Irwin County GaArchives History .....History of Irwin County, Chapter 13 1932
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 13, 2004, 1:03 am

CHAPTER 13.

COUNTY COURT.

   At the October term, 1892, of the Superior Court of Irwin County, the Grand
Jury recommended the establishment of a county court and recommended that the
county authorities arrange with suitable parties to create a chain gang and
elected or recommended the appointment of J. B. Clements as county judge which
appointment was made by Governor Northern.

   In view of the fact that the writer of this sketch was judge of this court
for sixteen years, I shall only give the findings of the various Grand Juries in
reference to said court.

   The first Solicitor of the county court was the Honorable Tom Eason,
Solicitor-General of the Oconee Circuit, who was a fearless prosecuting officer,
a thorough gentleman and fulfilled the duties of the office in a most creditable
manner.

   At the October term, 1893, the Grand Jury had this to say in reference to the
County Court in their general presentments: "We find the books of this officer
neatly and correctly kept, with proper entries showing the amount of money
received from fines and forfeitures and proper vouchers showing disposition of
same. In view of the fact that the County Court has been recently established we
have tried to be thorough in our investigation and have compared this court with
our Superior Court.

   "We find that our County Judge, J. B. Clements, has received from fines and
forfeitures and the hire of misdemeanor convicts the sum of $2,087.81; of this
amount, $166.64 was received for hire of four Superior Court convicts, which
amount was paid to Tom Eason, Solicitor-General, Superior Court, leaving a
balance arising from fines and forfeitures and hire of County Court convicts the
sum of $1,921.17.

   "We find he has paid costs to various county officers for costs, the sum of
$1,152.90, leaving a balance of $768.27, which has been paid into the county
treasury for all of which county judge has proper vouchers.

   "There has been disposed of in County Court forty civil cases and
seventy-seven criminal cases making a total of one hundred seventeen cases
disposed of.

   "There is but little business on the dockets in shape to be disposed of. By
reference to county commissioners' books, the court .has cost including judge's
salary, jury and bailiff fees, in fact, total cost has been for whole time
County Court has been in operation the sum of $409.86, leaving a net balance
clear profit to the county of $358.41. Thus we see County Court has disposed of
one hundred seventeen cases, has cost our county nothing, or has paid all
expenses and has balance to its credit of more than enough to pay county judge's
salary for next twelve months. Further, we find that the jail fees are carefully
looked after and collected by county judge and paid back into county treasury."

   October adjourned term, 1894, County Court after paying all costs turned into
county treasury, $967.71.

   At November term, 1896, the Grand Jury reported County Court had paid all
expenses and had paid into county treasury a net amount of $2,073.03.

   At April term, 1898, general presentments show that county judge, after
paying all expense of the court, turned into county treasury, $1,046.69.

   At same term Grand Jury recommended appointment of W. F. Way as Solicitor of
County Court. Colonel Tom Eason had been Solicitor from court's establishment
until this time.

   At November term, 1898, Grand Jury reported county judge had paid into county
treasury over and above all expenses the sum of $719.83.

   At October term, 1900, the Grand Jury reported that county court Judge, J. B.
Clements, had paid into county treasury after all costs had been paid the sum of
$560.01.

   At September term, 1901, Grand Jury presentments say: "J. B. Clements, our
model county judge, made his report to our body as the law directs, showing the
court during the last twelve months has contributed to county revenues the net
sum of $1,772.29. We- congratulate the judge and our people upon this excellent
showing, embodying his report as a part of our general presentments and ask its
careful perusal by the taxpayers of the county."

   At September term, 1902, the Grand Jury reported that county judge, from
September 7, 1901, to August 30, 1902, after paying all costs of court, had
turned over to treasurer, $1,738.27 net.

   At April term, 1903, the Grand Jury returned the following presentments: "We
find only one quarterly term case undisposed of and two monthly term cases. On
criminal docket forty undisposed of cases. Of this number twenty-eight have not
been arrested. This is evidence to the taxpayers of the county that county judge
is active in the discharge of his official duties and from the financial record
of this court as is shown below is further evidence which no doubt will be
appreciated by the people. There was received from September 1, 1902, to
September 2, 1903, $5,050.92. Paid out all cost which was $2,044.13, leaving a
net balance turned over to county treasurer, $3,006.79."

   During the year, 1904, County Court paid to treasury over expenses, $363.85.

   At September term, 1905, there was no tax collected for coroner or County
Court as this court was self-sustaining; no tax ever being levied for its
support except first year which was not needed or used for said purpose.

   These presentments also show the County Court after paying all expenses up to
August 26, 1905, has paid into treasury a net amount of $6,805.20.

   Same presentments have this to say in reference to judge of County Court:
"County Judge Clements' records are nicely kept and no suggestions could be
made, whereby any improvements could be made."

   At September term, 1906, Grand Jury presentments state County Court has paid
into treasury, $1,005.75, after paying all expenses of the court.

   At September term, 1907, the following appears in Grand Jury presentments:
"We find that the present term of J. B. Clements, Judge of our County Court,
will expire during the coming fall. We therefore unanimously request and
recommend that this efficient officer, who has so faithfully and ably filled
this important office ever since its creation, fifteen years ago, be made his
own successor if he will accept the position."

   At September term, 1908, the following appears in general presentments: "We,
the Grand Jury, looking to the best interests of the county, respectfully ask
that our Governor Hoke Smith appoint Judge J. B. Clements, Judge of County Court
of Irwin County.

   "County judge paid into treasury, $633.36 above expenses."

   At March term, 1909, the Grand Jury recommended abolishment of County Court
and establishment of City Court.

   Honorable R. M. Bryson was appointed Judge for the County Court which
position he filled from January 1, 1909, to Au-gust, 1909, when, by act of the
Legislature, the County Court was abolished and the City Court of Ocilla was
established in its stead with Honorable H. E. Oxford, Judge of said court from
August, 1909, to January 1, 1913, when this court was abolished and the City
Court of Irwin County established with Honorable Philip Newbern, Judge from
January 1, 1913, to August, 1915, when the City Court of Irwin County was
abolished by act of the Legislature.


Additional Comments:
From "History of Irwin County" by J. B. Clements (1932)

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 7.8 Kb