Early Officials

Add main content here…The following are lists of public officers serving in, or representing Benton County, from the date of its organization to the present time, together with dates of service:

Circuit Court Judges

Joseph M. Hoge, 1837-39; Lewis B. Tully, 1839-40; Joseph M. Hoge, 1840-44; Sebron G. Sneed, 1844-48; William W. Floyd, 1848-50; Alfred B. Greenwood, 1850-53; Felix I. Batson, 1853-58; John M. Wilson, 1858-61; Joseph J. Green, 1861 (vacant during war period); Elias Harrell, 1865-67; William Story, 1867-68; E. D. Ham, 1868-73; J. H. Huckleberry, 1873-75; J. M. Pittman, 1875-79; James H. Berry, 1879-83; J. M. Pittman, present judge, elected in 1882 and re-elected in 1886.

Circuit Court Clerks

John B. Dickson, 1836-42; John Smith, 1842-48; Joseph D. Dickson, 1848-52; A. G. Williams, 1852-56; John Galbreath, 1856-58; R. S. Williams, 1858-60; J. R. Woods, 1860-64; Charles W. Rice, 1864-66; J. W. Sikes, 1866-68; J. R. Rutherford, 1868-72; Hugh A. Dinsmore, 1872-74; John Black, 1874-80; B. F. Dunn, 1880-86; C. C. Huffman, present incumbent, elected in 1886.

Sheriffs

Gideon G. Pace, 1836-42; John H. Hammock, 1842-46; John Galbreath, 1846-56; H. Hammock, 1856-58; J. R. Wood, 1858-60; Joseph Henry, 1860-62; R. E. Doak, 1862; Alfred Dean, coroner, acting sheriff, 1865-66; J. W. Norwood, 1866-67; John W. Simmons, 1867-68; W. C. Lefors, 1868-72; William Isbell, 1872-74; John W. Simmons, 1874-78; J. H. McClinton, 1878-82; R. A. Hickman, 1882-84; F. P. Galbreath, 1884-86; W. H. Cloe, present incumbent, 1886-88.

County Court Judges

George P. Wallace, 1836-38; Matthew English, 1838-40; T.M. Duckworth, 1840-42; David Mitchell, 1842-44; J. A. P. Carr, 1844-46; T. M. Duckworth, 1846 to September; James Jackson, from September, 1846, to 1848; J. M. Rogers, 1848-50; W. J. Howard, 1850-52; J. W. Cowan, 1852-54; William McDaniel, 1854-56; Enoch Trott, 1856-58; John Kincheloe, 1858, resigned, and J. W. Cowan filled the vacancy to 1860; H. Marley, 1860-64; D. Woods, 1864-68; J. McPherson, 1868-72; D. Woods, 1872-74; Harvey Marley, 1874-76; S. N. Elliott, 1876-82; T. D. Bates, 1882-86; S. A. Cordell, 1886-88.

County Court Clerks

Prior to the year 1872 there was but one clerk for both the offices of circuit and county courts. During the years 1872-74 the law required a clerk for each office. In 1872 John Black was elected clerk of the county court, and Hugh A. Dinsmore was appointed by the governor as clerk of the circuit court. From 1874 to 1880 the law only required one clerk for the two offices. In 1880 the offices were permanently separated, and since that time the office of the county court clerk has been continuously in the hands of John Black, the present incumbent.

Treasurers

Henry C. Hastings, 1836-46; S. Langston, 1846-48; William McDaniel, 1848-54; H. C. Hastings, 1854-58; E. W. Smith, 1858-60; S. Langston, 1860-62; E. W. Smith, 1862-64; S. Langston, 1864-68; Joseph Thomas, 1868-72; John Galbreath, 1872-74; Haley Jackson, 1874-76; B. F. Dunn, 1876-80; Thomas Wood, 1880-82; T. H. Wood, 1882-86; H. C. Smith, 1886-88.

Coroners

Henry Ford, 1836-38; James Beaman, 1838-40; James Jackson, 1840-48; W. B. Covey, 1848-50; H. O. Gilbert, 1850-54; John Wilcox, 1854-56; Hardy Wilson, 1856-58; William Morgan, 1858-60; Alfred Dean, 1860-62; John Galbreath, 1862-64; Alfred Dean, 1864-66; I. S. Reynolds, 1866-68; J. C. January, 1868-72; J. E. Plummer, 1872-74; J. H. Hogan, 1874-76; J. W. Bland, 1876-78; P. H. Throne, 1878-80; R. W. Hansard, 1880-82; R. N. Corley, 1882-88.

