county board met for the first time in Springfield, although there was no public building in which to hold court. However, it is likely that there was a building of some kind that was used by the officers for a court house, as an order for $16.50 appears in the record in favor of Alexander Hindman for laying a floor in the court house in Springfield. The contract for building the county jail was given to Abner Coates for $458. It was built on the same plan as the old one at Blackford — a two-story structure of hewn logs, the first story of double log walls and the top story of single log walls. The first story was called the dungeon, and the top story the debtors' prison. Imprisonment for debt was then lawful in Indiana.
Frederick Rapp, county agent, resigned and Thomas E. Casselberry was appointed in his place and served something over one year. In November, 1818, he reported the proceeds from the sale of town lots as $2,866.25, which would indicate that there was a good demand for property in Springfield. Good clay for making brick was found at the town-site and James P. Drake, who was made county agent to succeed Thomas E. Casselberry, was ordered to let the contract for making the brick 'and delivering them to the public square ready to be used in building the new court house. As the board had plenty of money from the sale of town lots, which could not be used for anything except public buildings, they decided to build a good, substantial court house.
The contract for making the brick and doing the mason work was given to Joseph Spaulding. The building was to be forty feet square and two stories high. The contract for the carpenter work was given to James Carter, but Frederick Rapp took his place and finished the building. This house is still standing, was converted into a school building several years ago, and is still used for that purpose. The total cost of the building was about $4,500. This was the first brick court house built in Southern Indiana.
Up to this time the county had expended about $6,000 for its buildings, a large portion of it having been collected from the sale of lots.
Elias Roberts, one of the leading attorneys of the county, was appointed county agent, but he did not hold the office long. His successor was Alexander Mills. James P. Drake collected during his term as county agent $1,087.50 for lots in Springfield; Elias Roberts, $1,175. In November, 1820, Alexander Mills reported the proceeds from the sale of lots, collected by him, as amounting to $750. He was succeeded by Peter Saltzman in May, 1822, and John Schnee became the county treasurer, succeeding Samuel Jones.
The method of doing the county business had been changed by law. All the justices of the peace formed a board for transacting the county business instead of a board of three commissioners. Their first session was held in September, 1824, and was composed of the following men : Peter Jones, William Moffatt, Robert Denny, Josiah Downen, James Conlin, Joseph Spalding, William J. Lowry and Peter Saltzman.
Although the town of Springfield was a central location for the county seat it did not have the natural commercial advantages to make a flourishing town. In those days the rivers were the commercial thoroughfares of the country. Mt. Vernon, being thus advantageously situated on the Ohio river, rapidly grew into prominence as a trading point and soon surpassed every town in the county, while it was plainly evident that Springfield had nothing in its favor that would ever give it any importance except the fact that it was the county seat.
In February, 1825, the legislature passed a law authorizing a change in the location of the county seat of Posey county, and appointed a board of commissioners for that purpose. This board of commissioners made their report to the board of justices on special session on the tenth of May, 1825.
Accordingly, at this same session, the clerk and recorder were directed to move their offices to Mt. Vernon, suitable buildings having been procured for them.
The first session of the county board held in Mt. Vernon was convened on Monday, the fourth day of July, 1825, and was made up of the following men : James Conlin, William Moffatt, Jonathan Robinson, Robert Denny, John Graddy, James Dunn, William J. Lowry, James Swift, Peter Jones and John Williams. John Graddy was president. Their first act was to order the sheriff to dispose of the court house and jail at Springfield at public auction. The court house was sold to Darius North for $380 and the jail to William Hutchinson for $10.
Liberal donations to the county in land in and around the town were made by Jesse Y. Welborn, John Burlison and Darius North in order to secure the location of the county seat at Mt. Vernon.
The county agent was ordered to lay the land out in town lots. The first sale of lots took place on July 4, 1826.
The new court house was built by Jesse Y. Welborn, free of cost to the county, a number of the leading citizens donating liberally.
The value of town lots in Springfield had depreciated in value and to reimburse the property owners the legislature in May, 1827, passed an act for their relief. Town lots were not so much in demand as they were in Springfield and the lot sale was a little slow.
In 1831 the law was changed so that the county business was again transacted by three commissioners, but four years later it was changed again, giving the board of justices power and authority to transact the county business.
In March, 1836, a contract was let to William J. Lowry to build a fire-proof clerk's office for $2,580. It was completed and accepted in June of the next year. It was located near the southwest corner of the present court house.
In January, 1837, the contract for building a new jail on the public square was given to Eben D. Edson and Charles Hovey for $3,800, but Arza 'Lee soon after assumed the responsibilities of the contract in their stead and completed the job on time. It was located near the east door of the present court house.
