Maury County TN Archives History - Books .....Maury Co. Courts, Clerks, Sheriffs And Registers 1906 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com September 18, 2005, 7:23 am Book Title: Century Review Early Courts.-The first court convened Dec. 21, 1807, at the house of Col. Joseph Brown. This building- was three miles south of Columbia, where Gen. Isaac Roberts, as chairman, convened the court. The first session was largely occupied in proving deeds, probating; wills, etc. Col. Brown was licensed to keep an "ordinary " inn, and executed a bond to give "good, wholesome, and clean lodging and diet for travelers, stabling with hay, oats, corn, fodder, or pasturage, as the season of the year may require, and not to suffer or permit gambling, nor on the Sabbath day permit any person to tipple or drink more than necessary." W. W. Thompson was elected register; Edmund Harris, coroner; Joseph B. Porter, clerk; Jno. Spencer, sheriff; Jos. Brown, ranger; Benj. Thomas, treasurer; and Peter B. Booker, solicitor. Jos. Kincaid, Thos. H. Hardin, and David Orton were appointed constables. A jury was appointed to locate a road from Benj. Smith's, on the Natchez Trace, to Joshua Williams' place, on Snow Creek. Dec. 23, 1807.-Wm. McDonald was appointed overseer on the road from Palmer's Ferry to Francis Gideon's. Jno. Douglas and Jas. Love were made assessors. Wm. Frierson, Wm. Dooley, Jno. Lindsey, Lemuel Prewett, Jos. Williams, Jno. Miller, and Isaac Roberts were made viewers for a road. Deeds were entered for record and stock marks registered. Mar. 21, 1808.-Court convened at Brown's. A long list of deeds were entered, tax assessments returned, rates made for taverns- "each diet, 25 cents; lodging, 6 1-4; horse feed per night, 12 1-2; peach brandy, per 1-2 pt., 12 1-2 c." Abram Whiteside, Jas. Hughey, Richard Churchwell, Jno. Elliot, Harrison Blackgraves, Geo. Zollicoifer, and Geo. Bradbury were appointed constables in different districts. Records were made of the marriages of Saml. Srygley to Rachel McClus, Sept., 1808; Dutton Smith to Sallie Haroldson and Matthew Sharp to Sallie Norris, Nov., 1808. Dec. 19-22, 1808.-Court convened at Brown's, but on the 2oth adjourned to meet on the 21st at Columbia, in a large log house on the east side of Glade St., just one year from the date of its first session at Brown's. Ordered that Jas. Welch oversee the clearing out of Market and Main Sts., and that J, W. Craig, Perry Cohea, and Saml. McClosky serve as patrollers for the town. (For the purchase of lands for a county seat, early settlers, etc., see " Columbia.") Dec. 19, 1809.-A bill of sale from Geo. Cockburn to Jas. Gullett for a negro named Harvey was recorded. In addition to justices before named, we now find Saml. Polk, L. B. Estes, Jno. Matthews, Gabriel Bumpass, Simon Johnson, Wm. Bradshaw, Robt. Sellers Jno. White, Benj. Smith, James Sanford, Robt. Hill, David Craig, Edward Hudson, Robt. Steele, Amos Johnson, and Somerset Moore as members of the County Court. It was "ordered by the court that no person be allowed to retail spirituous liquors within 50 feet of the courthouse on pain of forfeiting $2 for every such offense." Dec. 17, 1810.-Andrew Jackson, later President of the United States, brought suit against Jno. Allison, and gained his case. Dec. 18: "Ordered that Saml. Williams, high sheriff, be allowed the sum of $125 for his ex-officio services for the year 1811." Peter Booker was voted $25 for extra services as county collector. June 18, 1811.-Rezin Davidge and Jno. A. Eaton were admitted to practice in this court. On June 24 Nath. and Thos. Casey were recommended as candidates to read law and later be admitted. (Judge F. H. Smith has condensed a great amount of valuable information from the old court minutes, which he has in manuscript and which should be printed in permanent form; but the limits of this publication will not permit of extended extracts here.) Supreme Court.-When a Circuit Court was established in 1809, a "Supreme Court of Errors, and Appeals" was also created, composed of two judges in error and one circuit judge. An Act passed in 1821 designated Columbia as one of the places for the court; and the first session was held here Mar. 4, 1822, by Judge Jno. Haywood, Thos. Emerson, and Robt. Whyte. Circuit Court.-Thos. Stuart was on the bench from its establishment, in 1809, up to July, 1822, when Williamson Co. was separated from the Maury Circuit. Robt. Mack, who died in 1865, aged ninety-three years, was on the bench in 1822-8, succeeded by Wm. E. Kennedy, 28; L. W. Bramlitt, 33, until he became Chancellor in 35; Edmund Dillahunty came May, 36, serving until his death, in Jan., 52; Wm. P. Martin, 52-61, when for a few years no courts were held here; J. C. Walker appointed, 64-65; Hilary Ward, 66; A. M. Hughes, 67; W. P. Martin, 70; Wm. S. McLemore, 72, for six years as special judge for criminal cases; E. D. Patterson, 86-97, when he resigned; and L. P. Williams served a short time, until Saml. Holding, of Maury Co., was elected, 98, and reelected for another six-year term in 1904. Circuit Court Clerks.