HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 4

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

In February, 1817, three Commissioners began doing the county business in place of the Associate Judges. Samuel Cobb, Ezekiel Blackwell, and Jonathan Lindley were the first three Commissioners - Cobb to serve three years, Blackwell two, and Lindley one. Their first act was to redivide the county into townships. All of Orange County west of the meridian line and south of the base line was named Greenfleld Township, elections to be held at the house of John Booth. Southeast Township was bounded as follows: Beginning on the county line between Townships 1 and 2 north, thence south to Harrison County, thence west to the meridian line, thence north seven miles, thence east four miles, thence north four miles, thence east to the beginning; elections to be at the house of Zachariah Lindley. Paoli Township to be bounded as follows: Beginning where the base line crosses the meridian line, thence west four miles, thence north ten miles, thence east eight miles, thence south eight miles, thence west four miles, thence south two miles to the beginning; elections to be held at Paoli. Southwest Township: Beginning on the base line between Sections 32 and 33, Range 1 west, thence west to the county line, thence north to the center of Township 2 north, thence east eight miles, thence south to the beginning; elections to be at the house of Joel Charles. Northwest Township: Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 21, Township 2 north, Range 1 west, thence west to the county line, thence north to White River, thence up said river to the meridian line, thence south to the northwest corner of Section 18. Township 2 north, Range 1 east, thence west four miles. thence south to the beginning; elections at the house of Thomas Evans. Northeast Township: Beginning on White River where the counties of Washington and Jackson cross, thence south on the eastern line of Orange County to the line dividing Townships 1 and 2 north, thence west four miles, thence north four miles, thence west to the meridian line, thence north to White River, thence up the same to the beginning; elections to be held at Jesse Roberts’. Leatherwood Township: All of the present Lawrence County north of White River and south of the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 north; election to be held at Basin Spring, at the house of James Stotts. Clear Creek Township: To be all of Orange County north of the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 north (the greater portion of the present County of Monroe); elections to be held at Basin Spring, on Section 20, Township 8 north. Range 1 west. Isaac Saunders was appointed Lister for Greenfield Township. Michael Beal for Southeast, William Lindley for Paoli, A. Campbell for Southwest, William Bean for Northwest, William G. Berry for Northeast, Robert Stotts for Leatherwood, and Solomon Green for Clear Creek.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS

Simon Rubottom, James Wilson and Roger McKnight were appointed Viewers of a road from Paoli to Section 12, Township 4 north, Range 2 west, on White River. The following township officers were appointed for 1817: Paoli Township, William Lindley and Thomas At- kisson. Overseers of the Poor; Adam Miller and Joshua Nichols, same for Southwest Township; John Rooth and Joseph Kinkaid, same for Greenfield; George Henton and Thomas Copeland, same for Southeast; Robert Elrod and Thomas Evans, same for Northwest: James Maxwell and Daniel McKinney, same for Northeast; James Gregory and Jeremiah Rankin, same for Leatherwood; Roderick Rawlins and Lewis Jackson, same for Clear Creek.

In February, 1817, Jonathan Lindley, County Agent, was directed to lay out five acres of the county land adjoining Paoli into lots, and offer the same at public auction, in April. All the improved county land within the town limits was ordered leased for one year. Joseph Osborn was appointed Constable for Greenfield Township. Daniel Henley for Southeast, Thomas G. Carr for Northeast, Burton Southern for Northwest, Josiah Hazelwood for Southwest, Jesse Wright for Clear Creek, and Richard L. Kearby for Paoli. In May, 1817, John McVey was appointed County Treasurer; Zachariah Lindley was appointed County Collector, with bonds at $3,000. The tax levied for the year 1817 was as follows: On horses 25 cents; town lots 50 cents on each $100 valuation; stallions the season rate; taverns $10; ferries $5. Silas Dixon and John Towel were permitted to establish a ferry on White River, Section 12, Township 4 north, Range 2 west.