Surveyors

A. McKissick, 1836-38; W. H. McLean, 1838-40; James White, 1840-42; W. H. Woods, 1842-44; Dr. Hayden, 1844-46; D. Chandler, 1846-50; J. McBrown, 1850-52; * * * M. B. Maxwell, 1854-56; J. Candill, 1856-58; M. B. Maxwell, 1858-64; * * * M. B. Maxwell, 1866-72; S. Peak, 1872-74; M. B. Maxwell, 1874-82; D. W. German, 1882-84; M. B. Maxwell, 1884-86; S. B. Robertson, present incumbent, 1886-88.

Assessors

J. N. Curtiss, 1868-72; W. L. Cowan, 1872-78; H. Higfill, 1878-80; A. G. Gamble, 1880-84; W. H. Haynes, 1884-88.

Representatives in Congress

Following is a list of Representatives in Congress from the district of which Benton County has composed a part: Archibald Yell, 1836-39; Edward Cross, 1839-45; Archibald Yell, 1845-47; Robert W. Johnson, 1847-53; A. B. Greenwood, 1853-59 (three terms); Thomas C. Hindman, 1859-63 (the civil war prevented him from taking his seat in 1861); W. W. Wilshire (ousted by T. M. Gunter, contestant), 1873-75; T. M. Gunter, 1875-83 (four terms); Samuel W. Peel, the present Representative, was elected in 1882, and re-elected in 1884 and again in 1886, and has served continuously since entering Congress in 1883. Prior to 1847 the whole State had but one member of Congress. The State having been divided into two districts, there were two Congressmen elected in 1847. Subsequently other districts were formed, until the State became divided, as at present, into five Congressional Districts, this being the fifth, composed of the counties of Benton, Washington, Madison, Carroll, Boone, Newton, Searcy, Marion, Baxter, Fulton and Izard.

Mitchell was elected for the term ending March 4, 1867, but did not occupy his seat after the secession of the State.

Sebastian was expelled from the United States Senate on suspicion of sympathy with the rebellion of 1861. In 1878 the resolution of expulsion was reversed by the Senate. Sebastian was elected for the term ending March 4, 1865, but did not occupy his seat after the winter session of 1860-61.

Both seats were unoccupied or vacant for the remainder of the term of Sebastian and Mitchell after March 4, 1861.

Appointed Attorney General of the United States.

Elected to fill Garland’s unexpired term. During the first session of the (Murphy) Legislature of 1864 Elisha Baxter, on May 2, 1864, W. M. Fishback, on May 5, and W. D. Snow, on December 30, were respectively elected to the Senate for the terms ending March 4, 1865 and 1867. None of them were admitted. Charles B. Mitchell and Robert W. Johnson, in 1862, were elected Coufederate State Senators. and served as such. Mitchell died September 18, 1864, and A. H. Garland was elected to his vacancy. Johnson and Garland served until the fall of the Confederacy. John T. Jones and Andrew Hunter were elected senators by the Legislature of 1866; Hunter resigned. Neither were admitted by the Senate.

United States Senators from Arkansas

A. H. Sevier (resigned), 1836 to 1849; Solon Borland (resigned), 1848 to 1855; R. W. Johnson, 1855 to 1861; Chas. B. Mitchell,* 1861; B. F. Rice, 1868 to 1873; S. W. Dorsey, 1873 to 1879; J. D. Walker, 1879 to 1885; J. K. Jones, 1885 to 1891; W. S. Fulton (died), 1836 to 1841; Chester Ashley (died), 1844 to 1848; W. K. Sebastian,† 1848 to 1865; ‡1865 to 1868; Alex McDonald, 1868 to 1871; Powell Clayton, 1871 to 1877; A. H. Garland, 1877 to 1889;§ J. H. Berry, 1885 to 1889.****

