Judge Executives
David Johnston
2010-Present
David G. Jones
2006-2010
Wayne Hunsaker
2002-2006
Dudley Cooper
1990-2002
CB Embry
1982-1990
Theron Kessinger
1978-1982
CB Embry
1974-1978
Andy Funk
1970-1974
Herman Chapman
1965
Carlise Oldham
1966-1970
Truman Taylor
1958-1966
L.L. Embry
1943 and 1953
J.J Blankenship
1945
Herbert Ashby
1941
G.Alonzo Ralph
1937
Rufus Dowell
Elected Served rest of Patton's Term in 1928
George Norris
Appointed to serve until election in 1928
James Louis Patton
On 21 September 1927 Ohio County Judge-Executive James Louis Patton was shot in his office at the Ohio County Courthouse by James Johnston and died a few hours later at the Owensboro hospital. George A. Norris was appointed on 25 September 1927 by Kentucky Governor William J. Fields to complete Judge Patton’s term. In the following November 6th election George Norris (Democrat) ran against Rufus Dowell (Republican) for the office of County Judge and was defeated.
Robert R. Wedding
1921
Mack Cook
1917
John B. Wilson
1913
Robert R. Wedding
1909
William B. Taylor
1905
James P. Miller
1897 and 1901
John P. Morton
1890 and 1894
Charles W. Massie
1882 and 1886
Ben Newton
1878
William F. Gregory
1874
County Clerks
In December of 1798, purusant to an act of assembly at Frankfort, a new county was erected from the county of Hardin, to be called Ohio. A panel of trustees was appointed by his Excellency, James Garrard, Governor of Kentucky. Therefore, a commission from the Governor, bearing date at Frankfort, the 22nd day of December in the year 1798, appointing officers for the new county. These were made official at the first held court in Ohio County in July of 1799, this being the offical year of the establishment of Ohio County. In the early years County and Fiscal Court were held jointly. A list of County Court Clerks follows. Dates are election dates. Officers too charge the following January.
Bess T. Ralph
2006-Current
Lessie R. Johnson
1993, re-elected with no opposition in 1998 and 2002.
Robert Magan
1985, re-elected in 1989.
Cecil Barnard
1981
Mary Ranney (Later Mary Roberts)
1957
Served until her death on 2 of December 1980. Her brother Cecil Barnard was appointed to finish her term.
William Ranney
1953, died 2 on May 1955. His wife, Mary, was appointed to finish his unexpired term.
Martin Tichenor
1945, re-elected in 1949.
Cecil P. Taylor
1941
Clifton C. Black
1937
Dauphin Hunter
1929, re-elected in 1933.
Guy Ranney
1921, re-elected in 1925.
W. Claud Blankenship
1913, re-elected in 1917.
Wilburn S. Tinsley
1905, re-elected in 1909.
Moses L. Ragland
1897, re-elected in 1901.
David M. Hocker
1894
In 1891, when the present constitution went into effect, officers were elected for a four year term. This change of terms resulted in a year's shortage in the therms of the officeres elected in 1894.
Rowan Holbrook
1890
Thomas J. Smith
1882
Samuel K. Cox
1870, served until 1882.
R Seth Moseley
1859, served until 1870.
Charles Henderson
1808
Served as Couty Court Clerk and Circuit Court Clerk for nearly half a century. In 1854, he brought into court a certificate qualifying him as Judge of Court of Appeals and also was elected Clerk Again.
Samuel Rose
1807, appointed.
Samuel Eork
1800, resigned in 1807.
William Rowan
1799 , died before September 1800.
Sheriffs
Adam Wright
Tracy Beatty
David Thompson
Elvis Doolin
Jailers
Landon Spurlock
Gerry "Rip" Wright
County Attorneys
Justin Keown
Greg Hill
Magistrates
2015-Present
Sam Small
District 1
Jason Bullock
District 2
Joe Barnes
District 3
Larry Keown
District 4
Larry Morphew
District 5
2011-2015
Michael McKinney
District 1
Jason Bullock
District 2
Brandon Thomas
District 3
Larry Keown
District 4
Kenny Autry
District 5