Administration - Historical Notes

Budget System

The following acts once created a budgeting system for Lincoln County, but they have been specifically repealed or superseded by current law. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 9, amended Private Acts of 1937, by removing a portion of Section 2, and adding new provisions which raised the membership of the Budget Commission to be appointed by the Quarterly County Court from three to seven members, by removing all of their compensation, and by establishing four as the number of a quorum to transact the business of the Commission. For all apparent purposes, this Act was superseded by the one below which has been incorporated into the published Act.
2. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 50, amended Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 320, by deleting the sentences inserted in Section 2 by Chapter 9, above, and replacing it so that the seven members would receive $5.00 per day for each actual day of service.
3. Private Acts of 1981, Chapter 41, which was approved by the Lincoln County Legislative Body on April 20, 1981, amended Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 320, by rewriting the second, third, fourth, and fifth sentences of action as they now appear, and by specifically repealing Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 9, and Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 50, both above, in their entirety.
4. Private Acts of 1988, Chapter 198 amended Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 320 by instructing that the first sentence in Section 2 be deleted and a list of names of individuals who made up the Budget Commission of Lincoln County in 1988 be inserted. No action, however, was taken on this amendment. Private Acts of 1989, Chapter 68 restates the 1988 Private Act verbatim and was subsequently approved. The changes to the 1937 act intended by the 1988 act and made by the 1989 act are included in this compilation.

County Clerk

The following acts once affected the office of county clerk in Lincoln County. They are included herein for historical purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 121, declared that women over the age of 21, and residents of the counties appointing them, and otherwise qualified, are eligible in Lincoln County to be appointed as Deputy County Court Clerks with all the rights, powers, obligations, and liabilities as any other Deputy County Court Clerk.
2. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 760, amended Section 10726, Code of Tennessee, by creating a Class 3-B in the population groupings of county officials, and fixing salaries in that group which related to Lincoln County. The annual salary of the County Court Clerk was set at $2500. The mere seeking of the office was sufficient to constitute an acceptance of that amount as the salary.
3. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 254, established salaries for a group of County Officials in Lincoln County, among whom was the County Court Clerk at $3,000 per year. The officials must keep account of the total amount of fees collected in their offices and make quarterly reports to the County Judge, or Chairman. If the fees were less than the salary the County must supply the difference, but, if the fees exceeded the salary, the excess became the property of the County.
4. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 5, stated that the compensation of the County officers whose salaries were specified in Section 10727 Code of Tennessee, shall be regulated and controlled in Lincoln County by the State law rather than by a private, or special, act.

