List of first female sheriffs in the United States

As of 2026, 47 of 50 U.S. states have had a female county sheriff. Most early female sheriffs were widows appointed to fill out the unexpired term of a spouse. The first female sheriff was appointed in Missouri in 1895, and such occurrences, while still not common, became more prevalent by the 1920s. The first female sheriff to be elected to office instead of only appointed occurred in 1919. 47 U.S. states elect sheriffs, and at least 43 U.S. states have elected a female sheriff.

History

Helen C. Stewart, appointed sheriff of Greene County, Missouri, in August 1895, first female sheriff in the United States

In smaller rural counties in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not unusual for the wife of the sheriff to assist her husband in the running of the office by doing administrative work, overseeing jail inmates, and other tasks.[1] For example, as far back as 1870, newspapers reported that a Mrs. J.H. Latty of Des Moines County, Iowa, in working with her husband sheriff, was in effect "a woman sheriff, or at least a woman Deputy Sheriff," and described her management of the county jail, foiling of a prisoner escape attempt, flogging prisoners for using "profane and boisterous language", and delivering a prisoner to the state penitentiary by herself.[2] Since the wives of sheriffs knew about all aspects of the job of being sheriff, when a sheriff unexpectedly died either through illness or in the line of duty, in some cases a sheriff's widow would be appointed to fill an unexpired term, or until a special election could be held.[3]

Cora Kilborn, first woman sheriff in Kansas, appointed November 1918

The first woman who officially served as sheriff in any state in the United States was Helen C. Stewart in Greene County, Missouri, who was appointed on 9 August 1895 after her husband died of illness.[4] She was only to serve until a special election could be held the next month, but the decision of who to appoint was hotly debated. The deceased sheriff had a son who was not yet 21, and doubts were raised as to whether a woman—who could not vote—could legally serve as sheriff.[5][6] The three county judges who had to make the decision of who to appoint eventually voted for the widow, with one judge abstaining. Her brief tenure in office was controversial. When "Mrs. Sheriff Stewart" fired the county jailor, who was the brother of the abstaining judge, he refused to confirm her replacement. But another of the county judges eventually allowed the appointment.[7][8] Stewart's appointment drew brief national attention. Though most newspapers just pointed to the novelty of the event, the Atlanta Constitution was compelled to speak out, crying that a "community which chooses a woman for sheriff is marching back into a state of barbarism."[9] The Cleveland Plain-Dealer found that absurd: "What particular era, epoch, age or condition of barbarism had women sheriffs? Are why are you afraid of a woman sheriff, anyway?"[10]

Mary Myrtle Siler became first female sheriff in North Carolina in 1920.

Stewart's appointment in 1895 remained an outlier until the late 1910s, though Missouri again briefly appointed a woman sheriff in 1912, when Nancy H. Williams took office in Laclede County, Missouri after her husband died.[11] However, a growing number of women began to be hired as deputy sheriffs in the 1900s and 1910s.[12][13][14]

Clara Senecal, appointed first female sheriff in New York in 1926.

The appointment of Emma Daugherty Banister in Coleman County, Texas in August 1918 after her husband's death began a long line of increasing appointments into the 1920s and beyond. And in 1919, with Missouri again leading the way, Minnie Mae Talbott became the first woman elected to the office of sheriff in the United States, in a special election to replace her husband who had been killed on duty. While the women's suffrage campaign was getting closing to success, Talbott's 1919 election was by an all-male electorate.[15] By 1930, at least 25 U.S. states had had a woman sheriff. While most had been appointed to replace dead husbands, a few had won an election after their appointment, or were elected to succeed a still-living husband, oftentimes because their husband was term-limited.

As of 2026, it appears that three states have never had a female sheriff, though women have served in other high ranking law enforcement positions. These are Delaware (where sheriffs do not engage in typical law enforcement work) and Wyoming (which did have the first female governor in the United States in 1925 with Nellie Tayloe Ross, who was elected to replace her dead husband), as well as Alaska (which does not have sheriffs, as the state does not have a county system of government).

The below chart lists the first known woman sheriff to serve in each U.S. state, regardless of whether they took office by appointment or election. The novelty of a woman serving as sheriff typically garnered news headlines, but newspapers have often made incorrect claims that an appointment was first in a state, overlooking prior appointments. Thus, while every entry in this list is supported by sources, there is the possibility that earlier cases may still be identified in some states. As far as is possible, the listed date of each entry is for the date an appointment occurred, or the date that an election occurred, even if the person was sworn in or took office at a later date.

Following this chart is a chart of the first known female sheriff to be elected in each U.S. state.

First Female Sheriff To Serve In Each U.S. State (whether appointed or elected)

