KNOX COUNTY OHIO - Norton's History of Knox County [Chapter VIII] ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Dave Ketterer Ketterer@empireone.net September 1, 2002 ************************************************ A History of Knox County, Ohio, From 1779 to 1862 Inclusive: Comprising Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes and incidents of men connected with the county from its first settlement: Together with complete lists of the senators, representatives, sherriffs, auditors, commissioners, treasurers, judges, justices of the peace, and other officers of the county, also of those who have served in a military capacity from its first organization to the present time, and also a sketch of Kenyon College, and other institutions of learning and religion within the county. By A. Banning Norton. Columbus: Richard Nevins, Printer. 1862 Entered according to the act of Congress in the year 1862 by A. Banning Norton, In the Clerk’s office of the Southern District of Ohio. ____________________________________________ CHAPTER VIII. SIXTH TERM OF COURT-JANUARY 1st, 1810. THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY. --COURT, FINANCE, AND ELECTION, 1810. "Grand Jury.---Isaac Bonnett, foreman, David Miller, Peter Bricker, Abner Brown, Jr., John Johnson, Casper Fitting, Francis Hardesty, Josiah Talmage, Willis Speakman, Wm. Darling, Robert Dalrymple, Joseph Coleman, David Johnson, John Merritt, James Walker, Jr. "Indictments were found vs. Henry Smith, Eli Freeman, John Click, Thomas McBride. "Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage.-This case was tried a jury, who do find for the plaintiff and do assess his damage by $1. "Wm. Sapp was appointed guardian for John Melton, and gave bond in $5O. "John Green, administrator of Isaac McClary, was allowed till next September Term to settle. "William Wallace was licensed to keep public house on paying the proper sum. January 2d. "Isaac Applegate, by his Agent, Israel Ross, vs. Thomas B. Patterson.-- On Saassarara. Ordered that a Declaration be filed vs. two o'clock. "The Case of John J. Brice vs. Thomas B. Patterson, Gilman Bryant, and Joseph Walker.--In Chancery-is disposed of by ordering defendants to pay $50, in nine months, or make a deed and to pay costs. "Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage.-By consent of parties this action is to lie open for a new trial, and continued on the Issue Docket. "Plumb and Murray are Licensed to retail goods three months. "Notice is given of an appeal in the cases of Dalrymple vs. Talmage, and John J. Brice vs. Patterson, et als. "Letters of administration are granted to __________Simpkins on the Estate of John Simpkins. Joseph Coleman and Sele Simpkins securities for $400. "And tire Court adjourned till Court in Course." SEVENTH TERM-COURT OF COMMON PLEAS-3Oth APRIL, 1810. "James CoIville appears as an Associate Judge in place of Wm. Gass. Grand Jury-Joseph Walker, foreman, Nicholas Riley, Jas. Walker, Jr., Daniel Demmick, George Davis, Jonathan Craig, C. Loffland, Wm. Fuller, Jacob Lybarger, C. Cooper, Peter Majors, Henry Haines, John Ervin, Nathaniel Critchfield. "Bills of Indictment were found vs. Ichabod Nye, Samuel Nye, Alexander Enos, Richard Alspaugh. "But one case was tried by Jury-that one vs. John Click, for assault and battery. "Another State case for assault and battery vs. Thomas McBride was disposed of by tire Court assessing a fine of $1 and costs, and two cases were dismissed at defendant's cost, and one at the plaintiff's cost. "Ordered, that an additional Justice of the Peace be added to the township of Morgan. "Benjamin Barrey was Licensed to keep public tavern at Clinton, on payment of $5. "This term continued two days, and the above is the business transacted." THE JAIL BOUNDS DEFINED. Special Term-2d day of June, 1810. "Ordered, that the jail bounds of this county be as follows, to wit: Front street, thence to include all the balance of the town of Mt. Vernon lying North said street, which does include the Jail of said county." "LO! THE POOR AFRICAN" DEMANDS ATTENTION. "The Court convenes at 2 o'clock P. M. to determine the negroe's case. "The State of Ohio vs. Ned Jackson, a negro-For Larceny. The criminal comes forward and pleads not guilty, and the Court, from the testimony given, do consider and order that the said criminal be confined in jail until the Court in course." HAVING A QUAKER JUDGE CAUSES A QUAKER MEETING--4th DAY, 