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Meade County was named in honor of Captain
James Meade who was killed in the battle of the River Raisin. The
act establishing Meade County out of parts of Hardin and
Breckinridge Counties was approved, December 17, 1823, by His
Excellency, John Adair, Governor of Kentucky. Joseph Stith, John H.
Trent, William Ditto, William Garnett, Robert W. Washington, Joseph
Atwill and William F. Foushee met at John Rush's house in Buck Grove
as designated in the act and organized, Monday, March 22, 1824, a
county court. Each man produced a commission of a justice of the
peace signed by the governor. Joseph Stith administered to John H.
Trent "the oath required by the constitution of the United States
together with the several oaths required by the constitution and the
laws of this state." John H. Trent in turn administered the same
oaths to the other appointees. After these gentlemen Justices had taken their seats, Benjamin Shacklett produced a commission as sheriff from the governor and gave bond in the sum of $3,000. Joseph Stith, Nicholas Miller, Robert Bleakley, Soloman Brandenburg, William Lane and Richard Stith, Junior, signed the sheriff's bond. Robert Bleakley was appointed deputy sheriff. William Fairleigh was appointed clerk pro tempore. His bond for $10,000 was signed by Samuel Haycraft, Ben Helm, Robert McLure, Denton Geoghegan, Miles H. Chinowith, John B. Helm and John L. Helm. The county was divided into three districts. The first district was east of a line from Moreman's Ferry to a pond halfway from the mouth of the Brushy Fork of Otter Creek and the Big Spring. William B. Stith was elected constable of this district. The second district extended from the line of the first district to a line beginning at Joseph B. Woolfolk's, leaving him in the lower or third district, thence a straight line to Colonel Carr's. Samuel Browles was elected constable of the second district. Oliver Butch was elected constable of the third district. John L. Helm was appointed county attorney. He was born September 8, 1802. His long and honorable career as a lawyer and a public official began in Meade County when he was twenty-one years old. Jesse Shacklett produced his commission from the governor as coroner. He gave a bond of one thousand pounds signed by Richard Stith, George Humphrey and Samuel Brown, Nathan Raitt and Robert Stout were recommended to the governor by the court as capable surveyors. Daniel S. Bell, William Allen, Thomas Q. Wilson and John L. Helm were admitted to practice in this court. At the April term of the
county court William Fairleigh presented his certificate of
qualifications as a clerk signed by John Boyle, William Owsley and
B. Mills, Judges of the Court of Appeals, and Achilles Sneed, clerk
of that court. |
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