PATRICK
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
The
first county courthouse was built here on this same spot of ground in the
early 1790's. It has been rebuilt and added to several times. The present
structure was built about 1852, but has been modified and enlarged several
times.
From
the beginning of the county until 1870, the county was ruled by a county court
composed of "Gentlemen Justices" who were appointed by the Governor
of the State. They not only made all of the regulation for governing the
county and appointed most of the county officials, but they also tried
criminal and civil cases.
Col. Abraham Penn was the first chief judge. Samuel Staples was the first Clerk of the Court. He and a son and nephew served as clerk for about 60 years. Both Harden Hairston and John Adams Hairston served as "Gentlemen Justices" of the court for about 20 years each. Samuel William Hairston served for a few years.
This page was written by Mr. O. E. Pilson for the 1996 Hairston Reunion