SHERIFFS OF FLOYD COUNTY, GEORGIA

Floyd County was created by Act of December 3, 1832 out of Cherokee County. Originally it included parts of Chattooga, Polk, and Gordon Counties. Early settlers came from Tennessee, South Carolina, and older parts of Georgia. The County was named for Major General John Floyd (1794-1829). Legislator, Congressman, General of the Georgia Militia, Commander of Georgia troops against the Creeks in 1813.

Officers of Floyd County Commissioned, March 18, 1833 were:

• Andrew H. Johnston, Sheriff
• Edwin G. Rogers, Clerk Superior Court
• Phillip W. Hemphill, Clerk Inferior Court
• John Smithwicke, Surveyor
• Lemuel Milligan, Coroner

The following information was obtained from the files of the State of Georgia Archives, The Rome-Floyd County Library, the Floyd County Records Retention Center, Batty’s History of Rome and Floyd County; Aycock’s All Roads Lead to Rome, and The Rome News. 

1833
Andrew H. Johnston (1)
First Elected Sheriff (May 1833) County Seat Livingston, GA. 

1834 – 1836
William Smith (2)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 277/34 page 128, Elected on 01/06/1834

One of Rome’s five founding fathers, William Smith later held office in both houses of the Georgia state Assembly, and did much to assure the growth of the City of Rome. He was directly responsible for the building of the community’s first steamboat, for the organization of the Rome Railroad and for the coming to Rome of such able citizens as Alfred Shorter and others. (County seat moved to Rome in 1835).

1836 – 1838
William R. Williamson (3)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 277/34 Elected: 01/16/1836

1838
Wesley Shropshire (4)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 227/34 Elected: 01/18/1838

1839
Samuel T. Payne (5)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 227/35 page 349, Appointed 10/19/1839

1840
Houston Aycock (6)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 227/34 page 871 Elected: 01/11/1840

1841
Elias H. Kemp (7)

1842

Samuel T. Payne
Took Office in January 1842

1842
William Carstarpher (8)
Appointed: 05/22/1842

1842
Moses M. Liddell (9)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 227/35 page 465, Elected: 07/25/1842

1842
James McConnell (10)
Appointed: 10/2/1842

1843
Joseph Ford (11)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 277/35 page 471, Elected: 01/02/1843

1844 – 1846
Houston Aycock (6)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 277/35 page 660, Elected: 01/01/1844

1846
Edward F. B. Lumpkin (7)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 227/36 page 22, Elected: 01/05/1846

1846 – 1848
Thomas Price (12)
Secretary Of Commission Book 227/36 page 237, Elected: 03/07/1846

1848 – 1850
George W. Hanson (13)
Secretary Of State Commission Book 277/36 page 365, Elected: 01/03/1848

1850 – 1852
Thomas S. Price

1852 – 1854
Thomas G. Watters (14)
Elected: 01/02/1852

1854 – 1856
Thomas S. Price

1856 – 1858
Thomas G. Watters

1858 – 1860
William P. Williams (15)

1860 – 1862
Thomas G. Watters

1862 – 1864
H. P. Lumpkin (16)

1864 – 1866
B. F. Payne (17)

1866
John R. Towers (18)
Listed in Sectary of States Commission Book as being under Northern Rule.

1866 – 1868

Nathan Yarbrough (19)
Listed in County and Court Records of Floyd County.

Nathan Yarbrough, Mayor of Rome in 1852, some say he was the first mayor, at any rate he wasn’t satisfied, so later he was made Sheriff in 1866. Judge Joel Branham’s book of reminiscences “The Old Courthouse in Rome” describes Yarbrough as “a stout, red-faced, broad shoulder, redheaded man, abrupt in manner, firm and fearless in conduct and opinion. He later moved to Texas where he died.

1868 – 1875
S. P. Mays (20)

1871 – 1875
J. H. Lumpkin (21)

1875 – 1879
James M. Jenkins (22)

1879 – 1881
J. M. Quinn (23)

1881 – 1887
M. C. Mathis (24)

1887 – 1889
Jake C. Moore (25)

1889  – 1891
James M. Jenkins

1891 – 1895
Jake C. Moore

1895 – 1898
J. P. McConnell (26)

1898 – 1902
J. E. Camp (27)

1902 – 1905
W. G. Dunehoo (28)

1905 – 1908
Dan O. Byars (29)

1908 – 1910
T. Berry Brouch (30)

1910 – 1914
W. G. Dunehoo

(From Rome News Paper) Sheriff W. G. Dunehoo and his deputy, Mr. Wash Smith are two of the best known and most popular men in Floyd County, and the shooting of Smith by Dunehoo in Rome Monday evening was a sensational and most unfortunate occurrence. 

Dunehoo was standing for re-election and the opposing ticket was composed of two of his deputies – Mr. J.R. Barron for Sheriff, with Smith as deputy. Smith sent out cards to the voters last week intimating that Donehoo had kept him busy out of the state and promising a sober administration if elected – the latter being taken by Dunehoo as a reflection on his personal habits. 

1914 – 1916
Joe R. Barren (31)

Acts 1914, page 43, ratified November 3, 1914, effective January 1, 1917 changed two-year terms to four-year terms.

1916 – 1920
George Wash Smith (32)

1920 – 1922
Robert E. Wilson (33)

1922 – 1924
Oscar Leon Betts (34)

1924 – 1926
Robert E. Wilson

1926 – 1936
Oscar Leon Betts
Passed away June 6, 1936

1936 – 1948
Mark E. Horton (35)
Appointed June 15, 1936

1948 – 1953
D. Gilmore Johnson (36)

1953 – 1973
Joe Adams (37)
Served for 20 years

1973 – 1977
Lynn Garner (38)

1977 – 1985
Bill Hart (39)
Served for 8 years 

1985 – 1989
Wayne Atchley (40)

1989 – 1993
Mike Thornton (41)

1993 – 2004
A. Tommy Rickman (42)
Served for 12 Years 

2004 – 2020

Timothy L. Burkhalter (43) 

Served for 16 Years

2021-Present
L. Dave Roberson (44)