County Commissioniers & Supervisors
SOURCE: Booklet put out during the courthouse centennial in 1997 titled "History of Clinton County Courthouses."
Board of County Commissioners
From the organization of Clinton county until 1851, the management of the county was in the hands of a board of county commissioners, three in number, chosen by the people. The act organizing the county in January, 1840, appointed the commissioners and they were as follows:
Elijah Buell
George Griswold and
Robert C. Bourne
The next county commissioners were
Robert C. Bourne
Eli Goddard
and Elijah Buell
Mr. Bourne, having the highest number of votes cast, was declared elected for three years, Goddard for two years and Buell for one year.
The creation of the office of county judge (the "one-man" power) in 1851, abolished the county commissioner system and so obtained until the township system was established in 1860, when each township had a supervisor and the county judge's office was little more than an office to attend to probate matters.
The first meeting of the regular board of supervisors convened at DeWitt, January 7, 1861. The board consisted of the following gentlemen:
Berlin township, John A. Hyde
Bloomfield township, Robert Williams
Brookfield township, John S. Maxwell
Camanche township, J. V. Van Epps
Center township, J. Henry Smith
Clinton township, J. Van De Venter
Deep Creek township, J. McLellan
DeWitt township, John F. Homer
Eden township, R. B. Millard
Elk River township, George A. Griswold
Hampshire township, Elbert Hammond
Liberty township, James Cummings
Lyons township, Norman Boardman
Olive township, James Vance
Orange township, A. S. Allison
Sharon township, Arthur Lillie
Spring Rock township, S. H. Rogers
Washington township, Patrick Lawler
Waterford township, John Crouch
Welton township, R. J. Crouch
Norman Boardman was elected chairman and Loring Wheeler, clerk of
the board.
County Supervisors
During the existence of this supervisor system (one from each civil township) the following served in such capacity:
|
Berlin Township:
Bloomfield Township: Camanche Township: Center Township: Clinton Township: Deep Creek Township: DeWitt Township: Eden Township: Elk River Township: |
Hampshire Township: Liberty Township: Lyons Township: Olive Township: Orange Township: Sharon Township: Spring Rock Township: Washington Township: Waterford Township: Welton Township: |
Supervisors Under Present System
The system of supervisors was originated in 1860, and from that year to 1870 there was one supervisor from each township, making a board of twenty members. In 1870 the change to the present method of a board of three members was made, and since then the boards for each year have been as follows:
| 1871: Jessie Stine, Carl H. Ingwersen, Charles H. Toll |
| 1872: Jessie Stine, Charles H. Toll, J. L. Stamen |
| 1873: Charles H. Toll, J. L. Stamen, John Shambaugh |
| 1874: J. L. Stamen, John Shambaugh, Francis Brogan |
| 1875: John Shambaugh, Francis Brogan, William Lake |
| 1876: William Lake, Henry Nurre, Arthur Lillie |
| (By an error in printing the ballots the wrong man was elected, it being the intention to vote for B. A. Lillie, a brother of Arthur. Arthur Lillie resigned and B. A. Lillie was duly appointed and served during the year.) |
| 1877: William Lake, Henry Nurre, Claus C. Ruus |
| 1878: Henry Nurre, Claus C. Russ, William Lake |
| 1879: Claus C. Ruus, William Lake, Edward Svendsen |
| 1880: William Lake, Edward Svendsen, Claus C. Ruus |
| 1881: Edward Svendsen, Claus C. Ruus, L. T. Sloan |
| 1882: Claus C. Ruus, L. T. Sloan, Henry Nurre |
| 1883: Henry Nurre, L. N. Frazier, Henry Muhs (to fill vacancy) |
| 1884: Henry Nurre, L. N. Frazier, Henry Muhs |
| 1885: L. N. Frazier, Henry Muhs, M. F. Quigley |
| 1886: Henry Muhs, M. F. Quigley, L. N. Frazier |
| 1887: M. F. Quigley, L. N. Frazier, Henry Muhs |
| 1888: L. N. Frazier, Henry Muhs, M. F. Quigley |
| 1889: Henry Muhs, M. F. Quigley, L. S. Harrington |
| 1890: M. F. Quigley, L. S. Harrington, Godber Hansen |
| 1891: L. S. Harrington, Godber Hansen, Michael Sullivan |
| 1892: Godber Hansen, Michael Sullivan, L. S. Harrington |
| 1893: Michael Sullivan, L. S. Harrington, Godber Hansen |
| 1894: L. S. Harrington, Godber Hansen, Claus C. Ruus |
| 1895: Godber Hansen, Claus C. Ruus, George D. Staggs |
| 1896: Claus C. Ruus, George D. Staggs, Peter B. Ingwersen |
| 1897: George D. Staggs, Peter B. Ingwersen, Claus C. Ruus |
| 1898: Peter B. Ingwersen, Claus C. Ruus, H. Hart |
| 1899: Claus C. Ruus, H. Hart, Hubert Burken |
| 1900: Hubert Burken, L. N. Frazier, Matthias Gohlmann (to fill vacancy) |
| 1901: Hubert Burken, L. N. Frazier, Matthias Gohlmann |
| 1902: L. N. Frazier, Matthias Gohlman, Hurbert Burken |
| 1903: Matthias Gohlmann, Hubert Burken, George W. Mowry |
| 1904: Hubert Burken, George W. Mowry, Albert H. Stuedermann |
| 1905: George W. Mowry, Albert H. Steudermann, Thomas E. Hauke |
| 1906: Albert H. Steudermann, Thomas E. Hauke, Charles Mordhorst |
| 1907: Thomas E. Hauke, Charles Mordhorst, Albert H. Steudermann |
| 1908: Charles Mordhorst, Albert H. Steudermann, Thomas E. Hauke |
| 1909: Albert H. Steudermann, Thomas E. Hauke, Charles Mordhorst |
| 1910: Thomas E. Hauke, Charles Mordhorst, Frank Kearney |