Washington County Republicans history

Washington County Sheriff’s Office—Since 1819

The best guess is that this jail was in use from the 1770’s to 1826.

In 1838, the Maryland Constitution was changed to provide for a separate County Tax Collector, thus relieving the Sheriff of that responsibility.

In 1850, the Sheriff’s term of office was reduced to two years.

The current boundaries of Washington County were established in March of 1853.

On July 6, 1854, just after the anniversary of the nation, an anti-slavery state convention was held in Jackson, Michigan.

In 1857, a fire completely destroyed the jail, but left the Sheriff’s residence still standing.

Though popularized in a Thomas Nast cartoon, the GOP’s elephant symbol originated during the 1860 campaign, as a symbol of Republican strength.

The 1864 Republican National Convention called for the abolition of slavery, and Congressional Republicans passed the 13th Amendment unanimously, with only a few Democrat votes.

The 1886 jail was unique at the time due to the sheriff’s home being attached to the jailhouse, and featured two floors of cells.

The last hanging in Washington County occurred on June 30, 1916 when John Brown was hanged after being found guilty of murdering a Hagerstown Widow.

Circa 1966, Sheriff Uel Hartman

In 1972 there were 10 full-time jail employees.

In 1979 a third jail was built at its current location of 500 North Schmidt Road in West Bend.

Sheriff’s during this time period did everything they could to accommodate the ever increasing inmate population which had grown to approximately 100 inmates by 1980.

He has been with the Sheriff’s Office since January, 1982.

In June, 1984 the inmates were transferred from the old jail to the new Detention Center.

In 1988 the population of the Detention Center has grown to the point it was decided to add a second bunk to each cell.

The Sheriff’s Office has undergone substantial growth since its initial accreditation in 1992.

By 1996 the inmate population continued to grow and it was necessary to add another 76 bed housing unit.

Ed Graybeal, Jr. was appointed Sheriff by the County Commission when the former Sheriff resigned in January of 2003.

A general election was held in January 2004 and Sheriff Ed Graybeal was elected to a two year term with 83% of the vote to fulfill the remaining two years of the Sheriff’s regular four-year term.

Sheriff Graybeal was re-elected in August 2006.

In 2009, renovations to the Detention Center was started that created a Central Booking Unit on the front side of the Detention Center.