In 1839 the board of three commissioners came into power again. In that year a strip of land 87 feet wide was laid off along the north side of the public square into four lots and offered for sale.
At the organization of the State under the new constitution the counties were to be governed, and ever since have been, by three commissioners.
The first board elected under this new order of things were John Moore, James Wilson and A. E. Fretagoet.
In March, 1855, John R. Hugo was given the contract to build a new jail for $7,603. It was to contain four cells, was to be built of brick and iron, and be attached to the old jail. It was completed and received by the commissioners in November, 1855. It remained in use until the present one was built in 1878 at a cost of $17,700. The building consists of a prison and sheriff's residence combined. The sheriff's residence, occupying the front of the building, is built of brick and the prison is built of heavy limestone with a roof composed of iron and slate. There are fourteen cells, separated into five wards, the doors, made of grated prison iron, are made secure by the May lever locks, the levers all terminating at the main entrance to the prison, from which place they are operated.
The present court house was built in 1876 at a cost of $95,000, including an iron fence enclosing the square, the fence having been replaced since by concrete curbing. The building is 105 feet in length from north to south and 75 feet from east to west. The base of the building and the cappings and sills used in ornamenting the windows and doors are of stone brought from Bedford, Ind.
The building is of of Romanesque style of architecture, with a roof of slate and copper and has a handsome dome with an apex reaching 119 feet above the foundation. The first story of the building contains the county offices and is made entirely fireproof by the use of incombustible materials, and rests on a system of arches, affording a very substantial foundation.
The court room, which is located on the second floor, is in the form of an elliptical circle, with a gallery surrounding it. Its acoustic properties are exceptionally good.
A list of the county officers is here given :
Senators — Thomas Givens, William Casey, Charles I. Battell, Joseph Lane, John Pitcher, William H. Stockwell, Enoch R. James, William Greathouse, Cyrus K. Drew, Magnus T. Carnahan, Thomas C. Jaqu^ss, Thomas J. Hargrave, Jasper Davidson, G. V. Menzies, Albert G. Hoi- comb, 1890-1894; V. P. Bozeman, 1894-1898; William E. Stilwell, 1898- 1902; John D. Roche, 1902-1906; Charles W. White, 1906-1910; George William Curtis, now serving.
Representatives — Dan Lynn, William Casey, Jesse R. Craig, John Schrader, Jesse Y. Welborn, Richard Daniel, George S. Green, Robert D. Owen, Charles I. Battell, Arza Lee, Samuel Annable, W. B. Southard, Eben D. Edson, James C. Endicott, John Hall, M. T. Carnahan, George W. Thomas, Adam Lichtenberger, Felix Mills, Horatio C. Cooper, Silas Cox, H. S. Casselberry, Joel Hume, Urbin Marrs, William P. Edson, William C. Pitts, Hazel Nelson, Joseph P. Edson, Edward T. Sullivan, Elijah M. Spencer, George Wolfin, Wolfgang Hynes, James M. Whit- worth, Joseph F. Welborn, Russell Blockey, John Walz, Leroy Williams, James W. French, William H. Whitworth, John C. Smith, 1891- 1895; S. Jett Williams, 1895-1897; Taylor I. Record, 1897-1899; Herdis F. Clements, 1899-1901 ; Joseph R. Haines, 1901-1905 ; Frank N. Wade, 1905-1909; Henry Demberger, 1909-1911; Chilton R. Pleasants, 1911- 1913 ; Charles Nix, 1913 — present incumbent.
Judges of the Common Pleas Court — John Pitcher, from October, 1852, to November 5, 1866; Andrew L. Robinson, from November 5, 1866, to November 4, 1867; Morris S. Johnson, from November 4, 1867, to July n, 1871; William P. Edson, from November 6, 1871, to July 13, 1872; J. B. Handy, from November 4, 1872, to March 12, 1873. This court ceased to exist after 1880. The State causes in the common pleas court were transferred to the jurisdiction of the circuit court.
