The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-02-15

on the 4th day of April, 1902. II
the autumn of this year the people ot
the Territory elected thirty-fve gen
tlemen as delegates to a Convention
to form State Constitution, as fol.
lows: From the county Of Adams,
Joseph Darlington, Thomas Kirker
and Israel Donaldson. From the coun-
ty of Hamilton, Francis Dunlevy,
John Paul, jeremiah Morrow, John
Wilson, Cherries Willing Byrd, Will
liam Goforth, John Smith, John Ri
ley, John w. Brown and John Kitch-
ell. From the county of Ross, Ed
ward Tiffin, Nathaniel Massie, Thomas
Worthton, Michael Baldwin and Jas.
Grubb. From the county Of Jefer-
son, Rudolph Bair, John Milligan,
George Humphrey, Bazaleal Wells
and Nathan Updegraph. From the
county of Trumbull, Samuel Hunt
ington and David Abbott: From the
county of Belmont, James Caldwell
and Elijah Woods. From the coun-
ty of Fairfield, Emanuel Carpenter
and Henry Abrams. From the coun-
ty of Clermont, Philip Catch and
Jar,es Sargent From the county of
Washington, Ephriam Cutler, Rufus
Putnam, John McIntire and Benjamin
Ives Gilman. ...
These gentlemen met in convention
at Chillicothe, on the first Monday of
November, 1872, for the purpose of
forming q State Constitution, if ma,
jority of them were in favor of so do
ing. They organized by the election
of Edward, riffin, President, and
Thomas Scott, Secretary. Judge Bur-
net says that the election Of the MEM
bers of this convention was highly
creditable to the intelligence Of the
voters, with few exceptions they were
the most enlightened men in the ter
ritory. Gov. st. Clair addressed the
convention in opposition to the imme-
diate establishment of a State govern
ment, but tie proposition to proceed
at once to form a constitution prevail
ed with but one vote in the negative,
Mr.. Cutler, of Washington county
As soon as President Jefferson heard
of the course taken by Gov. st. Clair,
he promptly removed him from office,
as he believed the effort made to lnf1u-
ence the action of the convention on
that question unwarranted, improper,
and unjustifable. The convention
formed a constitution for the new
State of Ohio, and adjourned on the
29th day OF November, having pre-
viously refused, by vote of p to Z,
to submit ii to the people for adoption
or rejection; but declaring it obliga-
tory upon the people without their as
sent. The present boundaries of Ohio
we're then established to which Con-
gress assented.
The Territorial Legislature did not
meet at Cincinnati as per adjournment
on the fourth Monday of November,
1902, as the Constitutional Conven-
tion was then in session at Chilllcothe,
and the members were unwilling 70
appear to throw any obstacle in the
way of an early organization of
State government; and SO never met
again. A legislature was elected ac-
cording to the terms of the constitu-
tion, which met at Chillicothe on the
1st of M,rch, 1903, aud proceeded to
start the State government by the in
of Edward Tifin as Gov
ernor on the Sd of March, and by
electing certain Stlte Of6cerR, as Sc
cretary of State, Auditor OF State
Treasurer Of State and the Common
Pleas Court and Supreme Court
Judges. Thus are we brought to the
close of territorial rule in the north
west, east of the Great Miami river.
I have given the names in order OF
the territorial counties and the dare of
their organization. A word as to the
relation in which the territory which
now constitutes Licking county stood
to them The county of Washington
included what is now Licking county
from July 37th. 1888. to the goth of
August, 1898, little more than ten
years, when, upon the proclamation Of
Ross county, it became attached to It,.
1t 30 remained until the 9th day of
December, 1900, when it became
part of Fairfield county, which was
then proclaimed, and continued part
and parcel of said county until after
the termination of the territorial gov
crnment. 1t was part of Ross county
> little moro than two years and OF
Fairfield county before the State gov
ernment was established in 1908.
about as long. Fairfield held it until
1908, the last five years being under
the State government.