The office of county surveyor was created and his duties defined by an act passed on April 15, 1803. Later acts which dealt with this office were passed in 1816, 1817, 1819, 1820 and 1828, in which the duties of the office were changed and more fully defined. At first the term of office was fixed at five years or during good behavior, and the incumbent was appointed by the court of common pleas. On the 3rd of March, 1831, an act was passed providing for the election of the county surveyor triennially by the legal voters of the county. Up to this time there had been only one county surveyor appointed, Patrick McLene serving for a period of twenty-one years. The following is a list of those who have filled the office, but the early records are incomplete and vague, causing many irregularities in dates which cannot be explained. In some of these cases there were resignations and the successor was appointed to serve the unexpired term: 1810-31, Patrick McLene; 1832-37, Henry Warner; 1838-40, Elias Warner; 1841-50, Henry Alder; 1851, J. M. Chastain; 1852-53, Henry Alder; 1854, James S. Burnham; 1855, William G. Allen; 1856-58, Henry Alder; 1859-64, Levin Willoughby; 1865-67, Henry Alder; 1868-70, James S. Burnham; 1871-73, Henry Alder; 1874-76, Jonathan Arnett; 1877, Lewis Creamer; 1878-80, Jonathan Arnett; 1881-87, Clinton Morse; 1887-90, William Reeder; 1890-93, Clinton Morse; 1893-99, H. L. McCafferty; 1899-1905, J. H. Asher; 1905-1915, H. L. McCafferty; since September 6, 1915, J. H. Asher.