Judges of the Posey County Circuit Court — Isaac Blackford, from 1815 to March 18, 1816. David Raymond (appointed by Governor Thomas Posey), from March 18, 1816, to August 16, 1816. William Prince, from August 16, 1816, to March 17, 1817. David Hart, from February 16, 1818, to March 8, 1819. Richard Daniel, from March 8, 1819, to March 3, 1820. James R. E. Goodlet, from March 20, 1820, to February, 1832. Samuel Hall, from February, 1832, to September 13, 1835. Charles I. Battell, from September 13, 1835, to 1836. Elisha Embree, from 1836 to March, 1846. James Lockhart, from March, 1846, to September 21, 1851. Alvin P. Hovey (appointed by Gov. Joseph A. Wright), from September 21, 1851, to April, 1854. (Appointed to fill vacancy on supreme bench, May 18, 1854.) William E. Niblack, from 1854 to March 29, 1858; Ballard Smith (appointed to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of William E. Niblack), from March 29, 1858, to April, 1859. Michael F. Burke, from April, 1859, to September, 1859. William F. Parrett (appointed to fill vacancy caused by death of M. F. Burke), from September, 1859, to March, 1869. James G. Jones, from March, 1869, to November, 1870. David T. Laird, from November, 1870, to March 7, 1873 (when a change in the judicial district by an act of the legislature deposed him). William F. Parrett (appointed by Gov. Thomas A. Hendricks to fill the vacancy caused by an act of the legislature deposing David T. Laird), from March 7, 1873, to January i, 1889. Robert D. Richardson, from January i, 1889, to August, 1895. Oscar M. Welborn, from August, 1895, to October 25, 1909. Hardis F. Clements, from October 25, 1909 — present incumbent.
County Clerks — William E. Stewart, from the organization of the county in January, 1816, to June, 1817; David Love to 1819; James P. Drake to 1829; W. E. Stewart to 1839; Turner Nelson to 1861 ; William P. Edson to 1865 ; Turner Nelson to 1867 ; William Nelson to 1875 ; George W. Curtis, November i, 1875, to November i, 1883; Oliver M. Fretagoet, 1883 to 1891; George H. Wilson, November i, 1891, to November i, 1899; Paul Maier, November i, 1899, to January i, 1904; Joseph L. Blase (died in office), January i, 1904, to January 28, 1904; Lawrence E. Barter (appointed to fill unexpired term), January 30, 1904, to January i, 1905; Lawrence E. Barter, January I, 1905, to January i, 1913; Kelly De Fur, January i, 1913 — now serving.
County Treasurers — It is probable that Samuel R. Marrs, the county agent, acted as county treasurer up to 1817, when Samuel Jones was appointed and served until 1822; John Shnee to 1826; J. W. Swift to 1829; James Robb to 1830; Felix Mills to 1833; George S. Green to 1837; Eben D. Edson to 1839; John Pitcher to 1840; William J. Lowry to 1844; John Cox to 1847; Jonn M- Sanders to 1853; Felix Mills to 1857; John M. Sanders to 1859; John B. Gardiner to 1861 ; Joseph F. Welborn to 1863; William B. Smith to 1867; Thomas Stephens to 1869; Joseph Showers, 1873; John C. Young to 1875; George Naas to 1879; Nicholas Joest to 1884; Andrew Wasem to 1888; John Herrmann, 1888 to 1892; John Walz, 1892 to 1896; George L. Hoehn, 1896 to 1900; Henry Fischer, 1900 to 1904; Fred O. Morelock, 1904 (died in office in 1907) ; Joseph R. Haines, 1907 (filled out unexpired term); Christ Reister, 1908 to 1912; Andrew A. Schenk, 1912 — now serving.
County Auditors — Thomas F. Prosser, 1844 to 1863; John B. Gardiner to 1871 ; F. D. Bolton to 1875; Alfred D. Owen, from March 6, 1875, to March 6, 1883; George S. Green, March 6, 1883, to March 6, 1891 ; Thomas J. Johnson, March 6, 1891, to March 6, 1899; Silas G. Howard, March 6, 1899, to January i, 1908; Paul Maier, January I, 1908, to January I, 1912; Joseph R. Haines, January i, 1912 — now serving.
County Recorders — Prior to 1851 the county clerk performed the duties that now devolve on the recorder. In May of that year Thomas B. Holt was elected recorder and served to 1855. His successors have been George R. Latham, 1855, serving but two months ; John D. Hinch to 1863; George W. Thomas to 1867; F. A. Pentecost to 1875; Philo A. Hutchinson to 1879; Aaron Lichtenberger to 1883; Vincent Cartwright, 1883 to 1891 ; John E. Anderson, 1891 to 1899; George W. Price, 1889 to 1908; G. W. Thomas, 1908 — present incumbent.
