HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

of Posey township, elected in 1892. John R. Payne, of Jackson town-
ship, was elected in 1894, succeeded in 1896 by John A. Hyde, of Perry
township. John C. H. Klingler, of Brazil township, was elected in 1898,
and re-elected in 1900, followed by John Bray, of Brazil township, who
was elected in 1902 and re-elected in 1904. William C. Prince, of Brazil
township, was elected in 1906, and re-elected in 1908.
	As clerk of the court and recorder, Elijah Rawley served until
September 22, 1831, When Jesse McIntire succeeded him. Mclntire was
re-commissioned clerk and recorder September 3, 1838, serving until
August, 1842, when he resigned,. and Charles C. Modesitt was appointed
and commissioned on the 30th day of the month, to fill out the unex-
pired term. Modesitt was elected clerk in 1845. In 1847, he resigned,
when Samuel Miles was appointed and qualified on the 17th day of
September, to fill the vacancy, until the election of 1848, when George
Pinckley, of Posey township, was chosen, and qualified on the 25th day
of September. In 1852, under the new constitution, Pinckley was
re-elected, and recommissioned June 6, 1853, then again re-elected in
1856, and recommissioned June 6, 1857. On the 15th day of April,
1860, he died, and on the following day John C. Major, who had been his
deputy, was appointed to fill the vacancy. Dillon W. Bridges, of Cass
township, was elected in the fall of 1860, taking charge of the office on
the 17th of November, who was succeeded in 1864, by Clinton M.
Thompson, of Washington township, who, also, was inducted on the
17th day of November. Charles H. Knight, of Van Buren township,
was elected in 1868, succeeded by George E. Hubbard, of Posey town-
ship, elected in 1872. Elias C. Kilmer, of Harrison township, was
elected in 1876, succeeded in 1880 by the re-election of George E.
Hubbard. Abraham W. Turner, of Brazil, was elected in 1884, suc-
ceeded in 1888 by Winfield S. Carpenter, of Posey township, who was
followed, in 1892, by John M. Wehrle, of Brazil. John M. Wehrle died
in the month of July, 1895, and was succeeded by Ira Holland, by
appointment, to fill out the term. Charles L. Mace, of Posey township,
was elected in 1896, followed by Michael Murphy, of Brazil, who was
elected in 1900, succeeded in 1904 by Peter L. Everhart, of Brazil, who
was followed in 1908 by Clayton Chambers.
	In the early history of the state and county, under the old consti-
tution, the clerk of the court discharged the duties of recorder and
auditor until the business and records assumed such proportions as to
warrant the election of such officers and the organization of such new
departments. Recorders then held seven years and auditors five years.
	In the former history of the county, published in 1884, it is said
in the biographical sketch of Dorsey 0. Elliott, then residing at Knights-
ville, that he was appointed clerk of the Clay Circuit court in 1840,
serving until 1843. Surviving pioneers of that date have also been
heard to say the same. Recently this inquiry was propounded to Enos
Miles. of Denver, who gave it as his recollection, also, that Elliott was
at one time clerk of the court. But there is no place nor date at which
to fit him into the succession. The list of clerks of the court as here
enumerated was copied from the records in the office of the secretary of
state. If there be a real discrepancy here, there are no known reliable
data at hand from which to straighten out and remove it.
	At the August election, 1845, John S. Beam, of Washington town-
ship, was elected the first recorder, whose commission was issued on