Early Government
The First Government of Macon County
Information from an excerpt of "History of Macon County, Tennessee" by Harold G. Blankenship
After Macon County was formed in 1842, the bill stipulated that former Justices of the Peace of the districts that once belonged to Smith and Sumner Counties, would serve until new elections could be held and new county officers elected. Britton Holland, William Dunn, Jefferson Short, Samuel Sullivan and Eason Howell were appointed to hold these elections and choose sites for elections to be held. These same commissioners were appointed to purchase a site for the county seat, lay out streets, sell lots to be used for the expenses of public buildings, and to choose a name for the new county seat. Alexander Ferguson, Edward Glover, Jefferson Bratton and Bennet Wright were selected to subdivide the county into its first seven districts; in each, a justice and a constable would be elected.
The first government of Macon County met in the house of William Dunn on February 7, 1842 and organized officially, the first government. This early government was comprised of Justices: Taylor Gilliam, John Claiborne, James Patterson, John Henderson and Edward Bradley. These justices elected Patric Ferguson as Chairman of the Court and Eason Howell as Sheriff. Jacob Johnson was appointed to open and hold elections in several districts on the first Saturday of March 1842. The sites of these elections were held at the homes of John B. Johnson, Moses Meador, John Vance, Henry Meador, William Weaver, Henry Davis and John Wakefield. Once these elections were held, the following county officers, constables and county court members were selected in the first election: