Elections.--Judge Thomas, in his centennial address, said: "Politics did not trouble our fathers much. Prior to 1804 there was no voting in this section. The King of Spain governed us, or, rather, let us alone. After 1804 the capital of the country 1,000 miles from them, and the way to it was through a trackless wilderness. The news of the election of Thomas Jefferson as President of the United States did not reach the people here for four months after the election. There was no newspaper published within hundreds of miles of them."

From the time the United States became possessed of the Territory until the county of Jefferson was organized, elections were held to elect local officers, first in the assessment districts and afterward in the townships, as they formed parts of St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Counties. The first general election in Jefferson County was held in August, 1821. The county court, at its May term of that year, appointed John Wiley, John McCulloch and Berry Hansel as judges of the election in Big River Township; Joseph Henderson, Thomas Johnson and Abraham Hilderbrand for Meramec Township; Samuel McMullin, James Donald and William Bartlett for Plattin Township; and Clement B. Fletcher, Benjamin Johnson, Sr., and James Stevenson for Joachim Township. From this time forward elections have been held regularly, and for reference the names of the most important officers elected have been inserted on another page.

To show the political phase of Jefferson County, and the increase in her voting population, the number of votes cast for each presidential candidate, commencing with the year 1840, which is as far back as the returns have been found on file, are here given:
1840--William Henry Harrison, 298; Martin Van Buren, 321.
1844--James K. Polk, 349; Henry Clay, 327.
1848--Zachary Taylor, 246; Lewis Cass, 311.
1852--Franklin Pierce, 310; Winfield Scott, 172.
1856--James Buchanan, 387; Millard Fillmore, 523.
1860--Abraham Lincoln, 143; John Bell, 416; John C. Breckinridge, 155;
     Stephen A. Douglas, 490.
1864--Abraham Lincoln, 915; George B. McClellan, 323.
1868--U. S. Grant, 796; Horatio Seymour, 833.
1872--U. S. Grant, 878; Horace Greeley, 1,240.
1876--Rutherford B. Hayes, 1,157; Samuel J. Tilden, 1,853.
1880--James A. Garfield, 1,501; Winfield S. Hancock, 2,012;
     Gen. Weaver, 62.
1884--Grover Cleveland, 2,272; James G. Blaine, 1,858;
      John P. St. John, 48.

Vote for members of Congress,
1884--Clardy, Democrat, 1,946; Morse, Federal, 2,059;
     Jackson, Greenback, 17.
1886--Clardy, Democrat, 1,959; Ledergerber, Republican, 1,638;
     Ratchford, 494.

Vote for judge of the circuit court,
1886--Thomas, Democrat, 1,896; Williams, Independent Democrat, 2,135.

Vote for representatives in 1886--
Reed McCormack, Democrat, 2,055; Theophilus W. Guy, 2,079.

Circuit Court Judges.--Nathaniel Beverly Tucker, 1819-22; Alexander Stuart, 1822-26; William C. Carr, 1826-34; Luke W. Lawless, 1834-35; William Scott, 1835-36; Henry Shurlds, 183-37; James Evans, 1837-38; David Steriger, 1838-44; John H. Stone, 1844-62; James W. Owens, 1862-66; James H. Vail, 1866-73; Louis F. Dinning, 1873-81; John L. Thomas, present incumbent, continuously since 1881.

Circuit Court Clerks.--Samuel Woodson, 1819-23; Samuel W. Lewis, 1823-26; John Bent, 1826-27; Chauncey Smith, 1827-34; Samuel Woodson, 1834-36; Henry P. Bates, 1836-38; John S. Mathews, 1838-45; J. L. Dunklin, 1845-46; J. H. Alford, 346-49; T. C. Fletcher, 1849-57; E. F. Honey, 1857-65; Samuel A. Reppey, 1865-67; E. F. Honey, 1867-71; W. S. Boyce, 1871-75; C. T. Horine, 1875-87; D. B. Veazey, 1887--present incumbent

County Court Clerks.--Prior to and up to 1857 the circuit court clerks were ex officio county court clerks, and performed the duties of both offices. A. P. Hesser, 1857-62; Samuel A. Reppey, 1862-65; R. W. McMullin, 1865-71; W. R. Donnell, the present incumbent has served continuously since 1871.

Sheriffs.--Andrew Scott, first half of 1819; George Hammond, from July, 1819, to 1822; Joseph Boring, 1822-26; William Ellis, 1826-28; Isaac Roberts, 1828-29; G. J. Johnson, 1829-30; Ammon Knighton, 1830-34; James S. McChristian, 1834-40; John Hammond, 1840-41; Mark Moss, 1841-44; John Hammond, 1844-48; Joseph A. Hammond, 1848-49; G. J. Johnson, 1849-50; James McCulloch, 1850-54; Augustine Wiley, 1854-58; Oscar Dover, 1858-62; J. B. Dover, 1862-64; C. C. Fletcher, 1864-66; John Williams, 1866-68; Fred Luchtemeyer, 1868-70; John Williams, 1870-72; T. B. Moss, 1872-76; John Williams, 1876-78; Thomas J. Jones, 1878-82; John L. Weaver, 1882-84; Henry Hurtgen, 1884-86; George W. McFry, 1886--present incumbent.

