Law Enforcement - Historical Notes

Militia

The following act once affecting Lewis County, which related to the militia and to other law enforcement agencies other than the sheriff, is mentioned below.

1. Acts of 1843-44, Chapter 38, Section 13, provided for Lewis County to form a single regiment, the 158th Regiment. The act further provided for the regiment to be attached to the 24th Brigade.
2. Acts of 1849-50, Chapter 229, Section 6, provided that the regimental muster for the Militia unit of Lewis County would hereafter be held at Newburg, the county seat, until the militia could be divided into two county units of regiment size. Until the decision was made, all musters, court martials, and other official gatherings of the militia would take place at Newburg.

Sheriff

The following acts have no current effect but are included here for reference purposes since they once applied to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

1. Acts of 1857-58, Chapter 135, allowed the securities of Andrew Johnson, the late Sheriff of Lewis County, to execute promissory notes with good security under the supervision of the Attorney General and which would be approved by the Circuit Court Clerk for such portion of State taxes due from the said Johnson for the year 1854 as would be their obligation to pay. The County Court of Lewis County could make the same arrangements if desired. The securities of the Circuit Court Clerk were bound to see that the funds were properly applied.
2. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 972, stated that hereafter in Lewis County (identified by the use of the 1920 Federal Census figures) the Sheriff would be allowed and paid the fees now provided under the law and, in addition, would be paid $500 in ex officio fees which would be paid at the rate of one quarter on the first day of January, April, July and October each out of the regular funds in the County Treasury.