County Legislative Body

The following acts once applied to the quarterly court or the county legislative body of Lincoln County and are included herein for historical purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1809, Chapter 48, provided in the creation of Lincoln County that the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions would be held on the fourth Monday in February, May, August, and November at the home of Brice M. Garner, until a better place is found to which the court would adjourn.
2. Acts of 1809, Chapter 93, set the schedules for the meetings of the Quarterly County Courts in every county of the State. Lincoln County's Quarterly County Court was scheduled to meet on the fourth Monday of February, May, August, and November.
3. Acts of 1813, Chapter 16, provided that the Commissioners of the town which were appointed to lay out and regulate Fayetteville also have the power to pass and enforce ordinances which they may deem essential thereto, and if the Sheriff of Lincoln County should neglect to hold elections as provided by law on the first Saturday in January of each year, the Court may direct that the elections be held on the second Saturday in January instead.
4. Private Acts of 1813, Chapter 134, changed the court terms for the Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for several counties including Lincoln whose Court would meet on the first Monday of February, May, August, and November.
5. Private Acts of 1817, Chapter 138, set the terms for the Quarterly Court of Lincoln County to begin on the third Monday in January, April, July, and October, court to stay in session for two weeks if necessary.
6. Acts of 1825, Chapter 9, set the time for holding the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County on the first Monday in January, April, July, and October.
7. Acts of 1826, Chapter 7, reset the opening dates for the terms off the Quarterly Court in Lincoln County on the third Monday in January, April, July, and October providing further, that all process be made to conform with those dates.
8. Acts of 1829, Chapter 102, stated that the Justices of the Quarterly Court of Lincoln County, nine, or a majority being present, if they think it expedient, at their first court in January of each year may select by ballot three of their own number to hold the said quorum courts for that year, who would have the same powers and be under the same rules and regulations as are the other Quorum Courts of the State.
9. Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 6, created in every County of the State a county court to meet on the first Monday of every month and to continue in session until the business of the Court is completed. Three Justices of the Peace may be a court to hear the probate of Wills and related matters. There would be no jury trials in the court, but the court would select 25 jurors, one from each Civil District of the County if there were that many districts, or they may select 37 jurors, whichever might suit the County better. The Jurors would be paid $1.00 per day and a tax could be levied to provide the money with which to pay them.
10. Private Acts of 1843-44, Chapter 180, provided that the qualified voters of the Tenth Civil District in Lincoln County may elect an additional Justice of the Peace who shall reside in the town of Petersburg and who shall be commissioned in the same manner and to the same extent as are other Justices of the Peace.
11. Private Acts of 1853-54, Chapter 93, provided that the qualified voters of the First Civil District, including the town of Lynchburg, in Lincoln County, shall, after the passage of this Act, elect three Justices of the Peace for that District, which election shall be in accordance with the law governing elections.
12. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 100, declared that all the proceedings of the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County in regular, or special, session shall be published once in all newspapers in the county having over 500 circulations, same to include a statement of the financial condition of the county. The purpose was to help the people informed of the public business. The County Court Clerk would furnish the copy to be published at least 15 days ahead of time, and the rate to be paid him for the service would not exceed ten cents per 100 words, and the rate for newspapers would not be more than forty cents per inch of column copy.
13. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 819, authorized the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County in its discretion to supplement the salary of county officers when compensation is specified in Section 10- 727, Code of Tennessee, but the supplement shall not bring the salary of the officer to a higher amount than that specified as the maximum in the Code. The purpose of this Act is to supplement the compensation of those named officials only when the fees of the office are not sufficient to earn the salary stated in the general law. The provisions of this Act have been superseded by Tennessee Code Annotated Section 8-24-107.
14. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 114, stated that in Lincoln County, identified by the use of the 1930 Federal Census figures, the Justices of the Peace were required to file with the County Judge and the Trustee within five days prior to the regular meeting of the Quarterly County Court, a written, itemized, sworn report of all fines, forfeitures, and other revenues collected by them during the preceding quarter, regardless of whether they had collected anything or not. Failure to do so could result in fines from $10.090 to $50.00 plus an additional $5.00 penalty paid to the Revenue Agent of the county and another penalty of 25% of the amount due the County which was not paid. The County Judge would furnish proper forms to the Justices on which they could comply with the requirements of this Act.
15. Private Acts of 1961, Chapter 303, amended Private Acts of 1951, Chapter 34, which created the General Sessions Court for Lincoln County, by inserting a new section 2 into that Act which transferred all the authority and jurisdiction possessed by Justices of the Peace in civil and criminal cases to that Court, divesting the same out of the Justices of the Peace except that they may still issue search and arrest warrants, accept appearance bonds, issue summons, attachments, and other leading processes but all of the same would be returnable to the General Sessions Court. This Act was rejected by the Quarterly County Court and, therefore, never became an effective law under the Home Rule Amendment to the State Constitution.
16. Private Acts of 1972, Chapter 357, amended Private Acts of 1957, Chapter 85, by increasing the per diem of the Justices of the Peace from $10 per day to $25 per day. The mileage allowance was not mentioned.