# Date Name State County Form Notes Cites
1 9 August 1895 Helen C. Stewart Missouri Greene Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness [4][16][17][10][18][19]
2 5 August 1918 Emma Daugherty Banister Texas Coleman Appointed Husband sheriff died of stroke [20][21][22][23]
3 30 November 1918 Cora E. Walson Kilborn Kansas Harper Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness [24][25][26]
4 6 March 1919 Clara Dunham Crowell Nevada Lander Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness. Served 22 months. [27][23][28][29][30][31]
5 3 May 1920 Florence Cates Oklahoma Stephens Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness [32][33][34][35][36]
6 4 October 1920 Mary Myrtle Siler North Carolina Chatham Appointed Cousin sheriff resigned [37][38][39][40]
7 2 November 1920 Estella Gates
Jane Johnson		 Michigan Benzie
Roscommon		 Elected Succeeded husbands as elected sheriff [41][42][43][44][45]
8 8 December 1920 Maybel Woodford Simpson Oregon Lincoln Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness. Served 2 years. [46][47][48][49]
9 3 January 1921 Ruth Garfield Montana Golden Valley Appointed Husband sheriff died of gunshot [50][51][52][53]
10 4 May 1921 Gunda Martindale Iowa Allamakee Appointed Husband sheriff died [54][55][56]
11 11 March 1922 Lois Roach Kentucky Graves Appointed, then elected Husband sheriff shot. Served until 1927 [57][58][59]
12 April 1922 Sadie E. Munroe Minnesota Lyon Appointed Husband sheriff died [60][61][62][63]
13 31 July 1922 Willie Clara Murphy Arkansas Desha Appointed Sheriff died, Murphy was chief deputy [64][65][66]
14 20 September 1922 Ella White Indiana Clark County Appointed, lost election bid Husband sheriff died [67][68][69]
15 30 August 1923 Mabel V. Gray Pennsylvania Lycoming Appointed Husband sheriff died [70][71][72]
16 25 January 1924 Frankie Freese Ohio Crawford Appointed Husband sheriff died [73][74][75]
17 28 January 1924 Mrs. J.F. Casselberry Tennessee Hardeman Appointed Husband sheriff died [76][77]
18 8 February 1924 Ella McCoy Gilbert Louisiana Franklin Appointed Husband sheriff died [78][79][80]
19 March 1924 Emma Marion Leonard Wisconsin Langlade Appointed Husband sheriff died [81][82]
20 Later in 1924 Bessie Stultz Strickler Virginia Henry Appointed Father sheriff died [83][84][85][86]
21 10 April 1926 Clara Senecal New York Clinton Appointed Husband sheriff died [87][88][89][90][91]
22 November 1926 Lyda G. Larson South Dakota Beadle Elected Succeeded husband [92][93][94][95][96]
23 11 January 1928 Helena Dolder Illinois De Kalb Appointed, then elected Husband sheriff died [97][98][99][100][101]
24 16 August 1928 Pearl Richardson Mississippi Lawrence Appointed Husband sheriff died [102][103]
25 23 February 1929 Lena Keating[a] California Marin Appointed Husband sheriff died [104][105][106][107][108]
26 8 April 1931 Lula Duggan Camp Georgia Campbell Appointed Husband sheriff killed [109][110][111][112]
27 16 June 1932 Goldie Belle Curtis Colorado Crowley Appointed Husband sheriff went missing [113][114]
28 4 April 1933 Mayble M. Campbell Nebraska Hitchcock Appointed Husband sheriff committed suicide [115][116][117][118]
29 12 June 1934 Pearl Taylor Hickman West Virginia Monongalia Appointed Husband sheriff died [119][120][121]
30 29 November 1934 Bertha Regan North Dakota Ramsey Appointed Husband sheriff died [122][123]
31 23 August 1935 Mae Gasque South Carolina Marion Appointed Husband sheriff died [124][125][126][127]
32 20 November 1936 Belle Talley Arizona Graham Appointed Husband sheriff died [128][129][130]
33 27 January 1938 Eugenia Simmons Florida Okeechobee Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness [131][132][133]
34 11 April 1938 Linnie Thomas New Mexico Curry Appointed Husband sheriff died of illness [134][135]
35 3 May 1938 Jessie Welch Austin Alabama Elmore Elected Succeeded term-limited husband [136][137][138][139][140]
36 7 August 1939 Irene Borden Washington Skamania Appointed, then elected Husband sheriff died [141][142][143][144]
37 7 September 1944 Helen M. Kelley New Hampshire Merrimack Appointed Replaced retiring sheriff [145][146]
38 19 February 1951 Victoria Kuuleialoha Holt Hawaii Territory Appointed Incumbent sheriff died [147][148]
39 5 November 1974 Gloria Rice Clark Connecticut Fairfield Elected Defeated incumbent [149][150]
40 8 November 1977 Ruth S. Carpenter New Jersey Hunterdon Elected Incumbent sheriff died [151][152][153][154]
41 2 November 1982 Virginia Donnelly Maryland Howard Elected, defeated incumbent in primary Sworn in 5 December 1982 [155][156][157]
42 24 November 2000 Ann M. Castelli Rhode Island Kent Appointed Incumbent retired [158][159]
43 5 November 2002 Shiela Prue
Connie Allen		 Vermont Windham
Grand Isle		 Elected Prue won contested race
Allen ran unopposed		 [160][161]
44 19 November 2002 Andrea Cabral Massachusetts Suffolk Appointed, later elected Incumbent resigned [162][163]
45 2 November 2004 Patti Bolen
Elaine Savage		 Idaho Valley
Bonner		 Elected [164][165][166]
46 7 November 2006 Donna Dennison Maine Knox Elected Term started 1 Jan 2007 [167][168]
47 16 August 2017 Rosie Rivera Utah Salt Lake Appointed, then elected [169][170][171]
None Delaware Has limited powers
None Wyoming [172]
None Alaska Office does not exist

First Female Sheriffs Elected In Each U.S. State

The following table lists the first female to be elected sheriff in each U.S. State. Almost of all of these cases prior to the 1970s involve a wife being elected after previously being appointed to fill the unexpired term of her dead husband, or being elected because her husband was term-limited but could effectively continue in office by serving as a deputy to his wife. In 1945, Edna Reed DeWees was first appointed and then elected sheriff of Loving County, Texas (1940 population of 285), which may be the first case of the election of a female sheriff independent of any spouse. Some elections in recent decades may note when a female sheriff is the "first elected" in a state based on their own record unconnected to succeeding or replacing a husband, such as when Sylvia Boma was elected sheriff of La Crosse County, Wisconsin in 1982,[173][174][175] or Susan Benton was elected in Highlands County, Florida in 2004.

At least 43 U.S. states have elected a female sheriff. Alaska does not have sheriffs, and Rhode Island and Hawaii only appoint sheriffs.

