County Buildings

The legislative enactment creating Harrison County named three commissioners whose duty it was to select and locate a permanent seat of justice for the same. These commissioners, John Gibson and Ebenezer Wood of Gentry County and Edward Smith of Daviess County, met pursuant to law and after spending eight days in viewing the County finally selected the present site at Bethany for the seat of justice and gave to it the name of Dallas. They made a report of their proceedings at the first session of the County Court, and were allowed for their eight days' service $2.00 per day. The warrants issued therefor were the first issued by the county.

At the ensuing June term the court appointed John S. Allen the county seat commissioner and in the same month he presented his report of the plat and survey, which was adopted and approved. After the county seat was permanently located the court turned to the necessity of providing appropriate public buildings. Accordingly at the June term, 1845, an order was made appointing John S. Allen commissioner to contract for the building of a court house of the following plan, to-wit: To be a frame building 24x20 feet and 14 feet high, so as to make one story and a half; the first story to be nine feet high ; the half or upper story to be five feet, two windows in the upper story and seven windows below, all to be twelve light windows; the building to be put up with good material and in a workmanlike manner.

It will be observed that the above orders were somewhat indefinite as to specifications, no provision having been made for doors.

The contract was awarded to Elkanah Grover, who, for the sum of $194 erected the building in due time and reported it ready for occupancy.

At the August term, 1846, the commissioner was authorized "to let a job of work on the court house to the lowest bidder of the following description, to-wit: a seat for the judge to be on a platform two feet high, three feet wide and eight feet long, to be banistered up in front with railings and a plank on top eight or ten inches wide, also one step to ascend the platform one foot high, also a bar in front of the justice's seat to be thirteen feet long."

The house stood northeast of the public square on lot 4, block 2, of the original plat. While this seems to us primitive, it answered the purposes for which it was intended until the increasing business of the county required a building of enlarged proportions.

Second Court House

At the August term, 1856, the court ordered that $8,000 be appropriated for the purpose of building a new court house in the town of Bethany and appointed William G. Lewis commissioner to let the contract and superintend the erection of the same. Plans and specifications were furnished and after bids received the contract was let to Asbury Allen and Allen S. Meek, who agreed to construct the building for $9,732.

They made the brick in 1856, began work on the building in the following year and completed it in 1858. The house was a substantial brick structure, sixty-five feet long east and west, by forty feet wide, two stories high, each story being fifteen feet high. The lower story was divided by a hall running through the entire length of the building with stairs to ascend to the second story on one side of the hall. The south side of the lower story was divided into four rooms of equal size, and the north side contained three offices, one double the size of the other two. The largest room below was used for the clerk's office and County Court room. The Circuit Court room was in the second story, with fifteen feet cut off the west end divided by a hall, with jury rooms fifteen feet square on either side. It stood on the public square and at the time of completion was considered one of the most commodious and substantial temples of justice in Northwest Missouri.

As soon as the new building was ready for occupancy the County Court ordered the old court house property sold. It was purchased in 1858 by Dr. Charles J. Blackburn for $500.40 and remained standing until about the year 1881 at which time it was torn down and the material used in the construction of a business house which now stands upon the same lot.

The brick court house was substantially built and calculated to last the county many years, had it not been destroyed by fire in 1874. The following from the Bethany Republican of January 8, 1874, is an account of the fire which reduced the building to a mass of ruins:

"About 11 o'clock last night, January 7th, the alarm of 'fire' was heard along the streets followed by a ringing of bells and a general panic. The night was bright with moonlight, the ground partly covered with snow and a moderate breeze was blowing from the south. The fire was discovered by Scott and Luther Bryant, who observed a brilliant light in the collector's office on the north side of the court house. As the light increased they gave the alarm and rushed down to the court house where they found the floor and desk in Mr. Baker's office all on fire, and the desk burning and also saw that the window of the office was raised about two feet. Other citizens from all parts of the town soon appeared, but as comparatively few brought buckets of water, and water being scarce in the town at the time, the fire soon gained such headway that little could be done to save the building. The desk was of considerable height and having a pigeon hole case standing on the top full of papers, the fire reached the ceiling easily, which was soon in flames. The square and street were by this time thronged with a multitude of men, women and children, who stood shivering in the bleak night wind, powerless to render much aid in saving the building, but organized into amateur fire companies to protect the buildings on the north side of the square.

