History

Nodaway County Sheriff's Office

History of the Nodaway County Sheriff

from 1845-2025 – Compiled by Susan Cronk

On June 3, 1813, the office of sheriff was created in the new state of Missouri. Prior to 1873, the county sheriff also acted as county collector of taxes. After 1873, Nodaway County transferred those duties to an elected  treasurer.

Initially, sheriffs in Missouri were elected to two-year terms, up until the election of 1908. Beginning in 1909, and continuing through today, county sheriffs serve a four-year term in office.

The Constitution of Missouri, enacted in 1875, limited a sheriff to one two-year term of office. They could not, under law, succeed themselves in the next successive term. They could, however, skip a term and run for reelection. The restriction against consecutive terms was not removed until the 1945 Constitution of Missouri took effect. Despite this, several Nodaway County sheriffs did run and win reelection for a second and even a third term in the early part of the county’s history. These were: James Pennington, Henry Toel, William Collins, Benjamin Pixler, James Anderson, John Ham, Scribner Beech, and James Enis.

James B. Prather was and remains the youngest man ever elected to the office of sheriff in Nodaway County. He was twenty-five years old.

Listing of Sheriffs

  • TERM — NAME — POLITICAL PARTY

    1845-1846 — Bartlett Woodward Curl Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1847-1848 — Caleb S. Burns Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1849-1850 — James Pennington Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1851-1852 — James Pennington Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1853-1854 — James Pennington Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1855 — Stephen M. Jester Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1856 — James B. Prather Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1857 — John W. Evans Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1858-1859 — Benjamin Franklin Torrance Sheriff/Collector  — Unknown

    1860 — Thomas Jefferson McQuiddy Sheriff/Collector  — Unknown

    1861-1862 — Stephen M. Jester Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1862-63 — William Swinford Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1864-1865 — Joseph Eusebius Alexander Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1866 — Isaac Newton “Newt” Wray Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1867-1868 — John Ham Sheriff/Collector — Republican

    1869 — John Ham Sheriff/Collector — Republican

    1870 — J.F. Bainum Sheriff/Collector — Republican

    1871-1872 — Isaac Newton “Newt” Wray Sheriff/Collector — Unknown

    1873 — Scribner Rossel Beech — Republican

    1874-1875 — Scribner Rossel Beech — Republican

    1876-1877 — Joseph M. Cooper — Democrat

    1878-1879 — Henry J. Toel — Republican

    1880-1881 — Henry J. Toel — Republican

    1882-1883 — James Anderson — Unknown

    1884-1885 — James Anderson — Unknown

    1886-1887 — Frank Owens — Democrat

    1888-1889 — Thomas J. Parle — Republican

    1890-1891 — Bernard “Barney” Moran — Democrat

    1892-1893 — Benjamin F. “Mac” Pixler — Republican

    1894-1895 — Benjamin F. “Mac” Pixler — Republican

    1896 — Benjamin F. “Mac” Pixler — Republican

    1897-1898 — William H. Collins — Democrat

    1899-1900 — William H. Collins — Democrat

  • TERM — NAME — POLITICAL PARTY

    1901-1902 — James N. Enis — Republican

    1903-1904 — James N. Enis — Republican

    1905-1906 — George L. Evans — Republican

    1907-1908 — William “Billy” Tilson — Republican

    1909-1912 — William “Billy” Tilson — Republican

    1913-1916 — Edwin Wallace — Democrat

    1917-1918 — John F. Dowden — Republican

    1921-1924 — Steve A. Roach — Republican

    1925-1928 — Lowell B. Campbell — Democrat

    1929-1932 — Harve England — Democrat

    1933-1936 — Edwin Wallace — Democrat

    1937-1940 — Royal “Roy” Edgar Sellers — Republican

    1941-1944 — Delma E Carmichael — Democrat

    1945-1948 — Earl M. Anderson — Republican

    1949-1952 — Earl M. Anderson — Republican

    1953-1956 — Earl M. Anderson — Republican

    1957-1958 — Earl M. Anderson* — Republican

    March 11,  — 1958James E. Tucker — Democrat

    1959-1962 — James E. Tucker — Democrat

    1963-1964 — James E. Tucker — Democrat

    1965-1968 — Fred L. Newton — Republican

    1969 — Fred L. Newton ** — Republican

    July 1, 1969 — John F. Middleton *** — Republican

    July 22, 1969 — John F. Middleton **** — Republican

    1971-1972 — John F. Middleton — Republican

    1973-1976 — John F. Middleton — Republican

    1977-August 6,  — 1980Roger Edward Cronk ***** — Democrat

    Aug 6, 1980 – Nov 4, 1980 — John F. Middleton — Republican

    Nov 4, 1980 – Dec 31, 1980 — Danny Estes — Democrat

    1981-1984 — Danny Estes — Democrat

    1985-1988 — David McClain — Republican

    1989-1992 — Danny Estes — Democrat

    1993-1996 — Ben Espey — Republican

    1997-2000 — Ben Espey — Republican

  • TERM — NAME — POLITICAL PARTY

    2001-2004 — Ben Espey — Republican

    2005-2008 — Ben Espey — Republican

    2009-2012 — Darren White — Democrat

    2013-2016 — Darren White — Democrat

    2017-2020 — Randy Strong — Republican

    2021-2024 — Randy Strong — Republican

    2025-present — Austin Hann — Republican

* Died in car wreck Feb 24, 1958; County Coroner Dr. B.F. Byland appointed acting sheriff until March 11, 1958
** Drowned in Mississippi River, Red Wing, Minnesota when boat sank Friday, June 27, 1969; Dr. Dunshee named acting sheriff.
*** John Middleton appointed interim sheriff.
**** John Middleton elected to office in special election
***** Sheriff Roger Cronk resigns from office after winning Democratic primary; John Middleton appointed interim sheriff until November regular election. Danny Estes is elected sheriff in November.