THE ROAD SURVEYOR SYSTEM
A description of the duties of the road surveyor, or overseer, gives in excellent picture of the development of the road system in the county. An account of his functions shows the evolution from a simple system of communal road labor, to the use of road fines, and slave labor, to a modern system.
In 1799, the road surveyor he was appointed by the court and continued indefinitely in office until the county court replaced him. The typical term was at least two years. One law stated he could not resign within two years without the consent of the court, unless he moved from the precinct. An 1894 law specified that the appointment be for two years.
The duty of the early road surveyor was to superintend the road in his precinct and to see that it was cleared and in good repair. These duties meant he was responsible for calling out all eligible men to help repair the road at appropriate times.
.The surveyors were also responsible for providing markers and keeping them in repair. When bridges or causeways were needed, they were to be built
at least twelve feet wide.If the job was too difficult, the county could, and did, contract to have them built by
construction companies.All male laborers over the age of fifteen, white and black, were appointed by the county court to work on some public roads.
Within ten days after the appointment of
a road surveyor, the sheriff delivered a copy of the order to the new appointee, a description of the bounds of the road precinct, and a list of eligible men in the neighbourhood over whom the road surveyor was placed.There were exemptions to the road duty; masters of two or more slaves were exempted, as were ministers of the gospel and all free male inhabitants of the county who were fifty years or older. Evidently, men over fifty with two or more slaves made these laws.
Men who failed to appear at the workplace, as well as
those who appeared without proper tools, were fined. A man could provide a worker to substitute for himself and thereby escape the fine. There were some restrictions to this call for road duty; the surveyor had to give two days' notice and could not call out road hands on militia muster days. However, he could call out one or more hands at any time to remove road obstructions.By 1893, the
law was changed to allow the fiscal court to require all able-bodied citizens of the county between the ages of eighteen and fifty to work on the roads. There were again restrictions. The work was not to exceed six days a year. Ministers and citizens of incorporated towns, and cities were exempt.