Levi Starkey, James Tuggle, from August, 1844, to August, 1846. Daniel Branstetter, Wm. B. Martin, Jabez Shotwell, from August, 1846, to August, 1852. Wm. B. Martin, Jabez Shotwell, Abraham Hayter, from August, 1852, to August, 1856. Daniel Branstetter, Daniel Parker, from August, 1856, to August, 1858. Eli Carter, from August, 1856, to June, 1858. M. N. Brown, from June, 1858, to August, 1858. Wm. A. Carroll, Amos A. Brice, Calvin W. Naramore, from August, 1858, to August, 1860. Wm. A. Carroll, from August, 1860, to November, 1861. Calvin W. Naramore, Lorenzo H. Magill, from August, 1860, to January, 1862. Willis Wariner, from March, 1862, to January, 1863. C. W. Naramore, L. H. Magill, Willis Wariner, from January, 1862, to January, 1863. C. W. Naramore, L. H. Magill, Samuel Colley, from January, 1862, to January, 1865. L. H. Magill, Saml. Colley, Daniel Parker from January, 1865, to May, 1865. C. W. Naramore, Samuel Colley, William McKissack, from May, 1865, to January, 1867. C. W. Naramore, Wm. McKissack, Wm. Crowley, from January, 1867, to January, 1869. C. W. Naramore, Wm. McKissack, Daniel Cramer, from January, 1869, to January, 1873. Wm. McKissack, Daniel Cramer, Chas. R. Shrewsberry, from January 1873, to January, 1875. Chas. J. Hughes, from January 1875 to January 1879. Chas. J. Hughes, George W. Montgomery, Niles Esrey, from January, 1879, to January, 1881. Charles J. Hughes, Robert Ralph, Thomas B. Hewlett, from January, 1881, to By act of the general assembly, passed January 7, 1825, the office of the county court in the various counties was vacated, and the powers of said office vested in the several justices of the peace. The justices were required to meet at the county seat and organize the court on the first Monday in March after the passage of the act. In the event they failed to do so, however, the clerk of the county court was authorized to name the justices who should act as a county court for a term of one year. The justices of the peace for Ray having failed to meet and organize, as the law directed, on the first Monday in March, 1825, Jonathan T. Burch, the clerk, in April of that year, appointed, as a county court, the persons whose names are represented in the list from William P. Thompson to James Stanley, inclusive. William B. Martin, John McGaugh and Sebourn J. Miller, were appointed in September to fill vacancies caused by resignation of the first three as given in the list, commencing with Thompson. James Taylor, Sr., and John Cleavenger, served but one term of court, February term, 1827. Samuel T. Burgess resigned, and Daniel Branstetter was appointed in his stead. At the February term, 1862, C. W. Naramore and L. H. Magill, who, with Wm. A. Carroll, were elected in August 1860, presented new commissions, from Gov. Gamble, with the oath of loyalty endorsed thereon, duly sworn to and certified by Robert Crenshaw, a justice of the peace for Ray county. The oath of loyalty was taken in obedience to an ordinance of a state convention held at St. Louis October 10 to 18, 1861. Carroll failed or refused to take the oath; hence he was not recommissioned, and his connection with the county court ceased. By act of the general assembly, approved March 14, 1874, entitled an act to reorganize the county court of Ray county, Missouri, and to reduce the number of justices of said court to one, to make the justice thereof judge of the probate court, and declare his jurisdiction,-it was provided that from and after the first day of January, A. D. 1875, the county court of Ray county should be composed of one justice, to hold his office for the terms of four years, and to have the same powers and discharge the same duties required of the justices of the county court. At the general election in November, 1874, Charles J. Hughes was elected sole judge of the county court, and entered upon the duties of his office the following January. April 27, 1877, the general assembly repealed the law reducing the number of county court justices to one, by enacting that, "The county court shall be composed of three members, to be styled the judges of the county court, and each county shall be districted by the county court thereof into two districts, on or before the first day of April, 1878, of contiguous territory, as nearly equal in population as practicable, without dividing municipal townships. "At the general election in the year 1878, and every two years thereafter, the qualified electors of each of said districts shall elect and be entitled to one of the judges of the county court, who shall hold their offices for the term of two years, and until their successors are duly elected and qualified; and at said election, and every four years thereafter, the other judge of said court shall be elected by the qualified electors of the county at large, who shall be president of the court, and shall hold his office for the term of four years, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified: Provided, That the judges of the county