From the History of Henderson County KY:
Under the old constitution, the oldest serving magistrate was entitled, by rotation, to the office of sheriff, and was invariably appointed as such by the governor, and yet there is not more than one, perhaps two instances, wherein the legally appointed sheriff performed the duties of the office.
It was the custom of the magistrate receiving the appointment, even up to the adoption of the new constitution, to farm out the office – – that is to say, sell the office to some one or two parties, and take from them bond to secure him from loss.
There was no objection urged to this system until 1835, at which time Judge Thomas Towles was entitled to the office, but waived his right. Judge Towles failed to realize that this would cause complaints, but upon hearing of these complaints he tendered his resignation. The court finally accepted his resignation but with reluc-tance, not however, without passing the following order.
“Some years the County Court, having failed at the proper court to recommend a sheriff to the governor, the said Thomas Towles, being the oldest and senior justice of the said county, waived his right to the sheriffalty, and by general consent John Green was appointed sheriff for that term to which said Towles would have been en-titled, and the said Towles, by request, continued in office as a justice, and did not resign until this day, when some objections being made to the practice of justices selling the sheriffalty and holding on to the office of magistrate, he the said Towles (although urged not to do so), thereupon resigned.
The justices present reposing entire confidence in the integrity, judgment, legal knowledge, skill and ability of the said Thomas Towles, Sr. and believing his assistance as a member of the county court to be important to the interest of the county have therefore recommended him to the governor to fill the vacancy occasioned by his resignation.”
To be sheriff in those days, 1820-1835, was notice to the world that the wearer of the title was, of all men in his community, the foremost in personal courage.
A man elected to the office of sheriff cannot, by law, succeed himself. We find that the only way a sheriff may succeed himself is by the finishing the term of a sheriff who has died in office or resigned from the office for some reason. The sheriff completing that term of office then can run for election.
A Judicial Reform Amendment to the Kentucky Constitution passed the No vember election in 1975. This amendment cleared a four tier judicial system and in 1978 it gave the responsibility to the Office of the Sheriff of providing bailiffs for the District and Circuit Court. This Judicial Reform Amendment was a far reaching one and it went into effect at different times for the other judicial systems.
Sheriffs are elected for a four-year term always taking office in January of the new year.
List of Sheriff’s of Henderson County KY
Various Photos