# Date Name State County Form Notes Cites
1 29 May 1919 Minnie Mae Talbott Missouri Lafayette Elected, succeeded killed husband First female elected sheriff in U.S. [176][177][178]
2 2 November 1920 Estella Gates
Jane Johnson		 Michigan Benzie
Roscommon		 Elected; succeeded husbands First female to serve in state [41][42][43][44][45]
3 4 August 1923 Lois Roach Kentucky Graves Elected after appointment, husband killed First female to serve in state [58][57][59]
4 April 1924 Eudora Day Louisiana East Baton Rogue Elected after appointment, husband killed Second female to serve in state [80]
5 November 1924 Hannah C. Saunders Wisconsin Burnett Elected, succeeded husband Second female to serve in state [173][179][180]
6 November 1926 Lyda G. Larson South Dakota Beadle Elected, succeeded husband First female to serve in state [92][93][94][95][96]
7 2 November 1926 Mabel Chase Kansas Kansas Elected, succeeded husband [181][182]
7 2 November 1926 Maude Collins Ohio Ohio Elected after appointment, husband killed [75]
9 10 April 1928 Helena Dolder Illinois De Kalb Elected after appointment, husband died First female to serve in state [97][98][99][100][101][183]
10 2 August 1928 Laura Mason Tennessee Wilson Elected after appointment, husband died [184][185][186]
11 3 May 1938 Jessie Welch Austin Alabama Elmore Elected, succeeded husband First female to serve in state [136][137][138][139][140]
12 5 November 1940 Irene Borden Washington Skamania Elected after appointment, husband died First female to serve in state [141][142][143][144]
13 1941 Josie May Rogers Georgia Evans Elected after appointment, father sheriff died [187][188]
14 July 1945 Edna Reed DeWees Texas Loving Elected after appointment Prior sheriff resigned [22][189]
15 May 1946 Marguerite Pridgen Baldree Florida Sumter Elected after appointment, husband died [190][191][192][193][194]
16 5 November 1946 Maggie Hale North Dakota Bowman Elected, succeeded term-limited husband [195][196][197]
17 14 March 1950 Anna Mae Isabel Herrington Mississippi Newton Elected, succeeded husband [198][199][200]
18 November 1961 Virginia Chambers West Virginia Mingo Elected, succeeded husband and ineligible son [201]
19 8 November 1966 Doris McCarty New Mexico Hidalgo Elected, succeeded husband [202][203]
20 3 November 1970 Jean Gertzen Montana Glacier Elected after appointment [204][205]
21 5 November 1974 Gloria Rice Clark Connecticut Fairfield Elected First female to serve in state [149][150]
22 2 November 1976 Sarah N. Carter Nevada Esmeralda Elected Term started January 1977 [206][207][208][209]
23 8 November 1977 Ruth S. Carpenter New Jersey Hunterdon Elected First female to serve in state [151][152][153][154]
24 7 November 1978 Marietta Hardy Indiana Scott Elected, succeeded term-limited husband Sworn in 1 Jan 1979 [210][211]
25 1982 Sue Kurtz Colorado San Juan Elected after appointment [212]
26 2 November 1982 Virginia Donnelly Maryland Howard Elected Also first to serve in state [155][156][157]
27 November 1992 Sue Pridgen Arkansas Saline Elected [213]
28 2 November 1993 Michelle Mitchell Virginia Richmond City Elected [85][86]
29 1993 Ann Osborne Pennsylvania Delaware Elected in 1993 after 1991 appointment Earliest located to date; reporting does not say first [214]
30 8 November 1994 Barbara Pickens North Carolina Lincoln Elected [215][216]
31 27 August 1996 Rita Duncan Oklahoma Pushmataha Elected [217][218][219]
32 2 June 1998 Virginia Black California Yuba Elected Sworn in 4 Jan 1999 [220][221]
33 5 November 2002 Shiela Prue
Connie Allen		 Vermont Windham
Grand Isle		 Elected First females to serve in state [160][161]
34 5 November 2002 Terese Amazi Minnesota Mower Elected [222][223][224]
35 2 November 2004 Andrea Cabral Massachusetts Suffolk Elected after Nov 2002 appointment First female to serve in state [162][163]
36 2 November 2004 Patti Bolen
Elaine Savage		 Idaho Valley
Bonner		 Elected First females to serve in state [164][165][166]
37 7 November 2006 Donna Dennison Maine Knox Elected, term started 1 Jan 2007 First female to serve in state [167][168]
38 7 November 2006 Jayme Reed
Tammy Mowry		 Nebraska Pawnee
Box Butte		 Elected Took office 1 January 2007 [225]
39 7 November 2006 Diana Simpson Oregon Benton Elected Took office 2 January 2007 [226][227][228]
40 November 2014 Colleen M. O'Neill New York Jefferson Elected [229][89][90][91]
41 November 2018 Rosie Rivera Utah Salt Lake Elected after Aug 2017 appointment First female to serve [169][170][171]
42 4 November 2020 Kristin Graziano South Carolina Charleston [124]
43 November 2024 Kathryn Mone New Hampshire Stafford Elected Earliest located to date; reporting does not say first [230]
None Arizona [231]
None Delaware Has limited powers
None Iowa None identified [232][233]
None Wyoming [172]
None Alaska Office does not exist
None Hawaii Hawaii only appoints sheriffs[234]
None Rhode Island Rhode Island only appoints sheriffs[234]

Notes

  1. ↑ Keating seems to be earliest appointed woman sheriff in California. However, in January 1925, Alice Rees of Sierra County, by virtue of being county coroner, was said to automatically become sheriff when the county sheriff died in January 1925. The deceased sheriff's son was appointed three days later, so Rees was never appointed or elected.

