| "Fulton
County Court House" | |
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notorious Butler's Rangers during the Revolution; and Peter Conyne, who served with distinction with the Tryon County Militia during the Revolution. Serving as Assistant judges for the first court session were Sir John Johnson, son of Sir William Johnson, Daniel Claus, John Wells and Jelles Fonda. The first Sheriff of Tryon County, Alexander White, was also present. A grand jury was sworn, and the legal history of the courthouse began with a load of six cases. On February 6, 1773, the Colonial Legislature directed that the sum of 1,600 pounds be levied on the freeholders and inhabitants of Tryon County - plus the cost of collection figured to be three pence per pound - for the completion of the courthouse and the erection of a jail. (Obviously, the legislature had some idea about the strict application of the law or was concerned about the unruly nature of the local populace.) |
The Colonial legislature stated on April 1, 1775 that "the money raised to complete the Court House and Gaol at John's Town in the County of Tryon has been found insufficient," and directed the levying of yet an additional 900 pounds toward the completion of the structure as well as naming Sir John Johnson as trustee to replace his recently deceased father. But not everything connected with the courthouse was so heavy-handed. For instance, on December 13, 1775, court was adjourned to Gilbert Tice's Tavern where it sat until five a.m. when a further adjournment was taken until ten o'clock the following morning. (One assumes that the session was concluded more formally - if, perhaps, less congenially - at that time.) Sir John Johnson made his last appearance at the courthouse in the |
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 The Historical Society of the Courts of the State of New York | |
