Decatur County IA Sheriffs ~ 1850-2014
Sheriffs list from Decatur County Historical Society file.
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CHARLES C. BECK Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa January 02, 1895 Sheriff BECK had an exciting experience on Christmas day, which he will remember for many years to come, as a gang of Missouri toughs tried to kidnap him and very nearly succeeded. The trouble all grew out of the famous state line cases, which have already cost the litigants a small fortune, and the present prospect are good for more trouble. Last January Howard MOORE, who lives just across the line in Missouri, was indicted by the Decatur County Grand Jury charged with kidnapping, but the officers were unable to arrest him, as he did not come across the line into Iowa. Last Saturday Sheriff BECK went down and watched for him until Monday, when he was MOORE start from his house and go down a lane which is on the Iowa side. Sheriff BECK rushed up on him and grappled with him, and after a rough and a tumble time of it, succeeded in making the arrest and brought his man to Leon, where he was placed under bonds of $1,500. On Tuesday he hired a livery rig and with Asberry PRICE as driver, he and Sheriff BECK, went down to Lineville to have his bond signed. This was duly accomplished and MOORE was released. Sheriff BECK placed the bond in his pocket and just then a young fellow named SUMMERS, asked him to step across the line to his drug store to see his father, who was an old friend of Sheriff BECK, who he said was sick. No sooner was Sheriff BECK inside the building, than a gang of about twenty of the MOORE crowd jumped on him and tried to take the bond from him, and would probably have succeeded had not Asberry PRICE stepped in and shoved a pistol in the leader’s face. This gave the Sheriff time to draw his weapon and he and PRICE backed off across the line into Iowa where the crowd dared not follow. It was a narrow escape for Charley and he will be a little cautious in the future how he goes over the line. KENNETH MEEK Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa 50 YEARS AGO ~ Dec. 2, 1954 Kenneth MEEK is the new Decatur County Sheriff elect and has appointed Gale McCLURE of Grand River as his deputy. Willa BRYANT is the new county recorder and has chosen Martin CESLER as her deputy. Owen McCLAIN is the new county auditor and will have as his assistant Eloise REYNOLDS. All officers will be sworn in Jan. 3. ~ ~ ~ ~ Christmas Day was marred here by the knifing of Deputy Sheriff Kenneth A. MEEK and Raymond VANDERPOOL, night marshall of Leon, late Saturday night following trouble at the Anderson Café and Tavern on Main Street, caused by Leon FRAZIER, 29, a roofer in Leon. Both MEEK and VANDERPOOL recovered, only stitches were required to heal the wounds. FRAZIER was later apprehended by Missouri State Troopers. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1955 KENNETH MEEK resigned as Decatur County Sheriff. The Board appointed Deputy GALE MCCLURE as the new Sheriff. GALE MCCLURE Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1955 Gale McCLURE, Decatur County Sheriff, appointed Emmett C. CRAIG, of Leon as deputy sheriff. DERAL “SLIM” HOUCK Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1976 Sheriff Slim HOUCK stated this week the new Decatur County Law Enforcement program will go into effect at midnight Saturday, June 30. The radio operators who will be working in shifts are Jim DURELL, W. R. LINDSEY, and Bob CRAIG. Deputy Sheriffs appointed are L. C. POUSH, Raymond VANDERPOOL, Bob HENDERSON, Terry HAINLINE, Jeff EVERSON, and Kenneth HILL. Tony CRANDELL is first deputy. ~ ~ ~ ~ 25 YEARS AGO ~ Feb. 9, 1978 Sheriff Deral ‘Slim’ HOUCK tendered his resignation as Decatur County Sheriff to the Decatur County Board of Supervisors. His termination will be effective the latter part of the month. HOUCK has accepted the job as Iowa State Jail Inspector for the western one-third of the State from the Minnesota border to the Missouri border and from Ringgold County to the western boarder. HOUCK came to the sheriff’s department in 1960 and took over sheriff when Gale McCLURE resigned. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa February 12, 1976 GATHERING DATA Lt. Bob DELAHUNT of the Los Angeles, Calif., sheriff’s department (seated) is gathering data for a reporter for the National Sheriff’s Association from Sheriff Slim HOUCK (standing) and Deputy CRANDELL at the sheriff’s office Monday. Lt. DELANHUNT is visiting the sheriff departments in many states after having been granted a leave of absence for one year, to visit, gather information and complete his report for the association. ~ ~ ~ ~ 1978 Sheriff “Slim’ HOUCK left the office of Sheriff of Decatur County this past weekend and reported for training for the job he has taken as State Jail Inspector. Deputy L. C. POUSH is acting sheriff until a person can be named sheriff to fill out the term of HOUCK. KENT