References

  1. ↑ Rick Ruddell & Ken Leyton-Brown (2013) All in the Family: The Role of the Sheriff's Wife in 20th-Century Mom and Pop Jails, Women & Criminal Justice, 23:4, 267-285
  2. ↑ (2 July 1870). A Female Sheriff, Trinity Journal (Weaverville, California) (story reprinted from the Burlington Hawk Eye)
  3. ↑ (18 March 2025). The History of Women in Law Enforcement, Florida Sheriff's Association
  4. 1 2 (10 August 1895). A Woman As A Sheriff, The Kansas City Star
  5. ↑ (25 July 1895). To Elect A Sheriff, Springfield Leader and Press
  6. ↑ (12 August 1895). Time Too Short, Springfield Leader and Press
  7. ↑ (30 August 1895). Mrs. Stewart Wins, Springfield Weekly Republican
  8. ↑ (2 September 1895). She Meant Business, The Plain Dealer
  9. ↑ (12 August 1895). Draw the Line Here!, The Atlanta Constitution
  10. 1 2 (15 August 1895). Speaking of the appointment..., The Plain Dealer (short item pointedly disagrees with the Atlanta Constitution disapproval of Stewart's appointment)
  11. ↑ (28 January 1912). Missouri Boasts of Woman For Sheriff, The Houston Chronicle
  12. ↑ (24 March 1905). Colorado Gets First Woman Deputy Sheriff, The San Francisco Examiner
  13. ↑ (29 April 1907). Busy Women in Many Fields, Buffalo Courier (M. Jennie Kendall first woman deputy sheriff in New Hampshire in 1907)
  14. ↑ (15 January 1911). First Woman Deputy Sheriff at Olympia, Statesman Journal (Edna W. Edings appointed deputy sheriff in Washington state in 1911)
  15. ↑ Woodka, Chris (4 October 1992). First woman sheriff's election in America nearly forgotten, The Pueblo Chieftain
  16. ↑ (12 August 1895). Mrs. Helen C. Stewart, St. Louis Globe-Democrat
  17. ↑ (12 August 1895). Mrs. Helen C. Stewart, Sheriff, Buffalo Courier
  18. ↑ Yen, Connie (2 March 2025). The First Female Sheriff, Ozark History Journal
  19. ↑ (16 September 1895). Wants The Office: Mrs. Stewart Would Be Her Own Successor as Sheriff, San Antonio Light
  20. ↑ (6 August 1918). Woman Sheriff of Coleman County, Waco Times-Herald
  21. ↑ (16 August 1918). Woman Sheriff Preserves The Law's Majesty, San Angelo Weekly Standard
  22. 1 2 Bills, E.R. (June 2013). The First Madam Sheriffs, Texas Coop Power
  23. 1 2 Alderman, Barbara J. The Secret Life of the Lawman's Wife (2006), p. 178 (Texas - Banister) (Nevada - Crowell), p. 179 (Ohio - Collins)
  24. ↑ (1 December 1918). First Kansas Women Sheriff, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
  25. ↑ (5 December 1918). Mrs. Kilborn is Sheriff, Anthony Republican (Anthony, Kansas)
  26. ↑ (28 November 1918). Old Good Friend Kilborn Is Gone, The Anthony Republican
  27. ↑ (20 June 1942). Woman Sheriff of Lander Dies, Reno Gazette-Journal
  28. ↑ (10 March 1919). First Woman Sheriff in State, Elko Daily Free Press (editorial opposed to a female sheriff)
  29. ↑ (20 September 1920). Woman Sheriff, Nevada State Journal
  30. ↑ Earl, Phillip I. (28 August 1980). Clara Crowell, Nevada's first female sheriff, Elko Daily Free Press (in-depth discussion of her tenure)
  31. ↑ Nevada's First Woman Sheriff, Nevada, p. 56 (Jan/Feb 1981)
  32. ↑ (7 May 1920). Mrs. Cates Receives Appointment As Sheriff, The Duncan Banner (reports appointment occurred on Monday of that week, thus 3 May 1920; states it is first woman sheriff in state)
  33. ↑ (11 June 1920). Only Woman Sheriff Found In Oklahoma, Indiana Daily Times
  34. ↑ (16 June 1920) A Woman Sheriff, Grand Forks Herald (appointment of Mrs. William Gates (sic) as first woman sheriff in Oklahoma; husband asked three county commissioners on his death bed to appoint wife to the office; this article ran broadly without specifying appointment occurred in early May)
  35. ↑ (27 Jan 1960). First Woman Sheriff In State: Florence Cates Succumbs Today, The Duncan Banner (Duncan, Oklahoma)
  36. ↑ (27 May 1920). Wife Succeeds Sheriff Cates, Oklahoma State Register
  37. ↑ (2 March 1939). Old-Times, Do You Recall Chatham's Sheriff Myrtle, Chatham Record (Pittsboro, North Carolina)
  38. ↑ (6 Jan 1921). News Items, The Courier (Asheboro, North Carolina) (notes Siler served as sheriff from time of resignation of Sheriff Lane on October 4 until December 6)
  39. ↑ Gillis, Jennifer B. Chatham's Mary Myrtle Siler North Carolina's First Female Sheriff (September 2020)
  40. ↑ (10 October 2020). Chatham County Again Steps Into Limelight, The News & Observer
  41. 1 2 Women as Sheriff, Jamestown Weekly Alert
  42. 1 2 (4 November 1920). Woman Elected Sheriff, Ann Arbor News
  43. 1 2 (6 May 1920). Benzie Woman To Run for Sheriff, Grand Rapids Press
  44. 1 2 (11 November 1920). Roscommon, Blade-Crescent and Progress Advance
  45. 1 2 (5 November 1920). Woman Sheriff Is Not Afraid, Monroe Evening News
  46. ↑ (10 December 1920). Mrs. Simpson Appointed Sheriff, Lincoln County Leader
  47. ↑ (11 December 1920). Woman Sheriff Tackles Job, Oregon Daily Journal
  48. ↑ (9 December 1920). Widow Named Sheriff, The Oregonian
  49. ↑ (16 November 1922). Siletz Upsets Dope on County Politics, Lincoln County Leader (Oregon: Simpson ran to be elected in November 1922, but lost)
  50. ↑ French, Brett (4 March 2020). Montana sheriff’s 1920 shooting set off legenday posse gun battle, The Bulletin
  51. ↑ (12 Jan 1921). Montana Has Woman Sheriff, River Press (Fort Benton, Montana)
  52. ↑ Williams, Roberta (16 October 1966). Never Wore A gun, Billings Gazette
  53. ↑ (6 January 1921). New Board of Commissioners Meet; Mrs. Garfield Sheriff, Eastern Montana Clarion
