The first session of the Steuben Circuit Court was held at the house of Cornelius Gilmore, and adjourned to that of Thomas Gale, in Angola. The Hon. Charles W. Ewing was the Presiding Judge, and opened his court on the 12th of April 1838. Samuel Tuttle and Thomas Gale were Associate Judges.

The organization of the county may be considered as dating from June 16, 1837, at which time the Commissioners held their first meeting. AT the session of the Commissioners held March 1838, the following citizens were drawn, from which list was made up the first grand jury: James Johnson, Daniel Roberts, Timothy Kimball, Hannibal Frink, John Carter, Abner Davis, Alonzo P. Clark, John Barnard, William Wilder, Asa Murphy, John Wilson, David Robinson, Samuel Bangs, Whiting P. Squires, Erastus Farnham, Theron Storrs, James Perfect and John Webb.

The first drawing for a petit jury was as follows: George Baldwin, Avery Emerson, Charles C. Bodley, Adolphus Towne, George Gregg, Cornelius Gilmore, David Wisel, S. Van Horne, Gideon Ball, Justus Butler, Jeremiah Tillotson, John Stealy, Chester Stocker, Benjamin Twichell, Joseph B. Allison, Robert Bell, Cornelius Van Horne, Lewis Barnard, Abnor Winsor, John J. Jones, John Russell, Jothan C. Cutler, James Long and Orrin Goodrich.

The first marriage license was issued in June 1837, to William Cummings and Almira Clark, The first village plat recorded was for the town of Steubenville, and bears the date November 12, 1835. The next plat filed was for Brockville, now styled Fremont. Orland was the next town platted, and the record of filing bears date January 30, 1837. Angola was platted in 1838, and the plan of the town submitted for record in June of the same year.

The first sale of land and transfer of title deeds was made October 3, 1832. This sale was made by Gideon Langdon, the first settler in the county, to William Lock, and was recorded in LaGrange County, to which county this region then belonged. The land transferred was the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 5, Jackson Township.

The first deed made and recorded after the organization of Steuben as an independent county was for the southwest fractional quarter of Section 19, in Millgrove Township, which was transferred from George Stocker to John Stocker, by a deed executed April 8, 1837, before George D. Palmenter, Justice of the Peace. The witnesses to the signature were L. H. Stocker and Martha M. Stocker. The deed was recorded June 23, 1937.

James Hardy was sworn in as the first Bailiff, and placed in charge of the grand jury in 1838.

The first case placed on the docket was that of Isaac Glover vs. Anson S. Woods, in assumpsit, and was continued.

The first meeting of the County Commissioners was held June 26, 1837. The Commissioners were Seth W. Murray, James Clark and Jonas Twichell. The first officers were: James McConnell, Clerk; William M. Carey, Sheriff. After the probate business was taken from the Associate Judges in 1841, Alonzo P. Clark was made Probate Judge, being the first after the change. Madison Marsh was the first Representative in the Legislature from the county. Adonijah Smith was the first County Auditor; Joseph Pierce the first Treasurer; James McConnell the first Recorder. The first County Surveyor was Aaron B. Goodwin. The first Prosecuting Attorney was Thomas Johnson.

The first murder trial was in the case of the State vs. Silas Doty, in 1844. Doty was a notorious criminal. The trial resulted in his conviction, and he was sentenced to be hung. The case was transferred to the Supreme Court, and Doty ordered imprisoned at Jeffersonville until the appeal was decided. While being taken to his destination, he made his escape, in irons, from the canal boat in which he was, nor was he again heard from until his name was mentioned in the Mexican War for gallant conduct. His bravery gained him a pardon, and Doty once more came upon the scene with two of the finest horses ever seen in the county, together with a rich carriage and appointments, for which he had levied on some wealthy Mexican. He died several years ago, in the Michigan penitentiary, at Jackson.