Sheriffs of Brown County
1857 - 2008

The first term of sheriff in 1856, after the county was officially established, was served by R. M. Potter.  During his term of office, the first taxes were collected in Brown County, yielding $66.
Name
Reuben C. Williams 
R. M. Williams 
F. A. Baugh 
Cresham Lee 
Term Began 
March 21, 1857
August 12, 1858
August 18, 1860
August 15, 1852
Notes
There were no elections in Brown County between June 25, 1866 until January 13, 1873 due to Reconstruction.  The military exercised authority until Governor Davis assumed civil control in 1869. Brown County couldn't keep a sheriff from 1871 to 1873, as there were too many problems.
James M. Johnson
Gresham Lee
Gresham Lee
Welcome W. Chandler
Welcome W. Chandler
J. H. Counts
Gresham Lee
J. H. Counts
J. H. Counts
Gresham Lee
J. H. Gideon
R. B. Willson
R. B. Willson
R. B. Willson
W. N. Adams
W. N. Adams
W. N. Adams
Nat Perry
W. Y. Pearce
Charles Bell
Charles Bell
Charles Bell *1
G. W. Batton
M. H. Denman
M. H. Denman
M. H. Denman
Frank Emison
Frank Emison
M. H. Denman
M. H. Denman
Hugh N. Davis
Hugh N. Davis
R. B. Pugh
R. B. Pugh
Bert Hise *2
Bert Hise
Fred Wise
M. H. Denman
M. H. Denman
W. E. Hallmark
W. E. Hallmark
W. E. Hallmark
Earl Stewart
Earl Stewart
Earl Stewart
Earl Stewart
Otis F. Shaw
Otis F. Shaw
Ray E. Masters
Ray E. Masters
Ray E. Masters
Ray E. Masters
Joe R. Townsend
Joe R. Townsend
Joe R. Townsend
Joe R. Townsend
Joe R. Townsend
Joe R. Townsend
Danny J. Neal
Danny J. Neal
Danny J. Neal
Danny J. Neal
Melvin Stovall
Melvin Stovall
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
W. B. (Bill) Donahoo
Glynn Smith
Glynn Smith
Glynn Smith
Glynn Smith
Bobby Grubbs
Bobby Grubbs
Bobby Grubbs
Bobby Grubbs
George Munson Caldwell, Jr.
Vance Walton Hill
Vance Walton Hill
Vance Walton Hill
Vance Walton Hill
May 16, 1868 - Appointed by Gen. Buchanan
December 3, 1868 -Appointed by Gov. Davis
1869 - Re-appointed
January 25, 1871 - Appointed
February 21, 1871 - Appointed
March 8, 1871 - "Cannot qualify"
March 21, 1871 - Removed from office by District Judge on September 18, 1871.
Late 1971
January 13, 1872 - Re-appointed
July 22, 1872 - Resigned July 13, 1873
Date unknown (1973) - In office only a short time
December 2, 1873
April 18, 1876
December 1, 1878
November 23, 1880
November 27, 1882
January 1, 1885
January 1, 1887
January 1, 1889
January 1, 1891
December 1, 1892
December 2, 1894
January 1, 1897
January 1, 1899 - Jail built under his tenure
January 1, 1901
January 1, 1903 - First to live in old jail
January 1, 1905 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1907
January 1, 1909 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1911
January 1, 1913 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1915
January 1, 1917 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1919
January 1, 1921 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1923
January 1, 1925 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1927 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1929
January 1, 1931 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1933
January 1, 1935
January 1, 1937 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1939
January 1, 1941
January 1, 1943
January 1, 1945 - Lived in old jail
January 1, 1947 - Fall of 1948 - Moved out of old jail
January 1, 1949 - Moved into old jail
January 1, 1953
January 1, 1955
Fall of 1960 - Moved out of old jail
January 1, 1961
January 1, 1963
January 1, 1965
January 1, 1967
January 1, 1969
January 1, 1971 - Last to have lived in old jail apartment.
January 1, 1973
January 1, 1975
January 1, 1977
January 1, 1979
January 1, 1981
January 1, 1983 -Old jail closed and prisoners moved to a new jail 7/83.
January 1, 1985
January 1, 1987
January 1, 1989
January 1, 1991
January 1, 1993
January 1, 1995
January 1, 1997 -Jail built under his tenure
January 1, 1999
January 1, 2001 
January 1, 2003
January 1, 2005
January 1, 2007
January 1, 2009
January 1, 2011
September 28, 2015 to November 27, 2016
November 27, 2016 
January 1, 2017 
January 1, 2018,
January 1, 2019
Go Here for Photos of Sheriffs
*1   Sheriff Charlie Bell was killed in 1897 by a man named Yarborough, whom the sheriff and his men were attempting to arrest at a hotel and who shot the Sheriff through the door.  The deputy kicked in the door and shot Yarborough.  Later the deputy was shot in another raid.
*2   Sheriff Bert Hise was awarded a medal by the NAACP for defusing a mob that came to Brownwood from Coleman to form a lunching party.  They were met at the county line in the middle of the road by Sheriff Hise with a shotgun.

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