47. CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS

Henry H. Harmon
elected in November, 1852

Sardis F. Hubbell
elected in November, 1854

Andrew D. Waddell
elected in November, 1856

Mylo L. Gay
elected in November, 1858

Andrew D. Waddell
elected in November, 1860

Dennis Shields
elected in November, 1862;
re-elected in November, 1864

Benjamin T. O. Clark
elected in November, 1866

Frederick C. Whipple
elected in November, 1868

William H. Wells
elected in November, 1870

Benjamin T. O. Clark
elected in November, 1872;
re-elected in November, 1874

Andrew D. Cruickshank
elected in November, 1874

Philip V. M. Botsford
Rollin H. Person
elected in November, 1876

Phillip V. M. Botsford
James I. Van Keuren
elected in November, 1878

COUNTY SURVEYORS

Amos Adams
elected in May, 1836;
re-elected in November, 1836

John Farnsworth
elected in November, 1838

Amos Adams
elected in November, 1840

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1842

Amos Adams
elected in November, 1844

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1846

Amos Adams,
elected in November, 1848

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1850

John Gilluly
elected in November, 1852

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1854

Abner B. Wood
elected in November, 1856

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1858

John M. Clark
elected in November, 1860

Abner B. Wood
elected in November, 1862

Ezra N. Fairchild
elected in November, 1864;
re-elected in November, 1866; re-elected in November, 1868;
re-elected in November, 1870

Miles W. Bullock
elected in November, 1872;
re-elected in November, 1874

Isaac Teller
elected in November, 1876

Emerson W. Grant
elected in November, 1878

CORONERS

John W. Peavy & John Drake
elected in May, 1836

George W. Kneeland
elected in November, 1838

Wilber Fisher
elected in November, 1839

Chauncey Childs
elected in November, 1840

William Younglove &
Charles S. Norton
elected in November, 1842

Charles S. Norton &
John Kenyon,
elected in November, 1844

Edward Bishop &
Benjamin Crawford
elected in November, 1846

Edward Bishop &
Chester Townsend
elected in November, 1848

Daniel Person &
Amos Adams
elected in November, 1850

Joseph Brown &
Conrad Hayner
elected in November, 1852

William Beamer &
Edward Dedemer
elected in November, 1854

Ferdinand Grisson &
Ira Knight
elected in November, 1856

Peter Russell &
Calvin Handy
elected in November, 1858

Ephraim J. Hardy &
Benjamin W. Cardell
elected in November, 1860

Edward Browning &
Martin R. Foster
elected in November, 1862

Edward Bishop &
Conrad Hayner
elected in November, 1864;
both these re-elected in November 1866

Daniel Person &
Conrad Hayner
elected in November, 1868

Edward Bishop &
Daniel Person
elected in November, 1870

Jeremiah Nichols &
Benjamin W. Cardell
elected in November, 1872

Benjamin W. Cardell &  Alonzo Fowler
elected in November, 1874

William R. Cobb &
John Fulmer
elected in November, 1876;
both re-elected in November, 1878

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Emery Beal,
Charles P. Bush &
Orman Holmes
the first Board of Commissioners of Livingston County, elected in November, 1838

Bradford Campbell
elected in November, 1839

Emery Beal
elected in November, 1840

Chester Hazard
elected in November, 1841. This was the last election of county commissioner, the office being abolished at the next session of the Legislature.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF COMMON SCHOOLS

Isaac W. Bush, elected in 1867

William A. Sprout, elected in 1869

Peter Shields, elected in 1871

William Ball, elected in 1873

COUNTY SOCIETIES

THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION

     This association, of which "any person may become a member, who became a resident of Livingston County previous to the fourth day of July, A.D. 1850," has for its principal objects--as declared 48.in its constitution ---"to collect and keep in remembrance the many interesting incidents connected with the early settlement of Livingston County, and thus to be instrumental in handing the same down to future generations; to cherish and keep alive that peculiar fellow-feeling existing among those who were called to endure together the thousand hardships and privations consequent upon the settlement of a new country; to afford opportunities for the interchange of thought, and the cultivation of a more social state of feeling in the community; and, through the medium of public lectures and addresses, to afford a pleasing and interesting entertainment for all."

