HINSDALE COUNTY SHERIFF's 1874 - Present

 

James M. Swinney 1874-1877 (Appointed upon Formation of Hinsdale County)

Henry Finley 1877-1878

James Hanrahan - 1/9/1878-1880

*Edward N. Campbell 1880-1882 (Killed in Line of Duty)

Clair Smith 1882-1885 (Appointed) (Served during first trial of Alferd Packer)

O. A. Baker 1885-1886

George F. Gardner 1886-1892

Terrance Brennan 1892-1896

D. McCafferty 1896-1897

James W. Deck 1898-1902

A. P. Truesdale 1902-1904

Harry Youmans 1904-1908

William P. Hunt 1908-1909

James W. Deck 1909-1914 (Died in Office)

Edward H. Graves (D) 1914 (Appointed)

Ben F. Hunt (R) 1914-1924

Hugh Coburn (D) 1924-1946 (Died in Office)

M. G. (Shorty) Rexroad (R) 1946-1950

Unknown - 1950 - 1952

A. P. (Brick) Griffiths-(R) 1952-1954 (Resigned)

Lloyd M. (Mickey) Pavich 9/7/54-11/8/54

Glen A. Hunt (R) 1954-1955 (Killed in Car Accident)

Joseph M. Vickers (R) 1955 (Appointed/Resigned)

Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1955 - 1956 (Appointed/Resigned)

Albert Etling (R) 1956-1960 (Appointed/Resigned)

Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1/11/60-11/13/60 (Appointed/Resigned)

Maxwell D. Hersinger (R) 1960-1972 (Elected)

Charles Colopy (R) 1972-1976 (Elected/Resigned)

Thomas Atkins 1977 (Served Two Weeks - Resigned)

James Skinner (R) 1977 (Appointed)

Burton E. Smith (D) 1978-1990 (Elected)

L. Franklin Wilcox (R) 1991-1994 (Elected/Resigned) (Convicted of a Felony)

**Roger D. Coursey (R) 8/94-11/94 (Appointed/Elected) (Killed in Line of Duty)

Raymond J. Blaum, Jr. (R) 1994-1997 (Appointed/Elected/Resigned)

William B. Denison (R) 1997-2006 (Appointed - Elected)

Ronald D. Bruce (R) 2007 - Present (Elected)

 

*Betts & Browning, killed Sheriff Campbell during a robbery attempt of a home in the Ball Flats.  They were lynched by a town mob on April 27, 1882 at 1:00 A.M. on the Ball Flats Bridge. Sheriff Campbell was the second Colorado peace officer killed in the line of duty.

 

**Sheriff Coursey was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Wilcox.  On Nov 18, 1994, 10 days after winning election to a four year term, he was shot and killed instantly while stopping two suspected bank burglars fleeing from Creede. His murder's bodies were found a month later having committed suicide approximately one-half mile from where they shot Sheriff Coursey.  Undersheriff Blaum was appointed to replace him.