The first business house in Atchison was established by George T. Challiss, at the corner of the Levee and Commercial streets, in August, 1854. The National Hotel was not built at that time, so Mr. Challiss established a temporary camp, and his workmen were accommodated under an elm tree near the river. The Challiss store building was torn down in 1872. George T. Challiss and his brother, Luther C. Challiss, were clerking in a dry goods store at Booneville, Mo., in the spring of 1854. George T. Challiss returned to his old home in New Jersey on a visit, and upon his return, in August, he came direct to Atchison. He came by boat to Weston, Mo., where he met P. T. Abell, president of the town company, and Abell prevailed upon him to come to Atchison in a buggy, crossing the river here on George Million’s ferry. Mr. Abell donated Mr. Challiss the lot upon which he built his store, and he went to Rushville and bought enough cottonwood lumber to build it. When he arrived in Atchison, he had $4.50 in money, but later on borrowed $150.00 from his brother, Luther C. Challiss, at Boonville. He enjoyed a good business from the beginning, and carried a large stock of both dry goods and groceries. The town of Atchison was the one big outstanding factor in Atchison county when the territory was organized, but at the same time that Abell and Stringfellow and others “were shaping up the town,” others were busy organizing the county. As the city was named for General Atchison, so likewise was the county at the time of its creation by the first Territorial legislature that assembled at Pawnee. The first board of county commissioners was selected and appointed by the Territorial legislature, August 31, 1855, and was composed of William J. Young, James M. Givens and James A. Headley. The first meeting of the board was held September 17, 1855, at the home of O. B. Dickerson, in the city of Atchison. At this meeting Ira Norris was appointed clerk and recorder; Samuel Dickson, treasurer; Samuel Walters, assessor. William McVay had received an appointment as sheriff of the county prior to the meeting of the board, direct from the governor, to fill the office temporarily until his successor was subsequently appointed and qualified. On the 18th of September, 1855, being the second day of the session of the first board of county commissioners, Eli C. Mason was appointed as sheriff to succeed McVay, and Dudley McVay was appointed coroner. Voting precincts were established in three townships preparatory to an election of a delegate to Congress, which was to take place the first Monday in October, 1855. At the October meeting of the board of county commissioners, block 10, in what is now known as Old Atchison, was accepted by the board as a location upon which to erect a court house. This property was offered to the county by the Atchison town company for the purpose of influencing the board to make Atchison the county seat.