Election NewsSome Excerpts from the History of Jersey County- 1919
A Prominent Citizen- John M. English who presented the petition for seperation from Jersey County from Greene County, to the Legislature, continued to be prominent in the history of Jersey County. At the first election for county officers in Jersey County, he was elected Sheriff, and re-elected in 1840 by a majority of one vote. Since then he was elected to the office of State Representative for several terms, from the district in which this county is situated.
First Officials- On October 14, 1839, the first board of county commissioners met at Jerseyville. They were Thomas Cummings, Solomon Calhoun and Amos Pruitt. The other officials were: Richard Graham,clerk; George H. Jackson, circuit clerk; Joseph Crabbem,school commissioner; John N. English, sheriff; Nelson R. Lurton, coroner; and John R. Black, treasurer.
Judges Of Election- The following judges of election were appointed for the several townships.
Ruyle Township- Orin Palmer, Henry Ryan, W.L. Ruyle.
Fidelity Township- I.R. Ely, D.Q.Trotter, Archibald Craig.
Jersey Township- George H. Jackson, J.C.Barr, J.E. Cooper.
Piasa Township- J.N.Lurton, D.Robertson, L. Huebner
Grafton Township- Jacob Godfrey, C.P.Stafford, W.D.F. Slaten
Mississippi Township- Samuel Darlington, Richard Chappell, N.M. Lurton
Elsah Township- B.F. Farley, William Wade, A. Deidrich
Otter Creek Township- William McAdams Sr., J.G. Doughtery, N.T. Rodgers
English Township- Edwin Colean, A.J.Rice, L.T.English,
Illinois Township- John Dugan, E.P. Lowe, A.J. Thompson
Richwoods Township-A.J. Arkebauer, Robert Wylder, Leonard Cutler
First Naturalization Papers- On December 5, 1839, Dr. James C. Perry, a native of England, filed his oath of allegiance, and was given his naturalization papers, the first issued by Jersey County.
Members of the County Board-
1875- Issac R. Ely (chairman) Edwin Colean, G.S. Compton, met on December 4, 1874
1876- Issac R. Ely, G.S. Compton (chairman), William H. Fulkerson, met on December 6, 1875
1877- G.S. Compton (chairman), William H. Fulkerson, John W. Evans, met on December 4, 1876
1878- William L. Ruyle, John W. Evans, P.D. Cheney(chairman), met on January 6, 1878. Fulkerson had resigned prior to this date.
1879- William L. Ruyle (chairman), J.W. Evans and S.B. Foree, held a special meeting February 25, 1879, in compliance with a mandamus from the Supreme Court, requiring the board to divide Jersey County into townships under the law providing for the adoption of township organization, in pursuance of an election held November, 1878.
Sheriffs- John N. English- 1839-42Perley Silloway- 1842-46
Jonathan Plowman- 1846-50
Murray Cheney- 1850-52
J.M.Hurd- 1852-54
Jonathan Plowman- 1854-56
Benjamin Wedding- 1856-58
Charles H. Bowman- 1858-60
William H. Cummings- 1860-62
Charles H. Bowman- 1862-64
Thomas J. Selby- 1864-66
Charles H. Bowman- 1866-68
James H. Belt- 1868-70
Stephen H. Bowman- 1870-72
Charles H. Bowman- 1872-73(died in 1873 also)
Stephen H. Bowman- 1873-74
Augustus H. Barrett- 1874-76
James M. Young- 1876-80
Henry C. Massey- 1880-82
Charles E. Frost( first 4 yr term) 1882-86
Jesse K. Cadwalader- 1886-90
Cosmos Keller- 1890-94
A. Ross Chappell- 1894-98
Cosmos Keller- 1898-1902
William Powers- 1902-06
Hugh H. Snell- 1906-10
A.R. Chappell- 1910-14
Edwin E. Chappell- 1914-18
James Catt- 1918-1922
Circuit Clerks- 1839-1849 Robert L. Hill
1849-1860 Thomas L. McGill
1860-1880 Marcus L. Bagley
1880-1892 Jesse I. McGready
1892-1910 Ludovic Laurent ( who died Oct 30, 1910)
1910-1911 J.I. McGready(pro term until April 4, 1911)
1911-1912 Robert B. Shortal(elected to fill vacancy)
1912-1920 Anthony L. Quinn
County Clerks- 1839-1843 Richard Graham
1843-1857 George W. Lowder
1857-1869 Andrew Jackson
1869-1877 Thomas J. Selby
1877-1885 James Eads
1885-1898 Daniel J. Murphey
1898-1914 John C. McGrath (who resigned March 10, 1914)
Thomas A. Krens, appointed by county board to fill vacancy to November 3, 1914
1914-1918 Thomas A. Krens
1918-1922 Thomas D. Ford
County Surveyors- 1843-1847 James A. Potts
1847-1849 Job Collins
1849-1853 James A. Potts
1853-1857 Levi P. McNeil
1857-1859 Henry M. Chase
1859-1861 Josiah H. White
1861-1870 George I. Foster
1870-1875 William L. West
1875-1879 George I. Foster
1879-1886 Daniel J. Murphey
1886-1888 Conelius Roach(to fill vacancy)
1888-1898 Albert W. Newton
1898-1908 Walter Hansell
1908-1912 Peter Blaesner
1912-1916 John A. Eglehoff
1916-1918 Herbert U. Landon
Coroners- 1839-1840 Nelson R. Lutton
1840-1842 A. G. Miner
1842-1846 John Britton
1846-1848 George Hoffman
1848-1852 William Ley
1852-1854 William Williams
1854-1856 Benjamin Wedding
1856-1860 Felix Barney
1860-1862 Lewis Johnson
1862-1864 James L. Bierne
1864-1868 F. W. Besterfildt
1868-1870 Sidney Noble
1870-1874 Dr. Ephraim L. Herriot
1874-1876 Dr. Wesley Park
1876-1880 Dr. John S. Williams
1880-1884 Dr. Caleb Du Hadway
1884-1888 Dr. E. L. H. Barry
1888-1892 Dr. Wesley Park
1892-1900 Dr. James A. Flautt
1900-1908 Dr. J. S. Williams