Edgefield County Sheriff History - Edgefield County Sheriff`s Office

Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office History
Before the year 1785, Edgefield County was a part of Ninety-Six District, which then
included a very extensive territory in the upper part of the State. By the Act of the Legislature of that
year, March 12, 1785, Ninety-Six was divided into the Counties, afterwards called Districts, of
Edgefield, Abbeville, Newberry, Laurens, Union, and Spartanburg.
In1790, Edgefield’s first sheriff was elected and the Edgefield District Sheriff’s Office was
thus established. The Sheriff’s are as follows:
Samuel Mays
1790-1794
Jeremiah Hatcher
1795-1798
Sampson Butler
1798-1804
John C. Allen
1804-1808
Jeremiah Hatcher
1808-1812
James M. Butler
1812-1816
Jeremiah Hatcher
1816-1820
Edmond B. Belcher
1820-1826
William Thurmond
1826-1830
Edmond B. Belcher
1830-1832
Edmond B. Belcher
1832-1834 (Term completed by Oliver Towels)
William H. Moss
1834-1840
Simeon Christie
1840-1844
Humphrey Boulware 1844-1848
Simeon Christie
1848-1852
Lewis Jones
1852-1856
James Eidson
1856-1860
Lewis Jones
1860-1862
William Spires
1862-1866
Isaac Boles
1866-1868
John H. McDevitt
1868-1872
Hardy Wall
1872-1874
Jas. A. Richardson
1874-1876
John T. Gaston
1876-1880
W. H. Ouzts
1880-1906 (Longest serving Sheriff)
W. G. Ouzts
1906-1912 (son of previous Sheriff)
W. R. Swearingen
1912-1928
L. H. Harling
1928-1940
W. D. Allen
1940-1941 (On Sunday, Nov. 16, 1941, newly elected Sheriff Wad Allen and
Deputy W.L. “Doc” Clark picked up the warrants from magistrate A.L.
Kemp and headed for Sue Logue's home.
But someone had warned George Logue that the law was on the way. Logue
and a sharecropper, Fred Dorn, ambushed the two officers. Sheriff Allen died
after being shot in the head and Deputy Clark was shot in the stomach and
arm. Clark was able to wound both men before staggering from the house and
making his way to Highway 378 where he was picked up by a passing
motorist.
Gov. R.M Jeffries later ordered state patrolmen and deputies from Saluda
County to arrest Logue and Dorn.
With dozens of officers surrounding the house, and officials wanting to avert
further bloodshed, they appealed to then local Circuit Court Judge Strom
Thurmond, a Logue family friend, to try to reason with the Logues. Thurmond
walked alone across the yard and into the house. The Logues followed his
advice and surrendered a short time later.
Two days later, Deputy Clark died. Four months later, George, Sue and
Bagwell were tried for Timmerman's murder. The three-day trial was held in
Lexington County with Solicitor Griffith serving as prosecutor.
The jury took only two hours to convict the trio.
On Jan. 15, 1943, Sue Logue was electrocuted. One book reports that Strom
Thurmond accompanied Sue on the trip to the “death house” and had relations
with her during the trip, according to Thurmond’s driver interviewed for the
book. Sue Logue was the first and only woman to die in the electric chair
in South Carolina.
Less than an hour after Sue was executed, George and Bagwell took their place
in the electric chair)
A. J. White
1944-1949 (Died of a stroke - Sheriff of Edgefield County, South Carolina for
many years. A. J. (Jack) White was known to many citizens of the county as a
man who was in every way, well qualified for his job. He served for 8 years as
Chief of Police for the Town of Edgefield and he performed his duty so well
that he was described as "One of the best peace officers in South Carolina."
That was high praise, but his record stood behind it. His record as a law
enforcement officer was his best recommendation for his office as sheriff.
Jack White was a man of high character. He was polite and courteous in all of
his dealings with the public. He gave his full time to his job - whatever it was.
On duty or off he never hesitated to answer with capable and fearless service in
the cause of law and order.
Grace White
1949-1952 (On November 30, 1949, the legislative delegation having
recommended her appointment to the governor, an official in the office of the
governor informed respondent by long distance telephone that she would be
appointed sheriff of Edgefield County to fill the unexpired term of her
deceased husband, and that the necessary papers — bond, oath, etc. — were
being forwarded to her for execution. These papers were duly received by her,
signed and returned to the office of the governor, and on December 9, 1949,
she was duly commissioned as sheriff of Edgefield County for the unexpired
term. She was the 1st and only female Sheriff of Edgefield County, SC.)
