The Origin Of The Sheriff

The origin of the Sheriff is traceable to the Office of Sheriff and Constable of early English history. The Sheriff is one of the oldest political offices in England and the United States. The first Sheriff of Suffolk County was Eden Salsberry in 1670. At that time, as in England, its incumbent was regarded as a representative of the Governor rather than as a local officer. The practice of appointing Sheriff’s by the Governor continued after the American Revolution and was incorporated into the first Constitution adopted in New York in 1777. At the Constitutional Convention of 1821, the appointive Office of Sheriff was made elective. Today, the Sheriff of Suffolk County is elected to a term of four years.

 

The Sheriffs Of Suffolk County
326 years of continuous service

Eden Salsberry 1670
George Carman 1856
Josiah Hobbert 1686 Stephen Wilson 1859
John Mulford 1701 Daniel Osborn 1862
Hugh Gray 1702 George Smith 1868
John Brush 1710 J. Henry Perkins 1871
Daniel Youngs 1718 Egbert Lewis 1874
Samuel Dayton 1723 George Cooper 1877
William Sell 1728 Robert Petty 1888
Joseph Smith 1730 Selah Brewster 1883
David Corrie 1731 Henry Halsey 1886
Jacob Conklin 1734 Robert Petty 1888
Thomas Higbe 1740 A. M. Darling 1891
George Muirson 1748 John O'Brien 1894
James Muirson 1774 Benjamin Wood 1897
Thomas Wickes 1785 J. Sheridan Wells 1900
Silas Halsey 1787 Henry Preston 1903
Thomas Wickes 1791 John Wells 1906
Phinaes Carll 1799 Charles Platt 1909
Josiah Reeve 1803 Melville Brush 1912
Phinaes Smith 1807 D. Henry Brown 1913
Josiah Reeve 1808 Charles O'Dell 1914
Benjamin Brewster 1810 Amza Biggs 1917
Josiah Reeve 1811 John Kelly 1920
Benjamin Brewster 1812 Amza Biggs 1923
Josiah Reeve 1813 Burton Howe 1926
Nathaniel Conklin 1814 Ellis Taylor 1929
Josiah Reeve 1815 Joseph Warta 1932
Samuel Carll 1819 William McCollom 1935
Abraham Gardiner 1821 Jacob Dreyer 1938
Samuel Smith 1826 John Levy 1941
Abraham Gardiner 1829 William McCollom 1942
Richard Smith 1832 Charles Dominy 1957
Silas Horton 1835 Frank Gross 1962
Samuel Miller 1838 Philip Corso 1970
David Brush 1841 Donald Dilworth 1976
Henry Penny 1844 John Finnerty 1977
David Rose 1847 Eugene Dooley 1986
John Clark 1850 Patrick Mahoney 1990
Samuel Phillips 1855

Alfred C. Tisch  - 2002 to Present


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