| 1822-1823 |
Michael Hart |
|
|
| 1824-1825 |
James Matkin - Was
later elected as county Assessor in 1839 and died while in office
in 1840, and was succeeded by Elisha Matkin. |
|
|
| 1825-1826 |
Charles Hart - Was
also elected Presiding Judge of County Court 1855 and served until
1857. Charles was later appointed as County Assessor in 1865
and served until 1866. |
|
|
| 1827-1828 |
John Corbin Alexander
- Was elected as a member of State Legislature in 1830 and served
until 1836. Alexander was re-elected again in 1854 and again
served until 1856. Alexander ran for the office Circuit
Clerk and Recorder, and won this race serving 1879 until 1899. |
|
|
| 1829-1830 |
Thomas Madison - Also
served as County Assessor 1826 thru 1827. |
|
|
| 1831-1832 |
John Cornell |
|
|
| 1832-1833 |
John Kennedy -
Kennedy, was also elected to County Court in 1846 and served until
1850. |
|
|
| 1833-1834 |
Isaac Mitchell Jr. -
Isaac, was appointed in 1834 to succeed George W. Robinson, who
had been Presiding Judge of the County Court, Isaac was
elected in 1835 and served in the County Court until 1836.
In 1837 Isaac was re-elected this time Presiding Judge of the
County Court and served until 1838. Isaac was again elected
in 1839 as Presiding Judge of the County Court. Isaac
Mitchell was also County Treasurer from 1836 until 1837. |
|
|
| 1835-1836 |
Henry Hunt |
|
|
| 1836-1838 |
Andrew K. Harris -
Harris was also a County Court Judge in 1840 until 1841. |
|
|
| 1839-1840 |
Ebenezer H. Hibbits |
|
|
| 1841-1842 |
Milton P. Cayce -
Cayce had been County Treasurer in 1837 and held this office until
1840. Cayce then ran for Sheriff and Collector and was
elected in 1841 and held this office until 1842. Cayce then
ran for County Treasurer again and was elected, and served again
from 1843 until 1860. |
|
|
| 1843-1846 |
Charles Meyer - Also
served St. Francois County as a County Judge from 1846 until 1850. |
|
|
| 1847-1848 |
Edwin C. Sebastian -
Also served as member of the State Legislature 1869. In 1841
Sebastian had been elected to the office of County Court. In
1842, again in 1842, 1843, 1844 and 1845 the citizens of St.
Francois County elected Sebastian each year to the office of
County Court. Sebastian was also later a District Assessor
in District #1 in 1858. |
|
|
| 1849-1850 |
Samuel S. Boyce |
|
|
| 1851-1854 |
Elisha Arnold |
|
|
| 1855-1858 |
Elisha Matkin - Elisha
was appointed to complete the term of James Matkin upon James
death in 1840. Elisha was re-elected to this office again in
1847 and served in this capacity until 1850. |
| |
|
| 1859-1860 |
F.B. Matkin |
|
|
| 1861-1864 |
Thomas S. McMullin -
Served as Sheriff from 1861 until 1864 and was later elected again
in 1877 and died in office in 1880. |
|
|
| 1865-1865 |
J.L. Resinger
(Resigned) |
|
|
| 1865-1866 |
Rufus Alexander |
|
|
| 1867-1871 |
Franklin Murphy -
Franklin was born October 16, 1819 on a farm near what is now the
city of Farmington. Franklin married Mary Ann Alley on
November 21, 1841. Mary Ann Alley was born in 1823.
Franklin Murphy lived in the area of Big River Mills.
Franklin like many others from this area left and went to
California for about 3 years and later returned to St. Francois
County. Franklin was appointed Assessor of District Number 2
through the years 1857 and 1858. Franklin was then elected
as Sheriff and Collector about 1867. He was re-elected to
this office and later ran and was elected to the office of County,
Circuit and Probate Courts which also included Recorder of Deeds
and Murphy held these offices until 1874. About 1880
Franklin Murphy moved his family to Delassus, Missouri this is
where he resided until his death in 1904. Franklin Murphy
was also elected in 1880 to serve as County Collector. He
served 1881 to 1883 then retired. Franklin Murphy had also
served as a “Justice of the Peace” for over 15 years.
Franklin Murphy and his wife Mary Ann (Alley Murphy had 9
children. (1) Amanda J. Murphy Yousee (2) Sarah Murphy Cole who
was married to Zacharia Cole (3) Rhoda Murphy Janis who was
married to Felix Janis (4) Augusta Murphy Stevenson who was
married to William Stevenson (5) Callie Murphy Keith who was
married to James Keith (6) Jessie Murphy (7) Genevieve Murphy (8)
Katherine Murphy (9 ) Thomas H.B. Murphy who married Martha
Bryant. |
|
|
| 1874-1875 |
Laken D. Walker - was
township assessor in St. Francois Township in 1822 and was elected
as county Assessor in 1825. Walker was also elected as
Presiding County Court Judge in 1826 and re-elected in 1827.
Walker was appointed as County Assessor in 1860 after William M.
Cruncleton resigned (note this was around the great Civil War Era
in St. Francois County and feelings were mixed) and again was
elected to this office 1861 and served until 1862. Laken
Walker also served in State Legislature in 1877. Walker was
also called upon and appointed as Sheriff after the death of
Thomas S. McMullin in 1880. |
|
|
| 1875-1877 |
John B. Highley -
Elected as Collector in the election of 1876 this is when the
offices of Sheriff and Collector were separated to two different
offices. Highley served as Collector from 1877 until 1879.
