Tulare County
History
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California - History by Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge - Historic Record Company - Los Angeles, California, 1913
CHAPTER XVIII
TULARE'S OFFICERS
For the number of years since organization. Tulare has had a long list of official servants. Yet there are few counties in any state that can point to a list with fewer unworthier and a larger number of honorable and devoted men.
SUPERVISORS
Under different statutes the board has consisted of five and again of three members, and sometimes the fully authorized number was not elected. The following have served, being either elected or appointed in the year set before their names.
1853—Loomis St. John, A. J. Lawrence, John Poole, Henry Burroughs, Warren S. Matthews.
1854—J. T. Pemberton, C. G. Sayles, Anson Hadley, W. S. Matthews, A. H. Murray.
1855—Anson Hadley, J. C. Reid, D. L. De Spain.
1856—James Persian, William Packard.
1857—P. Goodhue, R. W. Coughran, J. C. Reid.
1858—G. E. Long, A. A. Wingfield.
1859—E. Van Valkenberg, J. C. McPherson.
1860—William Campbell, R. K. Nichols, H. W. Niles.
1861—Pleasant Byrd.
1863—A. M. Donelson, R. K. Nichols, Tipton Lindsey.
1865—W. R. Jordan.
1869—C. R. Wingfield, D. Stong, James Barton.
1871—W. E. Owen, C. R. Wingfield, James Barton.
1873—E. N. Baker, James Barton, Samuel Huntling, Edwin Giddings.
1877—J. H. Grimsley (succeeding Baker).
1879—J. H. Shore (succeeding Barton).
1882—S. M. Gilliam, W. H. Hammond, W. C. Pogue, C. Talbot, S. E. Biddle.
1884—T. E. Henderson, M. Premo, J. W. C. Pogue, D. V. Robinson, G. E. Shore.
1886—James Barton, J. W. Newport.
1888—J. H. Woody.
1890—James Barton, S. L. N. Ellis, J. H. Fox.
1892—T. E. Henderson, T. B. Twaddle, S. M. Gilliam.
1896—Robert Baker, T. B. Twaddle, J. W. Thomas.
1898—D. V. Robinson, R. N. Clack.
1900—R. W. McFarland, T. B. Twaddle, W. H. Moffett.
1902—W. F. Hawkins, J. M. Martin.
1904—R. W. McFarland, T. B. Twaddle, George Birkenhauer.
1906—E. Tout, J. M. Martin.
1908—A. C. Williams.
1910—Robert Horbach.
1912—Fay Singleton.
THE JUDICIARY
Under the old constitution the judicial system provided for district courts, the districts composed of a number of counties, and county courts.
District Judges: In the organization of Tulare county it was attached to the fifth judicial district, which included all the San Joaquin and Tulare valleys and the Sierra Nevada south of Calaveras county. Charles M. Cramer was district judge, holding court at Mariposa.
In 1858 the thirteenth judicial district was created, which included Tulare, Fresno, Mariposa, Merced and Stanislaus counties. For this district the following were elected: Ethelbert Burke in 1859; A. M. Bondurant in 1863; Alexander During, appointed in 1865; A. C. Bradford in 1867, and re-elected; A. C. Campbell in 1875; W. W. Cross in 1877.
County Judges: 1852, Walter H. Harvey; 1853, John Cutler. 1858, Robert C. Redd ; 1859, William Boring. E. E. Calhoun was appointed May 9, 1860. In 1860 C. G. Sayle was elected; 1863, Nathan Baker; 1867, S. J. Garrison, who resigned, and S. A. Sheppard was appointed; 1873, John Clark, who served until the adoption of the new constitution when the office was merged in the superior court.
Superior Judges: W. W. Cross, 1879, and re-elected. The legislature of 1891 authorized a second superior judge, and Wheaton A. Gray was appointed. This act was repealed by the next legislature. W. A. Gray, 1892; W. B. Wallace, 1898, 1904, 1910. The legislature of 1910-'11 created a second department and J. A. Allen was appointed by the governor in 1911.