County Mayor

The references below are of acts which once applied to the office of county judge, or county executive in Lincoln County. They are included herein for historical purposes only. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1856, Chapter 253, provided that the voters of every county would elect a person learned in the law to be styled the County Judge, for a term of four years. He would be elected under the general election laws of the State, and be commissioned and sworn as are other Judges. The Quorum Courts were abolished and their responsibilities assigned to the County Judge. Regular meetings would occur on the first Monday in every month where all matters within the jurisdiction of the court as it was prescribed in the act would be heard. The Judge would also be the accounting officer and the general agent of the county, discharging all the obligations named for him in this law. The County Court Clerk would be the clerk of the court, keeping all the records, and the dockets, and handling other matters imposed on him by this law and the laws of the State. This act was repealed entirely by the one below.
2. Acts of 1857-58, Chapter 5, repealed Acts of 1856, Chapter 253, above, and restored the Quorum Courts to activity as they existed before the passage of that act.
3. Public Acts of 1867-68, Chapter 47, as amended by Acts of 1869, Chapter 24, Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 144, Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 471, provided that qualified voters of Lincoln, Hamilton, Franklin, Lawrence and Giles counties respectively, were to elect a person, to be styled the county judge, who would hold his office for a term of eight years from the date of his commission. The county judge was to be commissioned in the same manner as other judges of the state. The act also abolished the quorum court, of said counties, and transferred the jurisdiction and power the quorum court held to the county judge.
4. Private Acts of 1868-69, Chapter 24, amended Chapter 47, Private Acts of 1867-68, so that the Governor of the State is authorized to order an election in Lincoln County to elect a County Judge, which election shall be held under the same rules as are prescribed by law for other county elections, and, until said election is held, and some person elected and qualified as the law directs, the Governor shall appoint a County Judge to hold that office. The election requirement was repealed by Chapter 114, Private Acts of 1869-70.
5. Private Acts of 1869-70, Chapter 114, created the office of county judge who would be elected by the qualified voters of Lincoln County on the 1st Saturday in March, 1870 and in every eighth year thereafter. In case of a vacancy, the Governor would immediately order an election to fill the unexpired time of the incumbent’s term.
6. Private Acts of 1897, Chapter 198, amended Private Acts of 1867-68, Chapter 47, by increasing the annual salary of the County Judge in Section 9 from $500 to $1,000 a year. This act was repealed by the one below.
7. Private Acts of 1901, Chapter 112, repealed Private Acts of 1897, Chapter 198, above, in its entirety.
8. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 690, authorized the County Judge of Lincoln County, as he deems advisable from time to time, to empanel a Grand Jury from the list of names of Jurors prepared by the Board of Jury Commissioners, and also, to empanel a venire for a trial jury of which the Foreman shall be the Foreman of the Grand Jury for the purpose to have indicted any person then confined in the county jail without bail, and the County Judge is given criminal jurisdiction to the extent of accepting a guilty plea and imposing sentence on the pleader. If the plea should be not guilty, the case will be placed on the docket of the Circuit Court for trial. The above authority would also extend to misdemeanor cases.
9. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 144, cited that it amended Chapters 47, and all the acts reported above, except the 1897 act which was repealed. This act added the section granting the authority to the County Judge to issue extraordinary process at the end of Section 4, and the paragraph permitting him to interchange with Circuit Judges and Chancellors.
10. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 471, amended Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 144, as it amended the original 1867-68 act, by adding the paragraph found at the end of Section 2 of the published act.
11. Private Acts of 2006, Chapter 79, redesignated the title of county mayor to county executive was repealed by Private Acts of 2008, Chapter 67.\

County Register

The following acts once affected the office of county register in Lincoln County, but are no longer operative. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 583, stated that the Register of Lincoln County was entitled to and could appoint women over the age of 21 as Deputy Registers. The Act further declared women over that age to be eligible and, when appointed, to have all the rights, powers, duties, and obligations as other Deputy Registers.
2. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 760, amended Section 10726, Code of Tennessee, by adding a new Class 3-B to the population groupings in that act and establishing salaries for the County Officials, named therein, including the County Register at $1,800 per year. The mere seeking of the office mentioned by an incumbent was to be construed as an acceptance of the salary established.
3. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 254, also fixed the salaries of four of the County Officials mentioned in the Act above setting the salary of the Register at $2,000 annually. A condition to be met was that the officials shall keep an accurate account of all the fees collected in their offices and submit reports to the County Judge, or Chairman, every quarter. If the fees collected were less than the salaries set, the county would pay the difference out of the regular county funds, but, if the fees exceeded the salary, the excess became the property of the County.
4. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 5, provided that in Lincoln County the compensation of the County Officials whose salaries were specified in Section 10727, Code of Tennessee, would be regulated and controlled by the State law, it being the purpose of this Act to provide that their salaries be controlled by State law rather than by private or special Act.

