History of Sheriff's Office

This page is a work in progress.  If you have any pictures of past Sheriff's you could share, please contact the Sheriff's Office.

 

As told by the Heritage of Autauga County, Alabama; Volume 1; published in 2001:

Autauga County is located in the central part of Alabama. The county also held a central role in the Indian or aboriginal history of the state, its political history, agricultural history, and early industrial development.

Early settlers entered Autauga County after the Creek Indian War terminated in 1814 with the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. They sought farmland and homesteads in the fertile soil of the area. The influx of settlers resulted in the formation of Alabama Territory separate from Mississippi in 1817. Seven counties were formed with St. Stephens becoming the capital. The area was originally part of Montgomery County, but the territorial legislature at St. Stephens created the new county of Autauga on November 21, 1818. Alabama became the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. Autauga is thus a county older than the state. By Act of December 13, 1820 it borders in the north and north-west were enlarged. The borders of Old Autauga reached from Wetumpka and the Coosa River on the east, to near Clanton on the north.

The Act that created Autauga County provided that for the time being court should be held at Jackson’s Mill on Autauga Creek. However, the legislation also contained the traditional escape clause of that era. If there was a lack of necessary buildings for holding of court at Jackson’s Mill, then court could “adjourn to such other places contiguous thereto as may seem proper.” Little is known of this first court site.

The town of Washington (named for George Washington) was established on the former Indian village of Atagi in 1817. In 1819 a group of investors purchased land at this location and offered to give Autauga County land for the courthouse and jail if the courthouse were located at Washington. Washington became the first permanent county seat of Autauga County. A brick courthouse was constructed between 1820 and 1821. The jail was constructed of hewed logs and double built. A key supposedly to this jail was plowed up in the early 1950’s on the farm of Oscar Jones. The first sheriff of Autauga County was Captain J. P. House. Only crumbled brick walls remain of this town, which is located on property owned today by International Paper.

The county seat was moved to a more central location to the town of Kingston in August 1832. In 1833, a man named Daniel Pratt and his wife moved into Autauga County.

Following the War Between the States, Autauga County was reduced in area and population. In 1866, Elmore County was created from land taken from eastern Autauga County. In 1868, Baker County (later called Chilton) was created with land taken from northern Autauga County.

Since Prattville was the center of wealth, population, and business activity in Autauga County, in 1868 the legislature named Prattville the final county seat of Autauga County. Daniel Pratt built the first Prattville courthouse in 1870, which still stands today at, 147 South Court Street. The jail was located behind the courthouse building.

The first Prattville courthouse and jail sold in 1905 for $5,000, and those proceeds were applied to the cost of the second and present Prattville courthouse and jail located at, 134 North Court Street. The courthouse is two stories in height, and is constructed of buff-colored brick with a four story clock tower. The net cost of the courthouse and jail was $84,000.

 

The list of Sheriffs of Autauga County was provided from the book: OLD AUTAUGA Portrait of A Deep South County, written by Larry W. Nobles, published in 2000.

JACOB P. HOUSE – 1819 – 1821

JACOB P. HOUSE was born 1798, in Wilkes County, Georgia. He was in the war of 1812, and was discharged in the spring of 1815, at Fort Jackson on the Alabama River. House had the first corn raised in Autauga superintended by a white man.

JACOB was Sheriff of Autauga for two terms, being first appointed by Gov. Bibb, and then elected for the second term by the people. He was one of the company owning land when Washington, the first county seat site was located on the Alabama river.

 

JOEL TATUM – 1821 – 1825

JORDAN ABBOTT – 1825 – 1828

DUNCAN MCLEAN – 1828 – 1831

EDMUND SHACKLEFORD – 1831 – 1837

ALEXANDER SAMPLES – 1837 – 1840

SAMUEL J. WALLACE – 1840 – 1842

MOSES CLEPPER – 1842 – 1846

JAMES CLEPPER – 1846 – 1849

JOHN K. TERRY – 1849 – 1852

JAMES A. LAULER – 1852 – 1861

JOHN RUCKER – 1861 – 1864

WILLIAM B. JACKSON – 1864 – 1866

A. G. STEWART – 1866 - 1868

PATE H. WHETSTONE – 1868-1872

 

W. I. BOONE – 1872 – 1874

B. H. BOONE – 1874 – 1877

J. B. SIMMONS – 1877 – 1878

THOMAS L. FAULKNER – 1878 – 1880

W. L. KNOX – 1880

GEORGE C. SPIGNER – 1880 – 1896

W. H. SLAUGHTER – 1896 – 1900

P. A. DUNN – 1900 – 1903

G. A. MCWILLIAMS – 1903 – 1907

JOE A. CHAMBLISS – 1907 – 1911

V. A. SPENNEY – 1911 – 1915

D. B. CHAMBLISS – 1915 – 1919

G. P. WALL – 1919 – 1923

D. B. CHAMBLISS – 1923 – 1927

R. H. WEEK – 1927 – 1931

D. B. CHAMBLISS – 1931 – 1935

A. E. STEWART – 1935 – 1949

GLYNN JONES – 1949 - 1951

GEORGE A. GRANT – 1951-1955

CLYDE WHITE – 1955-1958

 

GEORGE A. GRANT – 1958 – 1967

 

PHILLIP B. WOOD JR. – 1967 – 1971

 

 

ROBERT L. TURNER – 1971-1991

 

 

JAMES W. “HERBIE” JOHNSON – 1991-2015

 

 

JOSEPH W. SEDINGER - 2015 - 2022