THE LAWMAKERS
State Senators : At first Tulare county joined with Fresno in electing senators, but later the senatorial district was confined to Tulare, Kings and Kern counties. The following have served the county, the date following the name being the date of election: James H. Wade, 1852; J. A. McNeil, 1854; Samuel A. Merritt, 1856; Thomas Baker, 1861 J. W. Freeman, 1863; Thomas Fowler, 1869; Tipton Lindsey, 1873; Chester Rowell, 1879 ; Patrick Reddy, 1882; John Roth, 1886; George S. Berry, 1890; W. A. Sims, 1894; H. L. Pace, 1898; E. O. Miller, 1906; E. O. Larkins, 1910.
Assemblymen: In the assembly district Tulare and Inyo counties have for a long time been united. The following is a list of those elected to the assembly, the date being that of the election: John T. Tivy, 1853; Thomas Baker, 1854; Robert R. Swan, 1855; O. K. Smith, 1856; A. H. Mitchell, 1857; James M. Roane, 1858; Thomas M. Heston, 1859; O. K. Smith, 1860; Jas. C. Pemberton, 1861; J. W. Freeman, 1862; Joseph C. Brown, 1863; E. W. Doss, 1869; John Burkhalter, 1871; W. Canfield, 1873; J. A. Patterson, 1875; W. S. Adams, 1877; A. B. Du Brutz, 1879; Rufus E. Arrick, 1880; Allen J. Atwell, 1882; E. L. De Witt, 1884; A. B. Butler, 1886; George S. Berry, 1888; W. S. Cunningham, 1890; W. H. Alford, 1892; D. V. Robinson, 1894; W. P. Boone, 1896-98; H. Levinson, 1900; A. M. Lumley, 1902-04; P. W. Forbes, 1906; G. W. Wylie, 1908-1910.
SHERIFF
William Dill, 1852; O. K. Smith, 1853; W. G. Poindexter, 1855; J. C. Reid, 1859; J. C. Pemberton, 1860; W. C. Owen, 1861; John Meadows, elected but did not serve; John Gill, 1864; Tilden Reid, 1865; W. F. Thomas, 1867; A. H. Glasscock, 1869; Charles R. Wingfield, 1873; J. H. Campbell, 1877; M. G. Wells, 1879; W. F. Martin, 1882; Alfred Baalam, 1884; George A. Parker, 1886; D. G. Overall. 1888; E. W. Kay, 1890; A. P. Merritt, 1894; B. B. Parker, 1898; W. W. Collins, 1902-06-10.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
J. B. Hatch, 1852; D. W. C. French, 1853; S. C. Brown, 1856; Samuel W. Beckman, 1865; S. A. Sheppard, 1863; S. C. Brown , 1865; A. J. Atwell, 1867; R. C. Redd, 1869; A. J. Atwell, 1871; George S. Palmer, 1873; W. W. Cross, 1874; E. J. Edwards, 1877; Oregon Sanders, 1882; W. B. Wallace, 1884; C. G. Lamberson, 1886; W. R. Jacobs, 1888; M. E. Power, 1890-92; F. B. Howard, 1894; J. A. Allen, 1898; Dan. McFadjean, 1902-06 ; Frank Lamberson, 1910.
ASSESSOR
Dr. Everett, 1852; J. B. Hatch, 1853; C. G. Sayle, 1855; T. C. Hays, 1859; R. B. Sayles, 1861; E. H. Dumble, 1863; A. H. Glasscock, 1865; T. H. Hawkins, 1867; F. G. Jefferds, 1871; Seth Smith, 1882; D. F. Coffee, 1890; J. F. Gibson, 1894; Arthur Crowley, 1902; T. H. Blair, 1910.