County Trustee

The following acts once affected the office of county trustee in Lincoln County, but are no longer operative. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1907, Chapter 499, stated that John S. Buchanan, and his bondsman, the Trustee of Lincoln County, are both relieved from payment to the State of $421.69, and interest, which amount represents certain penalties demanded of him, and his bondsman, made by the State under the authority of a highly technical interpretation of the law.
2. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 760, amended Section 10726, Tennessee Code, by creating a population class of 3-B for the salaries of the county officials mentioned therein for Lincoln County, and establishing the salaries thereof among them the annual salary of the County Trustee was fixed at $2,500. Seeking the office above would be evidence of the acceptance of the salary prescribed herein for that office.
3. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 254, fixed the salaries of the same County officials, setting that of the County Trustee at $3,000 per year, provided these officials shall keep an account of all the fees collected and make quarterly reports to the County Judge, or chairman, on the same. If the fees are less than the salary, the County will supplement the difference; if the fees are more than the salary, the excess becomes the property of the County.
4. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 5, provided that, in Lincoln County, the compensation of the County officers who salaries are specified in Section 10727, Tennessee Code, shall be regulated and controlled by the State law, it being the purpose of this Act to provide that their salaries be controlled by general state law rather than by private or special act.

General Reference

The following private or local acts constitute part of the administrative and political history of Lincoln County but are today no longer operative because they have either been superseded, repealed, or failed to receive local approval. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1809, Chapter 48, assigned Lincoln County to the 39th Regiment of the State Militia which was attached to the Fifth Brigade at the time.
2. Acts of 1809, Chapter 111, stated that the money arising from the sale of lots in Fayetteville shall be a fund in the hands of the Commissioners of the town to defray the expenses of purchasing the land and building the Courthouse thereon, Fayetteville being the county seat.
3. Acts of 1811, Chapter 93, was a lengthy amendment to one of the early militia Laws of the State making several changes of assignments of units to Regiments and Brigades. The county militia of Lincoln, Bedford, and Giles counties would form the Fifth Brigade of the State. Many of the newer Regiments were renumbered and several changes made in the rules governing internal procedures.
4. Private Acts of 1813, Chapter 102, authorized the County Court of Lincoln County, two-thirds of the Justices being present, if they should think it proper, to authorize the Commissioners appointed to lay out the town of Fayetteville to make an allowance to Micajah Muckleroy, who undertook to build the courthouse, not to exceed $750. If no unappropriated funds are available, the Court may lay a tax to raise that amount of money to Muckleroy as intended in Section One of this Act.
5. Private Acts of 1815, Chapter 44, declared that the public inspection of tobacco, hemp, flour, lard, butter, and other articles intended for exportation shall be established in warehouses located at Fayetteville, and at other places to be named in Lincoln County. Inspectors shall be appointed to inspect these commodities according to the terms of this Act.
6. Public Acts of 1815, Chapter 119, provided that the State Militia would be composed of free men and indentured servants only. All the counties of the State were divided into Regiments, Lincoln to have the 39th and the 49th Regiments. The remainder of this long Act dealt only with the technical aspects of the operation of the militia.
7. Private Acts of 1819, Chapter 26, allowed a town to be laid off on the lands belonging to Peter Looney, which would consist of thirty or more, lots of at least one-half acre in area, the streets, alleys, and public square to be marked on the plat thereof, and the name of the town would be Looneyville.
8. Private Acts of 1819, Chapter 50, also permitted David Cowen to lay off a town on his land in Lincoln County which would be made up of at least ten, one-half acre lots and the streets and alleys would be added. No name was mentioned for this town.
9. Private Acts of 1821, Chapter 109, established a town on the land belonging to Thomas Roundtree in Lincoln County which would be laid off in proper lots, streets, and alleys, and be called by the name of Lynchburg.
10. Public Acts of 1825, Chapter 69, was a state wide militia Law for Tennessee repeating the earlier ones. The militia would accept free men and indentured servants between the ages of 18 and 45 . Lincoln County would have the 39th, 49th and 63rd Regiments, all of which were assigned to the 10th Brigade. The 39th Regiment would hold its annual muster on the first Friday after the second Wednesday in October of each year; the 49th Regiment would meet on the second Wednesday in October of each year, and the 63rd Regiment would meet on the first Thursday after the second Wednesday in October of each year.