"Water and snow were thrown on the roofs and sides of the buildings and the showers of sparks eagerly watched. When the roof of the court house caught fire the heat was so great on the walk in front of the Ohio House, and the falling cinders so thick, that many people fled in terror.

"It was soon observed by the most thoughtful that the court house could not be saved and the cry was then given to save the records. A rush was made for Dr. Skinner's office and the door broken down, and in a few minutes the land books, court records and papers were taken to a safe distance. Next the Probate Court and County Clerk's office were emptied of their contents. All of the Probate records were saved and most of the county records except some papers in the large desks on the west side of the County Clerk's office. Some of the latter were destroyed, including the settlements with the township clerks, and the estimates for school expenses and the tax books. All of the road receipts that had been received on taxes and other papers connected with the collector's office were destroyed.

"There was little doubt that the fire was the work of an incendiary as it appears to have started near the desk of the collector.

"When the parties first on the ground appeared there was no fire about the stove. A bunch of shavings partly burned was found in the hall in front of the sheriff's office door. Just after the alarm had been given a strange man was seen running out of the court house yard. Previous to the fire two or three suspicious characters were seen in the vicinity of the building, but no clue to their whereabouts was ever ascertained." On Monday after the fire the county court held a called session and ordered the walls of the building taken down to the top of the first story windows. Arrangements were also made for the accommodations of the various offices and the records were at once removed to a place of safety.

Present Court House

The temple of justice having been destroyed by fire, steps were at once taken to erect a new building. Accordingly at the February term, 1874, an order was made by the court appropriating $9,000 for the purpose. The citizens of Bethany increased this amount by subscription to $12,672, and in due time Dr. Blackburn, commissioner, prepared plans and specifications for the proposed building. Benton Edwards and Isaac Hayes of Macon City, Missouri, were awarded the contract and in May, 1874, work upon the new court house began.

The bricks were made and laid up during the summer and the work progressed so rapidly that the Circuit Court was held in the new building in September, 1874, although the house was not then plastered, but was completed and received about November 15.

Like its predecessor the present house is a two-story brick structure but a more spacious building. It is eighty feet long, forty-five feet wide, two stories high, the upper story being twenty-one feet from floor to ceiling and the lower story twelve feet. Upon the first floor are located county offices. County Clerk and Circuit Clerk, County Treasurer and Probate Judge. The second story comprising the Circuit Court rooms, sheriff's office and grand and petit jury rooms.

It was erected on the public square, is surrounded by a well-kept lawn and fine shade trees and at the time of its erection was considered as quite sufficient for the purpose. Increase of public business since has shown it to be quite lacking for the present day. There is no basement for storage, or heating- apparatus. It has no heating system, the office rooms are too small; there is a lack of vault room, and is without sufficient waiting rooms for witnesses and counsel rooms for prosecuting attorneys and for members of the bar.

Jails

At the February term, 1847, the County Court ordered that the building of a jail be let to the lowest bidder and that one-fourth of the money for the same be paid when the materials are furnished on the ground. E. S. Hughes was appointed commissioner to let the contract. It was awarded to John and Clem Oatman.

The following from Colonel Heaston's centennial history of Harrison County is a full description of the prison pen:

"The building erected was two stories high, sixteen feet square, consisting of two thicknesses of hewn logs. The logs were hewed out of good solid oak, twelve inches square, and fitted together tightly with floors and ceiling of the same material, each story being eight feet high.

"The entrance was by stairs on the outside to the second story, where there were two heavy doors, an inside and an outside door. The lower room was called the dungeon, and the prisoners were let down into it through a trap door. 'The two windows consisted of holes through the sides about ten inches square with strong iron bars across them.

