532                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

whom, as a coincidence, have resided in Denver, Colorado, for the past
thirty-five years.
    Of all the Clay countians elected to county office prior to 1850 there
is but one survivor—Dr. John Williams, of Washington township.
    Of the county officers elected since 1850 there is no representative
surviving back of George W. Bence, 1874.
    No state senator back of George A. Byrd, 1888.
    No clerk of the court back of John C. Major, who was appointed on
the 16th day of April, 1860, to fill out the unexpired term of his deceased
father-in-law, George Pinckley.
    No auditor back of George W. Wiltse, 1863.
    No sheriff back of Jacob Baumunk, 1878.
    No recorder back of Job Riddell, appointed to fill out the unexpired
term of his father, who died on the 16th day of September, 1860.
    No superintendent of schools back of William Travis, 1864.
    No county commissioner back of George W. Ellenberger, 1872.
    No surveyor back of George V. Goshorn, 1864.
    No coroner back of George M. Fell, 1880.
    Aside from Dr. John Williams, there is no surviving treasurer back
of John Frump, 1864.
                First Frame Houses in Central Part of County.
    The first substantial frame dwelling-house in the central part of the
county built in the practically unbroken wilds of the Birch creek country
was the two-story one yet standing on what has long been known as the
Jamison place, near Saline city, which was built by Jonathan Grimes,
eldest son of George Grimes, Sr., as early as 1850-51, who had purchased
the site from Thomas Carrithers, then in Carrithers township. As the
only condition on which the canal company could acquire any rights and
privileges on this ground, when the Birch creek feeder, or reservoir, was
constructed, in 1853, was by purchase, the property was bought outright
by the company, when Jamison came into possession of it, and at a later
day acquiring the ownership, on which he lived until his retirement from
the farm and going to Terre Haute.
    The first frame structure in the central part of the county was
the Grimes church and school-house, so designated not only for the reason
that it stood on the premises of George Grimes, Sr., but that he built it
for the benefit of his family and the neighborhood. As nearly as can be
now told from recollection by surviving members of the family, this house
was built in 1843, the family having come from Virginia in 1840, locating
on this hill, which is still known by the family name. In the early history
of the county this building was also frequently occupied by assemblages
other than church and school. A plat of ground was also dedicated here
by the owner to the burial of the dead, known as the Grimes cemetery. It
is said that the first burial here was that of Robert Tribble, killed by a
falling tree on the adjoining premises, known later as the Adams place,
now the Steuerwald farm.
    Mrs. Lydia (Grimes) Huff, of Center Point, who, in her childhood,
attended school at this house, calls to mind two of her teachers—William
Jenkins and Evelyn Bauch. She relates, too, by way of reminiscence,
that in one family there were two Williams. About the time that Robert
Tribble was killed Jacob Bilderback’s wife died. At some time thereafter
the two families were brought together by the marriage of Bilderback and