11. Private Acts of 1825, Chapter 339, appointed Benjamin Reynolds, of Maury County, and Joseph Kincaid and Clement Cannon, of Bedford County, as Commissioners to inspect the dam across the Elk River, built by John and Joseph Greer, of Lincoln County, as to whether or not the dam obstructs navigation. If the dam does obstruct navigation, the Commissioners will notify the Greers of the same and point out the remedies required and set a date certain for the remedies to be completed, and at that time they shall inspect the dam again, and report its condition to the County Court. The Greers must pay a $25 per day penalty for every day past the deadline they take to complete the work. The Commissioners will be paid $4 per day for their time spent in discharging their duties hereunder.
12. Private Acts of 1826, Chapter 191, authorized the County Court of Lincoln County at its first meeting in January, 1827, to appoint a jury of view composed of twelve persons to inspect the dam across the Elk River, built by Stephen Cole. If a majority of the Jury of View say that the dam cannot be altered to relieve the obstruction of descending navigation, then Cole shall tear the dam down and remove it as soon as the water falls enough to do so; if the dam can be altered, then the Jury tells Cole how and when it is to be done, and he shall comply therewith in nine months, at which time the dam shall be reinspected, and a report made. Cole shall be compelled to pay $50 per day for every day of noncompliance, and he will also be liable for all damages caused thereby. The Jury will recommend court action if the Act is not observed, and Cole must keep the said dam in good repair afterwards.
13. Private Acts of 1827, Chapter 146, made it lawful for the heirs of Joseph Campbell to present their petition to some subsequent term of the Lincoln County Circuit Court for the purpose of obtaining title to a tract of land of about 195 acres in Lincoln County on which the said Campbell resided at the time of his death, having purchased the same during his lifetime from David Cowan. Cowan's heirs must answer the petition showing the amount due on the land, if any, and when the same is paid, the Court shall enter an order divesting title out of the Cowan heirs and vesting the same in the Campbell heirs.
14. Private Acts of 1829, Chapter 21, divided one company of the county militia of Lincoln County into two companies, one of which would be meeting in a certain area in the south part of the county as the same was described in the Act.
15. Private Acts of 183l, Chapter 44, named Thomas Clark, Elliott H. Fletcher, William Dewoody, Jacob Silvertooth, Samuel Todd, Jasper Smith, Joel Pinson, and William Dye, of Lincoln County, to be the Commissioners of a Board of Internal Improvement for Lincoln County. The Board was authorized to draw money, open books, appoint officers, and do all other things towards improving the navigation of that part of the Elk River which flows through Lincoln County.
16. Private Acts of 1833, Chapter 117, allowed Samuel Garland and Bartlett Huckabee, both of Lincoln County, to hawk and peddle in the Tenth U. S. Congressional District, in the counties of Lincoln, Giles, Lawrence, Wayne, and Hardin without paying for a license to do so, provided they take an oath not to peddle for any other person except themselves and only for the benefit of themselves and their families.
17. Private Acts of 1833, Chapter 169, made it the duty of the cavalry of Lincoln County, attached to the 10th Brigade of the Tennessee Militia to hold a Battalion muster in Fayetteville on the first Friday in May annually at which time all the field and staff officers, except Bedford County's, shall appear armed and equipped as the law requires. Commissioned officers shall hold Courts martial on the first Saturday in June at the same place.
18. Private Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 94, declared Mulberry Creek in Lincoln County to be navigable from its mouth to the mills owned and operated by James and William L. Hague.
19. Private Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 136, appointed William Moffitt, James Hague, John J. Whittaker, Jesse Daniel, Drury Connelly, and Matthew Martin as Commissioners on the Board of Internal Improvement for Lincoln County. The Board is authorized to appropriate so much of the Internal Improvement funds of Lincoln County as may have come, or may hereafter come, into their hands to improve the navigation of Mulberry Creek. The Board was required to lend out any of the fund as may be on hand until the same is otherwise appropriated.
20. Private Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 56, authorized the Quarterly County Court to ask for, demand, and receive from the Board of Internal Improvement, or the Treasurer thereof, or from anyone who may have in their possession or custody the funds belonging to the County. The Court was further allowed to expend the said funds on any internal improvement in the county which to them may seem proper and expedient.
21. Public Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 157, Section 3, amends the State Militia Law in several different areas. Section 3 scheduled County drills and musters for several counties which included Lincoln on the first Friday and Saturday in September each year. The 12th Brigade was made up of Lincoln and Giles Counties.