  54. ↑ (13 May 1921). Iowa Woman Sheriff, Sioux City Journal (Iowa: Gunda Martindale appointed last week to succeed her husband as sheriff)
  55. ↑ (9 April 1935). Letter to editor, Globe-Gazette (Mason City, Iowa) (letter pointing out that recent news reporting that Iva Mae Thompson of Hardin County was the first female Iowa sheriff is wrong, citing Martindale being appointed in 1921)
  56. ↑ Swinton, Val (18 December 1994). In 1921, wife succeeded husband as county sheriff, The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) (confirms appointment occurred on 4 May 1921)
  57. 1 2 (13 August 2024). Pioneers of Justice: Meet Kentucky's First Women Sheriffs, Heroes, Heroines, and History
  58. 1 2 Widow of Slain Official is Graves County's Sheriff, Daily Times (Mayfield, Kentucky) (confirms named sheriff on 11 March 1922 at given oath at 11:30am that day)
  59. 1 2 (7 August 1923). Graves Returns Woman Sheriff, The Courier-Journal (reporting that Graves won election on 4 August 1923; this was Democratic primary but meant her election was inevitable)
  60. ↑ (15 May 1922) Bond for Woman Sheriff, Minneapolis Star
  61. ↑ (26 April 1922). First Lady Sheriff, Willmar Weekly Tribune
  62. ↑ (8 April 1922). Woman Sheriff of Lyon County, Winona Daily News
  63. ↑ (14 April 1922). Mrs. Sadie Munroe, Marshall Messengner (includes photo)
  64. ↑ (2 August 1922). Little, Laughing Woman Is Sheriff, The Oregonian
  65. ↑ (2 August 1922). Woman Deputy Named State's First Sheriff, Daily Arkansas Gazette
  66. ↑ (1 August 1922). Mrs. Willie C. Murphy, Named to Succeed George Lacy Is First Woman in Arkansas to be Sheriff, Pine Bluff Daily Graphic (byline July 31, says appointed "late today")
  67. ↑ (20 September 1922). First Woman Sheriff Named At Jeffersonville, Richmond Palladium
  68. ↑ (21 October 1922). Woman Sheriff Candidate To Succeed Herself in Office, The Indianapolis News
  69. ↑ (28 November 1922). Woman Gives Up Office, The Indianapolis News
  70. ↑ (1 September 1923). First Woman Sheriff In Pennsylvania Is Named, Altoona Tribune
  71. ↑ (12 November 1923). Woman Not Keen To Be Sheriff, Harrisburg Telegraph (Gray stated "This is a man's job and only a man can fill it.")
  72. ↑ (24 January 2024). Woman Sheriff Weary, Altoona Tribune
  73. ↑ (25 January 1924). Woman Sheriff Set and Ready, The Piqua Daily Call
  74. ↑ (14 December 1936). Former Sheriff Frankie Freese Called By Death, The Galion Inquirer
  75. 1 2 (20 December 1926). Widow Makes Good as Vinton Sheriff, The Plain Dealer (Maude Collins was first to be elected to a term in Ohio)
  76. ↑ (29 January 1924). Woman New Sheriff of Hardeman County, The Commercial Appeal
  77. ↑ (30 January 1924). First Woman Sheriff in Tennessee, The Commercial Appeal (note: Claims that Betty Caldwell in June 1927 or Della Riley in 1932 were the first woman sheriff in Tennessee are incorrect)
  78. ↑ (23 February 1924). Louisiana's First Woman Sheriff, Tangipahoa Parish News
  79. ↑ (9 February 1924). Woman Sheriff To Occupy Office Held By Husband, The Times-Picayune
  80. 1 2 Wallace, Ben (12 January 2015). The intriguing tale of EBR’s first and only female sheriff, The Advocate
  81. ↑ (18 March 1924). Woman Is Named Sheriff By Blaine In Langlade Co., The Evening Telegram (Superior, Wisconsin)
  82. ↑ (2 May 1924). First Woman Sheriff, Beloit Daily News
  83. ↑ (24 September 1969). Former Woman Sheriff Here Dies at 74, Martinsville Bulletin
  84. ↑ (22 August 1924). Death of B.F. Stultz, Danville Register and Bee (father died mid-August, so appointment was after that)
  85. 1 2 (6 June 1993). Mitchell defeats 5 in sheriff's race, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Michelle Mitchell likely first elected in Virginia in 1993)
  86. 1 2 (3 November 1993). It's official in Richmond: Hicks, Mitchell, Wilder, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Michelle Mitchell likely first elected in Virginia in 1993)
  87. ↑ "Smith Names Mrs. Clara Senecal as Sheriff To Succeed Her Husband in Clinton County". The New York Times. 10 April 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  88. ↑ (30 November 1944). Mrs. Eli Senecal, 79, Died Here Yesterday, Plattsburgh Press Republican, p. 5, col. 5
  89. 1 2 (4 September 1918). Anna B. Lewis, Makes Good Run, But is Defeated, Press & Sun-Bulletin (New York: In 1918, Anna B. Lewis of Chenango County, New York ran for the Republican nomination for sheriff, to attempt to succeed her term-limited husband Neil D. Lewis; she lost to Fred Hovey in the primary by less than 200 votes; 1,830 votes to 1,645)
  90. 1 2 (19 July 1918). Would Succeed Husband, Sheriff, Norfolk Daily News (New York: Blurb about Anna B. Lewis 1918 run in Chenango, notes husband sheriff is term limited)
  91. 1 2 (10 November 1926). Mrs. Evangeline Schoff Ran for Sheriff in Lewis county, Courier and Freeman (New York: After Clara Senecal's appointment in April 1926, Evangeline Schoff won the Republican primary in Lewis County, New York to replace her husband as sheriff, and the Republican party dominated the county's politics, but she lost in the general election to her primary opponent Emery J. Morrow, who ran in the general election as an independent Republican)
  92. 1 2 (21 May 1929). Handles Man's Job As County Sheriff, The Daily Plainsman
  93. 1 2 (11 November 1926). Dakota Democrats Win Many County Offices, The Sioux City Journal
  94. 1 2 (11 February 1926). Sheriff?, The Press of Atlantic City
  95. 1 2 (18 December 1926). South Dakota's Only Woman Sheriff Makes Appeal for Public Dance Hall, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
