HINSDALE COUNTY SHERIFFS 1874 - Present
If Name is highlighted - click on it to see photo and/or other information.
(This information was originally complied in chronological order by an unknown party, but has
been updated and is in the process of being verified through County Commissioner meeting
minutes and election records by Ray Blaum)
James M. Swinney 1874-1877 (Appointed upon formation of Hinsdale County)
Henry Finley 1877-1878
James Hanrahan 1878-1880
*Edward N. Campbell 1880-1882 (Killed in Line of Duty)
Clair Smith 1882-1885 (Appointed) (Served during first Trial of Alferd Packer)
O. A. Baker 1885-1886
George F. Gardner 1886-1892
Terrance Brennan 1892-1896
D. McCafferty 1896-1897
James W. Deck 1898-1902
A. P. Truesdale 1902-1904
Harry Youmans 1904-1908
William P. Hunt 1908-1909
James W. Deck 1909-1914 (Died in Office)
Edward H. Graves (D) 1914 (Appointed)
Ben F. Hunt (R) 1914-1924
Hugh Coburn (D) 1924-1946 (Died in Office)
M. G. (Shorty) Rexroad (R) 1946-1950
Unknown
A. P. (Brick) Griffiths-(R) 1952-1954 (Resigned)
Lloyd M. (Mickey) Pavich 9/7/54-11/8/54
Glen A. Hunt (R) 1954-1955 (Killed in Car Accident)
Joseph M. Vickers (R) 1955 (Appointed/Resigned)
Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1955 - 1956 (Appointed/Resigned)
Albert Etling (R) 1956-1960 (Appointed/Resigned)
Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1/11/60-11/13/60 (Appointed/Resigned)
Maxwell D. Hersinger (R) 1960-1972 (Elected)
Charles Colopy (R) 1972-1976 (Elected/Resigned)
Thomas Atkins 1977 (Served Two Weeks - Resigned)
James Skinner (R) 1977 (Appointed)
Burton E. Smith (D) 1977-1990 (Elected)
L. Franklin Wilcox (R) 1991-1994 (Elected/Resigned)
**Roger D. Coursey (R) 8/94-11/94 (Appointed/Elected) (Killed in Line of Duty)
Raymond J. Blaum, Jr. (R) 1994-1997 (Appointed/Elected/Resigned)
William B. Denison (R) 1997- 2007 (Appointed/Elected)
Ronald D. Bruce (R) 2007 - Present (Elected)
*Sheriff Campbell was shot and killed during an attempted home burglary. Betts
& Browning, killers of Sheriff Campbell ,were lynched by a town mob from the
Ball Flats bridge on April 27, 1882 at 1:00 A.M. Sheriff Campbell was the second
Colorado peace officer killed in the line of duty.
**Sheriff Coursey was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Wilcox in
August of 1994.. He was elected as Sheriff on November 10, 1994. On
November 18, 1994, he was shot and killed instantly while stopping two
suspected bank burglars fleeing from Creede. His murder's bodies were found a
month later having committed suicide approximately one-half mile from where
they shot Sheriff Coursey.
Return to the Genealogy Page
If Name is highlighted - click on it to see photo and/or other information.
(This information was originally complied in chronological order by an unknown party, but has
been updated and is in the process of being verified through County Commissioner meeting
minutes and election records by Ray Blaum)
James M. Swinney 1874-1877 (Appointed upon formation of Hinsdale County)
Henry Finley 1877-1878
James Hanrahan 1878-1880
*Edward N. Campbell 1880-1882 (Killed in Line of Duty)
Clair Smith 1882-1885 (Appointed) (Served during first Trial of Alferd Packer)
O. A. Baker 1885-1886
George F. Gardner 1886-1892
Terrance Brennan 1892-1896
D. McCafferty 1896-1897
James W. Deck 1898-1902
A. P. Truesdale 1902-1904
Harry Youmans 1904-1908
William P. Hunt 1908-1909
James W. Deck 1909-1914 (Died in Office)
Edward H. Graves (D) 1914 (Appointed)
Ben F. Hunt (R) 1914-1924
Hugh Coburn (D) 1924-1946 (Died in Office)
M. G. (Shorty) Rexroad (R) 1946-1950
Unknown
A. P. (Brick) Griffiths-(R) 1952-1954 (Resigned)
Lloyd M. (Mickey) Pavich 9/7/54-11/8/54
Glen A. Hunt (R) 1954-1955 (Killed in Car Accident)
Joseph M. Vickers (R) 1955 (Appointed/Resigned)
Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1955 - 1956 (Appointed/Resigned)
Albert Etling (R) 1956-1960 (Appointed/Resigned)
Robert F. Wheeler (R) 1/11/60-11/13/60 (Appointed/Resigned)
Maxwell D. Hersinger (R) 1960-1972 (Elected)
Charles Colopy (R) 1972-1976 (Elected/Resigned)
Thomas Atkins 1977 (Served Two Weeks - Resigned)
James Skinner (R) 1977 (Appointed)
Burton E. Smith (D) 1977-1990 (Elected)
L. Franklin Wilcox (R) 1991-1994 (Elected/Resigned)
**Roger D. Coursey (R) 8/94-11/94 (Appointed/Elected) (Killed in Line of Duty)
Raymond J. Blaum, Jr. (R) 1994-1997 (Appointed/Elected/Resigned)
William B. Denison (R) 1997- 2007 (Appointed/Elected)
Ronald D. Bruce (R) 2007 - Present (Elected)
*Sheriff Campbell was shot and killed during an attempted home burglary. Betts
& Browning, killers of Sheriff Campbell ,were lynched by a town mob from the
Ball Flats bridge on April 27, 1882 at 1:00 A.M. Sheriff Campbell was the second
Colorado peace officer killed in the line of duty.
**Sheriff Coursey was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Wilcox in
August of 1994.. He was elected as Sheriff on November 10, 1994. On
November 18, 1994, he was shot and killed instantly while stopping two
suspected bank burglars fleeing from Creede. His murder's bodies were found a
month later having committed suicide approximately one-half mile from where
they shot Sheriff Coursey.
Return to the Genealogy Page
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