22. Private Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 243, appointed George L. Leonard, Joel L. Stone, James A. Yowd, George W. Blackemore, and John Donoho as commissioners to lay off and designate the boundaries of Petersburg. When this project was completed, the Sheriff would be notified who would hold an election for seven aldermen and they would select one of their number as the Mayor. A Recorder, Treasurer, and Constable would also be selected. It would be the duty of the Sheriff, or his Deputy, to hold annual elections thereafter.
23. Private Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 135, provided that any person desiring to erect a grist mill or a dam on any navigable stream in Lincoln County must first make application to the County Court and post a notice of his intention on the Court House door. If the County Court thinks that the same should be done, the Court will appoint three discreet and judicious citizens to examine the premises upon which the mill or dam is to be built to ascertain if the same can be accomplished without interfering with the navigation of the stream, and how high the dam may be granted requiring all conditions thereof to be observed. This action, and this law, are never to be construed as granting the authority to obstruct any stream. The Commissioners are to be paid $2 per day for each day's service.
24. Public Acts of 1843-44, Chapter 17, amended the State Militia Law by rearranging the schedule of county musters. All Lincoln County Regiments were assigned to the 11th Brigade and musters would be held in the 70th Regiment on the third Tuesday in October, in the 71st Regiment on the Wednesday following, in the 72nd Regiment on the Thursday of that week, and in the 73rd on Saturday. The 151st Regiment would muster and drill on Friday of the third week in October.
25. Private Acts of 1845-46, Chapter 155, declared that all the Acts and deeds up to this time performed by William Kercheval, the Entry Taker of Lincoln County, are legal and binding for all intents and purposes as if he had been appointed to that office with the proper and legal authority.
26. Private Acts of 1865-66, Chapter 59, stated that George Gee, a free man of color died in Lincoln County, leaving a will which directed that his property be divided among his wife and children but his wife and children were slaves at that time and could not hold property. B. L. Ridley, the Chancellor of the District, declared and ordered that the property of Gee escheat to the State. However, the funds and the property still remain in the hands of the Clerk and Master and the wife and children are now free. This Act relinquishes all right, title, interest, and claim the State may have in and to the said Gee properties and passes the same to the wife and children, his properly designated heirs.
27. Public Acts of 1897, Chapter 124, was among the first Acts establishing annual salaries for several County Officials arranged according to the population of the Counties. All fees collected would become the property of the county and the salaries specified would be the only compensation of the incumbent official. The Act involved the Clerks of the Circuit, County, Criminal, and special Courts, the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court, the Clerk of the Supreme Court, and Trustees, Registers, and Sheriff of the counties. Reports must be made monthly and the salaries are confined to the fees collected if they exceed the minimum and are below the maximum. This Act was the prototype and model for many salary acts to follow including those currently in effect.
28. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 164, made it the duty of all cities in which a newspaper was in circulation to publish all the proceedings of the regular, and called, meetings of the Board of Aldermen of those cities within fifteen days of the meeting, so that the public may be informed at all times on the manner in which the affairs of the city are being conducted. The Clerk, or Recorder, would furnish the copy to the papers for which they would be paid ten cents per 100 words, and the newspapers would receive forty cents per column inch. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 362, amended this act so as to make it apply to McMinn and not to Lincoln County.
29. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 300, removed the disabilities of minority from T. N. Figueres, age 19, of Lincoln County, and conferred upon him the power and authority to do all things an adult could lawfully do including the execution of deeds of conveyance and the right to collect all money due him from his guardian.
30. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 362, amended Section 107-31 Code of Tennessee, to the effect that no application for an increase in the number or in the salaries of assistant, or deputy clerks, and Sheriffs, could be considered by the courts to which it was made unless the said petition showed the prior approval of the Quarterly County Court. Section 10-732, Code of Tennessee, was also amended so as to provide that when the County Court of Lincoln County in regular session should deem it necessary and essential that the number of Deputies and Assistants be reduced and a Resolution to that effect is adopted, the County Judge, or Chairman, shall file the proper petition seeking a reduction and the court in which it is filed shall prompt by conduct a hearing on the same.
31. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 807, relieved Martha Rhea Hobbs, of Lincoln County, of all the disabilities of infancy and gave her all the rights and privileges of a person 21 years of age, or older.
32. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 793, authorized the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County, by a three-fourths vote, and no less, to elect a farm agent even though he did not have the endorsement of the State Secretary of Agriculture. Terms of the farm agent are for one year but one may succeed himself in the position at a maximum salary of $2,400 annually which includes all travel and expenses. This Act does not apply to the present farm agent duly elected by the Court until the expiration of his term.
33. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 29, removed the disabilities of minority from Mildred Crabtree Barham, of Lincoln County, conferring all the abilities and authority of adulthood.
34. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 20, also removed the minority of Thomas Crabtree, of Lincoln County, who was probably the brother of the body mentioned in Item 34, above.
35. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 40, provided that the maximum salary payable to the County Farm Demonstration Agent in Lincoln County from all sources whatever shall not exceed $2,400 per year, and the county to which this Act applies shall have no power to appropriate in excess of a sum which, when added to the State and Federal supplements, exceeds the above amount.
36. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 108, recited in the preamble that the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County had expended $7,000 of the general funds of the County in the initiation and prosecution of litigation designed to test the validity of certain Acts of the General Assembly, and the litigation served only to promote the political welfare of one faction to the disadvantage of another, and was not designed to enhance the general welfare as a hole, therefore, the County Court shall now levy a tax of one-tenth of one percent on each $100 property valuation in the county which will be collected until the cost of all of the above litigation has been paid.
37. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 153, stated that in Lincoln County, identified by the use of the 1930 Federal Census figures, the Quarterly County Court shall have no power whatever to expend the public funds of the County, nor to make any appropriation, for the purpose of filing litigation to test the validity of, or for obtaining a declaration from the Court on any legislation affecting the said County.
38. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 158, amended Senate Bill NO. 63 of the present session of the General Assembly, which set the maximum salary of the County Farm Demonstration Agent in Lincoln County by changing the date on which the Act was to become effective to January 1, 1938.
39. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 661, removed all the disabilities of her minority from Charlotte Eloise Baites, granting her all the rights and privileges enjoyed by an adult.
40. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 5, stated that, in Lincoln County, the compensation of the County Officers whose salaries are specified in Section 10727, Code of Tennessee shall be regulated and controlled by the State law, it being the purpose of this Act to provide that their salaries be controlled by the State rather than by private, or special Act.
41. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 6, expressly repealed Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 40, Item 36, above, which set the maximum salary of the County Farm Demonstration Agent, in its entirety.
42. Private Acts of 1959, Chapter 58, created the office of Purchasing Agent for Lincoln County, naming the County Judge to the office. The Agent was given the sole power to purchase all supplies and materials for all the departments and agencies of the county government, except those expressly exempted, and to do likewise concerning the rental of equipment or real estate. All purchases over $500 would be made according to the bid procedures outlined in the Act. The Agent must obey the regulations promulgated in this Act but he could fashion rules for the subordinates to follow. He was to make a $10,000 bond and could employ sufficient clerical and stenographic help to get the job done as long as they were not related by blood or marriage. This Act was rejected by the Quarterly County Court and therefore never became a law for Lincoln County.
43. Private Acts of 1971, Chapter 124, authorized the Quarterly Court of Lincoln County to make appropriations to fire departments operating within the county upon such terms as may be mutually agreed upon. Our records show that this Act was never acted upon by the Quarterly Court. Since a general power to appropriate money for fire departments has been granted to counties by the General Assembly, this Act has become moot.