  96. 1 2 (24 April 2016). Brown County's first female sheriff, Amelia Geisler, stepped in for husband in 1927, Aberdeen News (appointed 1927, was not first female sheriff in South Dakota, but first in her county)
  97. 1 2 (18 January 1928). Clean-Up At Start By Woman Sheriff, The True Republican (Sycamore, Illinois)
  98. 1 2 (3 January 1928) Has Been Ill Four Weeks, The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) (Husband Sheriff died January 2, 1928)
  99. 1 2 (11 January 1928). Mrs. Helena Dolder Named Sheriff of County, The De Kalb County Chronicle
  100. 1 2 (6 April 1974). Ex-sheriff Mrs. Holder dies at 92, The Morning Star (Rockford, Illinois)
  101. 1 2 History of Female Sheriffs in the State of Illinois, Illinois Sheriffs' Association, Retrieved 19 May 2026 (notes she was elected after appointment)
  102. ↑ First Woman Sheriff of Mississippi Appointed, The News-Star
  103. ↑ (17 September 1931). Nason's Sister Is Appointed Sheriff Of Grenada County, Biloxi Sun-Herald (Mary Nason was another early female sheriff in Mississippi, appointed in 1931. Press coverage at the time did not state she was first in the state)
  104. ↑ (27 February 1929). First Woman Sheriff, Fort Bragg Advocate and News
  105. ↑ (24 February 1929). Widow of Marin Sheriff Elected to Succeed Him, San Francisco Chronicle
  106. ↑ (3 February 1925). Woman Holds Coroner's Job, San Francisco Bulletin
  107. ↑ (31 January 1925). Sierra Woman Official Known As "Dead" Shot, The Sacramento Bee
  108. ↑ (30 January 19250. First California Woman Sheriff on Job in Sierra, San Francisco Chronicle
  109. ↑ (19 April 1931). Georgia's First Woman Sheriff, Ledger-Enquirer
  110. ↑ (19 April 1931). Woman Elected Sheriff, The New York Times
  111. ↑ (24 March 2017. Georgia's first woman sheriff's home fascinates local teacher, Newnan Times-Herald
  112. ↑ (8 April 1931). Widow of Thos. W. Camp Is First Woman to Hold Sheriff's Post in Georgia, The Atlanta Journal
  113. ↑ (17 June 1932). Wife Is Appointed To Succeed Sheriff Who Disappeared, Great Falls Tribune
  114. ↑ (25 January 2004). 1981 From perms to pistols, Rosetta "Weezy" Anderle, Mountain Era
  115. ↑ (7 April 1933). First Woman Sheriff in Nebraska Serves Husband's Term in Trenton Office, Holdrege Daily Citizen
  116. ↑ (7 April 1933). Mrs. Mayble Campbell Will Succeed Husband As County Sheriff, The Republican Leader (article states it has happened in other counties before, but no earlier cases have yet been located)
  117. ↑ (5 April 1933). Woman Sheriff as Sheriff in Trenton, McCook Daily Gazette
  118. ↑ (5 April 1933). Woman Is Named for Sheriff Job, The Culbertson Progress
  119. ↑ (17 June 1934). Woman Sheriff, Evening Star
  120. ↑ (12 June 1934). W. Va. Has Woman Sheriff, The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania)
  121. ↑ The first woman sheriff..., Covington Virginian (notes that Hickman's spouse was former baseball player Charlie Hickman)
  122. ↑ (29 November 1934). North Dakota Names First Woman Sheriff, Argus-Leader
  123. ↑ (16 December 1934). Mother of Eight, First Woman Sheriff in N.D., The Forum (Fargo, North Dakota)
  124. 1 2 Liu, Michelle (7 November 2020). South Carolina’s first elected female sheriff vows to reshape agency, WSOC-TV
  125. ↑ (5 April 1959(. Sheriff Mae Gasque Kept Many Informants, Florence Morning News
  126. ↑ (4 March 2026). From First to Foundational: Women in South Carolina Law Enforcement, South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police
  127. ↑ (24 August 1935). Woman Is Sheriff Marion County, The Greenville News
  128. ↑ (22 November 1936). Widow to Succeed Husband As Sheriff, The Sunday Oregonian
  129. ↑ (21 November 1936). Widow Given Sheriff's Job, The Arizona Republic
  130. ↑ (17 November 1915). Arizona's Woman Sheriff in Town, The New York Times (Arizona: Lucretia Roberts was serving as a deputy sheriff in Santa Cruz County, Arizona in 1915; She did not serve as sheriff)
  131. ↑ Kerce, Fran (8 December 1977). State Had Woman Sheriff Long Before Women's Lib, Fort Pierce Tribune
  132. ↑ (28 January 1938). Cone Names First Woman As Sheriff, Tampa Tribune
  133. ↑ Crankshaw, Joe (9 February 1986) Florida's first female sheriff, The Miami Herald
  134. ↑ (21 April 1938). First Woman Sheriff of New Mexico, Alamogordo News
  135. ↑ (11 April 1938). Clovis Sheriff Dies; Wife to Succeed Him, Albuquerque Tribune
  136. 1 2 Alabama Woman's Hall of Fame: Jesse Welch Austin (1884–1987), Alabama Woman's Hall of Fame, Retrieved 20 May 2026
  137. 1 2 Herring, Donna (11 May 1980). Alabama's First Lady Sheriff Recalls Past, The Dothan Eagle
  138. 1 2 (31 March 1938). Vote for Mrs. W.A. Austin For Sheriff of Elmore County (Advertisement), The Wetumpka Herald
  139. 1 2 (20 January 1938). Mrs. W.A. Austin Gets In Race for Elmore Sheriff, The Wetumpka Herald
  140. 1 2 (5 May 1938). Mrs. Will Austin Elected Sheriff, The Wetumpka Herald
  141. 1 2 Oppegaard, Brett (3 January 1995). Skamania woman sheriff considered one of best, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington)
  142. 1 2 (7 June 1940). The Law in Skamania County, The Skamania County Pioneer (Stevenson, Washington)
  143. 1 2 (11 August 1939). Mrs. Irene Borden Selected For Sheriff, The Skamania County Pioneer (Stevenson, Washington)
  144. 1 2 (8 November 1940). All county races unusually close; Democrats win, The Skamania County Pioneer
  145. ↑ (8 September 1944). Woman Makes History as First N.H. Sheriff, The Portsmouth Herald
