Salem township was organized in June, 1859. The first election was in August, following. The first justices of the peace were Thomas H. Gaines, A. G. Dergin, and John H. Hardin. Erasmus Sevier was one of the first constables.
The assessed valuation of the township in 1870 was $204,214. In 1877 this valuation had increased to $241,093 in the aggregate, divided as follows: Real estate $157,310; personal property, $83,783.
The population of the township in 1860, when its boundaries were much larger than at present, was 1,130; in 1870 it was 986; in 1880, it was 982. There were seven schools in the township in 1881.
Early Township Officers
Since 1872 the township has had the following officers, omitting those for the years 1878-79 and 1880:
1872-Judge Gabriel Feurt, supervisor; Dr. J. N. Raley, clerk; B. B. Adams, assessor; N. B. Brown, collector; Henry Merrifield, constable; John W. Coffey and L. C. Dowell, justices of the peace.
1873-Bailey H. Coffey, supervisor; John H. Killough, clerk; John S. Graham, collector; B. B. Adams, assessor; John W. Coffey and Lindsey Dowell, justices; Edwin McIntire, constable.
1874-B. H. Coffey, trustee; J. J. Enyart, clerk; B. B. Adams, assessor; A. C. Stitt, collector.
1875-B. H. Coffey, trustee; G. C. Harboard, clerk; B. B. Adams, assessor; J. J. Enyart, collector; E. McIntire, constable; John W. Coffey and John S. Graham, justices.
1876-B: H. Coffey, trustee; Lewis Dowell, clerk; B. B. Adams, assessor; J. J. Enyart, collector; E. McIntire, constable; J. W. Coffey and J. S. Graham, justices.
1877-B. H. Coffey, trustee; Silas Dary, clerk; E. Ellis, collector; B. B. Adams, assessor; David Dille, constable; John R Hendricks and John S. Graham, justices.
1881-D. W. Handy, trustee; B. B. Adams, clerk and assessor; W. J. Pugh, constable and collector; James Kelly and John Graham, justices.
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