First Officers

Clark County, Wisconsin

 

Transcribed by Janet

from "The History of Clark Co., WI"

by Frankyn Curtiss-Wedge, pg. 76 - 79

 

The election returns of Clark County have been preserved continuously since the judicial election of April 7, 1868. Before that, only scattering returns are available, the general election of Nov. 7, 1854, the general election of Nov. 8, 1859, the judicial election of April 2, 1861, the special shrievalty election of May 17, 1861, the general election of May 5, 1861, the special supervisor election of Feb. 21, 1862, the judicial election of April 1, 1862, and the general election of Nov. 4, 1862, being apparently the only early election returns preserved. It is, therefore, with considerable difficulty that a complete list of Clark County officers has been compiled. It is believed, however, that the following list is accurate:

 

James O'Neill, Sr., was the first chairman of the county board, sitting for the first time Nov. 14, 1854, and retaining the office until 1860, with the exception of the year beginning Nov. 13, 1855, when Hugh Wedge served, and a few months in 1858, when Daniel Gates served. The succeeding chairmen have been appointed as follows: 1862, George M. Arnold; 1863, Samuel Cawley; 1864, James Sturdevant; 1868, Eli Mead; 1870, Richard Dewhurst; 1871, Jones Tompkins; 1872, Ezra Tompkins; 1873, John S. Pore; 1877;. M. B. Warner; 1878, William Welsh; 1879, W. Mead; 1880, T. J. La Flesh; 1881, Charles F. Grow; 1882, Alonzo -, 1883, John S. Dore and Charles Sternitzky; 1884, C. H. Ide; 1886, G. Walbridge; 1887, W. H. Mead; 1888, J. C. Marsh; 1889, Ira Fike; 1890; C. M. Bradford; 1891, Ira Fike; 1893, R. W. Canfeld; 1894, W. H. Mead; 1895, J. J. Shafer; 1897, H. S. Mulvey; 1899, Edward Kayhaft; 1900, Oscar Fricke; 1902, George B. Parkhill; 1904, S. M. Marsh; 1905, G. F. Schmidt; 1907, George A. Ure; 1911, John VerKuilen.

 

Samuel C. Boardman was the first county clerk, having been elected Nov. 7, 1854. Apparently, Nathan M. Clapp began to serve as deputy on Jan. 7, 1856, and on Jan. 1, 1857, he assumed the full duties of the office. The other clerks have taken office as follows: Jan. 1, 1859, George W. King; Jan. 1, 1861, James Furlog; Jan. 1, 1865, James Hewett; Jan. 1, 1967, Chauncey Blakeslee; Jan. 1, 1869, James Hewett; Jan. 1, 1871, Richard Dewhurst; Jan. 1, 1873, Ira B. Pope; Jan. 1, 1875, J. F. Cannon; Jan. 1, 1883, Charles F. Grew; Jan. 1, 1887, R. W. Balch; Jan. 1, 1889, Homer M. Root; Jan. 1, 1897, Charles M. Bradford; Jan. 1, 1907, John Huntzicker; Jan. 1, 1913, Myron E. Wilding; Jan. 1, 1917, Ole C. Anderson.

 

Samuel C. Boardman was elected register of deeds on Nov. 7, 1864. Nathan M. Clapp took office Jan. 1, 1857; Richard Dewhurst, Jan. 1, 1859; C. W. Carpenter, Jan. 1, 1861; William T. Hutchinson, Jan. 1, 1866; R. T. Sturdevant, Jan. 1, 1867; W. T. Hutchinson Jan. 1, 1869. Mr. Hutchinson resigned to become treasurer Jan. 1, 1876, and Heman Schuster was appointed in his place, being for several terms re-elected. Henry Schildhauer took office Jan. 1, 1887; William Zassenhaus, Jan. 1, 1889; Charles Cornelius, Jan. 1, 1897; Oscar Fricke, June 1, 1904 (died Feb. 14, 1911) ; Elmer J. Rossman, March 1, 1911, and John P. Kintzele, Jan. 1, 1917.

