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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