Sheriffs — John Carson to 1817; William Boyle (one year) ; James Robb ( one year) ; Aaron Bacon (four years) ; John Carson (four years) ; Felix Mills (four years) ; William James (four years) ; John Cox (two years) ; Felix Mills (four years) ; Aaron C. Moore (two years) ; John Patterson ( two years) ; Joseph Showers (two years) ; Felix Mills (six years) ; Joseph Showers (two years) ; Aaron Lichtenberger (two years) ; Alexander Crunk (four years) ; John S. Wheeler (four years) ; Alexander Crunk ( four years); Edward S. Hays, August 31, 1883, to August 31, 1887; Samuel C. Dixon, August 31, 1887, to August 31, 1889; Edward E. High- man, August 31, 1889, to August 31, 1893; Holman Freeman, August 31, 1893, to August 31, 1895 : Paul Maier, August 31, 1895, to August 31, 1897 ; Enoch E. Thomas, August 31, 1897, to January i, 1902; James F. Mc- Fadden, January i, 1902, to January i, 1906; Alonzo K. Grant, January i, 1906, to January i, 1910; Joseph M. Causey, January i, 1910, to January i, 1914; Marshall H. Hall, January i, 1914 — now serving.
Prosecuting Attorneys, Common Pleas Court — Henry Kaiger, 1852 to 1854; Joseph P. Edson, 1854 to 1856; E. M. Spencer, 1856 to 1858; William P. Edson, 1858 to 1860; E. M. Spencer, 1860 to 1862; Ellis Lewis, 1862 to 1864; Charles G. Bennett, 1864 to 1868; William M. Hoggatt, 1868 to 1870. After 1880 the State causes were transferred to the jurisdiction of the circuit court prosecutor and the office ceased to exist.
Prosecuting Attorneys, Circuit Court — Ebon D. Edson, James Blythe, Thomas B. Holt, Richard Clements, H. G. Barkwell, A. L. Robinson, Nat Usher, James M. Shanklin, September, 1857, to September, 1860; Ellis Lewis (pro tern.), September, 1860, to June, 1862; Blythe Hynes, June, 1862, to September, 1863 ; Charles E. Marsh, September, 1863, to September, 1864; "Lewis C. Stinson, September, 1864, to 1866; W. P. Hargrave, March, 1866, to March, 1869; William P. Henning, March, 1869, to April, 1871; C. A. DeBruler, April, 1871, to October, 1873; John Brownlee, October, 1873, to October, 1879; William H. Gudgel, October, 1879, to November, 1883 ; Phil W. Frey, November, 1883, to November, 1887 ; Andrew J. McCutcheon, 1887 to 1891 ; John W. Spencer, 1891 to 1895 ; John R. Brill, 1895 to 1897; James Kilroy, 1897 to 1899 > William Espenscheid, 1901 to 1905; George William Curtis, 1905 to 1909; San- ford Trippet, 1909 to 1913; Harvey Harmon, January i, 1913, to March i, 1913 ; Roscoe U. Barker, March i — now serving.
County School Superintendents — Robert McCann, from June, 1861, to June, 1865; M. W. Pearse, June, 1865, to June, 1868; James B. Campbell, from June, 1868, to June, 1875 ; Harrison O'Bannon, from June, 1875, to November, 1875 ; James B. Campbell, from November, 1875, to June, 1877; James W. French, from June, 1877, to June, 1881 ; James Kilroy, from June, 1881, to June, 1887; O. L. Sewell, 1887 to June. l89I > Walter W. French, from from June i, 1891, to September 2, 1895 ; Charles A. Greathouse, September 5, 1895, to August 24, 1905; William O. Wilson, August 24, 1905 — now serving.
Coroners — Jacob Fisher, from August, 1851, to August, 1855; Joseph Spaulding, from August, 1859, to October 30, 1861 ; John Conyngton, from October 30, 1861, to November 2, 1863 ; Adam Lichtenberger, from November 2, 1863, to November 2, 1865 ; Marcus S. Blount, from November 2, 1865, to November i, 1867; S. H. Pearse, from November i, 1867, to October 25, 1870; Jesse Kuykendall, from October 25, 1870, to October 25, 1872; Adolph Matzdorf, from November 12, 1872, to July 20, 1873; Cyrus O. Thomas, from August 22, 1873, to October 9, 1874; William Hendricks, from October 12, 1863, to 1890; John Doyle, 1890 to 1894; Henry Weisinger, 1894 to 1906; Merle A. Weisinger, 1906— still serving.
County Surveyors — John Talbert, Matthew Williams, Ebenezer Phillips, William F. Phillips, J. W. Whitworth, Aaron Baker, Moses Johnson; Thomas J. Johnson, March i, 1881, to March i, 1891; William H. • Whitworth, March i, 1891, to death; Ezra Stephens (by appointment to fill unexpired term); George W. Sarlls, March i, 1893, to January i, 1899; Elias Anderson, 1899 to 1901; George W. Sarlls, 1901 to 1903; Thomas J. Johnson, January i, 1903 — still serving.
Source: http://books.google.com/, scanned image History of Posey County, Indiana By John C. Leffel Published by Standard Publ. Co., 1913