History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

I84I the power was extended to partition and sale of lands concurrent
with the circuit court. The supreme court possessed appellate powers
over this court. The first term of the court of chancery was held in
Pontiac in September, 1840, Hon. Elon Farnsworth, chancellor, being
present, and Frederic A. Williams, register. The first case on the
docket of this court was that of W. H. H. Sheldon, complainant, vs.
Henry Bishop, Jane Bishop, Charles Postal and James Minot. The
first two defendants were residents of Michigan, and the others were
non-residents, and the complainant was ordered to publish notice of the
pendency of the suit in the state paper at Detroit. On the 20th of May,
1840, the chancellor ordered a private seal to be used until a public one
was made for the circuit. J. R. Bowman was appointed assistant register and Alfred Treadway was appointed taxing-master. The first decree
of foreclosure to be enteredin the court was on the 5th of May, 1841,
in the case of Joseph B. Varnum, Dudley B. Fuller and John A. Graham, complainants, vs. Omstead Chamberlain, Mary C. Chamberlain
and Moses Wanzer, defendants. The amount of the decree was $2,411.77,
the premises ordered to be sold being lot 66 of Pontiac.
In the spring of 1842 the official head of the court was changed,
when Randolph Manning came into office. He held that position until
I846 when Hon. Elon Farnsworth again came into power, and so continued
until the court was abolished in 1847. Alfred Treadway was appointed
register of the circuit in 1842 and he held that position throughout the
existence of the court. The business of the court was transacted and
closed up by the associate justices of the supreme court, who held chancery terms of the circuit court. The injunction masters succeeded the
associate judges of the circuit court in 1847, and they in turn were succeeded by circuit court commissioners in 1852.
CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS
Circuit court commissioners were provided for in the constitution
of I85o to take the place and possess the powers of the masters of chancery prohibited by that instrument, and the first one was elected in
I85I. Previous to this date, masters in chancery had been named by
the governor, and among those who filled the office at different times
previous to 185I were Morgan L. Drake, 1847, and Calvin C. Parks,
1848. The firsf circuit court commissioner to be elected was William
W. Phelps, who held the office two years (a single term), 1852-53. He
was succeeded by Junius Ten Eyck, 1854-57; Edward P. Harris, 1858-61;
James A. Jacokes and Joseph R. Bowman, 1862-65; Mark S. Brewer
and Byron L. Ransford, I866-69; James K. Patterson and James A.
Jacokes, 1870-71; Joseph E. Sawyer and Thomas Curtis, 1872-73; James
A. Jacokes and Edward J. Bissell, 1874-75; Edward J. Bissell and George
W. Smith, 1876-77; Edward J. Bissell and Arthur R. Tripp, I878-79;
Arthur R. Tripp and James W. Bateman, I880-8I; James W. Bateman