Serving Stanly County Since 1841

History of the Stanly County Sheriff�s Office

�IN THE BEGINNING��

Sheriff. The Chief executive and administrative officer of a county, being chosen by popular election.  His principal duties are in aid of the criminal courts and civil courts of record; such as serving process, summoning juries, executing judgments, holding judicial sales and the like.  He is also the chief conservator of the peace within his territorial jurisdiction.  When used in statutes, the term may include a deputy sheriff.  He is in general charge of the county jail in most states.

      The land that is now Stanly County was parceled from the original county of New Hanover, then to Bladen, to Anson, to Montgomery and to the present County of Stanly in 1841 by creation of the General Assembly.  Upon setting of boundaries, an act of ratification on January 11, 1841, the first commissioners were selected.  During the same process Eben Hearne was elected as the first Sheriff of Stanly County.

      The office of sheriff was probably the most important one in the county in the early days.  The sheriff�s covered the county collecting taxes, usually riding horseback, and personally knew everyone in the territory.  When a man ran for the job of sheriff, he or his friends were required to post a bond of from $10,000 to $15,000.  This law was established to safeguard against a weak willed sheriff who might decide to travel with the county taxes as excess baggage.

      The newly seated board of Commissioners were directed �to locate the permanent county seat within eight miles of Sheriff Eben Hearne�s house and to lay off, on a tract of land not less than 50 acres, a town the name of which shall be determined by them, in which the courthouse shall be erected.�

      Nehemiah Hearne donated 50 acres of property to begin the new town.   At that time in 1841, the location was a major crossroads for travelers on the �Old Turnpike Road� from Fayetteville to Salisbury and crossed the �Old Stage Road� connecting Raleigh with Charlotte. 

      Upon accepting the deed, the Commissioners established the boundaries for the town, streets were laid off and cleared, and corners staked.  The blocks were surveyed into lots and numbered.  A lot sale was held to collect funds to finance public buildings, a courthouse and jail, as well as to pay part of the official�s salaries.

      The first courthouse in Stanly County was erected in 1842 and used for 50 years.  Prior to completion of the new courthouse, court was held in an upstairs room in the home of Nancy Hearne, widow of Nehemiah Hearne.  A bronze marker marks that location today.  (T.C. Hearne home)  Widow Hearne was paid $45.00 for allowing court to be held in her home for a period of three years.  This was the high rent district of Town.  An additional $8.45 was given because she provided a raised platform and bench for the presiding judge.

      The first official records book kept in the new court house were called the �Doomsday Book,� a carry-over from England whereas every person had to report under oath all his belongings and expenditures.

      First Sheriff Hearne was empowered to enforce justice of the time.  In 1846 the crime of FORGERY carried the penalty of �Pillory� for one hour, 36 lashes, imprisonment for not less than six months, plus a fine at the discretion of the court.  Second offense: DEATH.

      Also enforced during that period was �SWAIMS JUSTICE.�  Punishments called for the Sheriff to, in open court, brand the letter [ F ] on the brawn of the left thumb of persons convicted of a felony crime.

      February 2, 1857:  �It is hereby enacted by the authority of the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina that the Town of Albemarle, in the county of Stanly is INCORPORATED.�  The town of Albemarle was named for the first N.C. County (Albemarle), after George Monk, Duke of Albemarle, one of the Lords Proprietors in the original colonization.

            One hundred and sixty-two years have passed since the first Sheriff, Eben Hearne, began serving the citizens of Stanly County.  Through the years, Sheriffs and law enforcement methodology and responsibilities changed to meet the needs of the public they serve.   

            Today, much of what the public knows about law enforcement is misconceptions they learned from crime-action TV shows.  Although captivating, the �real life� shows only depict the �tip of the iceberg.�  Despite the constant glare of public attention, the law enforcement world and its patrons remain a mystery to most citizens.  Research has revealed that 80% of the adult population has no contact at all with a law enforcement officer during the year.  This means they have little of no first hand knowledge of the profession that is a vital element of our community.  This lack of knowledge can put law enforcement at a tremendous disadvantage because it is human nature to fear or distrust what you do not understand.

            The goal of the Stanly County Sheriff�s Office is to remove the veil of mystery that surrounds law enforcement for so many.  In the Citizens Academy we will address many of the common myths and misconceptions about law enforcement.  This is your opportunity to learn and develop confidence in those that strive to protect you. 

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