Some Sheriff's Office History
The Sheriff's Office was created in 1844 when Polk County was made a county. B.F. Pope was the first elected Sheriff.He served for two terms,or four years. Since that time there have been thirty five elected Sheriffs,and three appointed. One, R.W. Johnson in was elected in 1900 after being appointed in 1899. The Sheriff that has held the office the longest was Hobart Hensley. He was elected for five terms, but resigned six months before his last term was over. After four years he was elected again and served two more terms, for a total of thirteen and a half years. Two Sheriffs, Al Hadaway and our present Sheriff Mike Oglesby, are tied for the most consecutive years as Sheriff. Both were elected for six terms, however, Sheriff Hadaway resigned half way through his last year.
This is a photo of Little George Cogburn on the right,and a friend of his,Doug Lance on the left.Little George was a moonshiner who ran a regular route during prohibition around the Mena area.Local legend has it, that Little George Cogburn avoided arrest for over thirty years.
On November 24 of 1896,there was a tragedy when the jail in Mena burned.Two men,Hoppy Hopkins and Thomas Casey were killed in the fire,despites attempts to rescue them.The next morning, numerous people including children, were at the scene.The local newspaper article stated,"While crazed with drink, they set fire to the house that was used for a jail, and that they were being held captive in."
Sheriff Thorton,(center with bowtie)and assistants with a whiskey still,found in the hills of Polk County,around 1923.
Please Note
I understand that the following is offensive,however it is part of the lore of Polk County. And this is a true account of what happened on that sorry night of Feb. 20 1901. I agree with the good people of Polk County that called this crime,"an outrage" and "disgraceful".
Peter Berryman was a well known black man that lived in the town of Mena. "Pete" was considered by many in Mena to be insane. He was in and out of trouble with the local law enforcement officers. He was once arrested after fighting a local officer when the officer told him not to build a cookfire behind a local bar.
"Nigger Pete's"(as he was known in town),last day started when he got in a fracas with the 12 year old step daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Wilson,Essie Osborne.Essie was trying to nail a board on a fence when Pete came up and tore it down.Essie threatened Pete with the hammer and he kicked her,"knocking her down and injuring her quite badly".Pete was arrested that evening and placed in jail.
After midnight on Feb. 20 1901 eight masked men stopped the night officer Al Jones.They took his gun and keys and while two guarded the officer the other six left. About two hours later one of the six returned,gave Officer Jones his keys and empty gun back and the three disappeared. Officer Jones went back to the jail to find Pete gone.
The body of Pete was found the next morning,swinging from a rope, badly bruised and covered with"bloody wounds". It was speculated by some that Pete died of a beating rather than the rope.
Mr. A.W. St.John,editor of the Mena Star,Stated that the hanging was,"a disgraceful crime...the negro should have been punished by legal manners......it is deplorable...."
There was a reward of $380.00 raised for information on who the eight men were,although there were many suspicions,no arrest or charges were brought against anyone,and the reward never payed.
Peter Berryman was buried in the southwestern corner of the White Oak Cemetery.