from reprint of "Clarke County Historical and Biographical Record" by Lewis Publishing, 1886.
Clarke County Agricultural Society
was organized in 1868 with some prominent members being O.P. Anderson, W.C. Gregg, T.H. Brown, James Brown, R.B. Parrott, John McDonough, A.H. Burrows, R.A. Dague, and John Diehl. Three fairs were held but the society did not prosper.Very soon afterward, however, John McDonough and E.F. Riley reorganized the society and the result was the formation of the
Clarke County Farmers' and Mechanics' Agricultural Society
A meeting was held June 1872 at the court-house in Osceola which resulted in the formation of the new society. Its general purpose was to own and improve a tract of land and hold exhibitions of stock and farmers' and mechanics' products there for the encouragement of agricultural and the mechanical arts.
The original incorporators, who all lived in Clarke County, were John McDonough, J.F. Knotts, N. Porterfield, Casper Carter, D. Webster, Columbus Majors, W. Mayturn, John Lewis, J.M. Hall, Robert Jamison, O.P. Anderson, and E.F. Riley.
The men who would serve on the Board of Directors until elections can be held were D. Webster, Casper Carter, N. Porterfield, William Mayturn, Columbus Majors, J.F. Knotts, G.W. Sefirt, W.C. Gregg, John Lewis, R. Jamison, J.M. Hall, William Ford, and Joseph Daniel.
Officers were John McDonough, president; D. Webster, vice-president; E.F. Riley, secretary, and George H. Cowles, treasurer.
The society did not receive as many subscribers as expected so could not formally begin its operations during 1872. John McDonough and E.F. Riley rented the fairgrounds for $75 and got out premium lists. The first fair was thus held on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of October, 1872. It was held in the name of the society but was the personal responsibility of McDonough and Riley. The fair was not a financial success for several reasons. The weather was unfavorable and people had been dissatisfied with former fairs and thus didn't support this effort. All expenses were met, though, and $19.86 in unclaimed premiums were turned over to the society.
On August 4, 1873, the society bought the land the fair had been held on at a sheriff's sale for $860. At the July 19, 1873, meeting the followikng persons were chosen directors: N. Porterfield, John McDonough, Robert Jamison, L.B. Freeman, George W. Fouch, E. Robinson, H.C. Sigler, William Mayturn, William G. Evans, T.A. Morrow, A.G. Talbot, J.W. Daniel, and E.F. Riley.
December 1874 annual meeting elected these directors: H.C. Sigler, James Brown, N. Porterfield, John McDonough, Robert Jamison, T.A. Morrow, Hugh Crawford, George W. Fouch, A.P. Young, J.Y. Daniel, W.G. Evans, John Lewis, and E.F. Riley.
December 1875 annual meeting elected these directors: G.W. Fouch, W.G. Evans, A.P. Young, John Hood, John McDonough, A. Waggoner, P.L. Fowler, E.F. Riley, J.H. Collier, N. Porterfield, C.T. Ayres, Sacker Wyatt, and W.G. Kennedy.
December 1876 annual meeting elected these directors: A.P. Young, Charles Ayres, John Hood, John Lewis, William Kelley, Sacker Wyatt, D. Olmstead, John Stephenson, W.G. Evans, John McDonough, Joseph Daniels, H.C. Folger, and W.N. Barnard.
December 1877 annual meeting elected these directors: N. Porterfield, H.C. Folger, William Kelley, S.I. Larkins, L.M. Olmstead, W.D. Irwin, John Diehl, C.T. Ayres, Robert Jamison, A.G. Talbott, J. Regan, Joseph Daniel, and A.P. Young.
December 1878 annual meeting began electing 12 directors (one from each township): T.B. O'Neal, H.C. Folger, A.P. Young, Samuel Larkins, D. Olmstead, D.W. Irwin, A. Waggoner, J. McDonough, S. Wyatt, J. Regan, J.H. Collier, and Casper Carter.
December 1879 annual meeting elected these directors: T.B. Bond, H.C. Folger, W.G. Evans, S. Larkins, D. Olmstead, Casper Carter, John McDonough, J.W. Hood, J.H. Collier, William Ford, Joseph Daniels, and E. Robinson.
December 1880 annual meeting elected these directors: N. Porterfield, William Mayturn, William Kelley, S. Larkins, D. Olmstead, E. Robinson, John Bond, John McDonough, James Hood, Thomas Keeran, William Ford, and Joseph Daniels.
December 1881 annual meeting elected these directors: D. Perdue, William Mayturn, William Kelley, M. G. Prine, B.M. Robbins, John Lewis, J.W. Hood, Thomas Keeran, Abner Crew, D. Olmstead, W.B. H. Hutsinpiller and E. Robinson.
December 1882 annual meeting elected these directors: John Diehl, John McDonough, O.P. Anderson, P.H. McCartney, Henry Stivers, Thomas Keeran, C.T. Ayres, B.M. Rollins, C. Carter, William Mayturn and M.G. Prine.
December 1883 annual meeting elected these directors: P.L. Fowler, W.W. Williams, C.O. Atkins, George H. Cowles, John Diehl, John McDonough, O.P. Anderson, P.H. McCartney, Henry Stivers, A.P. Young, C.T. Ayres, T.B. O'Neal, C. Carter, William Mayturn, William S. Richards and Charles Armstrong.
December 1884 annual meeting elected the same directors as 1883.
December 1885 annual meeting elected these directors: Casper Carter, W.W. Williams, Charles H. Currier, George H. Cowles, Uriah Garris, P.L. Fowler, W.S. Richards, John Diehl, C.T. Ayres, John McDonough, Thomas Keeran, Henry Stivers, Charles Armstrong and T.B. O'Neal.
