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Staunton Spectator: March , 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

County Organization
(Column 01)

Summary: The Virginia Advance explained the organization of county officers under the new state Constitution. Each county is divided into townships, road districts, and school districts. In addition, the article listed various court officials assigned to each county and the term limits for these offices.

Full Text of Article:

The organization under the new constitution is very simple and more complete and effective than under the old system. In the first place the qualified voters of the county elect a sheriff, an attorney for the Commonwealth, who represents the State both in the County and Circuit Courts; a county clerk, who discharges also the duties of the Circuit Court clerk, except where the population of the county is fifteen thousand, then there will be an additional clerk for the Circuit Court, a county treasurer and one superintendent of the poor. In addition to the above county officers, the Board of Education, composed of the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Attorney General shall appoint one superintendent of schools, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, unless the county contains less than eight thousand inhabitants, and then it will be necessary to attach it to another county to form districts for superintendents for public schools, and if a county contains thirty thousand inhabitants, an additional superintendent of schools will be appointed.

All officers must be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and enter upon their offices the first day of next January -- and shall hold their offices for three years, except the county and circuit clerks, who shall hold their offices for four years.

In addition to the officers enumerated as county officers, the supervisors of townships shall constitute a Board of Supervisors for the county, which shall meet at the Court House on the first Monday of December of each year, and audit the accounts of the county, examine the books of the assessors, regulate and equalize the valuation of property, fix the county levy for the ensuing year and apportion the same among the different townships. We believe we have enumerated all the county officers except one, which is by far the most important, and that is the county judge, which officer is elected by a joint vote of both Houses of the General Assembly and whose necessary qualification is to be "learned in the law," and whose jurisdiction shall be the same as County Courts under our old system, except as modified by the county organization clause, and which we have noted above, and as may be changed by law. A county judge is to hold his office for six years, except under the first election they should hold their office for only three years. If a county contains less than eight thousand inhabitants it must be attached to another county in order to have a county judge. Within the county organization is an inferior division with a complete set of officers, known as

TOWNSHIPS. -- Each county shall be divided into compact townships of not less than three, each of which shall be named, and sue and be sued in that name. These townships answer to our former divisions or districts but with more distinctive features. In each township, there shall be elected annually one Supervisor; one Township Clerk; one Assessor; one Collector; one Commissioner of Roads; one Overseer of the Poor; one Justice of the Peace, who shall hold his office three years; one Constable, who shall hold his office three years; Provided, That at the first election held under this provision there shall be three Justices of the Peace and three Constables elected, whose terms shall be one, two and three years, respectively. All regular elections for township officers shall take place on the fourth Thursday in May, and all officers so elected shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices on the first day of July next succeeding their election. Then, again, each township shall be divided into

SCHOOL DISTRICTS. -- Every school district must contain one hundred inhabitants, but may be divided as it seems necessary. In each of these districts there will be elected annually one School Trustee, who shall hold his office for three years, except at the first election, when there shall be three elected and hold office for one, two, and three years respectively. Again, these townships are divided into

ROAD DISTRICTS. -- There shall be one or more in each township, and one Overseer of Roads shall be elected annually, who shall keep the roads in repair in the manner to be provided for by law.

The General Assembly is clothed with the power by the Constitution providing by law for any additional officers. -- Virginia Advance.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Sixteen persons joined Staunton Presbyterian Church on Sunday. William E. Baker is the pastor.
(Names in announcement: William E. Baker)

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: John W. Harris, son of Dr. C. R. Harris of Staunton, graduated from the University of Maryland Medical School.
(Names in announcement: John W. Harris, Dr. C. R. Harris)

Married
(Column 02)

Summary: Charles F. Fisher of Augusta and Miss Samanthia E. Harris of Nelson were married on February 22nd by the Rev. C. Beard.
(Names in announcement: Charles F. Fisher, Samanthia E. Harris, Rev. C. Beard)

Married
(Column 02)

Summary: Jacob H. Shaver of Rockbridge and Miss Annie E. Coiner of Augusta were married on February 24th by the Rev. C. Beard.
(Names in announcement: Jacob H. Shaver, Annie E. Coiner, Rev. C. Beard)

Married
(Column 02)

Summary: Jeremiah W. Hall and Miss Elizabeth H. Blakemore, both of Augusta, were married in Mt. Solon on February 24th by the Rev. James M. Follansbee.
(Names in announcement: Jeremiah W. Hall, Elizabeth H. Blakemore, Rev. James M. Follansbee)

Deaths
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Summary: Mrs. Mary Row, postmistress at Moffet's Creek, died at her residence on March 2nd. She was 70 years old.
(Names in announcement: Mary Row)

Deaths
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Summary: Hattie Jane Harlan, daughter of George and Jane S. Harlan, died in Staunton on March 2nd after a protracted illness. She was 15 years old. A prayer accompanied the notice.
(Names in announcement: Hattie Jane Harlan, George Harlan, Jane S. Harlan)

Deaths
(Column 02)

Summary: Mrs. Elizabeth Fuller died near Waynesboro at the residence of her son-in-law, J. S. Ellis, on February 14th. She was 77 years old. "Thus has passed away one of the purest and best of God's saints--one of the brightest ornaments of the Church of Christ."
(Names in announcement: Elizabeth Fuller, J. S. Ellis)