C. R. Jackson, Jr.
1952-1964
H. H. Griffis, Sr.
1964-1980 (Began construction on a new Sheriff’s Office / Jail, moving
from the quarters inside the Edgefield County Courthouse.
1979 Sheriff’s Office / Jail in Edgefield County Courthouse.
1979 – Construction of new Sheriff’s Office / Jail
R. Billy Parker
1980-2000 (Completed the new Sheriff’s Office / Jail, increased sworn
deputies, and led Edgefield County for 20 years. Before his retirement at the
end of 2000, Sheriff Parker made the addition of an Emergency 911 facility,
which is named in his honor)
New Office
1982 – Sheriff Parker
1988 – Sheriff Parker and
Deputy Mike Goodman.
September 19, 2000 – Deputy Allen “Pete” Myers killed in the line of
duty.
"I've been here over 30 years, and this is the first time something like this has
happened," the sheriff said. "We're all just walking around in shock."
Deputy Allen "Pete" Myers, 29, died in a traffic accident at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday on South Carolina
Highway 23 just east of Ridge Spring in Saluda County. The deputy was taking a juvenile to the
Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia when a Ford van driven by Alejandro Perez, 42, of
Monetta, crossed the center line and struck the officer's patrol car, South Carolina Highway Patrol
Lance Cpl. Jeff Daniels said.
The deputy's car overturned several times and landed in a peach orchard. He and the juvenile
passenger were wearing seat belts, but Deputy Myers was pronounced dead at the scene, the lance
corporal said.
Mr. Perez and the juvenile were taken to Palmetto-Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, where
they were treated for minor injuries and released, officials said.
Charges are pending against Mr. Perez, whom police suspect had been drinking, Lance Cpl. Daniels
said.
Narcotics agent Mike Goodman went to Deputy Myers' home Tuesday night to console his wife,
Sheila, and the couple's 11-month-old son, Allen Joseph.
"She was hysterical," Agent Goodman said.
Deputy Myers had lived with his family in Saluda County, where his wife works for the county
school system as a public relations executive. He began his law enforcement career with the Saluda
County Sheriff's Office in 1997, then took a job as a deputy with the Edgefield County Sheriff's
Office last October. He worked the road patrol on the evening shift.
Shocked by his death, fellow officers recalled his life Wednesday.
"Pete always had something positive to say to everyone, and he loved kids. He always carried photos
of his son in his patrol car," Agent Goodman said.
"Deputy Myers was an excellent officer," said Deputy Chris Aston, who had worked with the young
officer in Saluda and Edgefield. "He was always bright and cheerful, and he never had anything
negative to say. He was a good, Christian family man."
Sgt. Randy Doran spent Wednesday mourning the loss of his partner. He had worked the evening
shift with Deputy Myers for nearly a year.
"He will be deeply missed," the sergeant said. "Pete was a good partner who was always there when
you needed him."
"He was a very good officer who was always polite and professional," said Capt. Beverly Shields,
who said she was still numb from shock. "Pete always looked at every situation with a positive
attitude. This is a great loss to the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office."
Adell Dobey
2001-present (He became the 1st black Sheriff of Edgefield County)
Sheriff Dobey has spent most of his life serving the public and protecting
others. He has served with the US Marine Corps, Aiken County Sheriff's
Office, Edgefield County Sheriff's Office, Wackenhut Security at SRS, and
then returned to the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Dobey was a
Lieutenant in the Training Division before running for the Office of Sheriff in
the Fall of 2000. He assumed office on January 1, 2001 and has been re-elected
twice since. During his time in office, Sheriff Dobey has remodeled and
updated the Detention Center, obtained funds to place more deputies on patrol,
created the SWAT and Bloodhound teams, and added a Forensic Investigator.
Sheriff Dobey's continuing goal is to protect and serve the citizens of Edgefield
County with a professional and dedicated staff of employees.
Sheriff Dobey, before the election, was a Training Division Lieutenant.
2001
2001
A few other pictures from Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office past:
Sheriff Andrew Jackson White just before his election.
Badges of Sheriff A.J. White and his wife, Sheriff Grace R. White Mobley.
Sheriff A.J. White finds an illegal liquor operation.
Present-day view of old chain gang.
Quotes of Edgefield from the late 1800’s.
1980 – Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office in the Courthouse.
Edgefield Police Chief A.J. White (far right) before being elected Sheriff. The officers are standing in
front of the Edgefield County Courthouse.