History of the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office

In 1822, Lorain County was founded from parts of Huron, Cuyahoga and Medina counties and was named after the French Province of Lorraine at the request of Herman Ely, founder of the city of Elyria.

From it’s birth in 1824, the Sheriff’s Office has always been located in the seat of the county, Elyria. In 1893 the first jail was replaced for a more secure facility which was located at 3rd Street and Middle Ave across from the current administration building. In 1977 the overcrowded out-dated facility was replaced with the office in use today located on Murray Ridge Road.Throughout history, there have been 36 men who served as Sheriff in Lorain County, our current Sheriff is Sheriff Phil R. Stammitti, who was elected in 2001. Below you will find their photo and dates of service.

Josiah Harris
1824-1832
F. Griffith
1932-1836
Edwin Byington
1836-1838 1842-1844
N. B. Gates
1838-1842

John Faxon
1844-1848
William Patterson
1848-1850
John H Boynton
1850-1854
Ashbel Culver
1854-1856

S. W. Lincoln
1856-1858
Harmon E Burr
1858-1862
Milo Harris
1862-1865
Mark Hitchcock
1865-1869

Xenophon Peck
1869-1873
R. E. Bramen
1873-1877
Chas Stone
1877-1879
H. E. Corning
1879-1883

Calvin Ension
1883-1887
M. A. Pounds
1887-1891
C. C. Ension
1891-1895
A. E. Lord
1895-1899

W. H. Warden
1899-1903
Chas Sailsbury
1903-1907
Robert Ward
1907-1911
Claude Bivin
1911-1915

W. M. Whitney
1915-1919
N. D. Backus
1919-1923
Fred Underhill
1923-1927
E. G. Mathews
1927-1929

C. E. Adams
1929-1933
Clarence W. Dick
1933-1937
WM. F. Grall
1937-1938
Carl R. Finegan
1938-1956

Vernon M. Smith
1956-1979
James A. Mertz
1979-1985
Martin J. Mahony
1985-2001
Phil R. Stammitti
2001-present