THE SHERIFFS
(Mr. Williams got out a book and ran through the sheriffs in that time
and the campaigns but could not remember it all. Correctly. See Historical
Edition of Hamilton County News)
He mentioned that George
Wade, believe that was the first name, married the daughter of old
Judge Osterhaut, of Belton, the district judge her in Reconstruction
times. This lady lived for years down there, step-mother to William Wade.
Mr. Williams said he supported John Bird for sheriff, who served one
term, and that Bob Shockley beat him. (Uncle Bob was really an old-time,.
Once lived at Gentry’s
Mill, always had a farm, and in his later years when I knew him best
was justice of the peace here. Later Ramsey Moore was elected on the
Populist ticket; and so was Tom McKinley, sheriff about 1900 and that the
latter was beaten by Pres (T. P.) Kinsey. (I will remember when Kinsey was
sheriff again, in first decade of the century, a good sheriff, last of the
old time horse-back long drooping mustached sheriffs.) Believe Mr.
Williams said John Brown was a deputy under Wade. (He lived at Blue
Ridge, who my father said was "like an old Roman, "very fine
man, who and his family I knew. Spent the night with them once. Three boys
made doctors, and youngest, my age, passed on several years ago, had been
with an oil company in West Texas.
Seems Sam Terry succeeded Dave Smith as sheriff and served a good while
in the 1880's. Bird was sheriff about 1890. (Under whom my father served
as deputy when reading law.
(Once I asked Mr. Arthur R. Eidson, fine lawyer, my old neighbor, who
was the best sheriff he remembered. He said that Massie was a good one.)
[EARLY SHERIFFS OF
HAMILTON COUNTY
Ezekiel
Manning, 1858-1862
James A. Carter, 1862-1864
Ezekiel Manning, 1864-1865
Sam Gholson, 1865-1866
R. R. Roberts, 1867-1869 --appointed by Gen. Reynolds, on Oct., 1868
Richey Sneed, --appointed by Gen. Reynolds, Sept., 1869
R. A. Hambright, --1869-1870 (Resigned)
David Smith, 1870-1877 (Resigned)
George Washington Wade, 1877-1878
George F. Gentry, 1878-1884
Sam D. Terry, 1884-1886
J. W. Massie, 1886-1890
W. R. Byrd, 1890-1892
A. P. Shockley, 1892-1894
Ramsey C. Moore, 1894-1898
A. J. Russell, 1898-1900
T. S. McKinley, 1900-1902
T. P Kensey, 1904-1906
J. A. McCaleb, 1906-1910
Ed Beck, 1910-1914
W. M. Lemmons, 1914-1926
Mack Morgan, 1926-1934
Houston White, 1934-1944
N. Y. Terral, 1944-1950
W. W. "Woody" Young, 1950-1968
L. H. "Boots" Young, 1968-1976--Elreeta Weathers]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CHESLEY'S HAMILTON COUNTY INTERVIEWS
BY
HERVEY EDGAR CHESLEY, JR.
Born: 21 November, 1894
Died: 17 July, 1979