PROVOST MARSHALS AND SHERIFFS OF BATH AND BEAUFORT COUNTIES

1696-1899

Prior to 1726, Robert Route of Albemarle, was Provost Marshal of the entire province, including Bath County. On the 31^st of May, 1726, John Bonde of Bath Town was appointed Provost Marshal of Bath County, “as Mr. Route, Provost Marshal of the whole government could get no deputy to serve, and relinquished his interest in the county.”

From 1726 until, 1729 the principal law officer of Bath County was the Provost Marshal. From 1729, when Beaufort Precinct became a county, and Bath County ceased to exist, until 1738, the principal law officer for Beaufort County was the Provost Marshal. Other early settlers who are known to have served as Provost Marshal of Bath and Beaufort Counties included Benjamin Peyton (1731) and Robert Tripp.

In 1738 the title of the principal law officer of Beaufort County was changed from Provost Marshal to Sheriff, or High Sheriff. “Pursuant to late law,” William Ormond was appointed as the first Sheriff of Beaufort County.

Other sheriffs who followed William Ormond, and the years in which they served, are listed below. These names and dates were obtained from the Deed books in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Beaufort County, and are based upon land sold by the sheriff and recorded in these books. There may be some error as to the dates, due to delay in recording sheriff sales.

1738-1739 William Ormond

1738-1740 William Barrow

1740-1754 No Record

1754-1755 Thomas Williams

1755-1758 James Ellison

1762-1764 Thomas Bonner

1760-1762 James Ellison

1762-1764 Thomas Respess

1764-1769 Roger Ormond

1769-1771 Thomas Respess

1771-1780 Alderson Ellison

1780-1784 No Record

1784-1785 Richard Respess

1785-1786 Alderson Ellison

1786-1787 David Perkins

1787-1788 Edmond McKeel

1788-1791 John Kennedy

1791-1792 John Smaw

1792-1793 John Kennedy

1793-1794 Isaiah Woodard

1794-1795 John Smaw

1795-1796 John Kennedy

1796-1797 Lewis Blount

1797-1798 Isaiah Woodard

1798-1799 Lewis Blount

1799-1801 James Bonner

1801-1806 Stephen Owens

1806-1807 William Smaw

1807-1808 Slade Pearce

1808-1810 Thomas Ellison

1810-1813 Slade Pearce

1813-1814 William Smaw

1814-1815 Thomas Ellison

1815-1816 William Smaw

1816-1817 Slade Pearce

1817-1818 William Smaw

1818-1821 Allen Grist

1821-1822 Stephen Owens

1822-1823 Allen Grist

1823-1826 Stephen Owens

1826-1827 Allen Grist

1827-1828 Stephen Owens

1828-1829 Slade Pearce

1829-1830 E. Clark

1830-1831 Allen Grist

1831-1832 Stephen Owens

1832-1838 Allen Grist

1838-1839 William D. Roscoe

1839-1845 Allen Grist

1845-1855 Henry A. Ellison

1855-1860 Jarvis B. Harding

1860-1867 No Record

1867-1870 S. T. Carrow

1870-1871 F. J. Satchwell

1871-1874 W.B. Campbell

1874-1876 F.J. Satchwell

1876-1878 S.T. Carrow

1878-1881 F.J. Satchwell

1881-1883 S.T. Carrow

1883-1899 R.T. Hodges

Abstracted By Tracy Smith on 5-28-2000 a descendant of Isaiah Woodard

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