Historical Sketch
above, a Judge's bench, a C1erk's table, an Attorney's bar·and a jurors' bench
~ above and one below, the wholézto be done in a good workmanlike manner." (1)
Plans for the jail specified that it be constructed "of hewn timber nine
- inches square, sixteen feet by twelve feet, seven feet high, the floors across
‘ laid with timber nine inches thick and squared, a shingle roof put on with nails
v . . . . "The plans made further provisions for a dungeon and debtor's room.within
the structure. (2) On August 24, 1807, the court approved Solomon Si1kwood's
bid of $529 for the construction of the courthouse and $229 for the jail, to be
completed by the fourth Monday in June 1808. Bond in the amount of $1,000 was
executed for the faithful performance of each contract. (5) Evidently the in-
adequacy of this first small courthouse was quickly demonstrated, since on
September 25, 1815, the county contracted for the erection of a larger structure
1 at a cost of $5,924.75. (4) Twenty years later an effort was made to remove
A the courthouse to Princeton, and the success of the attempt seemed assured when ;
the court ordered a new courthouse to be erected in that town. On April 11, 1856, E
however,_that order was rescinded by another which directed that "the plan of the i
( A Courthouse about to be erected in Princeton, this day presented to this court by (
Hugh Roland, Esqr., be and the same is hereby adopted by this court as a plan for (
a courthouse in this county to be erected on the public square in the town of
Madisonville. . . ." ·Accordingly, the new courthouse, the third to be erected in A
50 years, was constructed on the old site in Madisonville. (5) I
— 1. Gordon, May 50, 1951.
V 2. {bid.
5. Orders County Court, vol. 1-A, p. 15, see entry 258.
" 4. lbidi, 1815-18, vol. u labeled, p. 159, jggywudagrdh ia
’ 5. ibid., vol. labeled 1851-59, pp. not numbered, Egg,entry/258{“