SURVEYOR
J. T. Tivy, 1852; Early Lyons, 1853; George Dyer, 1854; J. E. Scott, 1857.
The election of surveyor was neglected at times, and the office temporarily filled by appointment by the supervisors, O. K. Smith being appointed on several occasions.
J. F. Lewis, 1865; J. M. Johnson, 1867; G. W. Smith, 1871; T. J. Vivian, 1875; J. M. Johnson, 1876; Seth Smith, 1877; Thomas Creighton, 1882; John S. Urton, 1886; A. T. Fowler, 1888; A. G. Patton, 1892; D. L. Wishon, 1894; Seth Smith, 1898; Byron Lovelace, 1910.
TAX COLLECTOR
This office, until 1892, was held ex-officio by the sheriff with the exception of the term from 1877, when H. A. Keener was elected. Since then the following: J. S. Johnson, 1892; G. V. Reed, 1898; J. W. Fewell, 1902.
TREASURER
J. C. Frankenberger, 1852; Charles R. Wingfield, 1853; W. G. Russell, 1854; Erwin Johnson, 1860; John C. Reid, 1861; T. T. Hathaway, 1863; Paschal Bequette, 1865; J. E. Scott, 1867; Wiley Watson, 1869 ; Pleasant Byrd, 1871 ; John W. Crowley, 1873; Philip Wagy, 1877; H. A. Keener, 1879 ; W. W. Coughran, 1882; C. R. Wingfield. 1886; D. S. Lipscomb, 1888; J. W. Crowley, 1894; J. E. Denny, 1898; H. Newman, 1902.
RECORDER
A. B. Gordon, 1852; County Clerk ex-officio, 1853; Louis L. Bequette, 1861; T. J. Shackleford, 1863; W. F. Thomas, 1871; J. E. Denny, 1875; C. S. O'Bannon, 1877; J. E. Denny, 1882; W. F. Thomas, 1884; J. M. Johnson, 1888; C. E. Evans, 1890; J. E. Denny, 1892; Ira Chrisman, 1894; J. 0. Thomas, 1898; Ira Chrisman, 1902.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR
This office has usually been combined with that of coroner. In 1854 L. Meadows held the office independently, as did W. G. Davenport in 1861 and H. A. Bostwick in 1862.
AUDITOR
The clerk and recorder held this office ex-officio until 1877, when the following served as noted: W. L. Kirkland, 1877; J. F. Jordan. 1879 ; Ben Parker, 1882; D. G. Overall, 1884; C. T. Buckman, 1886; W. W. Rea, 1892; E. M. Jefferds, 1894; T. H. Blair, 1898; Austin Foucht, 1910.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
During several years the county clerk has been ex-officio superintendent of schools. In 1855 W. G. Russell was elected, after which the clerk filled the office until 1861, when the following served: B. W. Taylor, 1861; J. W. Williams, 1863; T. O. Ellis, 1865; M. S. Merril. 1871; S. G. Creighton, 1873; R. P. Merril, 1875; W. J. Ellis, 1879; C. H. Murphy, 1882; S. A. Crookshank, 1890; J. S. McPhaill, 1894; S. A. Crookshank, 1898; C. J. Walker, 1902 ; J. E.Buckman, 1910.
CORONER
W. H. McMillen, 1852; I. N. Bell, 1853; S. T. Corley, 1856; H. C. Townsend, 1859; M. Baker, 1860; J. D. P. Thompson, 1860; W. A. Russell, 1863 ; J. R. Hamilton, 1865; Joseph Lively, 1867; D. L. Pickett, 1871; R. P. Martin, 1873; W. A. Russell, 1875; L. D. Murphy, 1877; L. M. Lovelace, 1879; T. W. Pendergrass, 1888; O. S. Higgins, 1890 ; T. A. Sheppard, 1892; J. C. McCabe, 1894; T. C. Carruthers. 1898; E. R. Du Brutz, 1902, died in office; T. M. Dungan, 1904; filled vacancy; L. Locey, 1910.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.