 

The first treasurer of Clark County was Benjamin P. French, who was elected Nov. 7, 1854. Chauncey Blakeslee took office Jan. 1, 1857; James O'Neill, Sr., Jan. 1, 1861; E. H. McIntosh, Jan. 1, 1865, ad S. C. Boardman, Jan. 1, 1869. 1. the fall of 1872 Richard Dewhurst received 541, against William C. Allen, who received 536. But Allen, who had acted as deputy under Boardman, assumed the office on Jan. 1, 1873, claiming that any of the votes cast for Dewhurst were illegal, and Mr. Dewhurst was unable to oust hi.. Allen was elected in the fall of 1874, but the county board refused to approve his bond, and this refusal caused a vacancy, which was filled by the election of William T. Hutchinson, in the fall of 1875, and with the backing of the court, Hutchinson assumed office Jan. 1, 1876. The county, on Oct. 6, 1876, secured judgment against Allen and his bondsmen for $29,235.13. Mr. Hutchinson died Oct. 4, 1876, and Richard Dewhurst was appointed to fill out the term. The election of Niran H. Withee in the fall of 1976 brought about the introduction of business methods in the treasurer's office, which have since been maintained. Mr. Withee served until Jan. 1, 1893. Charles M. Bradford took office Jan. 1, 1893; Edgar P. Houghton, Jan. 1, 1897; Charles Burpee, Jan. 1, 1901; John Huntzicker, Jan. 1, 1903; Robert Kurth, Jan. 1, 1907; Myron E. Wilding, Jan. 1, 1909; Ole C. Anderson, Jan. 1, 1913, and John J. Jan. 1, 1917. Messrs. Bradford, Huntzicker, Wilding and Anderson have all gone from the chair to the office of county clerk.

 

Adna S. Morgan became the sheriff of Clark County on Jan. 1, 1857, having bee. elected the previous fall. Earlier than this the presentation of the public peace was in the hands of the constables of Pine Valley Township, which-then embraced the entire county. Daniel Gates became sheriff Jan. 1, 1859, and Miles H. Murray, Jan. 1, 1861. But Mr. Murray died after serving a few months, and George W. King was elected May l7,1861. Since then the sheriffs have been: 1863-64, James Hewett; 1865-66, Hiram Palmer; 1867-68, William B. Berry; 1869-70, W. S. Covill; 1871-72, F. D. Lindsay; 1873-74, Albert Brown; 1875-76, Jacob Rossman; 1877-78, Tom B. Philpott; 1879-80, James Houston; 1881-82, Tom B. Philpott; 1883-74, Henry Myers; 1885-86, J. W. Tolford; 1887-88, John Dwyer; 1889-90, J. W. Page; 1891-92, R. M. Campbell; 1893-94,-Ira F. McIntire; 1895-96, Charles H. Sheldon; 1897-98, James W. Page; 1899-1900, William S. Tufts, 1901-02, R. M. Campbell; 1903-04, George R. Brooks; 1905-06, John Dwyer, 1907-08, S. F. Jaseph; 1909-10, Robert Eunson; 1911-12, William F. Bradford; 1913- 14, Harry Hewett; 1915-16, Louis Hantke; 1917-18, Harry Hewett.

 

Samuel C. Boardman was the first clerk of the Clark County Court, sitting at the first session of the court Sept. 6, 1858. Gustavus Sterns took office Jan. 1, 1861, and E. H. Markey, Jan. 1, 1871. R. R. King was elected in the fall of 1874, but never sat at any session of the court. Louis J. Glass sat the September term of 1875, and in the following November was elected to the office. James A. Parkhurst took office Jan. 1, 1878; O. G. Tripp, Jan. 1, 1884; R. W. Balch, Jan. 1, 1887; C. S. Stockwell, Jan. 1, 1885, Fred W. Draper, Jan. 1, 1901, and George A. Ure, Jan. 1, 1911.

 

Richard Dewhurst is the first county judge whose name is to be found in the county records. His signature first appears in this official capacity in 1859. It is possible that James O'Neill, Sr., and Chauncey Blakeslee served before this. S. N. Dickinson was elected April 2, 1861. Chauncey Blakeslee was elected April 7, 1863, and apparently took office at once, the last official paper of Mr. Dickinson being signed April 8, 1863, and the first of Mr. Blakeslee being signed April 12, 1863. Robert J. McBride was elected- in the spring of 1869, took office Jan. 1, 1870, and served until Aug. 1, 1877, when he resigned and was followed by C. A. Youmans. Richard Dewhurst took office Jan. 1, 1878, resigned in office and was succeeded by L. A. Doolittle. Since then there have been but four to occupy the office: J. R. Sturdevant, who was elected in the spring of 1881, and took office Jan. 1, 1882; ]Richard B. Salter, who was elected in the spring of 1889, and took office Jan. 1, 1890; George L. Jacques, who was elected in the spring of 1897, and took office Jan. 1, 1898, and the present judge, Oscar W. Schoengarth, who was first elected in the spring of 1905, and took office Jan. 1, 1906.

