Organization of Cache County ~ Index
The Organization of Cache County in April, 1857.
On April 4th, 1857 a temporary organization of Cache County was effected. In the temporary organization Peter Maughan, Judge of the Probate Court, acted as chairman and the following persons were appointed to fill the representative offices until the general election in August of that year: Selectmen (County Commissioners): Mr. William Gardner, Orange D. Thompson, and John T. Garr; sheriff, William Garr; recorder, Francis Gunnell; treasurer, John Maughan. The Fort Maughan precinct (now Wellsville) was designated and it's boundaries named. The following precinct officers were appointed: Justice of the Peace, William Riggs; pound keeper, Joseph Woodward; George W. Bryan was appointed as assessor and collector and was given 10% for assessing and collecting the taxes. A levy of one-half of 1% was levied on all the taxable property for territorial revenue and one-half of 1% was levied for county revenue. The fence viewers were to see that fences were in their proper places and not on each other's land.
A meeting of the County Court was held June 1st, 1857 and a resolution was passed calling for the general election, August 3rd to elect candidates for the following offices: two councilors for the counties of Box Elder, Malad, Weber and Cache; three selectmen, sheriff, recorder and treasurer for the county. For the precinct, a justice of the peace, constable, two fence viewers and a pound keeper. Another meeting was held September 7th and the returns of the general election held August 3rd were given. The following candidates were elected: Member of Congress, John M. Bernhisel, Salt Lake City, councilors for the four counties; Lorenzo Snow, Brigham City and Lorin Farr, Ogden. The officers for Cache County and the Fort Maughan precinct (Wellsville) elected were those appointed at the first meeting, April 4th. At the meeting a resolution was also passed that all territorial taxes be paid in cash or territorial scrip and the county taxes to be paid in cash, county orders or wheat at $1.50 per bushel. All funds not otherwise appropriated should be expended on roads and bridges.
December 7th, 1857, the last meeting before the general Move South
was held. The assessor's report showed a total of $54.00 taxes collected in the county. William H. Maughan was allowed $25.00 for work on the canyon road, Peter Maughan was allowed $5.00 for stationery and Francis Gunnel was allowed $5.00 for services as clerk.