  146. ↑ (6 February 1978). Former Woman Sheriff Dies, Concord Monitor (this article states appointed on July 18, 1944)
  147. ↑ (20 February 1951). Victoria K. Holt Is First Woman High Sheriff Here, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
  148. ↑ (1 Mary 1951). Victoria Holt Confirmed As High Sheriff, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
  149. 1 2 (13 December 1974). Woman sheriff plans administrative cleanup, Santa Barbara News-Press
  150. 1 2 (6 November 1974). First Woman To Win Post in the State, Connecticut Post
  151. 1 2 (11 November 1977). Woman Sheriff for Hunterdon Sets Precedent, Asbury Park Press
  152. 1 2 (12 December 1983). 1st Woman Sheriff Retires, Daily Register (Red Bank, New Jersey)
  153. 1 2 (11 November 1977). After 19 years ..., The Philadelphia Inquirer
  154. 1 2 (24 March 2022). County board honors two 'exceptional' women, Hunterdon County Democrat
  155. 1 2 (31 October 1982). Maryland to get first woman sheriff, Salisbury Daily Times
  156. 1 2 (16 September 2007). Howard History - First Female Sheriff, The Baltimore Sun (reprinting article from September 20, 1982 paper)
  157. 1 2 (7 September 1986). In sheriff's election, Donnelly faces man she fired, The Baltimore Sun
  158. ↑ Rhode Island: State's first woman sheriff named, Sheriff; Alexandria, Vol. 53, Issue 2 (Mar/Apr 2001)
  159. ↑ 2001 Executive Appointments, RI Legislature
  160. 1 2 (7 November 2002). First female sheriffs in Vermont elected, Barre Montpelier Times Argus (Associated Press story)
  161. 1 2 Ring, Wilson (28 October 2002). State to have first female sheriff, The Burlington Free Press (Associated Press story)
  162. 1 2 (20 November 2002). Swift appoints state's first female sheriff, South Coast Today (Massachusetts)
  163. 1 2 Jourgensen, Thor (29 October 2004). Unopposed seek voters' support, The Daily Item (Massachusetts: Cabral defeated Stephen Murphy in September 2004 primary election, and was unopposed in general election held on 2 November 2004, to be elected)
  164. 1 2 Nelson, Rett (24 May 2024). A local woman ran for county sheriff in Tuesday's primary election. Has a female ever been the top cop in Idaho, East Idaho News
  165. 1 2 (11 December 2004). 2 women named Idaho sheriffs, The Idaho Statesman
  166. 1 2 Kinnaird, Keith (4 November 2004). Women taking charge in Bonner County (part 2), Bonner County Daily Bee
  167. 1 2 (10 November 2006). Female sheriff elected in Knox County, Sun Journal (Associated Press story)
  168. 1 2 (9 November 2006). County elects woman sheriff, The Bangor Daily News
  169. 1 2 (16 August 2017). Salt Lake County swears in Rosie Rivera — its first female sheriff, The Salt Lake Tribune
  170. 1 2 (17 December 2017). She was a teen mother, a high school dropout and an onion-field worker, now she's Utah's first female sheriff, The Salt Lake Tribune
  171. 1 2 (7 Nov 2018). Rosie Rivera Secures Position As Salt Lake County Sheriff, KSL TV-5
  172. 1 2 (17 October 2018). Let's Make History - Elect Wyoming's First Female Sheriff (advertisement), Jackson Hole News&Guide (Michelle A. Weber unsucsessfully ran for sheriff in Teton County, Wyoming in 2018; her advertising campaign noted she would be Wyoming's first female sheriff if elected)
  173. 1 2 Schultz, Dorothy M. and Steven M. Houghton. 2003. Married to the Job: Women Sheriffs in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Magazine of History 86(3):22–37 (detailed discussion of practice of wives following term- limited husbands in Wisconsin, and discussion of Boma)
  174. ↑ (3 November 1982). Boma wins a cliffhanger, The La Crosse Tribune
  175. ↑ (5 November 1982). Madame sheriff; help us build, The Winona Daily News
  176. ↑ Woodka, Chris (2 October 1992). First woman sheriff's election in America nearly forgotten, Pueblo Chieftain
  177. ↑ (5 June 1919). Mrs. Minnie Talbott Elected Sheriff, Lexington Daily News (Lexington, Missouri)
  178. ↑ (30 May 1919). Mrs. Talbott Elected to Take Husband's Place, Kansas City Journal
  179. ↑ First Woman Sheriff Takes Office Jan 1, Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
  180. ↑ Woman Sheriffs, State of Wisconsin, Women's Council, Retrieved 21 May 2026
  181. ↑ (17 March 1980). Nation's First Woman Sheriff Was Greensburg's Mabel Chase (headline not correct), The Wichita Eagle
  182. ↑ (21 December 1926). The Frank Chase family ..., The Iola Register
  183. ↑ (11 April 1928). Large Vote for County, Daily Chronicle (Illinois: Dolder won primary on 10 April 1928)
  184. ↑ (1 May 2003). New chief adds to Wilson history, The Tennessean
  185. ↑ (14 May 1928). A Woman Sheriff, The Leaf-Chronicle (Tennessee: Editorial against Mason being elected past her appointment, "It is a long leap from rocking cradles to arresting criminals.")
  186. ↑ (3 August 1928). Wilson election results, The Tennessean (Mason won general election in August 1928, 1,743 votes to 683; her prior primary win made her election essentially a certainty)
  187. ↑ (6 October 1984). Josie Rogers, was sheriff in '40s, The Atlanta Journal
  188. ↑ Photograph of Jose Mae (Mrs. W.A.) Rogers, Georgia Archives, Virtual Vault, Retrieved 21 May 2026
  189. ↑ (30 January 2000). Small West Texas town produced state's first female sheriff, The Odessa American (Texas, first elected: Edda Dewees was appointed in January 1945, and won primary to be elected in July 1945)
  190. ↑ (4 November 2004). Florida's First Female Sheriff Elected, The Tampa Tribune
