Auditor History

Number

Auditor

Years

Portrait

1st

Edward Paine Jr.

1806

2nd

Orestes K. Hawley

1806-1807

3rd

Abraham Tappen

1807-1810

4th

Nehemiah King

1810-1811

5th

Jedediah Beard

1811-1818

6th,
8th,
10th

Ralph Cowles

1818-1821,
1827-1835,
1839-1845

7th

Eleaser Paine

1821-1827

9th

William Kerr

1835-1839

11th

William K. Williston

1845-1851

12th

Marsh Smith

1851-1857

13th

C.C. Fields

1857-1865

14th

Abram P. Tilden

1865-1873

15th

Milton L. Maynard

1873-1877

16th

William Howard

1878-1887

17th

Sylvester D. Hollenbeck

1887-1899

18th

Wallace W. Hall

1878-1909

19th

H.A. Cowles

1909-1913

20th

A.A. Fowlers

1913-1916

21st

H.E. Leachy

1917-1922

22nd

Ethel L. Thresher

1922-1949

23rd

Wilma Kronk

1950-1967

24th

Helen Frank

1968-1976

25th

Richard Makowski

1977-1994

26th

Tracy Jemison

1995-2008

27th

Frank Gliha

2009-2018

28th

Charles Walder

2018-Present

1st Auditor – Edward Paine JR. (1806)

Son of General Edward Paine, native of New England. Family was considered the settlers of the old county of Geauga. Married Mary Phelps. Took up his residence in Chardon in 1812 where be continued to be until his death. First Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, which was a county seat in which is now Painesville. Issued the first ever marriage license to Isaac H. Phelps and Penelope Gregory on December 19th, 1805. Edward Paine was also known as Captain Paine in the War of 1812. He was considered to be one of the energetic, young citizens during the darkness of the War of 1812. Captain Paine received a good English education, considered to be approachable, general in-formation and mingled with all the leading men of his time.

7th Auditor – Eleazer Paine (1821-1827)

Pioneer of Geauga County, and a successful business man of Chardon. Died at the early age of 37, but had four children to leave his legacy to.

6th 8th 10th Auditor – Ralph Cowles (1827-1835)

One of the most accomplished business men that ever-held position in the County. His records are still looked on with admiration; for neatness and accuracy they have never been surpassed. Son of Asa Cowles.

9th Auditor – William Kerr (1835-1839)

Born in New Jersey, when he was still quite young he moved to Pennsylvania and then from there to Mentor, (present day in Lake county) in 1812. Then to Painesville in 1813. He was also a County Recorder, but resigned after one year. Considered to be a gentleman in every sense of the word. Died in Mentor at the age of 85. Had five children.

11th Auditor – William K. Williston (1845-1851)

Born December 4th, 1796 in Simsbury, Connecticut. Received a good common education. Went into the mercantile business, after moving south, and remained there till 1834. Then he moved to Claridon, Ohio. One child with his first wife. With his second wife, Miss Chapman, he raised a family of four sons and three daughters. Died in Chardon.

12th Auditor – Marsh Smith (1851-1857)

Born in Manchester, Vermont, August 18th, 1799. His father and mother were of English descent. Had eight children. Marsh moved with his parents to Georgetown, New York when he was still a young boy in 1817. In 1818 they moved to Parkman, Ohio, where they purchased and cleared up a farm and worked as a carpenter. In October 1823 he married Miss Eliza Cotton. For 20 years he was Justice of Peace, Commissioner after being Auditor. Then he was Assessor of Real Estate in 1860. Whig then merged into the Republican Party, which ever since Marsh belonged. One of the earliest anti-slavery workers, considered to be an uncompromising enemy of form of injustice and wrong. Was mainly known for his virtues and his long eventful life in its calm and peaceful evenings.

13th Auditor – Constantine C. Field (1857-1865)

Born February 18th, 1813 in Phelps, New York. Came to Geauga County in 1836, and then moved to East Claridon in 1839 and engaged in the mercantile business. Elected twice as the assessor for Claridon township. In 1850 elected justice of peace. In 1866 he was elected county treasurer. In 1870 he was elected of the state board of equalization for the district.

14th Auditor – Abram P. Tilden (1865-1873)

Oldest son of John M Tilden. Born in Warren, New York in 1816. Moved to Chicago in 1838 while being a carpenter and teaching school in the winter. Returned to Garrettsville in 1839 and attended the academy in Shalersville for two terms. In 1841 he engaged as clerk in the dry goods store of Williams and Tilden. In 1844 he entered a co-partnership with his uncle Josiah S. Tilden. November 5th, he married Miss Harriet B. Davis. He moved to Chardon in 1865. Also, a Justice of Peace at some time for Chardon. After he finished being Auditor he partly engaged in farming but also helped other officials with duties. Swapped from a Democrat to a Republican once the Republican Party was formed.

25th Auditor – Richard Makowski (1977-1994)

Has an award named after him called County Auditors Association of Ohio’s Richard J. Makowski award.

Died in office of a heart attack.

Office received five consecutive certificates of excellence for financial reporting. He was a past president of the Ohio Government Finance Officers Association.

26th Auditor – Tracy Jemison (1995-2008)

“Our organization has grown in membership and programs and has earned the respect of the business and educational community as a vital asset under Jemison’s guidance.” – Geauga County Maple Leaf.

Jemison’s record as an elected official includes five years’ service as a Geauga County Commissioner. He also served as a member of the Middlefield Village Council and the Berkshire Board of Education.

On the Middlefield Village Council at the age of 22 and served for eight years, then in 1988 he ran for the Berkshire Board of Education where he served for four years.

In 2013 Jemison was appointed President of Geauga Growth Partnership.

27th Auditor – Frank Gliha (2009-2018)

In 2010 Geauga County’s unemployment rate was 7.9%, third lowest in the state.

A strong promoter for Weights and Measures.

“I will continue to protect farm values, individual real estate values and concern myself with the needs of the elderly in Geauga County.” – Frank Gliha

He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a lifetime member of VFW No. 6519.

28th Auditor – Chuck Walder (2018-Present)

Grew up in Amherst, OH. Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering.

2019 Outstanding Achievement in Financial Reporting.

2019 Excellence in Financial Reporting

Lead a new GIS initiative to improve the Geographic Information Systems for Geauga County.

Adapted the Auditor’s Office for CDC guidelines and Ohio mandates during the unprecedented time of the pandemic.