-Jno. M. Taylor was appointed in 1809; Horatio De Priest, 10; Geo. M. Martin held from 12 until J. A. Walker came, 36; Pleasant Nelson, 40; J. O. Potter, 44; Caleb J. Dickerson, 48; died, and L. H. Phillips appointed; Thos. Witherspoon, 56; S. P. McGaw, 60; W. B. Wilson, 66; W. J. Whitt'horne appointed, 69, and elected, 70; E. Y. Pillow, 78; W. A. Howard, 86; resigned, and J. T. L. Cochran appointed, 93; W. F. Embry, 94; W. P. Worley, 1902-5. Mr. Worley was born at Isom, May, 1863; served as deputy sheriff under R. M. Green; and has been in agricultural pursuits prior to his election as Circuit Court Clerk. W. O. Witherspoon, deputy, was born five miles north of Columbia in 1847; appointed deputy sheriff in 1874; six years later elected sheriff. Chancery Court.-A Chancery Court was convened in 1829; Wm. G. Anderson, first judge; followed by W. A. Cook, Wm. B. Reese, Nathaniel Green; L. M. Bramlitt, 36; Terry H. Cahal, 44, to his death, 51; S. D. Frierson, 51; A. O. P. Nicholson, a short time; Jno. S. Brine, 52; S, D. Frierson, 54; died at Pulaski, Mar. n, 1866, and David Campbell appointed; H. H. Harrison, 67; J. C. Walker, 68; W. S. Fleming, 70; A. J. Abernathy, 86; Walter S. Bearden, 1902-10. Prior to 1900 Maury Co. was in the Seventh Chancery Division, when it was changed to the Fifth, which includes Giles, Lewis, Lawrence, Wayne, Bedford, Moore, Marshall, Lincoln, and Rutherford Counties. Clerks and Masters of Chancery.-Geo. M. Martin was first under the Constitution adopted Aug., 1834; succeeded by his son, Wm. P. Martin, 44; J. B. Hamilton, 56; A. M. Wingfield, 61; Joshua L. Williams, 65; D. B. Cooper, 71; Horace S. Cooper, 80; Geo. Childress, 83; A. N. Akin, 89. Mr. Akin was born in this county Feb. 25, 1841, and served on detached service in the Southern cause. He was four times elected as County Clerk, resigning in 1889 to accept his present responsible position. County Court.-Up to the seventies it consisted of a quorum of the magistrates in the county. In Apr., 1875, Judge W. O. Gordon was chosen first chairman, under a modified plan, continuing until succeeded by Leon Frierson, 84; W. H. Nelson, 91; A. L. Thomas, 93; E. D. Looney, 95 to 1900, when he was appointed County Judge under the present plan, which gives power to hear certain criminal as well as civil cases. Judge Looney resigned early in 1902; and Judge W. O. Gordon was appointed, and August following elected for a four-year term. Judge Gordon was born in Williamsport, Oct. 23, 1837; served as a justice of the peace in Humphreys Co.; was major in the Tennessee Militia; and elected justice of the peace in Maury Co. prior to his promotion to be Chairman and Judge of the County Court. County Clerks.-Jos. B. Porter was appointed Clerk on the formation of the County Court in 1807, and continued in that capacity until his death, in the fall of 1828, when his son, Thos. J., succeeded. Wm. E. Erwin took the place in 1835; Jno. B. Padgett in Jan., 53, holding the books through the war; J. J. Noah, 67; Padgett again, 68; Jno. M. Hickey, 70: A. N. Akin, 74; W. H. Wilson appointed when Akin resigned in 89; J. F. Wiley, 90; A. L. Thomas, 98-1906. Mr. Thomas was born Sept. 17, 1856: followed agricultural and merchandising pursuits near Glendale prior to his election as magistrate, 1888; served as chairman of the County Court, 1893-4; and is familiar with the court records. Sheriffs.-Jno. Spencer was chosen sheriff by the County Court in Dec., 1807; Saml. H. Williams, 10; Wm. Bradshaw, 12; Nimrod Porter came 1818, serving for twenty-four years; J. E. Thomas, 42; Mumford Smith, 46; R. B. Moore, 50; Smith again, 54; Saml. H. Jones, 56; Thos. J. Crosby. 60: Wm. W. Sullivan, 64; R. D. Ricketts, 68: Sims Latta, 70; Wm. A. Alexander, 74: W. D. Davis, 78: W. O. Witherspoon, 80: N. B. Cheairs, 84; R. M. Green, 86; Saml. A. Hayes, 87: H. C. Harlan, 88; P. H. Ragsdale, 92; Love Webb, 96: R. W. Hight, 98; J. H. Forgey, 1902-6. Mr. Forgey first saw the light near Santa Fe some forty years ago; and was in agricutural pursuits and merchandising at Santa Fe and Timmons prior to acting deputy sheriff under Love Webb. Registers.-W. W. Thompson was first County Register; and a set of books was opened Jan. 14, 1808. Probably the most important entry to be found is the register of a tract of 25,000 acres south of Duck River, granted to Gen. Greene by the State of North Carolina in 1784, at which time its boundaries had been surveyed. Among the early Registers were: Jno. Carr, J. O. Hill, Edw. Williams, and perhaps others prior to S. D. Herndon, who came about 1850, holding the books through the war, when L. J. Noah took charge, with Jesse S. Harris as deputy; Mr. Herndon was reflected in 68; W. B. Wood, 70;.Jno. Carr, 74; H. L. Hendley, 78; H. L. Thompson, 86; W. R. McKennon, 88; J. C. Latta, 98; T. E. Lipscomb, 1902, 4. Mr. Lipscomb was born in this county, served the Confederacy, and had been in charge of some of the municipal offices for twenty years prior to his election as Register. He is interested in game fowls, and is editor of the Dixie Game Fowl. Additional Comments: From: CENTURY REVIEW 1805 - 1905 MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE A Condensation of the Most Important Events of the Past One Hundred Years, and Descriptive Sketches of the Cities and Villages File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/maury/history/1906/centuryr/maurycoc18nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 10.8 Kb