Highley had also served as County Assessor from 1871 until 1875.
Highley was also elected Treasurer in 1885 which he served until
1889. |
|
|
|
Offices
of Sheriff and Collector were separated in the election of 1876.
|
|
|
| 1877-1880 |
Thomas S. McMullin -
See Thomas McMullin as Sheriff in years 1861-1864. McMullin
died in office in 1880. |
|
|
| 1880-1880 |
Laken D. Walker - See
Laken D. Walker 1871-1875 (Appointed) |
|
|
| 1880-1880 |
John B. Benham - Died
on December 18, 1880 |
|
|
| 1880-1885 |
Zachariah P. Cole -
Son-in-law to former Sheriff Franklin Murphy. |
|
|
| 1885-1889 |
Peter A. Benham |
|
|
| 1889-1891 |
Mark L. Creegan |
|
|
| 1891-1895 |
Joseph H. Perkins |
|
|
| 1895-1899. |
Willard B. Rariden -
served as a postmaster in 1886. Rariden ran and was elected
in fall 1894 as Sheriff and took office in January 1895 and served
as Sheriff until 1899. Rariden also worked as a
Special Agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Rariden
also served 24 years on the local school board. |
|
|
| 1899-1903 |
Jefferson D. Highley |
|
|
| 1903-1905 |
Henderson M. Murphy |
|
|
| 1905-1909 |
James J. Croke - From
Bonne Terre was better known than most all of the other candidates
in August 1904. James was married to Laura Porter and had
five children. Croke had also been an engineer on the
Mississippi River and Bonne Terre Railroad and had been a member
of the “Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers”. Croke was
also elected as Collector in 1911 and served until 1919. |
|
|
| 1909-1913 |
William London - Ran
after having been a Deputy under Sheriff James J. Croke.
London won his race in the fall of 1908. Bill as he was
called by most who knew him took office on January 1909 and served
until 1913. In 1925 he was again appointed Deputy Sheriff
which he held until January 1, 1929. London ran again in the
fall of 1928 against Roy E. Presnell in this election London won
overwhelmingly. London was shot while in performance of his
duty attempting to take into custody an insane man by the name of
Kassabaum on September 22, 1929 and died September 24, 1929. |
|
|
| 1913-1917 |
Joseph C. Williams -
also held the office of Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds from
1899 until 1907. |
|
|
| 1917-1921 |
Charles H. Adams |
|
|
| 1921-1925 |
John G. Hunt |
|
|
| 1925-1929 |
H.B. Bud Watts - Born
1887 died 1940 Harry Benson (Bud) Watts who had been critically
ill for many months passed away at the New State Hospital in
Farmington. “Bud” as he was affectionately known by most
St. Francois County people was born in Madison County near
Cornwall December 19, 1887, where he lived until young manhood.
When he moved to the Leadbelt and accepted employment with the
Lead companies. He was the son of Robert and Elizabeth
Watts. At the time of his death he was 51 years, 1 month and
20 days of age.
On October 19, 1908
he was married to Nettie C. Laird and to this marriage was born
one son Forrest who lived in St. Louis at the time of Bud’s
death. In addition to the wife and son he is survived by one
sister Mrs. Dora Knowes of Cornwall: three brothers U.S.
Watts of Detroit; John Watts, Flat River; and Ed Watts of St.
Louis. He was proceeded in death by his parents, two
brothers Arthur and Hiram D. and one sister, Rosa.
In 1924 he was the
nominee of the Republican party in this county for sheriff and won
by an overwhelming vote. He served the county during his
term efficiently and with credit to himself. During the past
8 years he had been an employee at the State Hospital. This
is where he was working when his health gave way.
The funeral services
were conducted at the Murphy-Long Memorial Church of which he was
a member, on Sunday afternoon, Pastor Rev. A.C. Johnson having
charge of the service. Interment was in the Parkview
Cemetery with Cozean Funeral Service in charge.
|
|
|
| 1929-1929 |
William London - See
notes William London 1909-1913 (killed in office) |
|
|
| 1929-1929 |
John T. Smith - Smith
had served as William London’s Chief Deputy and upon London’s
being shot and killed by Charles Kassabaum was appointed as
Sheriff until a special election could be held. Smith was
the nominee of the Republican party. Smith lost this
election in a race with Roy E. Presnell in October 1929. John T.
Smith - Smith had served as William London’s Chief Deputy and
upon London’s being shot and killed by Charles Kassabaum was
appointed as Sheriff until a special election could be held.
Smith was the nominee of the Republican party. Smith
lost this election in a race with Roy E. Presnell in October 1929. |
|
|
| 1929-1932 |
Roy E. Presnell - Ran
for Sheriff in 1928 against William London and lost |
|
|
| 1932-1936 |
In a special election
Presnell the nominee of the Democrats won in a race against John
T. Smith. Presnell ran for County Court Judge in the fall
1952 and won his race. |
|
|
| 1936-1940 |
A.A. Bayles - Had
served as Chief Deputy under Sheriff Roy E. Presnell and ran for
Sheriff in the fall 1935 and took office in January 1936. |
|
|
| 1940-1944 |
Arthur “BING”
Miller |
|
|
| 1944-1948 |
Herman Heck - had
served as a Deputy under Sheriff Miller |
|
|
| 1948-1952 |
Dewey Smallen - Also
served as Juvenile Office of the 24 Circuit |
|
|
| 1952-1956 |
Clay H. Mullins -
Sheriff Clay H. Mullins was first elected in 1952 |
|
|