     The first meeting of pioneers, preliminary to the formation of this association, was held, pursuant to previous notice, on the fourth of July, 1871, at the Melvin House, in Howell, from which place it was adjourned to the office of Mylo L. Gay. There it was called to order by Sardis F. Hubbell, on whose motion William C. Rumsey (being the oldest resident of the county present) was called to the chair, and Mylo L. Gay appointed secretary of the meeting,. After the transaction of some preliminary business, and the appointment of Edward F. Gay, Ezra N. Fairchild, and William C. Rumsey as a committee to draft a constitution, the meeting was adjourned, to reassemble at the court-house in Howell, on the twenty-seventh of the following September, for the purpose of adopting a constitution, and perfecting the organization of the proposed association.

     At the adjourned meeting the association was fully organized by the adoption of a constitution, and the election of William C. Rumsey as President, Mylo L. Gay as Secretary, and Hiram Wing as Treasurer, for the ensuing year. An able and entertaining address (the first given before the association) was then delivered by the Hon. Josiah Turner, and was warmly applauded, after which the meeting was, adjourned to December 20, 1871.

      An article in the constitution fixed the third Wednesday in December of each year as the time of holding the annual meetings of the association; but this was changed soon after, and the time was fixed "on the Wednesday evening of the week in which the Circuit Court for the county of Livingston shall open, in the month of January in each year, at seven o'clock, P.M., at the court-house in Howell, at which time the officers shall be chosen for one year." The article was again amended January 16, 1878, fixing the Wednesday following the opening of the Circuit Court in June, instead of January, of each year, as the time of holding the annual meeting.

     It is understood that the convening of the annual meeting during the term of the Circuit Court in Howell is not more for the accommodation of members of the society who may be present as jurors, or Witnesses, or litigants, than to insure the presence of judge Turner, who, although now a citizen of Owosso, is one of the most prominent of the living pioneers of Livingston County, and perhaps the one who exhibits a deeper interest than any other person in the association and its objects. These meetings are regularly held at the courthouse, and each one is made peculiarly interesting by one or more addresses from members, reciting half-forgotten incidents relating to the settlement of the county, and the struggles and privations of the brave men and women who first made their homes' here in the wilderness.

     Below is given a list of those who have become members of the association, from its organization until the present time, viz.:

THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY

     This organization--the predecessor of the present society of the same name was formed in the year 1842, but no account of the proceedings on the occasion of its formation have been found. The first president, however, was the Rev. Jonathan Post.

     The annual meeting of the society for 1843 was held at the Presbyterian meeting-house in Howell, on Tuesday, the twenty-fourth day of January. In the absence of the president, William Noble, Jr. (one of the vice-presidents), was called to the chair, and Josiah Turner was appointed secretary pro tem. The following were then elected officers of the society for the ensuing year, namely:

     President, Rev. Jonathan Post; Secretary, Josiah Turner; Treasurer, A. L. Hill; 50. Executive Committee, Rev. N. G. Chase, Rev. Mr. Cochran, E. F. Gay, Joseph B. Skilbeck and William McPherson; 

     Vice-Presidents, Isaac Smith, of Green Oak; John G. Horton, of Hartland; William Noble, Jr., of Brighton; Dillis Dexter, of Tyrone; James Burnett, of Hamburg; Pardon Barnard, of Oceola; Daniel Boutwell, of Deerfield; Charles Cowlam, of Putnam; John T. Watson, of Marion; E. E. Gregory of Howell; Alva Preston, of Tuscola; John J. Brown, of Conway; Samuel Conklin of Handy; John Wood, of losco; John B. Van Daren, of Unadilla.

