The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-01-12
MARION COUNTY'
CIR JUDGES
JUDGE MiAsoN is SECURING
PicTG RES OF ALL 70 HE
KEPT IN COURT oUsE.

the pictures OF his predecessors In
ONCE. 10 be kept Ia the Judges room
at the Courthouse. he had sfitiicus-
t. in securing picture Of Hon. JOS
eph L. Fry. who was the first Judge
of the county. but few days age
he received a very good one through
Hon. w. G. Mathews, OF Chariesson.
a grandson OF Judge Fry. He wit
now be able to complete the gallery
in very short time. a short bio
graphical sketch of each Judge VIII
be prepared by Judge Mason, and
kept with each picture.
Nine judges have preceded Judge
Mason. When Marion county was
formed, January "a, 1892 II was at
tached to the Twentieth Circuit. 81
which Hon. Joseph L, Fry was judge.
The court was then known as the
Superior Court of Law and chan
Gerry Judge Fry continued as
the judge of this court until the cir
cult was changed. Az this time Ma.
rion county was attached 10 the
T@enty-second Circuit, 81 which
George Lee was judge. The iirst
court was held by Judge Fry. April
10, 1912, In the old Methodist EpIa-
copal Church. at what was then casi-
ed Middietown tFafrmont) Al this
term the first thing done was to ap-
point James o. watson clerk.
Judge Fry held his last term here
in the fall of 1919. Judge Lee held
his first term in the spring OF 1850.
and continued as the Judge OF tiio
circuit until 1852 BY the constitu
ton of 1851, the judicial system Or
Virginia was very materially chang
ed. AT the general election held in
the spring of 1892, Judge Lee was
elected a judge OF the Supreme Court.
and Hon. Gideon p. Camden elected
circuit judge. The circuit was then
known as the Twenty-irst Circuit.
Judge Camden was reelected In 1860
for the fun term of eight years, but
ahdicated his Office In 1861. and went
South. where he remained until fhe
close Of the war. Hon William A.
Harrison was appointed under the re-
stored government of Virginia. and
served until the formation Of the
State Of West Virginia, when he wns
elected one Of the supreme Judges
OF the State. and his son. Hon.
Thomas w Harrison elected Circuit
Judge. Judge Thomas w Harrison
served until the adoption Of the new
Constitution in 1872. when Hon.
Charles S. Lewis was declared judge
upon a contest with Judge Harrison.
Judge Lewis had received from taa
governor the certificate Of election,
and the notice Of contest was quash-
ed, leaving Judge Lewis in posses
sion without determining the contest
upon its merits. Judge Lewis died Ia
January, 1878. Judge A. B. Fleming
was appointed TO iii the vacancy. ana
elected for q fnll term In 1880 He
resigned TO accept the nomination OF
his party for governor, in 1855, and
Judge AIpheus F. Raymond was.
appointed to fill the vacancy
At the general election in 1888.
Judge John Marshall Hagans was
elected for full term. reelected in
1896, and served until he died in
June, 1900. John w. Mason was af'
pointed to fiji the vacancy caused b5
Judge Hagans death. July /. 1900.
elected at the general election iii
1900. and reelected last November.
for the term Of eight years, beginning
January 4, 1905.
During the 6s years since the or
ganfzation of Marion county ten men
Z. .ft.-. - =.