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Napa County was one of the original 27 counties established in 1850. The county lines changed several times before settling on its current boundaries, which consist of 794 square miles. Our first Sheriff was Nathaniel McKimmey, who was elected Sheriff of Napa County in 1853, and the entire County population at the time was estimated to be 450 people. The first known lynching in Napa County occurred during Sheriff McKimmey's first year on the job.
The Sheriff's Office has historically performed various duties mainly consisting of Patrol, Court Security, Custody, Civil Process and presiding over executions. Napa County was the site of the last public execution in California. This occurred in 1897 when William Rowe was hung for the murder of Lucina Greenwood.
Since Napa County was formed, there have been twenty-eight elected Sheriffs. The Office of the Coroner was separate until Sheriff Stewart's term, at which time it was merged with the Office of the Sheriff. Our current Sheriff/Coroner is Sheriff John R. Robertson, who was first appointed in April 2012 and won reelection in 2014.
2012 - John R. Robertson
2007 - Douglas E. Koford
1986 - Gary L. Simpson
1978 - Phillip E. Stewart
1966 - Earl Randol
1946 - John Clausen
1944 - Joseph Moore
1926 - John P. Steckter
1918 - Joseph R. Harris
1910 - Edward A. Kelton
1898 - D.A. Dunlap
1888 - George S. McKenzie
1886 - H.H. Harris
1884 - Leander L. James
1879 - Bennett James
1877 - John F. Tollner
1875 - Bennett James
1873 - L.M. Corwin
1871 - John Zollner
1867 - A.B. Walker
1865 - Ralph Ellis
1863 - T.F. Raney
1861 - Charles H. Allen
1855 - John S. Stark
1855 - Robert Crouch
1854 - John S. Robberson
1853 - William G. Edgerton
1853 - N. McKimmey