Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-01-28
THE OLD
COUNTY COURT
Is Numbered With the Things That
We're.
EXISTED FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS
Long HOnOred and Loved By the People
of Virginia 1t Was Made
EXISTED FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS
to Go.

The last term of the County Court OF
Tazewell County was brought to conclu-
sion on yesterday, and in every otner
county in the State the court has passed
ont of existence. For nearly three hun
dred wears the County Court has existed
in some form in the Commonwealth OF
Virginia, the first court, if We remember
correctly, being held in York County IN
1923.
The people of Tazewell County have had
a County Court for over one hundred
wears, the first term of such court beng
held near where the residence OF Mr.
Bowen Watts now stands, three miles
northeast of the present court house at
Tazewell. We have been unable to tnd
the order book showing the proceedings OF
the term, but from contemporary records
find that the "Worshipful Court" was
composed of the following named persons:
David Ward, George Peery Robert Wal
lace. William Neil, Henry Bowen, David
Hanson and Samuel Walker. These were
justices of the peace appointed by the
Governor, who were then termed "pre
siding Justices" because they presided at
the sessions of the County Court. Their
Jurisdiction was very extensive, emhrac'
ing chancery, common law and criminal
cases. The first clerk of the County Court
was John Ward, the sheriff was James
Maxwell, and David Peery was deputy
sheriff. Some of the declarations, Dllls IN
chancery and other pleadings filed by al
torneys then practicing in the court are
unique in style and FORM
On the 4th day of June, 1900, William
Peery and Sally, bis wife, and Saml Fer
Ouson and Mary, his wife, CONVEYED by
deed to the above named justices, "cOm'
nosine the Worshipful Court of laze~ell
County" twenty.three acres and twenty
eight square poles of land wheTeon wac
located the court house and the town fist
called Jeffersonville, now Tazewell
In its last form the County Court was
established in Virginia in 1870 10y and
under the provisions of the Constitution
known Is the Underwood Constitution.
Previous to that time these courts had
been held by justices. The Underwood
Constitution provided that: I'm each
county ofsthis Commonwealth there shall
be a court called the County Court, which
shaIl be held monthly by judge learned
in the law Of the State and to be known al
the County Court judge" Under thu
new system Tazewell County has had hv'
Judges, as follows; James P. Kelly Sam
C. Graham, Sterling F. Watts, S. M. b
Coulling and S. M. B. Coulling and j. ii
stuart. OF this number all are living, ex
cent Judge Kelly, who died about ter
wears ago. Judge Watts is more thar
four score years old, and is, perhaps, tn'
Oldest living ex-county judge in the State
The passing of the County Court ha
caused much regret with the masses OF th'
people of Virginia. They are peopb
full of sentiment and faithful to the Gus
toms and traditions of the fathers. 1t wa
the opinion, however, of those who ha'
Given careful attention and study to on
judiciary system that the County Cour
had ceased to be useful factor In tina
system. As consequence the new sys
tenn. transferring the work Of the Count
Courts to the Circuit Courts, has been pu
in force. Time will demonstrate whethe
the change that has been made was wise
Gu Monday the bar OF Tazewell Count
met and passed the following comphmer
tary resolutions to Judge Stuart, the re
firing judge: