Municipal Affairs and Town Officials or Morgan, Missouri
The municipal affairs of the township have generally
been economically managed. In fact, the principal mismanagement for
the first thirty years of Daviess county, was through its county
officials, not the township. The townships were obliged to use
economy to offset the losses sustained by the county. But the
resources of Daviess county were too rich to bankrupt, and in the
decade between 1870 and 1880 a change came, and Daviess county
,stands at the top round of the ladder of credit. The people hate
debt so that they are willing to be heavily taxed for a few years to
have the curse removed. Today there is more wealth and less debt in
Liberty township, according to its population, than any other
township in the county.
The first officials found recorded were J. A. Stigers, William
Heyser, Henry Franks, and William M. Prewett; they were a sort of
board of trustees, justices, etc. Samuel Weir was the first clerk,
W. M. Prewett was the first assessor, and the first meeting of the
town board was held at what is called Liberty Center school-house.
The first supervisor law came into effect in 1872. In place of
county judges, an act was passed giving each township an officer
called a supervisor who was chairman of the town board and took the
place in township matters of the formerly elected trustee. He also
represented his township in the board of supervisors, who attended
to the business of the county in the place of the county judges.
This plan -vas found too cumbersome, and after two years' trial the
law was repealed and the judges and County Court reinstated. Then,
again, there were five judges elected to help make up the County
Court, but that, too, became ,cumbersome, and was changed.
The election of 1872, under the supervisor law,
resulted in the following named township officers: William Prewett,
supervisor; Samuel Weir, clerk; George Henderson, assessor; A. C.
Cope, collector; John Cooper, constable; Henry Franks and J. A.
Stigers, justices of the peace.
1873 William Prewett, supervisor; James W. Stigers, clerk; A. C.
Cope, collector; George Henderson, assessor; Henry Franks and J. A.
Stigers, justices; Jesse A. Creekmore, constable.
1874 William P. Heyser, trustee; James W. Stigers, clerk; William
Prewett, assessor; A. C. Cope, collector; Jesse A. Creekmore,
constable; Henry Franks, and J. A. Stigers, justices.
1875 The same as 1874, excepting the justices, who were J. A.
Stigers :and George W. Morris.
1876 The same as 1875.
1877 William P. Heyser, trustee; A. J. Harmon, clerk; William
Prewett, assessor; L. B. Noah, collector; Jesse A. Creekmore,
constable; J. A.. Stigers and George W. Morris, justices of the
peace. As the law was -changed these were the last township officers
elected until 1881.
1881 William P. Heyser, trustee; Jesse A. Creekmore, constable and
collector; George W. Morris, clerk and assessor; Gideon E. Gilreath
and L. B. Noah, justices of the peace.
The poor farm is located in this township about four and a half
miles from Gallatin, the county seat, and there under the care of a
humane superintendent the paupers of Daviess county find a
comfortable home, with that freedom of thought and of action that
takes away the sting of poverty and insures them from cold and
hunger. The poor-farm is becoming a model farm.
Back to: Daviess County