STOCKHAM Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa March, 1978 The Decatur County Board of Supervisors acting under their official capacity selected Kent STOCKHAM to fill our term of office as sheriff of Decatur County due to the resignation of Sheriff “Slim’ HOUCK. ~ ~ ~ ~ Following the examination by an inspector from the State Department of Social Services, the Decatur County Jail at Leon was officially closed Wednesday, March 15. This jail was one of 23 others in the state which were classified as ‘poor’ by the inspectors. Currently, if anyone is arrested and needs jail, they will have to be jails at either Creston, Osceola, or possibly Centerville. The first wooden jail was constructed in Leon in the early 1800’s and it was abandoned in 1884 and soon after a brick structure, which is now the present jail was constructed and put into use. The cost of the jail, when constructed, was $12,000. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1979 Sheriff Kent STOCKHAM stated that since the Decatur county Jail was constructed in the courthouse, it has practically paid for itself. Approximately 350 days of jail time have been spent in it. The cost to send prisoners to other jails would have been $13 a day to Clarke County and $15 a day to Union County. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa September, 1979 Due to too many hours and the lack of manpower, Kent STOCKHAM, Decatur County Sheriff, has turned in his resignation of the Decatur County Board of Supervisors. Deputy Steve LAYTON was appointed interim sheriff. STEVE LAYTON Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1979 Steve LAYTON, who has been serving as interim sheriff since the resignation of Sheriff Kent STOCKHAM, has been unanimously appointed by the Decatur County Board of Supervisors as Decatur County Sheriff to complete the term of STOCKHAM which is in the Fall of 1980. REX KELLY Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, 1979 Deputy Rex KELLY of Davis City has been appointed chief deputy of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department. The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Wednesday, June 25, 1986 Rex Kelley Named Acting Sheriff Announcement was made this week by the Decatur County Board of Supervisors that Rex Kelley has been named acting sheriff for the county. The action was taken following the resignation of Sheriff Steve Layton, who indicated that he will be pursing other interests. Kelley, a thirteen year veteran of the force, has held the post of Chief Deputy for over eight years. A long-time resident of Davis City, Kelley resides there with his wife Margaret Louise. The couple have four children. Other changes were also made due to the resignation. Kelley announced that Dale Killpack, another veteran of the force, has been names as First Deputy, while Mike Martin will assume the role of Investigator. Martin will replace Ken Peck who has requested to be returned to night patrol. The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Wednesday, July 09, 1986 Board Appoints Acting Sheriff The Decatur County Board of Supervisors today announced the appointment of Chief Deputy Rex Kelley as Acting Sheriff effective July 1, 1986. The duration of this appointment will be until such time as a sheriff may by elected. This appointment is in keeping with Chapter 331.651 of the 1985 Code of Iowa, which reads as follows: "331.651 'Office of county Sheriff.' "1. The office of sheriff is an elective office except that if a vacancy occurs in the office, the first deputy shall assume the office after qualifying as provided in this section and shall hold the office until a successor is appointed to the unexpired term as provided in chapter 69. If a sheriff is suspended from office, the district court may appoint a sheriff until a temporary appointment is made by the board as provided in section 66.19. "2. A person elected or appointed to the office of sheriff shall qualify by taking the oath of office as provided in section 63.10 and give bond as provided in section 64.8. "3. The term of office of sheriff is four years." NOTE: Rex Kelley was acting sheriff until Fred Buckingham was sworn into office in 1986. Submission by Decatur County Historical Museum, Sara Rose Joan LeFleur, June of 2016 MIKE McCONNELL Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa June 03, 1992 McCONNELL AND JONES FACE OF IN FALL SHERIFF’S RACE A light voter turnout in the Primary Election saw one big race in Decatur County for the office of sheriff. Incumbent Fred BUCKINGHAM was seeking re-election on the Democratic ticket but was defeated by Mike MCCONNELL. MCCONNELL tallied 507 voters to BUCKINGHAM’s 357 votes. On the Republican side, Jerry JONES defeated Jon BARENY 270 to 206. Submission by Sara Rose Joan LeFleur for Decatur County Historical Society March 02, 2014 Additional notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2014 |
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