Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-03-09
"REMINISCENCES
OF County Court OficiaIs During and for
Short Time Subsequent to the Civil
War Under Military Rule and at Re-
organization of State Government.
COMMUNICATED.


ships and other offices of the county, sug
gests how rapidly stirring events, con
nected with these and other official posi-
tions, pass from memory.
Passing back to 1851, when the whole
Southern country was ablaze with the
questions leading up to secession, the
county was represented in that memor-
able Richmond convention by two of her
faithful sons, Judge Samuel L. Graham,
who died only few years since, and Maj.
William p. Cecil, lawyer and farmer OF
this county, who is now enjoying ripe
old age at his home on the hanks of New
River, in the county of Giles; and We doubt
if there is a man in the State whose mind
is so richly stored with the great events of
the past half century, and it is, indeed, a
pleasure to hear him talk of men and
measures OF bygone times.
During most of the Civil War the office of
circuit and county court clerkships was
filed by James W. Thompson, one of
Tazewell's most worthy and respected
citizens, the population at that time not
having reached the mark emitting US to
two clerks. During the latter part of the
war ]. w. Showers, with Patton R.
Spracher, who was very efficient clerk,
filled the Office.
When the war closed Virginia became
Military District No. under command Of
Major General Candy, who soon began to
fill these positions by appointment as incl
dent to his Office. Before he began his
appointments James w. Thompson was
clerk of the courts, but about the Spring
of 1869 Rees B. Gillespie was appointed
clerk by General Candy, and continued to
hold the Office until the State was read
mitted into the Union, whereupon Hon.
James P. Kelly, who had been elected
Judge of the county court by the Legisla-
ture, then in session, continued him in the
position until the November election suc-
ceeding, when he was duly elected by the
people, the opposing candidates being B.
B. Greever and J. S. S. Higginbotham.
At the end of this term the incumbent
found serious opposition in the person Of
DR.. James R. Doak, who was widely
known, and a very popular citizen, hay
ing practiced his profession successfully all
his life in the county of Tazewell, the in
cumbent securing his position by ma
iority of only about eight. In the mean
time changes had been made in the cleo
ton laws, and it became necessary at the
expiration of about six months to elect
again for the same Office, and the same
two candidates were pitted against each
other in an exciting contest, and DR.. Doak
was elected by a majority of about one
hundred and fifty.
For portion of the time after the war
the office of sheriff was filled by r. B.
Gillespie and John C. Hopkins, respective
| ly, both by appointment of General
Candy, and the Office Of the attorney for
the Commonwealth was filled by the same
appointing power, by gentleman who To-
Gated at Wythe, and was appointed for
the counties of Wythe, Bland, Tazewell
and Buchanan.
When Hon. James P. Kelly came to the
bench in the Spring of 1870, the positions
of clerk, sheriff and Commonwealth at
torney were filled, respectively, under his
appointment by r. B. Gillespie, the in
cumbent, G. A. Fudge and H. G. Alder
son.
Robert G. Crockett was then, in No
vember, 1870, elected sheriff, and John G.
Watts, attorney for the Commonwealth,
going into Office January let, 1871.
The subsequent history of these offices
is of comparatively recent date, and is
remembered by the general reader.
Hon. John H. Fulton was the first circuit
Judge on the bench here after the read
mission of the State, holding his first term
May. 1890, and the writer was deeply i'm
pressed with the dignifed and imposing
bearing of Col. Hamilton r. Boyle,
deputy sheriff and tipstaff of the court, as
he escorted the judge to the bench.
Judge Fulton held the position of cir
cult judge uninterruptedly for period oi
seventeen years, with great satisfaction to
both his profession and the people.
The article is deficient in this: james
W. Thompson and - Williams musI
hove filed the clerks Office from 1865 tc
May, 1869, when R. B. Gillespie was ap
pointed, and after the war John w
Thompson must have filed, the office o
sheriff by election for while, then r. B
Gillespie was appointed by Candy for
while, then Hopkins WAS appointed by
Candy, and it seems to me that Dave
| ostnr was annointad by him.