Walton Early History 18 Dec 1902

COUNTY HISTORY.

More Extracts From Records of First Board of Commissioners.

No. 5   (note he had two No. 5’s – smk) (To be continued.)

Ironton Register, December 18, 1902.

            The records of the first board of commissioners of Lawrence county are followed out in this issue, and a few of the items entered on the journal are given, the time being June 1817:

• “Ordered Joseph Davidson for procuring a house for the commissioners and court building till the present time, one quire paper till June 7, 1817.  46.  Order Ishue and allowed, 3.00  47X ordered that Joel Bowen be allowed for a letter lifted for the board of commissioners 0.18 ½.  (can’t make out total – smk)
• “A road beginning at the highway at the town of Burlington on the bank of the Ohio River; then down on the bank of said river past the house of Barbary Davidsons, thence past D. Brubaker’s mill down to the old Gallia county line to intersect road at the mouth of Lick Creek * * * John Davidson, George Koons, & Charles McCoy viewers and John Poange surveyor or some other suitable surveyor.  Monday, June 1817. 
• “Ordered that Charles McCoy be appointed road Commissioner instead of Joel Bowen, who has declined the legislature’s appointment and said McCoy be given bond agreeable to few and taken the oath of office. 
• Further that Charles McCoy and George Koon bond be out____ bound in the penalty of twelve hundred dollars for the true performance of laying out and expending six hundred & twenty-five dollars on the road leading from Burlington to the upper line of Lawrence county on the bank of the Ohio river, date June 9, 1817. 
• Agreed that the money appropriated by the legislature for the use of the road leading from Burlington to the upper line of Lawrence county be expended in the following plan on the first creek above Burlington on Buffalo creek and on Indian Guyan and the balance on some other creeks or branches toward the upper line as above stated of road. 
• Order That Joseph Davidson is appointed as a sealer and keeper of the standard of measures for Lawrence county and that he be authorized to procure a seal and a half bushel measure at the expense of the aforesaid county, and he has taken the oath of office.
• “Ordered that there be advertisement set up in each tp. in Lawrence county for all residents proprietors of lands subject to taxation to be fetched forward forthwith to the clerk of the board of commissioners for taxation.  June 9, 1817.
• “Ordered that the taxation rates on taxable property in this county shall be as follows to wit on each stud horse (as high as the law admits on all other horses, mares, mules & asses per head……..30 cents.  On all meat cattle per head ten cents ……10.  On all other taxable properties in the county, one-half of one percent is on the appraised value.
• “On settlement with the county treasurer up to this date and remains in Treasury after all expenditures out of Treasury $353.35 ½.
• “July 8, 1817.  Fees of the first Grand Jurors drawn were Daniel Laffoon, John Billups, Peter Lionbarger, Richard Sumpter, William Bruce, Joshua Imes, Nathaniel Morrison, Thomas Singer, John Lunsford, Augustin Smith, Elisha Hall, Edward Miller, Edward Billups, Adam Farler, Charles McCoy, each $__ (looks like 3 – smk).  Solomon Imes, constable for the grand jury, $2.
• “October 16, 1817.  Fees of grand jurors:  William Templeton, John Cartwell, John Stover, John Frances, John Brown, Charles McCoy, Andrew Blankenship, James Collier, Robert McCorkle, John Billups, Edward Miller, Peter Wakefield, Moses Chaplin, Jacob Fudge, Patten Walker, each $4.50.  Solomon Imes, constable for grand jurors, $3.00.
• “Nov. 17, 1817.  Having been elected commissioners, Nathaniel Davidson, Edward Billups, and David Spurlock took their oaths.
• “Feb. 7, 1818.  Contracted with Asa Kimble to build a break (probably brick) courthouse to stand on the north side of Washington st. & west side of Court Street, stand precisely in the center but not obstruct the street.  Price $1696.  (This is the old Burlington courthouse used in recent years as a schoolhouse.)
• “Billups road was ordered to be established as a public road and to be opened fifteen feet wide and made in other convenient for the passage of wagons and carriages.  August 22, 1818.  Asa Kimble sold the courthouse building to Gabriel Kerr.  February 8, 1819.  Gabriel Kerr sold out court house building to Jeremiah Westcott, and today it paid off. March 3, 1819.  $36.32 was appropriated for the road up buffalo creek.  Aug. 5, 1819.  Paid J. Wescott another courthouse bill.  April 27, 1820.  Sold courthouse to Joel Gillett for $240.  (This appears to have been the woodwork contract.)
• “Wednesday, June 7, 1820.  E. B. Green, N. Davidson, Thos. Kerr, commissioners chose Joseph Wheeler, clerk of the board of commissioners, to be allowed $60.00 to be paid quarterly, and Wm. G. Robinson appointed collector for the county for 1820, to be paid six percent of his collections for his fees.