In February, 1817, the County Board met at the house of P. N. Allen, but in the following November met at the new court house. Early in 1818 several changes were made in the boundaries of the townships. The following charges were established for taverns: Meals 25 cents, lodging 12 1/2 cents, one-half pint of whiskey 12 1/2 cents. one-half pint of apple or peach brandy 18 3/4 cents, one-half pint of rum, wine or French brandy 37 1/2 cents, cider per quart 12 1/2 cents, cider royal per quart 25 cents, horse feed per gallon 12 1/2 cents. Jonathan Lindley, in February, 1818 was paid $100 for laying out lots to date. The receipts from the sales of town lots in April, 1817, were $1,871.40. Jonathan Lindley’s house was used in which to hold courts. In May, 1818, John G. Clendenin was appointed to procure a set of weights and measures for the county. The County Treasurer, McVey, was directed to bring suit against all persons selling goods without a license. In August, 1818, steps were taken to dig a well on the public square in Paoli. In November, 1818, the County Agent was directed to lay out the balance of the county land into lots, and advertise the sale thereof, in the Tocsin, of Salem. William Hoggatt was and had been, since the organization of the county, Clerk of the Circuit Court. The seal of the county was of brass, with a lamb in the center. Late in 1818 steps to build a bridge over Lick Creek at Paoli were taken. Evan Jones was County Lister in 1819. The following men, conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, were each required to pay into the County Treasury $4: Jonathan Lindley, William Lindley. John Towel, Adam Davis, Henry Holaday, Abraham Holaday, George Maris, Stephen Thomas, Tilden Thomas, Lewis Thomas, Jonathan Newlin, John Cloud, Joshua Hadley, Josiah Trueblood, Samuel Holaday, Robert Holaday, James Jones, Evan Hyatt, Ephraim Doan, John Williams, William Doan, Christopher Kill, John Atkisson, Jonathan Braxtan, Abe Osborn, Enoch Osborn, Thomas Maris, Levi Gifford, John Harnet, William Harnet, John Dougherty and Bailey Hobson.

OTHER IMPORTANT ACTS

The work on the public well was vigorously pushed by John Patton (but was soon abandoned), to whom the contract had been let. Adam Shirley was given the privilege of constructing a toll bridge over Lost River, on Section 11, Township 2 north, Range 2 west. The new court house was turned, over to the care of William Hoggatt. Ebenezer Doan was County Lister in 1820. In February, 1820, John Brown was employed for $6.75 to make nine chairs for the court house. John Pinnick was the County Census Taker in 1820. In May, 1820, all county land adjoining Paoli on the east was ordered laid out and sold at auction, or otherwise - ten acres in all. Joshua Robbins was permitted to establish a ferry on Lost River, on Section 14, Township 2 north, Range 2 west. Pinnick, the Census Taker, was paid $2 for each 100 persons. Henry A. Cowan was exempted from road work, being an invalid on the navy pension list. Alexander Wallace, County Lister, 1821 and 1822. In February, 1822, Jonathan Lindley, County Agent, resigned, and John G. Clendenin was appointed, but the latter, failing to qualify, was succeeded by Thomas F. Chapman. The public well was completed in 1824. In 1825 Township Listers were appointed to take the place of the County Lister. Zachariah Lindley was County Collector in 1825, and Alfred Athon in 1826. Joseph Potts became County Agent January, 1827, vice Chapman, deceased. John Phillips established a ferry on Lost River, near New Prospect. James Collins, Jr., became County Agent January, 1829. William Stewart, survivor of the Revolutionary war, was released from the payment of poll tax. Michael Mavity was President of the Board of Justices, 1829. Richard Hudelson was County Collector in 1829. Benjamin Johnson became County Agent in September, 1829. William Lindley became School Commissioner in 1829. The bond of the County Treasurer was fixed at $5,000. Patrick Dougherty became County Agent in March, 1831. In 1831 the new law of the State transferred the transaction of county business back to three Commissioners. whereupon the county was divided as follows, into three Commissioners’ districts: Northeast and Northwest Townships to be No. 1; Paoli and Southwest to be No. 2; Southeast and Greenfield to be No. 3. The three new Commissioners, who took their seats in September. 1831, were Joel Cloud, Samuel Dalton and Henry Hollowell.

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