The Sheriffs of Isle of Wight County

INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM “HISTORICAL NOTES ON ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, VIRGINA" BY HELEN HAVERTY KING


Until 1776 all Sheriffs were appointed by the British Crown.

From 1776 to 1851, the Sheriff was appointed from a list of magistrates.

In 1857 the Office of the Sheriff became an elected position.

History of the Sheriffs of Isle of Wight County

updated July 26, 2018


James R. Clarke, Jr. March 1, 2018- present (appointed by Court within term)

Elected July 24, 2018 partial term, Re-elected 2020-2023 full-term)


Mark A. Marshall 2012- Feb 28, 2018 (retired within term)

Charles W. Phelps 1988-2011

Benjamin F. Dixon 1966-1987

Harold C. Taylor 1956-1966

William Colgate Whitehead 1928-1955

Willie Holmes Chapman 1920-1927

Richard A. “Gus” Edwards 1910-1920

W. A. Edwards 1908-1910

Robert A. Edwards 1884-1907

Lenius B. Edwards 1874-1884

Edward J. Chapman 1871-1873

Francis Smith 1869-1870

Exum S. Eley 1866-1869

Thomas J. Clements 1861-1865

Josiah P. Gay 1857-1860 


Thomas Hall

July 1, 1852-1856 (First popular election)

-In addition his term was extended by General Assembly

appointment due to election terms being changed from

July 1 to January 1--

————————————————

John P. Thomas 1852 (until elected Sheriff took over July 1, 1852)

Watson P. Jordan 1850-1852

Josiah Eley 1848-1849

Josiah Holleman 1846-1847

James C. Jordan 1844-1845

Benjamin Drew 1842-1843

Gary Carroll 1840-1842

Augustus Ballard 1838-1839

Jacob H. Duck 1836-1837

Charles Wrenn 1834-1836

Exum Eley 1832-1833

James Johnson 1830-1831

Joseph Godwin 1828-1829

John H. Purdie 1826-1828

Andrew Woodley 1823-1826

Joseph W. Ballard 1822-1823

Isham Jordan 1820-1822

Benjamin Drew 1817-1820

Henry W. Wills 1817

Francis M. Boykin 1815-1816

James Johnson 1813-1815

Henry W. Wills 1808-1812

Dolphin Driver 1807-1808

Willis Wills 1805-1806

William Blunt 1803-1804

Thomas Jordan 1801-1802

William Eley 1801-1803

Joseph Fulgham 1799-1801

Andrew Woodley 1797-1798

Emanuel Wills 1794-1796

Francis Boykin 1792-1793

William Bridger 1791-1792

James Wills 1789-1790

Daniel Herring 1787-1788

Lawrence Baker 1785-1787

Goodrich Wilson 1783-1785

Unknown 1781-1782

Thomas Pierce 1778-1780

Brewer Godwin 1776-1778

Unknown 1775

John Scarsbrook Wills 1772-1774

John Eley, Jr. 1771-1772

Nicholas Parker 1768-1770

Michael Eley 1767-1768

Daniel Herring 1765-1766

Joseph Bridger 1763-1764

Charles Fulgham 1761-1763

John Wills 1759-1760

Dolphin Drew 1757-1758

James Bridger 1756-1757

John Applewhaite 1751-1752

Thomas Applewhaite 1749-1751

Benjamin Ruffin 1748-1749

John Dunkley 1746-1747

Howel Edmonds 1744-1745

Ethelred Taylor 1742-1743

Nathaniel Ridley 1740-1741

Thomas Jarrell, Jr. 1738-1739

Thomas Jarrell 1736-1737

Thomas Gale 1734-1735

Joseph Bridger 1732-1733

Thomas Applewhaite 1731-1732

William Kinchen 1729-1730

Hardy Council 1727-1728

Thomas Brewer 1725-1726

John Edwards 1723-1724

Thomas Walton 1721-1722

Joseph Godwin 1719-1720

George Norsworthy 1717-1718

Thomas Walton 1715-1716

Nathaniel Ridley 1713-1714

Andrew Woodley 1712-?

Humphrey Marshall 1710-1711

Henry Applewhaite 1708-1709

Nathaniel Ridley 1706-1707

William Bridger 1702-1705

John Pitt 1701-1702

Arthur Smith III 1700-1701

Anthony Holliday 1699-1700

Henry Baker 1694-?

George Moore 1693-1694

Joseph Woory 1690-1692

Unknown 1681-1689

Thomas Pitt 1680-?

Unknown 1673-1680

Thomas Woodward 1671-1672

Major John Bond 1656

John Spackman 1640-1641

Sylvester Colton 1639

Unknown 1634-1638
 

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