Senators of the Arkansas Legislature

Following is a list of State Senators of the senatorial districts of which Benton County formed a part, from its organization to the present time, to-wit: Benton, Madison and Washington Counties, O. Evans and A. Whinnery, 1836-40; Benton and Madison, A. Whinnery, 1840; Benton and Madison, J. G. Walker, 1842-45; Benton and Madison, J. B. Dickson, 1846-49; Benton and Madison, J. Berry, 1850-55; Benton and Madison, I. Murphy, 1856-57; Benton and Madison, M. Douglas, 1859-62; Benton County, J. Dungan, 1862; Benton and Madison, E. D. Ham, 1864-65; Benton County, J. Dungan, 1864; Benton and Madison, J. Dungan, 1866-67; Seventh District, Benton and Washington, T. J. Hunt, 1868-69; A. Caraloff, 1871-73; J. Dunagin, 1874; Twenty-fourth District, Benton and Madison, C. J. Reagan, 1874-77; E. P. Watson, 1879-81; J. T. Walker, 1883-85.

Representatives in the Arkansas Legislature

The following is a list of representatives sent from Benton County to the State Legislature, beginning with 1840: Robert Hubbard, 1840; Alfred B. Greenwood, 1842-43; A. B. Greenwood and R. Hubbard, 1844-45; J. H. Hammock and William Thompson, 1846; J. H. Hammock and W. H. Howell, 1848-49; D. Chandler and J. Jackson, 1850-51; J. H. Hammock and W. J. Howard, 1852-53; M. Douglas and A. Whinnery, 1854-55; M. Douglass and T. Quarles, 1856-57; R. E. Doak and T. Quarles, 1858-59; J. Dunagin and J. P. Putnam, 1860-62; J. H. Hammock and W. B. Fain, 1862; R. H. Wimpey and J. Shortis, 1864-65; W. B. Fain, 1864; William E. Gould and W. W. Reynolds, 1866-67; Seventh District, Benton and Washington Counties, S. Bard, J. Yoes, E. D. Fenno, and J. F. Owen, 1868-69; J. F. Owen, Martin F. Tygart, Thomas Wilson and James M. Pittman, 1871; David Chandler, James H. Berry, D. Bridenthal and T. W. Thomason, 1873; * * * Benton County, James Putnam and J. H. Rice, 1874-75; J. Dunagin and E. P. Watson, 1877; D. H. Williams and W. M. Keith, 1879; E. S. McDaniel and J. Dunagin, 1881; H. H. Patterson, Jr., and S. S. Graham. 1883; James A. Rice and Z. Baker, 1885.

Delegates to Constitutional Conventions

The first constitutional convention of Arkansas was held January 4 to January 13. 1836. This was prior to the organization of Benton County. The next constitutional convention was held March 4 to 21, and May 6 to June 3, 1861, and the delegates in this convention from Benton County were A. W. Dinsmore and H. Jackson.

Another constitutional convention was held from January 4 to January 23, 1864, in which there were no delegates from Benton County. In the convention held January 7 to February 18. 1868, Benton County was represented by W. W. Reynolds. In the last constitutional convention, held July 14 to October 31. 1874, Benton County was represented by H. H. Patterson and A. M. Rodgers.

Notaries Public in Benton County – as per report of Secretary of State published in 1886, with dates of expiration of terms: Hugh Elliott, October 7, 1886; James S. Harris, January 18, 1887; G. P. Rogers, February 6, 1887; L. H. McGill. April 28, 1887; E. S. McDaniel, May 9, 1887; O. V. Wager, February 11, 1888; John F. Mitchell, April 28, 1888; W. D. Wasson, April 30, 1888; Charles R. Bruce, May 17, 1888; Sydney H. Denham, August 1, 1888; J. D. Walter, September 3, 1888; David Chandler, November 1, 1888; B. C. Martin, January 2, 1889; S. A. Cordell, February 28, 1889; W. J. Blackburn, March 7, 1889; Samuel Box, March 20, 1889; Thomas Keith, July 21, 1889; James M. Tucker, January 2, 1890; D. Shafer, January 23, 1890; S. D. Bullock, February 13, 1890; Charles R. Craig, February, 13, 1890; M. E. Smith, April 9, 1890; Dr. R. Hammer, April 16, 1890; B. S. Beach. June 18, 1890; A. J. Wilkes, July 7, 1890; W. T. Hudson, February 27, 1887; H. C. King, October 6, 1888; William Keever, November 22, 1888; J. K. Gibson, January 26, 1889; F. M. Garvin, January 31, 1889; R. E. Underwood, February 26, 1889; R. S. Armitage, November 20, 1889; James F. Gillick, February 22, 1890.

Back to: Benton County, Arkansas History

Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top