Sheriffs were first appointed for several ‘shires’ in Virginia in the year 1634 with the same powers as such officers had in England and in 1642-43 their term was restricted to one year The Assembly of 1655 enacted that the commissioners of every county should recommend three or more to the Governor and Council, who should select from those recommended the one they thought best fitted the job of “Sheriff”, and this course was pursued all through the colonial days and long after the independence of the states.
Norfolk’s 1845 City Charter mandated that the “Sergeant” be elected for a 3-year term. It appears that the term “Sergeant” came into use when Norfolk became a Borough (1736), and remained in use until the late 1960’s when “Sheriff” replaced it.
July 15, 1640 - “Mr. Sawer” (possibly Thomas Sawyer/Sayer)
The following is the roll call of Sheriffs throughout the history of Virginia.
1645 - Capt. John Sibsey
1649 - Richard Conquest
1656 - John Porter, Jr.
No information available from 1657 through 1701
1702 - Samuel Boush
1704 - James Wilson
1705 - Matt Sperie
1714 - Jonas Holladay
1716 - John Halstead
1726 - 1727 - John Haire
1728 - 1729 - George Newton
1730 - 1731 - Nathaniel Newton
The Borough of Norfolk was formed in 1736, and “should” have had a ‘Sergeant’ or ‘Sheriff’ separate from the County Sheriff.
In many of the following years, however, only the name of the County Sheriff is documented. The Sergeant’s duties are spelled out in the Borough’s council minutes.
1738 - William Portlock
1740 - Samuel Smith
1741 - William Portlock
1744 - Thomas Nash - Norfolk Borough (Council Order Book)
1755 - George Pool
1755 - Robert Tucker
1757 - Charles Sweny
1761 - Thomas Jones, “Sub Sheriff”
1776 - Thomas Veale
1777 - David Porter
1784 - John Willoughby
1785 - William Booker
1788 - John Boush
1790 - 1791 - George Loyall
1792 - John S. Calvert
1793 - George Loyall
1794 - 1798 - James Boyce
1801 - James Boyce
1806 - Samuel Moseley
1812 - James Williams
1819 - Arthur Butt
1832 - Mordecai Cooke
1835 - Holt Wilson
In 1845 Norfolk is incorporated as a city.
1851 - 1854 - William B. Lamb
1855 - 1858 - not available
1859 - 1860 - Thomas J. Corprew
1861 - 1865 - not available
1866 - 1869 - William B. Deggs
1870 - 1871 - James H. Calrow
1872 - 1873 - J. Richard Lewellen
1874 - 1875, 1876 - 1877 - W. H. Saunders
1879 - 1880, 1883 - 1884 - A. J. Dalton
1884 - 1885, 1887 - 1888 - Frank L. Slade
1888 - 1889, 1890 - 1891 - John A. Brimmer, Jr.
1891 - 1892, 1892 - 1893 - Thomas L. Dornin
1893 - 1897 - John E. Burke
1898 - 1913 - John F. Lawler
1914 - 1917 - Claude L. Huggins
1918 - 1920, 1920 - 1921 - William M. Hannan
1922 - 1928 or 1929 - Charles H. Tumbleson
1929 or 1930 - 1938 - Charles Francis
(Francis ran for re-election in 1938, but died 2 days before Election Day.)
1938 - 1955 - Lee F. Lawler
1955 - 1958 - Hugh Lee Butler, Jr.
1958 - 1981 - Charles H. Leavitt
1982 - 1993 - David K. Mapp
1994 - Present – Robert J. McCabe