The First Court and Jury

The first sessions of the circut court in Hancock County were held at the home of James White by the Mississippi River where the first postoffice in the county was located in a place called Venus. When Carthage was established and became the county seat, the courts were then  held in Carthage in a log cabin on the south side of the public square. They also used the building as a church on sundays and a school during the week.

The first judges of Hancock Co,  were Richard M. Young, James H. Ralston, Peter Lott, Stephen A. Douglas, Jessie R. Thomas, and Norman H. Purple.

The first Licensed attorney was Robert R. Williams
 


Grand Jury

The First Grand Jury was ordered on August 4, 1829 it was comprised of twenty three men. They were summoned to attend the October term of the circut court of Hancock County as grand jurors. These men were
Daniel Crenshaw, Luther Whitney, Morrill Marston, John Clark, Leonard L. Abney, Philip Malette, William Clark, Reuben Brattan, Thomas Payne, John sikes, John Johnson, John Harding, william Vance, Hazen Bedell, John Waggonner, Robert Wallace, James Miller, Davidson Hibbard, Mr. Dewey, Samuel Gooch, John Reed, Isaac R. Campbell, Edward White, Hugh Wilson.

Petit Jury

Thirty six men were petit jurors for the same term. They were Horace B. Whitney, John R. Wilcox, Edward Robertson, Samuel Brierly, James Brierly, Robert Harding, Aaron Harding, Abijah Wilson, Abdiel Parsons, Rchard Chaney, Benjamin T. Tungate, George W. Harper, Charles robison, Charles Smith, Patrick Moffit, William Wallace, Nathaniel Kennedy, John Campbell, Ralph Raborn, Thomas Sofly, Enoch Hankins, Arthur Parvin, Abraham Moore, Alexander White, Asa Reed, William Flint, Peter Williams, Daniel Van Burkloe, Amzi Doolittle, Hezekiah Spillman, Richard Dunn, Mr Yaples, Samuel Bell, Noah, W. Payne, Joseph P. Puryear, and Mr. Lewis.