court, elected under the provisions of this chapter, shall enter upon the discharge of their duties on the first day of January next after they shall have been elected and qualified, according to law." Accordingly, at the November election, 1878, Messrs. Hughes, Montgomery, and Esry were duly elected, and became the first county court under the new law. COUNTY CLERKS. William L. Smith, from April, 1821, to May, 1822. Jonathan T. Burch, from May, 1822, to February, 1826. William P. Thompson. George Woodward, from August, 1826, to November, 1835. The first four persons whose names are given in the above list discharged the duties of both circuit and county clerk at the same time, and were appointed by the county and circuit courts. The rest were elected by the people. Wm. P. Thompson acted as county clerk for the May term of court, 1826, and no longer. Messrs. Smith, Burch, and Woodward each resigned. Robison Jacobs died in office, and Humphrey J. Comer was appointed to fill the vacancy. In obedience to the provisions of an ordinance adopted by the Missouri state convention, at St. Louis, October 16,1861, James B. Turner, Sr., at the February term, 1862, of the county court, subscribed an oath of loyalty, and was re-appointed clerk by the county court, for the residue of his term, after giving bond in the sum of five thousand dollars, with W. R. Holman and J. F. Hudgins as sureties. James B. Turner, Sr., died in office, and his son, James B. Turner, Jr., succeeded him by appointment of the governor. George W. Trigg's term will expire January, 1883. CIRCUIT CLERKS. William L. Smith, from April, 1821, to May, 1822. Jonathan T. Burch, from May, 1822, to February, 1826. George Woodward, from August, 1826, to May, 1835. Messrs. Smith, Burch, and Woodward each resigned at the dates given. William P. Thompson was appointed by the court to serve temporarily only. Wiley C. Williams died in office, and so, also, did Benjamin Oliver, appointed to fill his unexpired term. The death of Oliver necessitated the appointment of another clerk, and Major Robert Sevier was duly commissioned by the governor to fill the vacancy. Thus were three clerks required to serve out a term of one year. At the expiration of the term alluded to, Major Sevier became his own successor, having been elected to the position by the people. He continued in office until April, 1865. By the constitution of that year, known as the "Drake constitution," it was declared that within sixty days after said constitution took effect, every person in the state of Missouri, holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the constitution, or laws thereof, or under any municipal corporation, or any of the other offices, positions, or trusts mentioned in the third section of article second, of the constitu⚫tion then framing, should take and subscribe an oath of loyaly; and that if any such officer or person should fail to take said oath, his office, position, or trust should, ipso facto, become vacant-the vacancy to be filled according to the law governing the case. The constitutional convention, pending its work of framing a new constitution, passed an ordinance, March 17, 1865, entitled "an ordinance for vacating certain civic offices, filling them anew, and protecting the citizens from injury and harassment," under the provisions of which Major Sevier-having refused to take the oath of loyalty was removed, and Col. Adam J. Barr, who had been a member of the convention, appointed in his stead. The additional positions referred to as contained in section three of article second, were those of professor or teacher in any educational institu tion, or in any common or other school, and trustees for the use of any church, religious society or congregation. Col. Barr was elected by the people as his own successor at the November election, 1866. March 29, 1870, the circuit court of the fifth judicial circuit, Philander Lucas, judge, at chambers, in Liberty, Clay county Missouri, issued an order temporarily removing A. J. Barr, clerk of the circuit court, from office, and appointing John H. Harmony temporary clerk. Col. Barr was not reinstated, but in justice to that gentleman, it is proper to state that it is believed that his removal is due to no default of his. At this writing, April, 1881, the offices in the court house at Richmond are draped in morning for John W. Spurlock, who died of consumption on the 17th inst. John R. Green was appointed by Governor Crittenden to fill the vacancy. Pursuant to a law passed by the general assembly of Missouri, in 1865, the county court of Ray county, at its February term, 1870, made an order separating the offices of circuit clerk and recorder; and the same month James T. Harris was commissioned by Governor McClurg to serve as recorder till the next general election, at which time he was elected for a term of four years. RECORDERS. James T. Harris, from February, 1870, to January, 1871. SHERIFFS. John Harris, from February, 1821, to May, 1822. |