Mexico weekly ledger., 1921-08-04

9th until the morning of the 7th day
of February when Doan appeared,
produced his commission and was
sworn in, and the first official act of
the county count was an order grant
Ding to James E. Fenton, one of its
members, license for selling and retail
ing spirituous liquors and groceries,
at his house, for a period of six
months. That order at this time will
be Of some interest.
1t is as follows: "On the motion
Of James E. Fenton, leave is granted
him for selling and retailing spirit
uous liquors and groceries at his house
in the town of New Mexico, in this
county, for six months from the 18th
day of December, 1886, upon his pay
ing a tax of So; also a tax of one
eighth per cent on every $780,"
1t would seem from this order that
Fenton had been in the same business
before his licensce and that it das
dated back to cover accidents" The
house where the grocery vas kept is
the same place where Jennings & Fen
ton had been doing business and
where the court at the time was sit
ting.
Toooae uarr;eo. 1uaa onnninta6
president of the court and then the
court proceeded to divide the county
into six townships and ordered cleo
ions for constabes and justices Of the
peace of the same. Before the adj
journment of the term, another
license to sell and retail spirituous
liquors was granted George W. Tur-
ley, for a period of six months, to
date from the 4th day of FEBRUARY,
1887, upon paying a license of s., and
a tax of one-eighth per cent ON every
$500. 1t is learned that Turley then
located his business on the northeast
corner of the public square, at the
place now known as Harper's corner,
where he kept a general merchandise
! store and sold whisky. Within the
next year or so Fenton built a house
on the northeast corner of block z,
| where he kept a tavern and bar. A
tavern was kept there many years
and it is the place where Samuel
Dingle was killed by a man named
Hall in 1841. 1t Is the same place
where William Kemper's saloon is
now kept Ackley Day was appoint
ed commissioner for the purpose OF
laying off and selling lots belonging
to the county Of Audrain and which
had been donated by the proprietors
of the town of Mexico.
John A. Henderson was appointed
county treasurer. George W. Turley
and James E. Fenton was appointe<
commissioners to superintend tn
building of a temporary court housi
on the northeast corner Of lot 6, biocl
8, to be a "good white oak hewe'
logs, one story high, ten feet betweel
floor and sealing, thirty-six fee
long, and eighteen feet wide, with
partition of logs through it, maxim
one room twenty-five feet long, tw
pdtside doors and one middle doo'
and walnut battn doors. Four, fftee
light windows, good square JOIN
floor Of plank, the sealing to be 'lati
ed and plastered with n coat q
~plastering, cracks chinked and seame
with lime and sand, with a good rot
of shingles. One good chimney {
brick, one plane chimney piece an
wash board all around said house
The commissioners were authorize
TO let the contract for the buildir
by crying and knocking of the san
to the floest bidder"
John Willingham was appoint
sheriff and collector and on a settl
ment made with him on the 5th d
of February, 1888, it was found tn
the amount of taxes collected by hi
for the next year 1887 Wal $45.s
He was credited with $16.7S, for Z
iinuent taxes for that year.
The court house provided for "
soon built and ready for occupatit
II not only served as q court houl
but for ali public meetings, religiO
worship, etc, for some years.
When the second court house y
buiIk On the public square, the cor
sod the lot and for many years It y
the place n Charlie Weinand's bak'
he usfng q part the same log bui
ing, About twenty years ago the
building was removed and q bf
bualding replaced it.
"A second court house Of brick 60
ing 1880 was commenced in Move
ben, 1888, and finished n 1898.
saea Of lDfs donaked to tbs county ]
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