 

B. F. French was the first district attorney of Clark County, his first official court service in that capacity being at the first term of court in this county, Sept. 6, 1858. With a short interim, when B. F. Chase served. Mr. French served until Jan. 1, 1869, when G. W. King took office. Ira B. Pope served a term beginning Jan. 1, 1871. J. R. Sturdevant took office Jan. 1, 1873, and was succeeded Jan. 1, 1882, by C. A. Youmans. Since then the attorneys have taken office as follows: Jan. 1, 1885, L. M. Sturdevant; Jan. 1, 1887, J. C. Campbell; Sept. 1, 1888, James O'Neill; Jan. 1, 1891, L. M. Sturdevant; Jan. 1, 1893, George B. Parkhill; Jan. 1, 1895 George L. Jacques; Jan. 1, 1897, George B. Parkhill; Jan. 1, 1899; Spencer M. Marsh; Jan. 1, 1903, Fred M. Jackson; Jan. 1, 1905, Richard B. Salter; Jan. 1, 1907, Emery W. Crosby; Jan. 1, 1911, W. J. Rush.

 

The early coroners had but little work in their official capacity, most of the functions associated with that office being performed by the local township authorities. Among the early coroners may be mentioned Charles Sternitzkey and D. H. Robinson who served sometime in the sixties. In the seventies the coroners were James O'Neill, William Yorkston, George W. Hubbell and William J. Armstrong. Since then the coroners have taken office as follows: Jan. 1, 1881, D. L. Safford; 1885, Henry Myers; 1887, W. R. McCutcheon; 1889, J. D. Wicker; 1891, W. B. Lyman; 1893, Daniel R. Freeman; 1895, Samuel H. Esch; 1897, L. H. McGuire; 1899, Ezra Tompkins; 1903, Joseph L. Barber; 1905, John A. Iverson; 1909, August Woik; 1911, M. Greish; 1913, William Huntley, Sr.; 1915, Paul Woik; 1917, John A. Iverson.

 

Moses Clark, from whom the county was named, was elected county surveyor Nov. 7, 1854. Hiram Renne and Richard Dewhurst and James Hewett were among the early county surveyors. Since 1870 the list is complete: Jan. 1, 1871, G. C. Harriman; Jan. 1, 1873, James H. Reddan; Jan. 1, 1875, C. E. Bussell; Jan. 1, 1879, Horace Stiles; Jan. 1, 1881, D. S. Bullock; Jan. 1, 1883, C. M. Breed; Jan. 1, 1887, Allie Lee; Jan. 1, 1889, William Welsh; Jan. 1, 1891, Christ Tiedemann; Jan. 1, 1893, James H. Reddan; Jan. 1, 1895, William A. Pounder; Jan. 1, 1897, Lewis L. Ayers; Jan. 1, 1899, Edward Schultz; Jan. 1, 1901, C. S. Stockwell; Jan. 1, 1903, John P. Kintzele; Jan. 1, 1905, C. S. Stockwell; Jan. 1, 1909, Sherman F. Hewett; Jan. 1, 1911, Andrew Braun; Jan. 1, 1913, Sherman F. Hewett.

 

The first superintendent of schools was James O'Neill, Sr., who served without salary. His original appointment came from the town of Pine Valley, then embracing the whole county. He was succeeded by William C. Thompson who, in the spring of 1860, was voted a salary of $25. For the next few years there is some uncertainty as to who held the office. John S. Dore was one, 1866-1867. S. S. Smith was elected in the fall of 1869; R. J. Sawyer in the fall of 1873; H. J. Hoffman in the fall of 1875; John S. Dore in the fall of 1877, and L. A-. Doolittle in the fall of 1881. Addie Neff was elected in the fall of 1884; George E. Crothers in the fan of 1888; Emerence Walters in the fall of 1896, and Andt O. Rhea in the fall of 1902. Elizabeth Kennedy was elected in the spring of 1913; Bessie Kennedy in the spring of 1915, and Elizabeth Kennedy in the spring of 1917.

 

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