Sheriffs

contributed by Joe Tafolla
extracted from a book entitled Texas County Sheriffs by Sammy Tise, published by Oakwood Printing, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1989

* information provided by Sheriff Lionel Treviño

Frio County was created in 1858 from Atascosa, Bexar and Uvalde Counties and was named for the Frio River. The county was organized in 1871 with Frio Town as the county seat. Pearsall became the county seat in 1883. There have been twenty-two men who have served as sheriff, one of them three different times (Harkness), and one 6 consecutive terms (Sanders).

E. C. WOOLRIDGE was appointed the first sheriff on June 1, 1871 and served until March 2, 1872 when he apparently resigned. There was no record in the State election Register on who served from March 1872-November 1872.

C. J. EMSLEY was elected on November 8, 1872 and served until March 26, 1873 when he resigned.

W. H. HILER was elected on June 9, 1873 and served until February 15, 1876.

JACOB B. VINTON was elected on February 15, 1876 and served until November 5, 1878.

J. C. B. HARKNESS was elected on November 5, 1878; re-elected November 2, 1880 and served until November 7, 1882.

W. C. DAUGHERTY was elected on November 7, 1882; re-elected November 4, 1884, November 2, 1886, November 6, 1888 and served until November 4, 1890.

J. C. B. HARKNESS was elected a second time on November 4, 1890 and served until November 8, 1892.

J. W. DURBIN was elected on November 8, 1892; re-elected November 6, 1894 and served until November 3, 1896.

J. C. B. HARKNESS was elected a third time on November 3, 1896; re-elected November 8, 1998 and served until November 6, 1900.

J. T. KINSEL was elected on November 6, 1900; re-elected November 4, 1902 and served until November 8, 1904.

J. J. LITTLE was elected on November 8, 1904 and served until November 6, 1906.

J. M. RIGGAN was elected on November 6, 1906; re-elected November 3, 1908 and served until November 8, 1910.

JOHN L. HESS was elected on November 8, 1910; re-elected November 5, 1912 and served until November 3, 1914.

E. E. COLEMAN was elected on November 3, 1914; re-elected November 7, 1916 and served until November 5, 1918.

HUGH APPLEWHITE was elected on November 5, 1918 and served until November 2, 1920.

J. E. WEATHERS was elected on November 2, 1920; re-elected November u7, 1922 and served until January 1, 1925.

H. L. BROOKS was elected on November 4, 1924; re-elected November 2, 1926 and served until January 1, 1929.

JOHN W. SUTTON was elected on November 6, 1928; re-elected November 4, 1930, November 8, 1932 and served until January 1, 1935.

M. I. TAYLOR was elected on November 6, 1934 and served until January 1, 1937.

WARREN SMITH was elected on November 3, 1936; re-elected November 8, 1938, November 5, 1940, November 3, 1942, November 7, 1944, November 5, 1946 and served until January 1, 1949. He served a total of twelve years.

JESSE LEO DOBBS was elected on November 2, 1948; re-elected November 7, 1950, November 4, 1952, November 2, 1954, November 6, 1956, November 8, 1960 and served until June 30, 1962 when he resigned. He served a total of thirteen years and six months.

J. M. "MIT" SHEARER, JR was appointed on July 5, 1962; was elected November 6, 1962 and served until June 30, 1963 when he resigned.

WILLIE J. ALLEY was appointed on July 15, 1963 and served until January 1, 1965.

BENNY C. SANDERS was elected on November 3, 1964; re-elected November 5, 1968, November 7, 1972, November 2, 1976, November 4, 1980, November 6, 1984 and served until January 1, 1989. Sheriff Sanders served twenty-four years, which is the longest in the history of the county.

*
GABRIEL DEL TORO, JR. was elected on November 8, 1988. He served until January 1, 1993*.

CARL HENRY BURRIS was elected in November 1992 and assumed office on January 1, 1993; was re-elected in November 1996 and served until January 1, 2001*.

LIONEL TREVIñO was elected in November 2000 and assumed office on January 1, 2001; was re-elected during the primary of 2004 and has no opponent for the general election of 2004*.