Page 18 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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whom the offices are equitably distributed on the governmental affairs. Among the most influential

principle that, as the white man have the great from the first have been Gov. 8. C. Roane, M. W.

bulk of the property, they shall occupy the offices Dorris, Gen. James Yell, Gov. John S. Roane,

that have most to do in governing taxation. The Judge J . W. Bocage, Solon B. Jones. Capt. A. T.

ticket made by this committee has no rival and is j Stewart, S e n a h R. W. Johnson, Col. M. L. Bell,

sure of election. This applies to Ioesl aflairs only, ! Col. W. P. Grace, A. B. Grace, Jndge J. 0 .

as in presidential contests the county has of late i Murray, Judge W. M. Harrison, R. E. Waters,

years been as thoroughly Republican as it was Dem- Johu 8. Anderson, Maj. Herman Carlton, Col. 0.

ooratic in ante-bellum days. The general satisfac- A. Bradshaw, Judge D. W. Carroll, W. M. Gallo-

tiou with this method is everywhere apparent, and way, U'. F. Owen, U. M. Tannehill, R. B. Mc-

is due largely to the influence of moderate and Oracken, Jndge Ira McL. Barton, Judge H. B.

sensible men of both parties and races, who are Morse, Col. M. L. Jones, Judge John A. Williams,

making honest endeavor to demonstrate a very Qen. H. King White, Col. N. T. White, Jndge J.

knotty proposition. M. Elliott, Judge W. E. Hemingway, Judge W.

The only court of especial interest is that of 9. McCain. Judge T. F. Sorrella, John M. Taylor,

the circuit, which was provided for in the act of , J. G. Taylor, Sam. 11.Taylor, Col. John M. Clay-

county erection. I t s first record re& asfollows: ton, Judge W. P. Stephens, S e c t o r John W.

"June term, 1830. At a Oircuit Court commenced Crawford, N. A. Austin, J. M. Cunningham,

and held by the honorable Benjamin Johnson, one Thomas J . Ormsby and others of briefer residence.

of the judges of the Superior Court of the Territory 1 S. J. Hollingsworth is the most notable among the

of Arkansas, at the house of Joseph Bone [Bonne], ' colored bar.

in and for the county of Jefferson, erected out of The work of the conrts of Jefferson County has

certain designated portions of the counties of been characterized more probably by land litigation

Pnlaski and Arkansatr by an act of the General and debt than anything else. Its criminal prao-

Assembly of the aaid Territory, bearing date of the tice has not been very extensive or notable. The

second day of November one thousand eight huu- lirat case of execution was about 1847, when Judge

dred and twenty-nine, the county of Jefferson J. W. Bocage was proseoutor, and Col. W. P.

being one of the counties composing the second Grace, in his maiden speech, plead for the defense

judicial circuit of the said Territory, and assigned -the only criminal case he ever lost in his remark-

1to the honorable Benjamin Johnson to hear pleas able career as a criminal lawyer. Since that time

in on Monday, the twenty-eighth day of June, one there have been less than a half dozen executions

I 'thousand eight hundred and thirty." I t also In the whole career of the conrts. Colored Iaw-

gives these grand jurors: "William Arbnckle, . yers were not generally in practice until during

foreman; Alex. B. Jones, Louis Darden, Wesley the 70's.

Tracy, David Musick, Antoine Duehesson, Asa The circuit judge8 who have presided over the

Mason, John Manuel, Antoi~ieKelly, Alex. Slater, circuit containing this aounty have been: Judges

William Bailey, Hiram Reid, H. L. Allen, Raphael Benjamin Johnson Roysden, Euclid L. Johnson,

Brumback, Jacob Callicote, John Noble, Francis Isaac Baker (1840), W. H.Sutton (1845), Josiah

Darden. Samuel Davis and Wigton King." Gould (1849), John C. Murray (1851). T. F. Sor-

The first action was on the jurisdiction over j rells (1853), Johu C. Morray (1858). W. M. Harri-

Israel Emery in a m d e r case. The first court son (1865), H. P. Morse (1868), John A. Williams

held in the town of Pine Bluff began December (1874). X. J. Pindall, (1878). J. A. Williams

24, 1832. (1882), and John M. Elliott (1888).

The legal fraternity of Jefferson County or I n connection with the bench and bar of the

-Pine Bluff has always been one of prominence in county may be mentioned a list of Jefferson1% t,
the State-men, too, who have been prominent in 1 citizens who served in Congress: Senator R. W.
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