6th MONTH. "Court met. Present: John Mills, Wm. W. Farquhar, and James Colville The record is silent as to the cause of their meeting-- only sheweth that the three gentlemen met and adjourned until the Court in Course. EIGHTH TERM-COURT OF COMMON PLEAS-3d SEPTEMBER, 1810. "Grand Jury-Robert McMillen, foreman, John Wood, Wm. Wallace, ,John Herrod, John Shrimplin, John Merrit, Silas Brown, John Hown, John Wheeler, David Johnson, Nathaniel Critchfield, Ziba Leonard, Jas. Wallace, Jr. "Bills of Indictment were presented against Robert Davidson and James Butler, each of whom were on plea of guilty of assault and battery, fined $2 and costs." The cases must have been exceedingly aggravated, or the Court become more severe upon the offenders, and doubled the fine. Three causes were tried by jury, to wit: Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage; Lawrence, for use of Rush, vs. George Davidson; and Martha Zenick, by her guardian and father, vs. David Miller and Mary Miller. This time Dalrymple was awarded $5 damages, but neitber party, as usual in law, was satisfied with the decision ; hence, on the next page we find, side by side with each other, the following entries: "Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage.--Notice is hereby given by the plaintiff of an appeal. "R obert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage.--Notice is hereby given by the defendant of an appeal. The Jury in the second case gave judgement for the defendant. George Davidson, for costs, and the plaintiff gives notice of appeal." In the Zenick case. the Jury, "upon thei r oaths. do find the defendants guilty, and assess the dam-ages of the plaintiff to $30." This was the first slander suit ever tried in Knox county. The defend- ants moved, in arrest of judgment, "that the words contained in the third count in the plaintiff s declaration are not actionable," but, having been over- ruled in this effort, then gave notice of an appeal. This was a case of unusual interest, and William Guardian, for failing to appear as evidence in It. was fined $1. Three cases were dismissed at plaintiff's cost. Three judgments were entered by default, and one by confession. the highest amount of any judgment was that of Josiah Morriss vs. David Debel. alias Debolt, for $70 and costs. A Case of David Miller vs. Martha Zenick, on the case, was dismissed with judgment for costs vs. plaintiffs. Such was the business of two days of the 7th regular term. "On the 5th of September George Coffinbery was Licensed to keep a publick house of entertainment in the town of Mansfield for one yea r on his payment of $4. "John Green, Esq., was still further allowed 3 years to settle the Isaac McClary estate. "Catharine Shinabery. Ex. of M. Shinabery, dec'd, settled with the Court. "Daniel Demmick was Licensed to keep a publick House of entertainment for one year. and Michael Click also. "Henry Markley was allowed for 12 1/2 days services as Commissioner. "Matthew Merritt vas allowed for 9 days services as Commissioner. "William Douglas was allowed for 10 days services as Commissioner. "Edward Herrick was allowed $25 as Prosecuting Attorney for the Supreme Court for 18 10." COUNTY SETTLEMENT--5TH SEPTEMBER, 1810. "The.. Court met with the Commissioners for the purpose of settling wit h the Court in County Charges, &c., which is as follows, (to wit): "County of Knox, Dr., for, including from the June, 1809, to Sept. 6th, 1810; Commissioners of Knox County $137 27 Associate Judges 109 44 Elections 48 75 Roads 130 82 " 3 10 Treasurer 40 46 Boarding & I mprisioning Negro 2 75 "" 1 83 Coroner 3 50 Iron-Negro 5 25 Wolf Scalps 67 50 Collector's fees 102 59.8 Clerk's fees 41 00 Clerk to Commissioners from Jan'y, 1808 87 17 Shieriff's fees 28 6 1/2 Prosecuting Attorne 100 00 Repairs of Jail 9 47 Jury Boxes 1 00 Delinquents in Tax $24.20 Listing Townships $73.00 Petit Jurors 15.15 Postage of Letters .95 Witnesses 4.00 Grand Jurors 60.00 $1,194.16 1/2 Cr. By County Levy for 1809 $265.98 By Land Tax, 1809 252.52 By Draft on District Collection 118.30 By fines, &c 48.55 By stores and taverns 73.32 $759.67 "Ordered, that the Court do adjourn until the next meeting in course." VOTE FOR GOVERNOR IN 1810. The vote of Knox county in 1810 stood: For Return J. Meigs, 97 ; Thomas Worthington, 90. All the votes cast in our county at that election were 187. Our county was then on the winning side, as Meigs carried the State by 2,193 majority.