Collectors.--From the organization of the county to 1857, the sheriffs were ex officio collectors. William Skell, 1857-62; John C. Power, 1862-64; C. C. Fletcher, 1864-66; J. N. Whitehead, 1866-68; John Williams, 1868-72; Samuel Byrns, 1872-73; Alfred Mitchell, 1873-74; Willis Mitchell, 1874-75; T. N. Donnell, 1875-77; James T. Moss, 1877-83; Jacob N. Douglas, 1883-85; Thomas E. Moss, 1885-87; William Brackman, present incumbent, assumed the duties of the office early in 1887.

Recorders.--Prior to 1871 this office was combined with the office of circuit clerk, and since that time the recorders have been as follows: George L. Johnson, 1871-82; Patrick Cashels, 1882-84; E. G. Honey, 1884-86; A. L. Colman, present incumbent, elected in 1886.

County Treasurers.--Beginning in 1856, Louis J. Rankin, 1856-62; Frederick Bohl, 1862-66; Henry Stillbrink, 1866-80; William Clark, 1880-84; R. W. McMullin, elected in 1884, and re-elected in 1886--present incumbent.

County Court Justices.--L. B. Boyd, Elias Bates, Abner Vanzant and Samuel Hammond, 1821-24; James Rankin and Chauncey Smith, 1824-27; Ben. Johnson, Jr., William Boli, Ben. T. Hansel and Samuel McMullin, 1825-27; George Hammond, 1825-34; Young Guffee and Ben. Owens; 1826-27; Jabez Warner, 1827-28; Ben. Johnson, Sr., 1827-30; Joseph Evans, 1828-31; J. W. Denniston and Hugh P. Lucus, 1830-31; John Gamble and Clifton Mothershead, 1831-34; John Speed and Abraham Hilderbrand, 1834-36; Robert Whitehead, 1836-38; Abram Jarret, 1836-37; Sanders Burgess, 1836-39; Reuben Pounds, 1837-38; Julius Higgins and Ezekiel Dugan, 1838-39; John W. Strickland, 1838-46; G. J. Johnson, 1842-73; William Ogle, 1842-45; M. W. Horine, 1845-49; C. S. Rankin, 1846-47; W. S. Howe, 1847-49; C. B. Fletcher, 1849-50; John Dover, 1849-54; C. S. Rankin, 1850-61; A. C. North, 1854-58; James McCulloch, 1858-61; J. F. Van Pretres, 1861-65; I. J. Beckett, 1863-67; Isaac Sullens and William Hendrickson, 1865-67; W. S. Howe, 1867-70; A. Yeager, 1867-78; William Hendrickson, 1870-71; E. P. Childs, 1871-72; Gust. Hamel, 1872-73; J. P. Cape and W. F. Williams, 1873-78.

County Court Judges.--At large--C. C. Fletcher, 1878-82; John Williams; 1882-86. James Hopson, present incumbent, elected in 1886.

Associate Judges.--In First District--M. F. Byrne, 1878-80; William J. Kirk, 1880-82; Patrick Byrne, 1882-84; Henry Seckman, 1884, re-elected in 1886, present incumbent. Second District--Reed McCormack, 1878-80; Willis J. Williams, 1880-82; R G. Madison, 1882, re-elected in 1884, and again in 1886 --present incumbent.

Probate Judges.--Jabez Warner, 1826-27; Hon. A. Green, a few months in 1872 by appointment; J. J. Williams, 1872-76; R. W. McMullin, 1876-80; Richard A. Elkins, present incumbent, first elected in 1880, and twice re-elected since.

Representatives in Legislature.-- * * * Falkland H. Martin, 1828- 32; * * * Johnson H. Alford, 1836-38; Benjamin Hunt and Jonathan Smith, 1838-40; Jonathan Smith and Philip Pipkin, 1840-42; Hugh P. C. Lucas, 1842-44; George W. Waters, 1844-46; A. Bowles, 1846-50; John Hammond, 1850-52; James S. Brown, 1852-54; James McCulloch and James S. Brown, 1854-56; Albert G. Haile and F. J. Smith, 1856-58; A. Bowles, 1858-60; Francis Hagin, 1860-62; Henry P. Bates, 1862-64; C. A. Newcomb, 1864-67; Charles C. Fletcher, 1867-69; Thomas Byrns, 1869-71; John L. Thomas, 1871-73; Ferdinand B. Kennett, 1873-75; E. F. Frost, 1875-77; Samuel Byrns, 1877-79; James H. Waggoner, 1879-81; Joseph J. Williams, 1881-83; John O'Fallon, 1883-85. Reed McCormack, present incumbent, elected in 1884 and re-elected in 1886.

Prosecuting Attorneys.--Abner Green, 1872-76; Joseph J. Williams, 1876-78; Thomas H. McMullin, 1878-80; James F. Green, present incumbent, first elected in 1880, re-elected and served continuously ever since.

The present incumbents of the other offices of the county are as follows: G. M. Mockbee, coroner; J. B. Dover, surveyor; C. H. Kleinschmidt, public administrator; C. W. Vogt, assessor.