     Notice was given by the Rev. Mr. Bacon that a branch society had recently been formed in Brighton, and it was voted to turn over to that society the Bibles remaining in the bands of Mr. Noble. The executive committee were authorized to employ the Rev. Mr. Dixon as agent to distribute Bibles to the destitute through this county, and the following named gentlemen were appointed delegates to the meeting of the State Bible Society, at Jackson, February 16th, viz.: Rev. Jonathan Post, E. F. Burt, Rev. Mr. Dixon, Josiah Turner, Rev. E. E. Gregory, William McPherson, Rev. Seth Hardy, Rev. E. Mosher, and Rev. John Scofield.

     The annual meeting of the society in 1845 was held at the Congregational (Presbyterian) meeting-house, in Howell, on the tenth of April, and the following officers were elected for the year, viz.:

     President, E. E. Gregory, of Howell.

     Vice-Presidents, Deacon Isaac Smith, Green Oak; Rev. J. G. Horton, Hartland; Rev. Jonathan Post, Brighton; Dillis Dexter, Tyrone; Deacon James Burnett, Hamburg; Pardon Barnard, Genoa; Lorenzo Boutell, Deerfield; Charles Cowlam, Putnam; J. T. Watson, Marion; A. L. Crittenden, Howell; Horace Cook, Tuscola; Charles Thompson, Conway; Samuel Conklin, Handy; Levi Munsell, losco; J. L. Hartsuff, Unadilla.

     Secretary, Josiah Turner, Howell.

     Treasurer, Nicholas Sullivan, Howell.

     Executive Committee, Rev. J. H. Rasco, Rev. R. Pengelly, Rev. A. L. Crittenden, William McPherson, J. B. Skilbeck.

     The above account of the early meetings of the society is given principally for the purpose of recording the names of the men who were prominent in its organization, and who were earnestly engaged in the promotion of the praiseworthy objects for which it was formed and maintained.

     A new society, under the same name, was formed in 1849, but the names of its first officers cannot be given. That the interest in it was continued unabated for many years, and that its officers and members were no half-hearted workers, is shown by the following report of the proceedings of the society, at its annual meeting in 1859, viz.:

    "The eleventh annual meeting of the Livingston County Bible Society was held, agreeable to previous notice, at the Methodist church in Howell, June 12, 1859; Hon. Josiah Turner, president of the society, in the chair.

      "The following officers of the society were duly elected for the ensuing year:

President, Hon. Josiah Turner

Vice-President, J. B. Skilbeck

Secretary, E. F. Burt

Treasurer, George W. Lee

Executive Committee

Rev. R. McBride, Howell

Rev. R. C. Crawford, Howell

Rev. J. G. Horton, Oceola

Rev. Mr. Alford, Unadilla

J. F. Jennings, Esq., Green Oak

     After a discussion by Rev. Mr. Wright, agent of the American Bible Society, and others, it was

     "Resolved, That the society now proceed to appoint suitable persons to canvass the townships of Howell, Oceola, and Marion, -- said townships each to be divided into four equal districts, to wit:

Howell-First District
J. G. Mason &
B. W. Cardell

Second District
H. P. Baker

Third District
S. M. Yerkes

Fourth District
Joseph Stafford

Oceola First District
Ebenezer Kellogg

Second District
Rev. J. G. Horton

Third District
L. Whitney

Fourth District
J. M. Eager

Marion First District
E. Hart

Second District
E. F. Burt

Third District
A. J. Itsell

Fourth District
L. P. Mellendy

     "Resolved, That Rev. R. McBride and E. F. Burt be appointed a committee to superintend carrying out the plan of exploration and supply provided for by the foregoing appointments, and that the same be completed within three months from date.

    "Resolved, That the executive committee have power to fill any vacancies that may occur in the said appointments, and that said committee also be authorized to appoint one or more suitable persons to canvass the townships of Iosco, Handy, Conway, Oak Grove, Deerfield, Tyrone, and Hamburg."

     The society is still in existence, but no such active work as that indicated above has been done in the later years, probably because the necessity for it no longer exists. The present officers of the society are:

R. C. Hatton, President

John Black, Secretary

Newton T. Kirk, Treasurer

     Depository, at H. H. Wilber's drug-store, corner of Grand River and East Streets, Howell.