On the 8th of January, 1884, the county court appointed a committee to select and secure a new location for a Public Square. And in July of the same year the committee reported that they had deeded the square on Mechanic Street back to its former owners, and secured title to the Public Square where the court house now stands. Their action was approved, and a building committee, consisting of R. B. Parks, John E. Bobo and W. D. L. Record, was then appointed, with instructions for the construction of a court house. This committee awarded the contract to S. L. P Garrett. And at the April term, 1885, they reported that the house was completed according to contract, and that they had paid the contractor $200 for extra work over and above the original contract, thus making the total cost of the court house $6,875. The building was accepted by the court and the committee discharged. The court house is a very substantial two story brick structure, 40×60 feet, with the county offices on the first floor, and the court rooms on the second. The people of the county are very fortunate in having good and sufficient county buildings. The county has no asylum for the poor. The latter are provided for by appropriations from the public treasury, by authority of the county court.
The sessions of the courts were first held in Tollev & Eaton’s Hall; then the county bought the Christian Church, which stood on Main Street, on the east side of the Public Square. The courts were held in this church building until it burned down in December 1883, after which the sessions were held in the schoolhouse on Mechanic Street until the court house was completed. The following is a list of the county officers and the time served by each:
County court clerks, James W. Byrom, the present incumbent, was elected at the first election, which was in 1872, and has been re-elected and held the office continuously ever since. This shows the high estimation in which he is held by the people.
Circuit court clerks
W. R. Waggoner, 1872-74;
Dr. W. D. Frost, 1874-78;
J. A. Norman, 1878 to June 1880, when he died; then
B. H. Berry was appointed to fill vacancy.
H. H. Neece, 1880 to present time.
Sheriffs
J. A. Norman, 1872-78;
H. S. Hudson, 1878-80;
A. J. Travis, 1880-82;
J. S. Hobbs, present incumbent, 1881.
Registers
E. F. Brown, 1872-74,
M. G. Osborn, 1874-82;
J. R. Brown, present incumbent, 1882.
Tax collectors
W. J. Taylor 872-74;
E. F. Brown, 1874-76;
J. A. Silvertooth (the trustee), 1876-82;
B. E. Spencer (trustee), 1882. Trustees,
J. A. Silvertooth, 1872-82;
B. E. Spencer, the present incumbent, 1882.
Clerk and master
Dr. E. Y. Salmon, 1870;
W. A. Frost, 1880-84;
R. B. Parks, present incumbent, 1884 to___.
Coroner
R. C. Hall, 1872-73;
H. B. Morgan, present incumbent, 1873 to ___.