  191. ↑ (18 March 2025). The History of Woman in Law Enforcement, Florida Sheriff's Association
  192. ↑ (6 November 2004). Highlands voters elect woman sheriff, Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Susan Benton was elected sheriff of Highlands County, Florida, on 2 November 2004. She was first elected in Florida without a husband sheriff tie)
  193. ↑ (31 January 1946). Woman Sheriff Says Her Job Not So Hard, Citrus County Chronicle (Baldreee appointed 21 December 1945; special election held May 1946)
  194. ↑ (9 May 1946). Mrs. Baldree Easy Victor In Sumter Sheriff's Race, Tampa Bay Times
  195. ↑ (10 November 1945). Bowman Elects Woman Officers, The Forum
  196. ↑ (19 May 2023). Bowman couple were both County Sheriff, she was the first woman County Sheriff in the state, KFYR
  197. ↑ (23 August 1981). Valley City woman is only county sheriff in state, The Morton County and Mandan News
  198. ↑ (26 March 1950). First Elected Sheriff, Clarion Ledger
  199. ↑ (30 June 1960). 1st woman sheriff wins by majority, Columbian Progress (Olie Polk elected in special elected to succeed murdered husband on 28 June 1960 in Marion County, Mississippi
  200. ↑ (16 March 1950). Mrs. Herrington Elected Sheriff, The Union Appeal
  201. ↑ Buzzard, William C. (23 December 1962). The Lady With the Man-Size Job, Charleston Gazette-Mail
  202. ↑ (18 November 2005). A Tribute to New Mexico's First Woman Sheriff, The Lordsburg Liberal
  203. ↑ (11 November 1966). Smalley, Kirk Elected to State Legislature Seats, The Lordsburg Liberal
  204. ↑ (13 April 1979. That's terrific Johnny, but heeeeere's Jean!, Great Falls Tribune
  205. ↑ (4 November 1970). Woman Gets Sheriff Role, Spokane Chronicle
  206. ↑ (7 September 1977). Nevada's first woman sheriff is optimistic, Telegraph (North Platte, Nebraska) (UPI story)
  207. ↑ Hillinger, Charles (6 May 1977). Sheriff Sarah Cleans House in Nevada County, The Los Angeles Times
  208. ↑ (12 October 1976). Mother of Six Wants To Become Sheriff, Elko Daily Free Press (Associated Press story)
  209. ↑ (4 November 1976). Woman Elected Sheriff, Nevada State Journal (UPI story)
  210. ↑ Nichols, Wanda (9 November 1978). Figurehead sheriff ... Wine stands in for her husband in Scott election, The Courier Journal
  211. ↑ (30 July 2019). Correction, The Herald (Jasper, Indiana (stating Marietta Hardy was first woman elected sheriff in Indiana; not Clara Bryne of Dubois County or Kelli Reinke of Spencer County)
  212. ↑ (2 September 2013). Colorado’s only female sheriff brings law, order to the high country, The Denver Post
  213. ↑ Bryan, Wayne (1 August 2010). Front & center: Judy Pridgen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
  214. ↑ (2 June 1996). Amid talk of her path a sheriff stays quiet, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania: Ann Osborne was appointed sheriff of Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1991 and elected in 1993)
  215. ↑ Marusak, Joe (10 November 1994). For female sheriff elect, little time to reflect, The Charlotte Observer
  216. ↑ (5 November 1994). Lincoln Could Pick 1st Female Sheriff, Hickory Daily Record (Associated Press story)
  217. ↑ Merriman, Bob (15 July 1998). Lady of the county, The Paris News (Paris, Texas)
  218. ↑ Johnson, Stacy D. (31 August 1996). First Woman Elected Sheriff To Get Star, The Daily Oklahoman
  219. ↑ Hutchison, Mark A. (28 August 1996). First Elected Female Sheriff to Serve Pushmataha County, The Daily Oklahoman
  220. ↑ (16 December 1998). New sheriff takes over in San Jose, The Californian (Laurie Smith was elected after Black, but was sworn into office a few weeks before Black)
  221. ↑ (4 June 1998). Yuba County now has first woman sheriff in state's history, Turlock Journal
  222. ↑ (27 March 2018). Minnesota's 1st elected female sheriff calls it a career, KARE (TV)
  223. ↑ (6 April 2002). Deputy could make history, Post-Bulletin
  224. ↑ (6 November 2002). Mower County voters elect female sheriff, Post-Bulletin
  225. ↑ Duggan Joe (9 March 2007). Breaking new ground: Two blaze trails as female elected female sheriffs in Nebraska, Lincoln Journal Star
  226. ↑ (2 January 2007). Benton Sheriff, KVAL
  227. ↑ (27 December 2006). Simpson takes over as sheriff Jan. 2, Corvallis Gazette-Times
  228. ↑ (11 March 2015). Simpson honored as state's first elected woman sheriff, Corvallis Gazette-Times (Oregon: Simpson was elected in November 2006, re-elected in 2010, and retired in June 2013)
  229. ↑ (5 November 2014). Jefferson County elects state's first female sheriff, reports say, The Post-Standard
  230. ↑ Dandurant, Karen (8 January 2025). Kathryn Mone sworn in as Stafford County's first female sheriff, Foster's Daily Democrat
  231. ↑ Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos leads with 53% of votes counted so far, tucson.com (Heather Lappin lost election in November 2024 that would have made her first female elected sheriff in Arizona)
  232. ↑ Siebert, Mark (7 June 2000). Candidates vie to wear county sheriff's badge, The Des Moines Register (Iowa: In 2000, two women ran for sheriff in Iowa, and it was reported that if elected one could be the first female sheriff elected in Iowa; neither won election)
  233. ↑ (8 November 2000). Heated races ... , The Des Moines Register (Iowa: notes both female sheriff candidates in Iowa lost their races)
  234. 1 2 History of the Sheriff, North Carolina Sheriff's Association, Retrieved 21 May 2026
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