"It was completed and the keys delivered on September 1, 1847. It was built on the northwest corner of the public square and remained standing until the year 1861 and was to incarcerate prisoners until 1860 when it was decided to erect a more secure prison. In that year the court appointed Dr. Blackburn commissioner to prepare specifications, let contract and superintend the construction of a new jail and jailer's residence. "The contract was awarded to the lowest responsible bidder at $8,000 and work was begun on the building in 1861. Work was retarded by troubles occasioned by the Civil War and the building was not completed and received by the court until 1864.

"The jail proper is twenty-two feet square, two stories high, built of large dressed stone weighing from one to two tons each. The large double doors are made of iron and the upper floors and ceiling are lined with boiler iron. The jailer's residence comprising the south end of the building is 15x30 feet in size, built of brick and consists of four rooms.

"When this jail was completed it was considered impossible for prisoners to escape, but prisoners contrived to loosen the stones by fire and flaking off and in 1875 the jail was improved by the addition of strong iron cells put in at a cost to the county of $2,400.00." County Home.

Harrison County with her vigorous and industrious people has been no exception to the unvarying rule that no community is without its unfortunates and in common with the other states of the Nation, Missouri has kept pace with benevolent movements, and the making of provisions for the needy and those unable to earn a support. In common with the other counties of the state Harrison has done her part, under the enabling laws of the state which have shown great growth and development from our early days.

Our early records contain announcements of doings under our early laws then regarded as helpful, but which now we would not feel proud of. For instance that the keep of the county's indigent were left to the lowest bidders. We find in the records of the June term, 1847, of the county courts that "Henry Fuller, sheriff, lets John Richardson, a pauper, to the lowest bidder, and John Foster takes him, at $38.00 per month," but later provisions enabled our people to suitably care for the unfortunate and pay the cost thereof, and not make the same a matter of auction.

At the December term, 1866, John W. Brown, who had previously been appointed to purchase for the county land for a poor farm, reported a purchase of acres in section 9, township 64, range 27, which was adopted, and the land purchased by the county, and two years later the necessary buildings were erected thereon. This farm under the county management afforded a comfortable home for the poor of the county until about 1902.

This property was sold by the county and in October, 1900, the county purchased from Campbell Crossan what had been the old fair ground in section 9, township 63, range 27, near Bethany, and later other tracts have been added until the farm now comprises 180 acres.

On June 13, 1901, we find the following entry in the County Court Record of that date: "Whereas the county court contemplates erecting a county building on the county farm with modern improvements necessary to the sanitary condition of same, and whereas R. G. Hirsch, architect, of Macon, Missouri, and Joslyn, Taylor & Company, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, present plans and specifications for said building and upon investigation of said plans and specifications, the county court doth find that the plans submitted by R. G. Hirsch are best adapted to their needs, and do hereby adopt the same for their use in constructing said county building, and hereby authorize said architect to prepare and file in this court not later than July 1, 1901, complete plans and specifications, when action will be taken thereon."

After due publication of notice for sealed bids, which were received on August 5, 1901, the contracts were let on August 6, 1901, as follows: To John Scott & Sons for $10,250.00 for the building, contractors to furnish all material, perform all the labor in accordance with the Hirsch plans and specifications on file. To Sodermann Heat and Power Company the contract for heating for $1,978.00 according to plans and specifications. The county court entered an order of record appointing Andrew Gumming, of Bethany, Missouri, superintendent of construction of said county building, also one appointing A. S. Cumming of Bethany, Missouri, to assist the prosecuting attorney in the matter of contracts and bonds relating to same.

At August term, 1901, John Scott & Sons present their bond in the sum of $20,500 to secure the performance of their contract, which was approved August 21, 1901. At the same time Sodermann Heat and Power Company present their bond for $4,000 to secure the performance of their contract, which was approved.

At the April term, 1902, Andrew Gumming reports completion of the building as per plans, specifications and contract, which report was received and adopted. 

 Harrison County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Harrison County, Missouri, by Geo. W. Wanamaker, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1921