Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Court Of Sessions 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com January 3, 2006, 1:44 am Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties COURT OF SESSIONS. The court of sessions consisted of the county judge as presiding justice, and two justices of the peace as associate justices. The first record of the court is as follows: STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF PLUMAS. SPECIAL TERM OF THE COUNTY COURT OF SAID COUNTY. April the 24th, A. D. 1854. This day the Judge of Plumas county met for the purpose of organizing the Court of Sessions for said county. Present, the Hon. William T. Ward, Judge. In pursuance of law, the justices of the peace in corns, in this county was this day convened for the purpose of electing two associate justices for the Court of Sessions. The justices proceeded to ballot, and Henry M. Gazley and Tos. D. Bonner was declared duly elected as associate justices of the Court of Sessions. Certificate of election was issued by the judge to H. M. Gazley, associate justice of the Court of Sessions. Certificate of election issued to Tos. D. Bonner, associate justice of the Court of Sessions. PLUMAS COURT OF SESSIONS, April 24, 1854. The court, being now organized, proceeded to the regular business before it. Present: Hon. W. T. Ward, presiding. H. M. Gazley, ) ) Associates. T. D. Bonner, ) Ordered that the clerk of this court procure all the books for the use of the county, including stationery. Ordered that court adjourn until 9 o'clock to-morrow. PLUMAS COURT OF SESSIONS, SPECIAL TERM, April 25, 1854. Court meets pursuant to adjournment. Present: Hon. W. T. Ward, prest. Messrs. Gazley and Bonner, associates. It appearing, to the satisfaction of the court, that the office of assessor is vacant, it is therefore ordered that John R. Buckbee be appointed assessor for this county to fill said vacancy, and that he holds his office until the next general election. Ordered by the court that, in pursuance of a special, act of the senate and assembly of the state of California for the organization of the county of Plumas and locating the county seat thereof, it is ordered that the county seat of this county be for the present at the house of H. J. Bradley, in the American valley, and that the proposals of the proprietors of the American ranch be by the court accepted and ordered to be filed in the office of the clerk of this court. Ordered that court adjourn till to-morrow at 9 o'clock. PLUMAS COURT OF SESSIONS, SPECIAL TERM, April 26, 1854. Court met pursuant to adjournment. Present, the Hon. W. T. Ward, president; H. M. Gazley and T. D. Bonner, associates. Ordered by the court that the sheriff of this county furnish for the use of the county tables, desks, benches, candles and sticks, as soon as possible. Ordered that the clerk of this county procure for the use of this county 6 copies of the compiled laws of this state. Ordered that court adjourn until court in course. JOHN HARBISON, Clerk. The court at this time was composed of County Judge William T. Ward, a farmer residing in Indian valley, Henry M. Gazley, a miner at Smith's bar, and Thomas D. Bonner, a gentleman of elegant leisure residing at Onion valley, and referred to elsewhere as the peregrinating justice. The first grand jury assembled at this time, and was composed of Asa C. Pierce (foreman), E. Fitch, Orrin Rice, A. G. Clark, John W. McCorkle, James W. Kirlin, John K. Lovejoy, Orlando Fuller, D. J. Gloyd, E. P. Grubbs, F. B. Whiting, W. Elsworth, W. C. Kingsbury, Samuel A. Knight, John L. Davis, John B. Overton, G. W. Robinson, James W. Hayes, Peter Day, H. J. Bradley, Robert W. Neil, John S. Thompson, William V. Kingsbury. Mr. Whiting says he has a vivid recollection of being one of said grand jurors, and of the perplexities suffered on that occasion in consequence of the inebriated condition of the district attorney, whose counsel was needed so much in the performance of their duties. The jury was cribbed in one of the hotel rooms (Bradley's American ranch), closely guarded by the sheriff, and maintained a masterly inactivity for three days, when suddenly the district attorney made his appearance in a very mellowed condition, and thus addressed the jury: "Hell's bells and turtle shells! Gentlemen of the grand jury, what are you doing all this time?" The foreman responded, that, owing to ignorance of the law, they felt unable to proceed in the line of duty. "Know ye not the law?" said the district attorney. "Know ye not that John Doe and Richard Roe, and a thousand others throughout the broad commonwealth of Plumas, are selling groceries et al. without license? They must all be indicted." The result was, that in two hours the jury came into court and presented thirty-four indictments against sundry dealers in beef, whisky, etc. The defendants all pleaded not guilty, and their cases were argued and submitted to the judge, who fined each of the defendants one cent and costs, and adjourned the court. OFFICERS OF THE COURT OF SESSIONS. COUNTY JUDGES. ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. ( H. M. Gazley, ( Thomas D. Bonner, 1854 William T. Ward. ( John K.Lovejoy, ( James H. McNabb. ( James H. McNabb, ( Jobe T. Taylor, 1855. William T. Ward. ( A. D. McDonald, ( H. D. Canfield, ( D. J. Wilmans, ( Lewis Stark, ( D. W. C.Baird. ( D. J. Wilmans, 1856. William T. Ward. ( Lewis Stark, ( E. P. Grubbs. ( D. H. Jones, 1857. William T. Ward ( John D. Goodwin, ( W. S. Ingereoll, ( N. H. Ranny. ( W. S. Ingersoll, 1858. Edmund T. Hogan ( Lewis Stark, ( E P. Grubbs. ( A. E. Wait, 1859. Edmund T. Hogan. ( E. P. Grubbs. ( W. K. Logan, 1860. Edmund T. Hogan. ( J. B. Allebaugh. ( W. K. Logan, 1861. Edmund T. Hogan. ( A. P. Moore, ( Lewis Stark, ( J. J. L. Peel. ( W. K. Logan, 1862. Edmund T. Hogan. ( J. J. L. Peel, ( A. P. Moore. ( A. P. Moore, 1863. Edmund T. Hogan. ( Hamilton Brown, ( George S. Beers. The last session was held on the eleventh of November, 1863, the court having been abolished by the constitutional amendments of that year. Until the spring of 1855, this court also administered the governmental affairs of the county, but was at that time relieved of the duty by the creation of a board of supervisors. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties San Francisco: Fariss & Smith (1882) File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/plumas/history/1882/illustra/courtofs113gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 8.3 Kb